Piotr,
Do you happen to know the serial number of the Halifax you are after and what period of time is concerned, i have pages from the 158sqdn Record Books dating from 1943/44/45 and have several C's, also, you must realise that crews did not neccesarily stick to one aircraft. The C's i have are............
27/9/43.....LW260.
19/2/44.....HX334.
23/6/44.....MZ787.
23/7/44.....MZ339.
13/3/45.....MZ928.
Regards........Alan.
Piotr,
Have just read your posting after leaving my response and noticed you did actually state the serial number, probably the effects of the large scotch sitting nearby.
Following up your enquiry regarding the crews of Halifax LV917, you maybe surprised to find that she flew under the command of 38 Skippers during her long career with the Squadron. I enclose a list of the Pilots for you with notes were appropriate.
Sgt P Kettles T-Tommy 15-16 March 1944 Stuttgart DNCO, P/O M.V. Lawrence. Became NP-H, Sqd Ldr W.J.Weller DSO DFC, F/Sgt A Brice, F/Sgt E.R. Anderson Regular Pilot, F/Sgt J.H. Evans, S/Ldr J.M. Viney, P/O E.G. Strange, Sgt J. Harmer, F/O P.A. Crammer, W/O/ L. Fulker RNZAF, P/O S.E. Rees landed at Woodbridge 25-26 July 1944 Returned to ops 10th August 1944, F/O R Carpenter, F/O R.F.New, F/Sgt A.W. Meadon, F/Lt D.W. McAdam regular Pilot, P/O R.L. Sleeth, P/O T.H. Sinclair, RNZAF who on the 31st August 1944 Returned early due to Port Inner Engine U/S, F/O L.E.J. Day, F/O N.G. Gordon, F/O F.M. Compton. Aircraft damaged after returning from ops, ground collision?? 14th Oct 1944, F/O D. Griffen RCAF Returned to Ops 16th Nov 1944, F/O J.A.S. Stewart, F/O J.H. Robinson, F/Sgt N. Tilston RCAF, F/O J.J. Krefter RAAF Landed at Woodbridge 6th Dec 1944. P/O N. Tilston flew as NP-C 16th Jan 1945, regular pilot, F/O A.W. Elley, F/Lt J.F. Kelham, S/Ldr A.G. Salter, F/O S.N. Sloan, F/Sgt R. Kaye, P/O J.W. Maynard, F/O. H.R.H. Meredith, F/Lt N. Grogan, F/O. L.T. Sowden, F/O R.J. O'Hara RCAF, F/Sgt W.G. Lamond, who flew her on the last Squadron Opertion of the War 25th April 1945 Wangerooge.
I came across your chat on 158 squd. and saw my fathers name listed by you.
I knew he flew Friday 13th. He died last year and only now have I got his log books.
I came across your chat on 158 squd. and saw my fathers name listed by you.
I knew he flew Friday 13th. He died last year and only now have I got his log books.
I came across your chat on 158 squd. and saw my fathers name listed by you.
I knew he flew Friday 13th. He died last year and only now have I got his log books.
Hi BCS, I recently purchased a WW2 group to Air Gunner Kenneth Roy Nerney who was KIA with F/O JJ Krefter in Halifax NR 195 6th Jan 1945. They were both Australian and as you mention Krefter and 158 Sqn I thought you might have info on their final/ fatal mission over Germany. Bruce.
The aircraft was shot down by Flak and crashed near the parade ground at Grossauheim on the outskirts of Hanau killing all on board. The wreckage and the bodies were spread over a wide area. All wreckage from the aircraft was removed by the Luftwaffe and taken to Hanau.
A report was submitted by No. 3 Missing Research and Enquiry Unit and is summarised thus
The former Chief if Police in Grossauheim, Herr Holstein stated that on the night of January 6th 1945 at approximately 23.30 hours a 4 motored aircraft crashed and burst into flames near the parade ground. Documents were found on 5 of the 7 bodies which identified them as Krefter, Gore, Morgan, Glyde and Cotterell. The body of one of the unidentified was exhumed on 13th September 1946 and identified as Sgt. Barr. The remaining body was therefore that of Nerney.
All were initially buried in a Communal Grave at Grossauheim on 7th January 1945 but later re interred at Durnbach War Cemetery.
LV 917 was one of a batch of Halifax III built by Rootes at Speke (Liverpool). She went to 158 Sqn on 7/3/44 and flew one mission as NP-T, 72 as NP-H and 25 as NP-C.
You will need to take your pick as to which crew you want to research because as BCS has shown, there were an awful lot of airmen who flew in her.
(BCS) A couple of typos crept in
For Kettles read Kettles-Roy
For Crammer read Cranmer
For Griffen read Griffin
No problem re the photo. I'm not the sort to harrass.
On the wider issue. I'm doing quite a lot of research on 158 Sqn. I've got some level of info on nearly 2,000 of the aircrew (incl. all the losses and POW's)
What I'm short of is quite a lot of info re which crews flew on which missions. I have broad listings of all the crews but as we know they changed quite a bit.
Any assistance greatly appreciated!! (Cheek or what)
I am looking for additional information on Halifax HR757 NP-M. W/O Holcombe and entire crew lost when hit by flak and crashed 00:20 hrs in Schnelsen a section of northern Hamburg.
My Uncle Sgt H.V. Tracey was the navigator on the op.
