We are currently researching my fathers service with 462 Sqn . Aircraft Z5N. The aircraft crashlanded with the loss of 7 out of the 8 crew , my father being the only survivor who managed to bale out. Would like some OP,s info. [Plane crashed 5.30pm . 6th Jan. "45 in Belguim] Also interested in any thing we can find on the extra man for that mission. a Leslie Mannell. also from 462 but not a normal crew member on Z5N. His family have no photos at all of him his son being 2 when he died. His wife remarried. Any help would be greatly appreciated
The files for the Australian airmen can be ordered free to be digitised on the Australian National Archives web site. The operation this Hali was on was Bomber support so probably carried various electronic countermeasures. Mannell, was a specialist equipment officer.
I take it you know the names of the other crew. If not, ask and I can post later.
P/O M W Rohrlach service number was 417761 RAAF
Lawrence 437426 RAAF
F/S L G M Mannell 429052 RAAF
Dear John,
You should contact BAHA (Begian Aviation Historical Association) if this Halifax did crash in Belgium. They have some rare German papers on many different crashes in Belgium.
These dedicated guys helped us recover the Halifax LW682 wreckage and 3 missing crew from the swamp at Gerarrdsbergen in 1997.
They know info about many of the crashsites in Belgium.
Contact Cynrik de Decker at demaalsteenATpandora.be (replace AT with correct symbol) and tell him Karl Kj from Canada suggested you call.
Thanks PC@ Karl i have the specific location + some material from the site. Just hoping to find out as much as i can inc. Leslie Mannell, we have just contacted his son who has no photos of his father thanks again John
Hi , I was a Flight Engineer with 462 RAAF Squadron ( Anderson's Crew ) at Foulsham and we were on the same op as your dad when he pranged.
Target was Hamm/Munster area and it was a special duty op to release window.( probably "spoofing " to confuse the enemy radar ops).
Twelve aircraft from our squadron were detailed, take off, for us, was 16.28 and duration was 5hrs 25mins.
Rohrlach's crew:
F'/S N S Scott RAF Air Bomber
Sgt JS Sanderson RAF Navigator
Sgt V C Topham RAF Mu/ gunner
Sgt E G Baker RAF Rear gunner
Sgt J D Beardsmore RAF Fl/ engineer
Your dad of course
F/S L G Mannell RAAF Spare Bod.
F/S Mannell was a gunner who normally flew with Marchant's crew. We all ( except pilots) did one or two trips as spare bod whose job was to chuck out masses of window to make our twelve a/c appear as large as Main Stream on the enemy radar screens. If Main Stream was also on the screens it was, hopefully, rather confusing for the enemy.
I have very little information on F/s Mannell but I am in touch with Marchants Flight engineer. For obvious reasons I am not prepared to publish his address ( he is not on-line) but I will contact him to see if he can supply any information or even a photograph. But please bear with me. In a couple of days a guy who trained with me as a Flight Engineer hundreds of years ago is flying in from Florida for a final reunion/fling. Methinks that much Scottish Wine will be consumed.
But I will get back to you. Cheers.
Hi Arthur.. Thanks for the response. Since i posted my original query we have discovered all sorts of bits and pieces. We have contacted Mannells son and he hopes to visit my dad in May. He also wants to visit Rohrlach,s daughter whom we know. We have located a former crew member of Mannell,s here in Adelaide[ South Australia] who had given us several photographs which i have yet to see including some of L G Mannell. The crash site has been located and we have photographs of then and now. We also have a small piece of the aircraft courtesy of Viv Tophams brother who has had several phone conversations with dad. I dont know how much more we can reasonably hope to find out bit thats it isntit. We dont know whats around the corner. Any onging info would be appreciated. Cheers John
Hi Arthur . Thanks again for your reply a couple of weeks ago. Since then we have met Graham Mannell, son of Leslie Gordan Mannell , who flew from Queensland to meet my father here in Adelaide. I also located and met ,along with Graham, Gar, " tatts" Tattersall who was a member of Mannells original crew. A very emotional and exciting afternoon. Could you let the "flight engineer" know this information. He may like to contact either of these chaps. Thanks Arthur
Cheers John
From my records the Halifax crashed at Harigmont "D L'epine", Belgium on 6 Jan 1945 with the serial number MZ469. I have noted that L.G. Mannell was the special duties operator and not a spare bod.
It appears the crew were on their third operation to the Rhur on a radio counter measure operation. Their previous two operations being:
12-13 Dec 1944 - Essen - Bombing
2 Jan 1945 - Hannau - Radio Counter Measures
It's great to see other people taking an interest in the oft overlooked Halifax and the largely unsung exploits of 462 and 466 Sqn's, RAAF.
I am the unit historian of the current 462 Sqn, RAAF (yes, 462 lives again!) and am in the process of putting together as much info as I can find on the Squadron so that the new generation of airmen and women have a better understanding of the history of the unit in which they serve.
I have an increasing collection of information and if I can be of any assistance to you please give me a holler!
Hi Craig
I am reaserching 436070 Flt Sgt M J Coleman who flew with 462 and 466 squadrons after being transfered from 10 squadron Melbourne York in July 1944. He was the only survivior of the crash of Halifax L V 825 G which happened 30 minutes after take off on 17 6 44 he was the rear gunner my brother was the mid upper gunner.I am trying to find out what happened to Flt Sgt Coleman after he joined 462 and 466 squadrons.
Many Thanks
Harold
Hi, Apologies for the long delay but I have some fairly sketchy information on F/s Coleman when he was with 462 Squadron.
He was crewed with F/L Peter H Finley DFC ( Later Sir Peter Finley).
Driffield'
11/09/44. Target: Le Havre.
Aircraft: Hali B111 MZ 341 P
Early morning op. Landed at Carnaby ( reason unknown)
Foulsham.
Jan 45. F/l Finley and W/O Gee ( rear gunner) were posted away from 462 Squadron.
I do not know what happened to Coleman but I suspect he was posted to Foulsham with Finley's crew, their F/E ( F/S Constable) certainly was but as far as I can recall he was never " re-crewed".
Sir Peter Finley died in early 1994.