JAMES

KENNETH

CAMPBELL

A much loved and missed son of James and Maria, brother to Gordon, and, of course, my ‘unknown’ Uncle Ken

Sweet is your memory Dear is your name Deep in my heart, Ken You will always remain

Paul B Campbell 2019

And when you come to 102 And think that you will go right through There’s many a fool who thought like you It’s suicide but it’s fun

Anonymous member of 102 Squadron - 1941

Acknowledgements

Writing this account of my Uncle Ken’s life has been both very enjoyable and extremely sad - and many emotions in between those two extremes. But I believe that it is important for his memory to live on. He never had the chance to have a family, and I am the only son of his brother Gordon, so I am the last male of our blood line (which I have traced back to the 1820s in the village of Fern in Angus, Scotland) to bear the surname Campbell. As I already had a great interest separately in both family history and the Great War, I had already done much research on ancestors who had fought and/or been lost in that war, so the challenge of researching Ken was one that I took on with relish.

Hence I will forever be grateful to Jenny Wilson who I met on line, and then in person at the first 102 Squadron Association Reunion Dinner that I attended in May 2015. She was there with her father Joe, an Air Bomber like Ken. What I learned from her (no spoilers) put the seed of the story in my mind. But it was always something that I was “going to do”, and never got round to. Then at the end of 2015 I was diagnosed with rectal cancer, and spent the whole of 2016 undergoing chemo and radio therapy treatment, surgery, and recovery, which made me realise that we are all mortal and I really should do it. Yet still I did nothing, and it wasn’t until we met again at the 2018 reunion that Jenny asked me if I had written the story and I had to admit that I hadn’t. I had the feeling that she was disappointed (in me) and so I promised her that I would do it.

Well November came around, and with it the Remembrance Weekend at Pocklington. Sitting around a table in The Feathers Inn with Joe, Jenny, Harry Bartlett Secretary of 102 Squadron Association) and his brother John, Lou Waring, John Williams, and the shades of young airmen, I showed them a small display remembering Ken and his crewmates that I had made and brought with me, hoping to persuade the Gliding Club at Pocklington airfield to hang it a wall in their clubhouse. Talk turned to the story that I hadn’t yet started writing, and Jenny and Lou made me promise to make a start on it – like NOW. Which I did – and now it is complete.

Paul B Campbell New Brighton 22 Jan 2019

My major sources of information have been:- http://www.flensted.eu.com/ https://www.airmen.dk/ http://aircrewremembered.com/ http://www.yorkshire-aircraft.co.uk/ https://www.cwgc.org/

Bomber Command Crews and Aircraft Pictures (Facebook Group). Just post a photo and/or a query on there and within ten minutes the first reply appears!!

Soren Flensted (flensted.eu), with whom I have corresponded, and who sent me photographs of both the crash and German documents relating to it, and gave me permission to use them.

Pete Tresarden (www.35squadron.wordpress.com) who helped me tremendously in deciphering Ken’s Service Record, and not only helped me to understand what Ken would have been doing at each stage of his training, but also sent me copies of his pamphlets relating to that training.

Thanks to Clare Oliphant, who added to the “white elephant” anecdote. She is the niece of Ronnie Mather, the other man in the photograph with Ken.

Also my thanks to Errol Martyn (New Zealand) for many of the documents pertaining to Sgt Thomas Samuel Eric Bennett RNZAF – via Pete Tresarden.

1065510 Sgt James Kenneth Campbell 102 (Ceylon) Squadron ~ Pocklington

The Early Years

On December 26th 1919, in St Mary’s Church, West Bank, Widnes, James Campbell married Maria Harrison. Witnesses to the wedding were James’ brother Harold and Maria’s sister Caroline, who had lost her husband Moses Sandbach during the Great War.

Just over a year later Maria gave birth to her first child, and James Kenneth (Ken) Campbell entered the world on February 6th 1921, in their home in West Bank.

Caroline, by now Caroline Wilson, lived nearby with her son Danny, and the two families were very close. Here is a photo of them on a family outing away from the grime and smoke of the streets of terraced houses that was West Bank, so called because the area stood on the west bank of the River Mersey. The photo was taken in 1928, probably at West Bank marshes. On the back row, left to right, are Carrie, Danny and Ken. In front are Maria and James, and sitting between Maria’s legs is Ken’s younger brother Gordon (my father), born on 11th February 1927.

As a boy Ken attended Oakland Street Methodist Sunday School where, in 1931, he was awarded a bible as a first prize. He was clearly proud of this achievement as he had the bible with him when he was at Wade Deacon Grammar School.

On the left can be seen a scrap of This flyleaf at the back of the bible reads “Kenneth paper saying “K Campbell – Form IVB” Campbell - Form IIIB Room ? – 1934-35 – No 2537”

Ken was your typical West Bank teenager who, with a river on his doorstep, would often go swimming with his friends. However my Dad did tell me that there was one occasion when, with the Mersey being tidal, he got into difficulty and had to be rescued. Apparently his brush with death got him an appearance in the local newspaper ~ The Widnes Weekly News, and it wouldn’t be the last time as we shall see later.

The photo shows Ken (2nd from the right), aged about 16, with three of his friends. They are standing on West Bank foreshore with the old Transporter Bridge behind them.

Coming of Age & Joining the RAFVR

The 1939 Register, taken on 29th September, shows that the family, including Ken’s 12 year old brother Gordon (my father), had moved to 62 Beamont Street, less than half a mile from where James lived at the time of his marriage and just round the corner from Irwell Street, where Maria had lived in 1919 and where Carrie was still living. Ken was 18 years old.

I do not know why the entry for Ken on the register is officially closed, yet the one for Gordon is open. As far as I can determine, entries for those born less than 100 years ago who are alive are supposed to be closed, but for deceased are supposed to be open. Both were alive, so why Gordon’s is there but Ken’s is redacted I have no idea. Ken would not enlist for another 11 months, so it cannot be related to any official military purposes.

1940

In 1940, at the age of 19, Ken enlisted in the RAFVR for the ‘duration of the present emergency’, his Airman’s Service Book showing the date of Attestation as 23rd August. This document shows his rank as AC2 (Aircraftsman 2nd Class), although his official Service Record gives it as ACH/W.Op (Aircrafthand / Wireless Operator). By 1940, all aircrew began with W.Op training before moving on to further “trades”, although even then they had the unofficial title of WO/AG (Wireless Operator/ Air Gunner). Having originally nominated his father as next of kin, for some reason it was later changed to his mother. As his father didn’t die until 1946, I have no idea as to why this was done.

One of the two pages that make up Ken’s service record. The top part shows his postings, his mustering points and his annual assessments. At the bottom are shown his promotions

And so began Ken’s time in the RAF, serving his King and Country.

23rd August 1940 Ken reported to 3 RC Padgate to enlist. This was #3 Recruits Centre at RAF Padgate, near Warrington – not far from his home in Widnes. Here he underwent the “Basic Introduction to Service Life”. This included kitting out, medicals, inoculations, fatigues, service drills, and being given his first rank of ACH (Aircrafthand) or AC2 (Aircraftsman 2nd Class). His trade was ACH/WOP. meaning that he was mustered as an Aircraft Hand, and was under training as a Wireless Operator. He was then supposed to be posted to 942 Squadron (more on this later), but for some unknown reason the posting was cancelled.

29th August 1940 Six days after he enlisted Ken was posted to 3 Wg 5 RC. This was #5 Recruits Centre, based at West Kirby on The Wirral. Recruits were divided into groups, each called a “Wing”, and he was placed into 3 Wing. Here he would have continued with a further month of basic training, learning about service life, including drills, fatigues, physical training and lectures on such subjects as hygiene & sanitation; RAF law, procedure & discipline; armament; anti-gas procedures amongst others.

1st October 1940 Ken was posted to 10 Sigs RC. This was 10 Signals Recruits Centre, based in Blackpool. He would have been billeted in one of the many hundreds of boarding houses and hotels that would normally have been used by holiday makers. He was there for five weeks that would have seen him not only enduring yet more foot and rifle drill along Blackpool promenade, but also the first part of his Wireless Operator training. Included in this training were Basic Electricity, Radio Theory, Semaphore, Aldis Lamp and Morse Code, after which he had to demonstrate the ability to send and receive in Morse at 10 words per minute. Much of this training took place at venues such as the Winter Gardens Spanish Grotto and the Tower Ballroom! He remained in Blackpool (one of 10 to 15,000 recruits there) for five and a half weeks until his next posting, which would see him begin his practical training.

Ken now had 30 weeks of this practical training at various RAF bases around the country (the standard being 36 weeks).

8th November 1940 Ken was finally posted to 942 Squadron (see earlier), where he remained for seven weeks. This was the East Riding Balloon Squadron based at Number 17 Balloon Centre, Sutton upon Hull in the East Riding of Yorkshire. Here he operated as a Trainee Wireless Operator in the signals section, in order to gain hands on experience.

28th December 1940 Ken took up a new posting at Station Horsham St Faith, near Norwich in Norfolk. This was the first time that he had been posted somewhere where significant numbers of aircraft had been stationed (Bristol Blenheims and Oxfords flew from here), and I wonder how he would have felt, and what would have been going through his mind, as he heard them taking off on their missions and, hopefully, returning. Once again, his seven weeks here were spent in gaining hands on experience as a wireless operator, possibly involving ground to aircraft communication.

31st December 1940 End of year assessment/report time for Ken. His rank is still AC2, his character is Very Good, and his trade is ACH/WOP.

1941

14th February 1941 Ken left Station Horsham St Faith when he was posted to 2Wg 3SS, having enjoyed a week’s leave from 29th January to 4th February. I doubt that he was very pleased having to miss his 20th birthday at home by just two days! 2Wg 3SS was 2 Wing, Accommodation huts at Compton Bassett 3 Signals School, based at RAF Compton Bassett in Wiltshire, where he remained for almost four months.

A week after arriving, he completed the first part of his course, qualified as a Wireless Operator (part 1), and was remustered for the second part of his WOP training. He was now designated as WOP/WOP – i.e. a wireless operator undergoing further training as a wireless operator. Of course there would still have been plenty of physical exercise, drill, square bashing, rifle shooting etc to fill up his “spare” time.

16th May 1941 At the end of his course Ken took his examination. He passed (with a mark of 45%!!!), became a fully qualified Wireless Operator, and was presented with his “Sparks” badge which he wore on the sleeve of his uniform. He was now able to transmit and receive Morse Code at a rate of 22 words per minute. However, this qualification was not an Aircrew trade, as Ken had not yet been up in an aeroplane. On 22nd May Ken left Compton Bassett for another period of leave, this time for two weeks, prior to his next posting.

4th June 1941 Ken went directly from his leave to his next post at SHQ Sn Colerne, its full title being Station Headquarters, Station Colerne in Wiltshire. Here he put his skill as a WOP into practice as he became a Ground Operator in the Signals Section, now on active service.

19th June 1941 Ken underwent a medical following which he was classed as fit to operate in the trades of pilot, observer, wireless operator/air gunner and radar operator.

Ken was stationed at Colerne for 5 months. Now that he was in the Signals Section it is possible that he may have been used occasionally for flying duties for which he would have received extra pay.

Sadly this will never be known, as I am not in possession of his Flying Log Book, a log of all the flights he ever made. All families of deceased airmen were offered the Flying Log Book, which is an invaluable source of information. Some took them and some didn’t, and those that were left were stored by the RAF. In a major clearout, the RAF wrote to relatives of the deceased airmen in the 1960s or 1970s to see if they would like the log book. Those that weren’t wanted, (and I assume that my Gran didn’t want Ken’s), were thrown onto a bonfire apart from a selection that were kept by the RAF Museum.

2nd November 1941 Ken’s Airman’s Service Book was updated, giving his trade as WOP/U/t Pilot by the authority of Colerne. Hence he was now a qualified wireless operator and was about to begin training as a pilot.

3rd November 1941 On this day Ken reported to ACRC, Air Crew Receiving Centre at RAF Regents Park in St John’s Wood, London, as one of the 274 kitted airmen in the 19th intake. They were billeted in flats and apartments that had been requisitioned by the RAF. Meals were actually taken in the restaurant at London Zoo.

He remained here for six weeks, undergoing further training and possibly also aptitude tests for flying. In fact he would have been given psychological tests designed to determine which of the trades he would be most suited for. Six weeks is longer than the usual time spent at ACRC, so it is likely that he would have been waiting for a vacancy for his next posting.

13th December 1941 At last Ken’s posting to 2 ITW arrived. This was #2 Initial Training Wing, based at Jesus College, Cambridge University. 2 ITW was one of many training wings around the country, and it was here that Ken learned everything there was to know about his trade of choice. Each wing taught specific trades, with #2 specialising in courses for Pilots, Navigators and Air Bombers (Bomb Aimers).

31st December 1941 Ken’s end of year report confirms his rank as AC2, again gives his character as “very good”, and now indicates that his trade is u/t Pilot – i.e. Pilot under training.

In the early years of the war, the bombers used by the RAF were “medium”, two engined aircraft that required a crew of 5, - Pilot, Wireless Operator, Observer, and two Air Gunners. Later it was realised that more powerful and effective aircraft were needed, and so the “heavy” bombers were designed – such as the Lancaster and the Halifax (which Ken flew in). Because of their size they needed a seven man crew. Hence

the role of Observer was split into two, the Navigator and the Air Bomber. Also, because of the increased difficulty in flying these planes, the role of Flight Engineer was created.

Sadly I only have two of the four photo albums that Ken assembled, the second and third. So the only photos that I have are from April 1942 onwards, the month that he left Cambridge.

1942

The men were billeted in student rooms, meals were taken in the college refectory, and the lectures were held in the lecture halls of the college. Drill took place in the college quadrangle, and parades marched through the streets of Cambridge. However, recruits were also given free time, and Ken and his pals explored the city. On February 6th 1942 He was given a week’s leave, and it would be nice to think that he got up early, caught a train,

and got home in time to celebrate his birthday with his family.

20th March 1942 Three months after being posted to 2 ITW, Ken was remustered as a u/t Pilot, not as a Pilot, was promoted to LAC (Leading Aircraftsman), and received his “propeller” arm patch indicating his rank, which can be seen in some of his photos.

There are several possible reasons as to why this happened. He may have failed the test (flying solo), there may have been a surplus of trainee pilots just then, he may have decided that he didn’t want to be a pilot, or there may have been a shortage of air bombers.

While in Cambridge Ken met, and became friendly with, a girl named Jo. In fact I would go so far as to suggest he was smitten. He was only in Cambridge for 18 weeks, yet his albums are full of photos of her.

29th April 1942 Ken was posted to 50 Gr Pool. This was #50 Group Pool, which was a “holding” centre at Yatesbury in Wiltshire, where he waited for his next posting.

11th May 1942 Two weeks later, Ken arrived at 5 AOS, or #5 Air Observer School at RAF Jurby on the Isle of Man.

The white insert in Ken’s cap in previous (and future) photographs indicates the he was “trainee aircrew”. This is where I believe he first began the serious matter of putting into practice in the air all that he learned on the ground.

Ken and Jo kept in contact, as the photo (above right) shows. In fact he must have had another spell of leave, because in May he went to visit Jo in Cambridge.

Back at Jurby Ken took to the skies in order to put his Observer/Air Bomber skills into practice.

One of Ken’s colleagues in Cambridge called Roth, and who can be seen in one of the photos earlier on, was also posted to Jurby and there they renewed their friendship.

The training at Jurby was intense. The pamphlet “You Are Going To Be An Air Bomber”, which was issued to all trainees described the role of the Air Bomber as – “acting as the eyes of the navigator on the outward and homeward journey” (hence the original role of Observer) – “guiding the aircraft to the target, identifying the aiming point and placing the bomb on it” – “manning the front gun in the event of attack by enemy aircraft”.

Both ground and air instruction were given on subjects including:-

Navigation (dead reckoning, astro, compass, maps & charts, instruments and direction finding wireless telegraphy) – Bombing – Pyrotechnics - Air Gunnery - Meteorology – Reconnaissance – Aircraft Recognition – Signals (Morse Code) – Photography. Quite a handful.

Photography was taught because it was the duty of the Air Bomber to take “target” photographs as part of the bombing run. Pilots had to keep the keep the plane flying straight and level after the bombs were dropped, and Ken then had to trigger the camera to take a sequence of photos that were studied back at base to see how effective the attack had been.

Ken’s training began with the Bomb and Gunnery School, where he learned the techniques of bomb aiming and firing the nose gun. The gunnery lessons were particularly important, since, in the event of a frontal attack by an enemy fighter, the mid-upper and rear gun turrets could not fire forwards. In this situation Ken was the Halifax’s only defence. And lessons were needed by all the gunners. After all, when you are travelling at 250mph and your enemy is flying at over 350mph, there is no point in aiming your gun at the plane because when the bullet reaches its target, the target won’t be there! After that he moved on to the Air Observers School where he had lessons on navigation (especially dead reckoning and astro navigation) and the other subjects listed above.

Following his lessons in the classroom, many hours of practice were undertaken in the air. Ken was paired with a pupil navigator and were taken up in one of the training aircraft. Jurby was equipped with the Bristol Blenheim, twin engined medium bombers.

A Bristol Blenheim Mark IV

The navigator and Air Bomber would have to learn to co-operate in order to direct the plane successfully, with Ken (as it said in “You Are Going To Be An Air Bomber”) being the eyes of the navigator – in other words, as the navigator was computing the course required (taking into account aircraft speed and wind speed), Ken would be looking for, (and hopefully spotting), landmarks on the ground that could be found on the map and used to help with ensuring that the course was correct. Ken in front of a Blenheim

He also went on flights over the target range where he had practical training on his Air Bomber role. At his position, lying down in the nose of the plane, he had to calculate his bombing “solution” – i.e. taking into account the speed of the plane, wind speed, altitude, and distance from the target, he had to work out exactly when to press the bomb release trigger. He also had to ensure that the pilot was steering exactly the right course, hence in films we hear the bomb aimer saying “left .. a .. little …steady …bombs away”. In fact Ken left behind a little memento of his Air Bomber skills. On the inside cover of his Airman’s Service Record is this calculation. I imagine him sitting in his hut or the NAAFI, cursing himself for not having any paper, and doing it on the first thing that came to hand.

Just in case Ken and his fellow Air Bombers were in any doubt about what their mind-set should be at this time, they could always read this in their manual.

Of course it wasn’t all work – Ken and his friends had time off to do as they pleased. In the above (right) photograph Ken can be seen smoking his pipe – a pipe that I now possess.

As we can see on the left, during the good weather in June Ken even managed to get in a bit of sunbathing.

In July of 1942 Ken was once again given leave. Taking the Isle of Man ferry “Snaefell” from Douglas to Liverpool he soon reached home in Widnes. He didn’t stay very long though, but while there he took this picture of his brother Gordon, 15 at the time, on West Bank prom. Ken had other plans, and was soon on his way to Cambridge to meet up with Jo again.

