LEST WE FORGET
Air Operations: (No. 463 Squadron Lancaster aircraft NG193), Germany, 14 January 1945
On 14 January, the largest force dispatched by Bomber Command against an oil target was sent to hammer the large oil, synthetic ammonia and methanol plant at Leuna-Merseburg. This installation had suffered 19 USAAF and one RAF attack already since 12th May 1944 and had been almost continuously out of operation as successive raids swamped the frantic efforts of an army of repair workers. The plant itself was considered to be in a basically sound condition and if left alone for two months was assessed as capable of achieving nearly three-quarters of its planned capacity . Previous raids had destroyed pipelines and ancillary services rather than main production units, so this mass raid, mounted in two waves, was intended to create heavier and more lasting destruction .
Each of the Waddington squadrons sent 14 Lancasters in the first wave of 220 aircraft for a satisfactory attack made through thin cloud and haze. Both flak and fighters were active and 9 Lancasters were lost including 4 piloted by Australians (1).
(1) Herington’s text does not account for ND 822 which was lost as the result of an accident. Details of the four Lancasters piloted by Australians that were lost as the result of enemy action on 14/15 January 1945 are given below.
Extract from Herington, J. (John) (406545) Air War Over Europe 1944-1945, Australian War Memorial, Canberra, 1963 – Pages 399-400
The four Lancasters piloted by Australians lost as the result of enemy action were as follows.
Lancaster NG193 took off from RAF Waddington at 1631 hours on the night of 14/15th January 1945 to bomb a synthetic oil plane at Merseburg on Leuna. The bomb load was 1 x 4000 lb (pound) (1,800 kg), 13 x 500 lb (225 kg) bombs. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take off and it did not return to base. Fourteen aircraft from the Squadron took part in the raid and one of these
NG 193 failed to return. All the crew became PoWs and there were no fatalities.
The crew members of NG193 were:
Flight Sergeant George Francis Chomley (440122) (Mid Upper Gunner) PoW, Discharged from the RAAF: 4 March 1946
Flying Officer David Llewellyn Dickson (419008) (Bomb Aimer) PoW, Discharged from the RAAF: 15 March 1946
Flight Sergeant Vincent Gilbert Dingey (427590) (Wireless Operator Air) PoW, Discharged from the RAAF: 22 October 1945
Flight Sergeant Edward Ernest Evans (427875) (Rear Gunner) PoW, Discharged from the RAAF: 8 March 1946
Sergeant Peter Charles Kimber (1027972) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer) PoW
Flying Officer Ronald Alfred Leonard (408485) (Pilot) PoW, Discharged from the RAAF: 3 January 1946
Flight Sergeant Kevin Morris Vaughan (437029) (Navigator) PoW, Discharged from the RAAF: 22 November 1945
In a 1945 report Flying Officer Leonard stated “Flak damaged the starboard inner and outer and the port inner. Ordered put on chutes when hit and all crew acknowledged. Abandon order at about 8000 ft. B/A hit by flak in both legs but able to bale out. All were out when I baled out about 6/700 feet. A/c in control when I left and not on fire but losing height rapidly. Aircraft crashed near Weimar. Chute caught in tall tree near burning Aircraft and discovered by enemy almost immediately. All POWs. Liberated by American Army 29/4/45.”
Flying Officer Dickson reported “The Aircraft was hit by heavy flak. Three engines out of action. Aircraft had medium control but losing height rapidly. No fire Abandon order acknowledged by
all Was injured by flak, had broken leg, but able to bale out at 6,000 ft. After I went Pilot,
Nav, Eng. Mid Upper still on Aircraft but all baled out. Aircraft crashed 4 miles from Weimar
Nav found me in a wood and went to get help in village. When 3 of us in car on way to hospital we were picked up. Captured with me Nav, WOP and Engineer.
Flight Sergeant Dingey reported “Approached target on supporter section and three engines hit by
flak. B/A hit in legs and I went up to administer morphine, but Skipper gave bale out order. Heard R/G acknowledge and then me. I baled out first from front. Aircraft seemed to be diving when I left. Skipper did a good job in getting all crew out safely. Aircraft crashed about 50 yards from Skipper a few miles from target area. Met all crew next morning.”
The other aircraft lost that were piloted by Australians were No. 9 Squadron Lancaster NN722 (Flying Officer Kenneth Alan Cook (418227) (Pilot)), No. 50 Squadron Lancaster LM234 (Flying Officer Alexander Hunter Nicol (426979) (Pilot)) and No. 106 Squadron Lancaster PB122 (Flying Officer Donald Robert McIntosh (426234) (Pilot)).
In addition, No. 460 Squadron lost Lancaster ND822 (Pilot Officer Gerald Duncan Walker (423014) (Pilot)) as the result of an accident and this fifth aircraft loss is not accounted for in Herington’s text.
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records (RAAF Casualty Information compiled by Alan Storr (409804))
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veteran’s Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll