LEST WE FORGET
Flying Officer Noel John Marsden MANFRED
Service No: 413627
Born: Goulburn NSW, 25 December 1920
Enlisted in the RAAF: 12 September 1941
Unit: No. 137 Squadron (RAF)
Died: Air Operations: (No. 137 Squadron Typhoon aircraft MN191), Germany, 18 November 1944, Aged 23 Years
Buried: Hotton War Cemetery, Hotton, Luxembourg, Belgium
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Marsden Erle Manfred and Mildred Ann Manfred, of Goulburn, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Goulburn NSW
Remembered: Panel 126, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Goulburn-Mulwaree Honour Roll 1939-1972, Goulburn NSW
Flying Officer Manfred in Typhoon MN191 was flying Blue 2 in a formation of aircraft from the Squadron, detailed to carry out an armed reconnaissance in the area of Sittard-Heidelberg, Germany. The formation took off from B78 airfield at 1120 hours and details of the flight are given by Blue 3 who states as follows “on 18 November 1944 I was flying Blue 3 in a formation of 6 aircraft to carry out an armed reconnaissance of the Sittard-Heidelberg area and the formation leader Red 1 instructed the formation to attack the target – Randerath north west of Cologne where accurate and rather heavy flak was experienced. I attacked immediately behind Blue 2 (Manfred) and I saw him fire his rockets. I waited for him to pull out of his dive before I fired as he was fairly near me, and as soon as he commenced to pull out and was clear of my sight, I concentrated on the target firing my cannons and rockets. I pulled out steeply, opening up my throttle as I did so and climbed, turning first to starboard and then to port to avoid being hit. As I turned to port still climbing I saw three aircraft above and in front and I thought Blue 2 must either be below or to one side, blanketed by my wings. I joined up with Blue 1, who called up Blue 2, enquiring of his whereabouts, and there was no reply. I called up Blue 4 and was informed by Control he was OK and operating on a different Channel. I then called Blue 2 and there was still no reply. After the attack several pilots, including myself, looked back at the village to assess the damage and locate the position of the anti-aircraft defences, but no separate fire was seen, nor was Flying Officer Manfred seen to be hit during the attack.”
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 Veterans’ Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 166/27/641
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line