LEST WE FORGET
Air Operations: (No. 467 Squadron Lancaster aircraft ED764), Germany, 18 August 1943
It considered justified to mount the raid in bright moonlight on 17th-18th August so that visual marking would be practicable, but specialist squadrons of No. 5 Group, using the low-level technique pioneered at Mohne and Eder, were in the van of the attacking force led for the first time during a heavy raid against Germany by a master of ceremonies.
Thirty-four Australian Lancasters were included in the total force of 597 heavy bombers, the largest yet sent against Germany. At briefing crews were urged to make special efforts to ensure that they would indeed hit the target. It was therefore with an unusual sense of purpose and determination that all set out on this hazardous venture in which poor execution, by warning the enemy, might be more costly than not attempting the raid at this time. As the route to the target coincided with that previously used against Berlin, a harassing raid was made against the German capital to preoccupy night fighters while the bomber stream in three waves headed on for Peenemunde. In clear weather early Pathfinder crews identified their targets visually from low level before a defensive smoke screen could be brought into operation. Pilot Officer Coldham (1) (No. 156 Squadron RAF) met intense light gun fire but saw his own and other target indicators falling accurately on key points in the sprawling complex of buildings which covered an area four miles and a half long by half a mile wide. The master of ceremonies then flew up and down advising the consecutive waves of bombers by radio-telephone which target indicators to attack so that the destruction would be spread to all vital points. All RAF crews agreed that this controlled tactical direction was of very great value, for they were especially warned about a few misplaced indicators and accordingly an abnormally high percentage of bombs did fall on their correct targets. The destruction in both manufacturing buildings and living quarters was very heavy. As soon as the real object of the raid was apparent the Germans hurried up the night fighters deployed over Berlin and sent others from as far south as the Ruhr to cover the withdrawal route. Consequently the third wave of bombers suffered heavily. Forty bombers were lost in the clear moonlit sky which favoured fighter interception but in relation to the considerable delay caused to enemy plans for a robot offensive, this was an outstanding success for Bomber Command. Only two Australian aircraft were shot down but two other s managed to return only by the most consummate airmanship. A Lancaster piloted by Warrant Officer Wilson (2) was hit by cannon fire from an Me-109 while over Peenemunde. The rear gunner was wounded, his turret hydraulic lines shot away and his ammunition set on fire but he shot down the attacker and then helped other members of the crew to extinguish the fires. Elevator and rudder controls had also been damaged but Wilson evaded several other fighters which approached and safely flew the bomber home. Pilot Officer Rees also was attacked four minutes after he had bombed, and though his gunners drove off the attacker he had to face the long return journey with one faulty engine, his starboard tail plane shot away, and one tank pierced and drained of petrol.
(1) Flight Lieutenant Peter Abernethy Coldham DFC & Bar (401908) Discharged from the RAAF: 17 January 1946
(2) Flight Lieutenant Warren Leonard Wilson DFC (403972) Discharged from eth RAAF: 24 September 1945
Extracts from Herington, J. (John) (406545) Air War Against Germany and Italy 1939-1943, Australian War Memorial, Canberra, 1954 – Pages 599-600
Lancaster ED764 took off from RAF Bottesford at 2146 hours on the night of 17/18th August 1943 to bomb Peenemunde, Germany. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take off and it did not return to base. Ten aircraft from the Squadron took part in the raid and two of these including ED764 failed to return.
The crew members of ED764 were:
Sergeant Charles A Bicknell (1399783) (RAFVR) (Bomb Aimer) PoW
Sergeant Ernest William Dickson (1445095) (RAFVR) (Navigator) PoW
Pilot Officer Francis William Dixon DFM (412923) (Pilot) PoW, Discharged from the RAAF: 8 January 1946
Sergeant Roland Garnett (1451360) (RAFVR) (Rear Gunner) PoW
Sergeant Lawrence Charles Hayward (1464967) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer)
Sergeant Raymond Davies Hughes (1697212) (RAFVR) (Mid Upper Gunner) PoW
Sergeant Peter Lowe (1218582) (RAFVR) (Wireless Operator Air Gunner)
In a later report by Pilot Officer Dixon, he stated “Aircraft was hit by flak and the whole of the starboard wing and centre fuselage caught fire immediately. I still had control of the aircraft but could not see the instruments due to smoke in the fuselage. I gave the abandon order. All aboard baled out successfully & unhurt. Aircraft was in control until I left the pilot’s seat after which it dived steeply. Pulled cord immediately and hit ground almost as soon as chute opened and less than 100 yards from where the aircraft crashed. Position somewhere a few miles south of Stralsund on the Baltic coast north west of Peenemunde. Contacted all crew except Lowe and Hayward who were drowned and buried in vicinity. Walked south west in darkness after being in woods all day. Blundered into built up area. Challenged by night watchman and handed over to local Burgomaster. Taken to Griefswald on 19 August 1943. Liberated by Russians on 22nd April 1945.
No. 467 Squadron lost Lancaster LM342 (Squadron Leader Alfred Sydney Raphael DFC (68155) (RAFVR) (Pilot)) on 18 August 1943.
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