Jo certainly liked to dress up for Ken, as can be seen in the photographs above.

But Ken had gone to Cambridge for a very special reason - something that many young people during the War did. The following set of photographs, with Ken’s handwritten notations, reveals his intentions. Was this special day to be their final meeting??

Following his visit to, and engagement to, Jo, he returned to Jurby to complete his training and take his end of course assessments.

14th August 1942 Ken’s training came to a successful conclusion when he was remustered as an A/B, an Air Bomber. After nine days short of two years training, he had qualified as aircrew, and was promoted to (temporary) Sergeant. Temporary because he only held this rank for the duration of the war (being a member of the RAFVR rather than the RAF ‘proper’), and Sergeant because no member of an aircrew held a rank lower than this. On this day he was also posted to 14 OTU - #14 Operational Training Unit, based at Cottesmore in Rutland. Here, having qualified in their individual trades, pilots, navigators, air bombers, wireless operators, were brought together at one of the many OTUs around the country and billeted in one of the barrack blocks. Pilots, navigators and air bombers were usually billeted together, separate from the wireless operators and air gunners. The aim was to teach the individual crew members how to work as part of a team in a service type (rather than a training type) aircraft. Over the first two weeks the pilot would select his crew, one from each trade, by informally chatting to them and then inviting them to join his crew. Many a time this was done at the local pub! Once the crewing up had been done, they were given intensive training in the techniques required for their new bomber – not only their own trade, but also a variety of necessary others. After all, if one of the crew were severely injured, or killed, on a mission, one of the remaining crew would be required to take over his position as well as his own. Cottesmore had a squadron of twin engine Handley Page Hampdens, a “medium bomber”, which had been used by 185 Squadron before it became 14 OTU.

The Hampden, with a crew of four, was a very cramped aircraft, less than 3 feet wide. The pilot sat on an upper deck while the navigator/bomb aimer/front gunner had to crawl under the deck to reach his position in the nose of the plane, to find most of the space taken up by ammunition drums, oxygen bottles, bomb sight & release gear, course & speed indicator, basically the only navigational aid, and a folding map table! In May, a short while before Ken arrived at Cottesmore, 14 OTU had been involved in the first 1000 bomber raids over Germany targeting Cologne, Essen, Bremen and Dusseldorf. 151 sorties in all were flown (OTUs only flew on raids if there was a shortage of aircraft in the squadrons designated for the sortie), with the loss of 9 aircraft and 23 crew. The Hampden was, unsurprisingly, rechristened the “flying coffin” by crewmen. Its record, until its withdrawal from service in August 1943, was sobering, to say the least.

Killed Injured POW’s Total %

Operational 1,816 149 349 2,314 76

Non Operational 598 118 0 716 24

TOTALS 2,414 267 349 3,030 100

The figures above show that, of the 267 injuries sustained by crew of the Hampden, 118 (or 44%) occurred on non-operational sorties, i.e. training. Of the 2414 crewmen killed, 598 (or 25%) died in training. Towards the end of the course, crews were sometimes sent on operational sorties and/or “nickel” operations – dropping propaganda leaflets over enemy occupied territories.

Ken was with 14 OTU for ten weeks and settled in quickly. Within a fortnight he visited Melton Mowbray with some of his new friends, as the photographs on the next page show. Seated next to a pilot named Van, you can see his new Observer brevet.

I don’t know where they were billeted, but they appear to have had the freedom of the grounds of Cottesmere Hall.

The fourth photo shows Ken, Lord of the Manor, out shooting pheasant in his pyjamas and dressing gown.

At this point in Ken’s album the annotations stop – I don’t know why, perhaps life was too busy. The following photographs are the final ones in the album, and show Ken with his crewmates. Despite the lack of annotation, they were all taken at Cottesmore, and must have been taken before the last week of November 1942. I know that there was a final album, as the last one I have was numbered 3/4, but I never discovered it.

Ken and his crew standing in front of their Hampden

26th November 1942 Having completed his training on the Hampden four man “medium” bomber, Ken was posted to Yorkshire, to 102 Con Flt (#102 Conversion Flight), based at RAF Pocklington where 102 Squadron were stationed and 1652 CU (1652 Conversion Unit), based twenty miles away at RAF Marston Moor. The reason for this “double” posting to “different” places is probably that three days earlier, 102 CF was absorbed into 1652 CU, so Ken’s original transfer orders would have been given as the former, whereas he actually went to the latter.

31st December 1942 Ken’s end of year report gave his rank as Sergeant, character (still) very good, trade (still) Air Bomber, and his proficiency was graded as satisfactory!

It was here at Marston Moor, over a nine week period, that he and his colleagues were given their final training, which was intended to convert their training on the Hampden medium bomber into a readiness for operations in the Handley Page Halifax Mark II heavy bomber, particularly working together as a team. The Halifax had seven crew rather than the Hampden’s four, and four engines rather than two.

As with the OTU, the five man crews would have teamed up with a flight engineer and a second (mid upper) gunner who joined them at the HCU direct from their trade training, never having been in a plane before. The pilots had their own intensive flying training, as they had never flown anything like the Halifax before, but they would take part together, as a crew, in practicing:- Bombing, both day and night - wireless transmission protocols - map reading - air to air firing - standard beam approach (used for blind landing) - day and night cross country flying - general flying - three engined flying - fighter affiliation. Fighter affiliation was airborne training for bomber crews, familiarising them with fighter attack tactics, thus providing the A/Gs with flying air-gunnery opportunities and the pilots with the opportunity to practice defensive evasion manoeuvres, usually the “corkscrew”.

1943

The crew of a “Halibag”, as the aircraft was known, consisted of Pilot, Flight Engineer, Air Bomber/Front Gunner, Navigator, Wireless Operator, Mid Upper Gunner and Rear Gunner. Far roomier than the Hampden, Ken must have revelled in the space available to him in the nose of this plane. In addition, he had no navigation duties (apart from aiding the navigator by looking out for landmarks), although because of the years of training that he had undertaken he was capable of replacing any of the crew if they became incapacitated and unable to function. One final improvement was that he now had the Mark XIV bomb sight and bombing computor, which vastly improved the bomb aimer’s ability to release the bomb load accurately.

The Air Bomber’s position in the nose of the Halifax at Elvington Bomb sight in use

Bombing Angle Computor

Mark XIV Bombing Computor Navigation Computor

Not my error, that was how it was spelled Bombing Computor Schematic

The Beginning Of The End

1st February 1943 So after spending ten weeks learning how to work effectively as part of a crew of seven in a four engine Halifax Mk II heavy bomber, Ken was posted to 102 Sqdn (102 Squadron) at RAF Pocklington in the East Riding of Yorkshire.

