LEST WE FORGET
Air Operations (No. 466 Squadron Wellington aircraft HE270), Germany, 5 March 1943
Of the 369 aircraft which actually bombed Essen that night thirty-three were from Nos. 460, 466 and 467 Squadrons. The Australians reported about 150 active searchlights in the area but they lost only one Wellington of No. 466 in this highly successful raid. Flight Sergeant Tozer (1) of the same squadron collided over the North Sea with another Wellington and with difficulty flew his damaged aircraft back to base. Descriptions of the immediate effects of bombing varied from “an immense pot boiling over” to “the glow from 150 miles away looked like a red sunset” and all Australians were confident of success. Photographic reconnaissance later showed that 300 acres of Essen had been seriously damaged, mainly by fire, including sixty-six acres of industrial plant. Some 10 per cent of the vital Krupps works had been damaged.
(1) Pilot Officer Colin Foley Tozer (406585) Killed in Air Operations: 16 April 1943
Extract from Herington, J. (John) (406545) Air War Against Germany and Italy 1939-1943, Australian War Memorial, Canberra, 1954 – Pages 480-1
Wellington HE270 took off from RAF Leconfield at 1915 hours on the night of 5/6th March 1943 to carry out a bombing raid against Essen, Germany. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take off and it did not return to base. Twelve aircraft from the Squadron took part in the raid and one of these HE270 failed to return. Post war it was established that the aircraft crashed in the target area and all the crew were members killed. Sergeant Gould is buried in the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery and the other four crew members are missing and their names are commemorated on the Memorial to the Missing, Runnymede, Surrey, UK.
The crew members of HE270 were:
Sergeant Ronald Dennis Baker (1318696) (RAFVR) (Bomb Aimer)
Sergeant Joseph William Gould (1262308) (RAFVR) (Wireless Operator Air Gunner)
Sergeant Jack Linacre (946543) (RAFVR) (Rear Gunner)
Sergeant Charles John Herbert Smith (1335889) (RAFVR) (Navigator)
Flight Sergeant Alfred Campbell Yielder (1126332) (RAFVR) (Pilot)
Operation Order No 37 for the mission stated:
Target: Essen Night 5/6 March 1943
Aircraft: 12 Wellingtons from No. 466 Squadron and 12 from No. 196 Squadron (RAF)
Route: Base – 53.47N 00.02W (North of Withernsea) – Egmond – Dalsten – Target – Turn left – Haltern – Egmond – Flamborough – Base
All aircraft to carry – 3 x 500, 4 S.B.C (90 x 4) 6X–Type 2 S.B.C (8 x 30)
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