Aerial view of RAF Pocklington then and now

Points of interest in a comparison of these photos:-

In the top left of the modern photo you can still see the line of the runway, even though it has been put back to arable use.

The airfield buildings to the bottom left have now been converted into an industrial estate, although 3 hangars and many roadways remain.

The curved perimeter/taxiing road, although now under grass, can still be seen on the modern photo.

Notice how close the runway comes to the road that cuts across the bottom right corner of the photos.

Also notice how close the ends of the other two runways are to the town of Pocklington itself.

Ken’s pilot on his final mission seems to have also joined the squadron recently as on 16th February he went on a sortie to bomb Lorient. The ORB (Operations Record Book) shows W A Griffiths as the last member of an 8 man crew. Since a Halifax has 7 crew, and since he was soon flying his own plane, it’s clear that Griffiths was on the trip as “Second Dickie”. This was what pilots who went on a mission for familiarisation purposes were called by the others, suggesting he was a new pilot to the Squadron.

18th February 1943 Ken’s first mission for 102 Sqdn was a Gardening sortie. This was the name given to operations involving mine laying near the German occupied coast.

The mission would appear to have been a success, judging by the comment in the ORB. However, I can’t help but wonder how he felt on his first ever mission. Although “gardening” didn’t involve long flights over enemy territory, the mines were laid in coastal waters and river estuaries close to the French, Belgian and Dutch coastlines, and the planes were in constant danger of attack by flak and fighters. How did he feel as he climbed into the Halifax, as he left the English coast behind, as he approached the enemy coastline, as he perhaps encountered flak exploding around him, as he turned for home, as he returned over the English coast, and as he touched down safely for the very first time?

26th February 1943 Eight days later he was put with a different crew on another Gardening sortie. This suggests that at this time Ken was not part of a regular crew, which is not really surprising as he was new to the squadron. Basically he was replacing a Bomb Aimer who couldn’t fly because of injury, of illness, or who was, maybe, even home on leave. Another member of the crew that evening was Air Gunner Sgt Bertram Charles John (Bob) White, who will appear again in Ken’s story. Yet another member of the crew was Sgt R A M (Ronnie) Mather, who will also appear again in the story. However, this time things didn’t go so well for them, as the ORB below shows.

One engine failed just before take-off, which caused the plane to swing round. At such a speed the undercarriage couldn’t take the force this caused, and collapsed, badly damaging the aircraft.

Halifax B MkII (like Ken flew) on the left – the earlier Mk I on the right, both at Pocklington The MkI had a more bulbous nose turret that was changed because of drag and speed issues

On 1st March 1943, Halifax W7936 took off from Pocklington on a raid over Berlin. In the crew were W A Griffiths (his second sortie as “Second Dickie”), W C Marsh, A Jenkinson and J T Smith. All will be seen later in this story, along with White.

26th March 1943 It was exactly four weeks until Ken’s next sortie. This time it was with yet another new crew for a raid on Duisberg.

As can be seen from the above ORB entry, this turned out to be not only a pretty perilous mission, but they also experienced problems with the plane. Flying at 17000 feet above 10/10 cloud cover it was impossible to see the target. Pathfinders were dropping flares, as other crews reported, so that the bombers would know where the target was and when to release their bomb load. Other reports also indicated heavy flak, with many planes sustaining damage. DT743 had problems with its bomb bay doors, which meant that they couldn’t release the bombs on their first run, so they had to circle round and make a second attempt.

When Ken released the bombs, the photo flash failed to go off and one of their 1000lb bombs hung up in the bomb bay until it was eventually jettisoned into the sea on the return journey. In addition to this they were obviously hit by flak – The oxygen economiser was shot away, the H/T (high tension) generator was holed, a hole was made in the pilot’s windscreen, and there were “minor” holes in the wings. They appear to have been very lucky that the only casualty sustained was the navigator, who was injured in the knee and admitted to hospital on their return. The report also seems to suggest that they were unable to return to Pocklington, and landed at RAF Coltishall in Norfolk. This stunning photograph was taken at Pocklington on the 19th June 1943: Halifax II DT743 DY-O, begins its take-off run in the gathering gloom. Airmen spectators watch, give the thumbs up and wave the bomber off with a wish of good luck. This was Ken’s plane on the above mission to Duisberg almost 3 months earlier.

On 29th March Halifax JB848 DY-G took off from Pocklington on a raid to Berlin. As it circled, waiting for other aircraft to congregate, it was almost hit by another plane. The slipstream flipped G – George over onto its back and, despite the pilot’s best efforts, it crashed near the town and all crew were killed. A full description is in Appendix B

The above extracts are from the Squadron ORB for April, showing a summary of the “events” that took place.

14th April 1943 Another month brought another day, which brought another sortie, this time against Stuttgart, and yet another new crew for Ken – but this was a crew that had been together for a while now. It included Griffiths, Marsh, Weir, White, and Smith. Ken took the place of their usual navigator, Joe Wilson, who appears again later in the story.

Again Ken ran into trouble. This time they didn’t get close to completing the mission. Ten miles north of Dieppe they encountered heavy Ack-Ack fire and their starboard inner engine was hit by flak shrapnel, putting it out of action. Griffiths had no option but to turn the plane round and return to Pocklington.

On the same day, the Glasgow Record published a photo of two airmen from 102 Squadron. The little report with it explained that a Glaswegian airman’s lucky white elephant charm was being Flak damage to a Halifax admired by an airman from Widnes. The Glaswegian (on the left) was Ronnie Mather, who Ken flew with on the mission to St Nazaire on 28th February. The Widnesian was, of course, Ken.

16th April 1943 Two days later Ken was rostered for another mission, this time targeting the Skoda armament works at Pilsen (Plzen) in Bohemia, then part of Czechoslovakia, which Hitler had occupied in 1939. Hence it was manufacturing a vast number of armaments for the Third Reich. 327 aircraft took part in what was called “Operation Frothblower”.

There was no cloud cover so Ken had a clear sighting on the target, although Pathfinders dropped flares as an added aid to accuracy. Once again though there were problems with the plane (DT747) with the rear turret being u/s (unserviceable) even before the target was reached, thus putting them in danger of attack from an enemy night fighter. Just before landing back at Pocklington the port inner engine failed, making a safe landing that little bit more difficult for Wilf Griffiths after a gruelling 10 hour sortie at the controls.

Pilsen is (and was in those days) famous for its Pilsner beer all over the world. It is, therefore, not surprising that the operation was code named “Frothblower”.

Interestingly, in another of 102 Squadron’s planes that night was Sgt T S E Bennett, who was 2nd Dickie in a crew of eight. Bennett had embarked from New Zealand in April 1942 and, after a year of training to be a pilot, been posted to the Squadron three days earlier on 13th April. He, too, will appear again in this story.

The story of the raid on Pilsen has been told in the book “A Shaky Do” by Peter Wilson Cunliffe.

20th April 1943 On this fateful day 102 Squadron were tasked with providing 16 aircraft to join a force of 323 others in a raid on Stettin, more than 600 miles away. Halifax DT747, codenamed DY-P, was crewed by:- Pilot, Sgt Wilfred Ambrose Griffiths RAFVR – 2nd Pilot, Sgt Thomas Samuel Eric Bennett RNZAF – Navigator, Sgt Wilfred Charles Marsh RAFVR – Wireless Operator, Sgt Arnold Jenkinson RAFVR – Air Gunner, Alexander Cuthbert Weir RCAF – Air Gunner, Sgt Bertram Charles John White RAFVR – Flight Engineer, Sgt James Thomas Smith RAFVR – Air Bomber, Sgt James Kenneth Campbell RAFVR.

The crew’s regular air bomber, Joe Wilson, had developed eczema on his face and was unable to secure his oxygen mask properly, so he had been stood down, and Ken was detailed to take his place.

On the left is a Lancaster Air Bomber’s planning sheet similar to the one that Ken would have been required to fill out before the mission. It shows a payload of one 4000lb “cookie”, 6 boxes containing 150 x 4lb incendiary bombs and 6 boxes containing 12 x 30lb incendiaries. The order in which the bombs were dropped is shown on the switch preselection chart near the top, and can be compared with the “stations” diagram at the bottom. This was to ensure that the transfer of weight as the bombs were released did not affect the stability of the plane. The “method” is “Parramatta” and “Wanganui” using red and green flares, so they were expecting cloud cover over the target that night. The sheet also shows that 672 aircraft would take part in the raid in 4 waves – 63 from the Path Finder Force, 176 from 5 group (of which this plane was one), and 433 from other groups – including H’bags (Halibags, the pet name given to the Halifax).

The Halifax was not able to carry a 4000lb bomb, but in every other respect Ken’s sheet would have been pretty much the same.

Left A Halifax loaded with nine 1000lb bombs in the bomb bay, and a 500lb bomb in each of the six wing cells

Left Armourers check over a mixed bomb load of three 1,000lb bombs and small bomb containers filled with 30lb incendiary bombs, loaded into the bomb-bay and wing cells of a Halifax Mk II of 405 Sqdn RCAF at Pocklington, Later, 102 Sqdn moved to Pocklington from Topcliffe, with 405 going in the opposite direction.

DT747 DY-P took off from Pocklington at 21:30. They headed east over the North Sea toward the Danish coastline. Over Denmark they would turn south-east towards Stettin, and attack from the north. The image on the right, taken from the actual RAF loss card for Ken’s plane, shows the bomb load carried by the aircraft that night. As well as 5000 rounds of small arms ammunition (SAA) for the two machine guns, there were six boxes each containing eight 30lb incendiary bombs (inc), five boxes each containing ninety 4lb incendiaries, and one 1000lb General Purpose (GP) bomb. The Halifax had a maximum bomb load of 13000lb, and a range of 1000 miles. Stettin was a round trip of 1200 miles, not including any deviations in the route that might become necessary. Hence extra fuel was needed, and the extra fuel tank housed in the bomb bay obviously took up space, which accounts for the fact that DT747 had a bomb load weighing only 4240lb. Also that night, they were employing a new tactic devised by Bomber Command. As Sgt S T ’Tom’ Wingham (also an Air Bomber in 102 Squadron) remembered it in the book “Flying into the Flames of Hell by Martin W Bowman:-

“With briefing came enlightenment. Bomber Command had come up with a new idea to beat the German GCI (Ground Controlled Interception – Fighters controlled by Radar) – a low level trip”.

Wingham also remembers that the aircraft were to fly over the North Sea at an altitude of 10000 feet. After crossing the heavily defended Danish coast near Esbjerg, they were to descend to their allocated altitude of between 400 and 700 feet for the flight over Denmark and Germany to

Stettin. (The different altitudes of the waves of aircraft allowed them to fly in “stacks”, reducing the time the bomber stream had to spend over the target, thus reducing their chance of being caught by flak or night-fighters. Unfortunately this also meant that planes were sometimes hit by bombs from above, bringing them crashing to the ground). Wingham’s designated altitude was 700ft whereas DT747 was to fly at around 400ft.

Below are four of the eight crew. The photos of Ken, Jenkinson and White are from Ken’s effects, that of Bennett was sent to Ken’s mother by his family.

Joe Wilson

Joe was the ‘regular’ Bomb Aimer, but was unable to fly that night

Approaching the Danish coastline, Air Gunners White (tail end Charlie in the rear turret) and the Canadian Weir (in the mid-upper turret) were scanning the skies on the lookout for enemy night fighters, while Wireless Operator Jenkinson was listening for any radio traffic and Pilot Griffiths was concentrating on ensuring the aircraft was flying at the right height, in the right direction and at the right speed. (As the pilot, he was the Captain of the plane, and as such “outranked” and was responsible for everyone else aboard). Navigator Marsh was busy checking and replotting the course, with the aid of Ken who, whilst not needed on Air Bomber duty, was using his Observer’s qualification to spot landmarks that would help him with his task (as Marsh had to maintain a high level of concentration for virtually the whole flight). 2nd Dickie Pilot Bennett and Flight Engineer Smith were also keeping an open eye on the skies (unless Griffiths needed help or Smith needed to make adjustments to the various systems).

However, on the ground the drone of the engines was heard and DY-P was spotted at 00:47 flying over Esbjerg Airbase at a height of 150m from the north-east. Immediately flak batteries (and there were many of them) opened fire, and searchlights were deployed to light up the plane. Soon they were coned by at least two radar guided searchlights, enveloping the cockpit in a blinding glare. As well as the flak batteries, machine guns opened fire, and the plane was passed on from searchlight to searchlight, unable to escape whatever manoeuvres Griffiths German map showing flak battery and searchlight might try. (Now that the plane was positions, and the flight path of DT747 DY-P caught by the lights, it was not only possible to track its course but also its speed, allowing the next set of lights and flak to be ready to lock onto it).

Griffiths turned to the west while White and Weir did all they could to shoot out the searchlights, but they and flak followed him. Five batteries, including two heavy batteries, were now firing at them and as Griffiths wheeled to the north, two flak ships in the harbour also joined in.

DT747 DY-P was hit directly several times by flak. As Griffiths attempted to gain height two more direct hits were made. Four minutes later (which must have seemed like four years to the crew if they were still alive) DT747 DY-P crashed. The crew, if not killed by the explosions from the flak, died instantly.

Knowing that the planes were to descend to low level after crossing the coast and that they were flying east, the question that stays in my mind is – Why was DT747 flying at 150m (450ft) in a south-westerly direction directly over the Luftwaffe airbase of the most heavily defended town on the Danish coastline?

The morning of the 21st April was a scene of carnage on the Hjertingvej road at Saedding, three and a half miles north of the port of Esbjerg on the west coast of Denmark.

So close to the road – attempted crash landing? German soldiers “inspect” the wreckage

German officers “inspect” the wreckage The tail wheel

There were eyewitnesses to the crash as the document on the left shows. It is a letter to the father of the second pilot Thomas Bennett describing the results of an investigation by the Missing Research & Enquiry Service. Eye witnesses told how the aircraft caught fire in the air but didn’t explode on crashing, although wreckage was strewn both sides of the road, and how, shortly after the crash, charred pieces of bodies were found either side of the road with two bodies inside the aircraft. The letter then quotes two eyewitnesses. One describes seeing the Germans arrive on the 23rd or 24th with a truck and 7 coffins, loading the bodies into the coffins and taking them away. The other, who was a man from the Ambulance Corps, was on guard on the 25th when the Germans removed the wreck and. found underneath a dead airman and part of the body of another. These were also removed in coffins.

Ken was on only his seventh mission, Bennett was on just his second.

All documents and photographs pertaining to the crash can be found in Appendix A

21st April 1943 The day that Ken’s plane came down, his parents received a telegram from 102 Squadron. Sent at 1:40 pm, it regretted to inform them that Ken was missing as a result of air operations, saying that any further information would be sent to them immediately.

30th April 1943 The bodies, together with other crewmen from planes on the Stettin and Rostock raids that night who were shot down in the area, were buried nearby in Fovrfelt Gravlund (Cemetery) in a military funeral with all relevant respect shown to the victims. 37 were buried that morning, the greatest burial of allied airmen during the occupation of Denmark. At the ceremony a German field pastor took the service, and many villagers and a guard of honour attended, while wreaths were placed on the coffins by the town council of Esbjerg and the Wehrmacht.

So ended the short life of 1065510 Sgt James Kenneth Campbell RAFVR, but not the story!

You may remember the photo of the airmen from Glasgow and Widnes admiring the white elephant lucky charm of the former (on 14th April in the Glasgow Record). In a supreme example of irony, “sod’s law”, or whatever one may call it – perhaps even fate at its cruellest – that very morning The Widnes Weekly News, having realised the local interest, printed the picture and story.

Imagine Ken’s 16 years old brother Gordon and his parents, Maria and James, opening the paper to find a photo and article about him – knowing that his plane had been shot down nine days previously.

Certificate Ken’sDeath

7th May 1943

The Gloucestershire Echo published a report on the burial of the 37 RAF men.

22nd July 1943

Maria and James received a telegram from the Under Secretary of State for War, Lord Croft. It states:- “Immediate from Air Ministry – deeply regret to inform you that according to information received through the International Red Cross Society your son Sgt James Kenneth Campbell is believed to have lost his life as the result of air operations on 21st April 1943. The Air Council express their profound sympathy stop Letter confirming this telegram follows”.

The eight crew remained in Fovrfelt Cemetery for the duration of the war. After the war ended they waited patiently for their bodies to be exhumed and laid to rest in the Imperial War Graves cemetery, which were now being built in their hundreds across Europe.

17th October 1945 Ken’s mother was in contact with either the mother or the wife of Thomas Bennett, as this envelope shows. Bennett left a wife, Alice, and a son, Ashley. I do not have the letter that was in the envelope, but I believe it also contained a photograph of Bennett as the photo has his name written on the back, not in his own handwriting. Left - Signature on Bennett’s will Right - Back of the photograph

The family also received a letter of condolences from the king, George VI.

October 1946 Just three and a half years after losing her son, Maria was hit by another tragedy. Her husband James, who was employed at the ICI works in Widnes, walked behind a train that was reversing in the shunting yard, was crushed against a wall, and died. Her only remaining son, Gordon, was doing his national service with 3 Para in Palestine at the time, and he was immediately given compassionate leave and allowed to leave the army to come home to care for his mother.

1st June 1947 By this time the remains of the crew had been exhumed from their original resting places and buried in two single graves and a communal grave in the Imperial War Graves cemetery that had been created from a part of Fovrfelt cemetery. Maria Campbell was also in contact with the mother of Arnold Jenkinson (known as Jinksy so I’m told by Joe Wilson), who had lost her only son. She sent (or brought) Maria a photograph of her at Arnold’s graveside Written on the back and a cutting about it from her local newspaper, of the above photo which can be seen on the next page.

The War Graves Commission form on the previous page contains two errors. Firstly, Ken was not an Air Gunner and secondly, Sgt E Lewis was not from 102 Sqdn. However, it suggests that both Smith and Marsh were positively identified before they were reinterred and buried in individual graves. As Smith was the Flight Engineer and Marsh the Observer, it is possible that some of their uniform may have remained on them and their FE and O brevets were recognisable, or there was a name tag in a piece of clothing. The other six crew members, including Ken, were tragically unidentifiable and so were buried in a communal grave.

The RAF loss card suggests that Weir was also positively identified. This information was collected from the Germans by the Red Cross, who then sent the information to Bomber Command who used it to complete the loss card. This is why the time and location of the crash, together with the place of burial could be added to the card, as can be seen. How Weir came to be “identified” by the Germans will remain unknown, but during the exhumation and reburial it would appear that no evidence of his identity was found.

15th December 1948 The Air Ministry wrote to Ken’s mother, Maria, informing her of the grave number, and enclosing photographs of the newly erected white crosses marking the plot where Ken had been buried.

In 1948, Maria also received a memorial scroll from the King.

An early cross naming 5 of the crew

Freshly cut flowers at Ken’s grave

A service held at Ken’s graveside

A view over Fovrfelt cemetery on a sunny day

Eventually, in the 1950s, the crosses were replaced by the familiar headstones seen in Commonwealth War Grave cemeteries around the world. In the photograph on the right, Ken’s grave is to the right of Bennett’s, the headstone bearing the inscription “Sweet is your memory Dear is your name Deep in my heart Ken You will always remain”

Ken’s name is remembered forever on

The War Memorial in his home town of Widnes

The memorial at his old school Wade Deacon Grammar And, of course, Fovrfelt cemetery

The Aftermath

Ken’s story doesn’t quite end there. On the inside of an old writing case containing many of the papers relating to him there is written, in two places, an address.

It is the address of a family named Kynde, who lived at 63, Ostergade in Esbjerg. I like to think this means that my Gran managed to go over to Denmark to visit Ken at some point, because I believe that the lady in the photograph showing a ceremony at his graveside is too well built to be her. I also have a photograph of a lady looking at the epitaph on Ken’s grave. It appears to have been taken on 27th March 1990, some 20 years after my Gran’s death. I have no idea who she is, or if this photo was sent to my parents. It came into my possession following the death of my father, so I have no way of discovering anything about it.

The Twenty-first Century

(and my part in the continuation of Ken’s story in perpetuity)

My father (Ken’s brother) had told me about him, so I knew that he had been shot down and killed on a bombing raid to Stettin on the night of 20th/21st April 1943. I had found him on the CWGC website too, so I had a photo of his grave and the knowledge that he was in 102 Squadron.

Following the death of my father, items relating to Ken came into my possession. Because of my pride in what he had done I realised that I wanted to discover as much as I could about his service. So I began searching online and found that there was plenty of further information out there on the tinterweb that has helped me to write Ken’s story. However, I also discovered that these websites, remembering the airmen of the RAF who gave their lives for their country and, indeed, civilisation, really only had information. Therefore I spent some time offering some of them photographs of Ken to add to that information which they accepted, and that, I thought, was the end of it. To my great surprise, I was contacted by a lovely lady named Jenny Wilson who had seen one of my posts. She asked me if Ken lived in Manchester, because her father Joe talked a lot about his friend Ken Campbell and he told her that after the war he cycled to see Ken’s mother who lived in Ashton New Road, very close to where the Etihad Stadium now lies. Apparently he felt very guilty about the death of the man who he knew to be her only son. I replied, saying that Ken’s Mum had never lived in Manchester but had lived in Widnes for all except her younger days, and also that Ken was not her only son – maybe Joe was having false memories. Then I remembered the newspaper cutting about Arnold Jenkinson’s mother (visiting his grave in Fovrfelt) that my Gran had kept all those years, so I dug it out and had a careful read of it for the first time. To my surprise, her address was given as 360, Ashton New Road, Bradford. Bradford??? Bradford is in Yorkshire – no way would Joe be cycling from Wigan to Bradford. Deciding to do a quick Google search, I soon discovered that Bradford was also a district of Manchester.

I contacted Jenny again to tell her what I had found out, wondering if Joe had got Ken confused with Arnold Jenkinson, who was known to the crew as ‘Jinks’. She told me “No”, Joe was sure it was Ken, because Ken was a Bomb Aimer like Joe. So that confirmed it wasn’t Jinks that Joe was thinking of because he was a Wireless Operator. And then Jenny stunned me – she said something that took my breath away. She told me that just before the mission to Stettin, Joe had come down with a severe case of eczema and was unable to wear his oxygen mask, which required a tight fit around the face. He was therefore stood down from the crew and Ken took his place, never to return. She told me that Joe had gone to see Mrs Jenkinson, thinking that he was visiting Ken’s mother, as he felt guilty that Ken had died because he was unable to fly that night, and since then has carried the guilt around with him. I told Jenny that there really was no need for Joe to feel that way, as I know that Joe would have done the same, and it must have happened all the time to hundreds of others. So we decided that we should meet up, and Jenny invited me to the annual 102 Squadron reunion dinner in Pocklington in May of 2015.

May 2015 It was a weekend to remember. The weather was glorious, and meeting Joe and Jenny was amazing. When I first saw Joe it brought a lump to my throat and a bit of grit in my eye as I thought about what might have been – but only for a moment.

Right Self and Joe

Left Self and Joe under the wing of “Friday the 13th”

Right Halifax “Friday the 13th” at Elvington

A trip of just a few miles took us to what was RAF Elvington, where I saw a full size Halifax for the first time. I actually saw the position in the nose where Ken would have lain as he carried out his missions. Back at Pocklington airfield, looking out over the grass and the runways, it was a very strange feeling, knowing that this was where Ken had spent the last three and a half months of his life – that this was where he almost lost his life on 26th February when DT779 crashed on take-off on just his second “gardening” sortie – that this was the exact place where he left on a further five occasions, and came home on just four.

Memorial to the Pocklington Squadrons Poppy for Ken With Jenny and her boys

May 2018 I returned to Pocklington for another 102 Squadron Reunion Dinner, which is held at The Wolds Gliding Club who use Pocklington airfield as their base. The after dinner speaker was Dan Ellin from Lincoln University, who is setting up the International Bomber Command Centre database. Harry The Feathers, where I stayed and crews drank Bartlett, the secretary of the association suggested that I bring some of Ken’s things over and talk to Dan about them. So I did, and after his presentation describing the project that they were undertaking, I asked him if the archive might be interested in these items and photographs etc. He told me that they would, and so I arranged to go down to Lincoln with them once I had sorted them all out. I thought that it would give me an opportunity to visit the new Bomber Command Memorial and Centre that Dan had also spoken about.

15th June 2018 I drove to Lincoln and handed over a bag full of goodies for scanning and photographing at the archive offices at Lincoln University before going over to the IBCC just outside of Lincoln. Set on a hilltop, with a clear view across the valley to Lincoln Cathedral, it is a wonderful setting.

The memorial itself is a spire made from weathering steel. It is 102 feet high, the exact wingspan of a Lancaster Bomber (and a perfect coincidence for Ken’s Squadron!). Around the base are 271 concentric panels of the same material, each with hundreds of names cut out of the steel. These “Walls of Names” contain the names of the 57,861 men and women of Bomber Command who lost their lives. Of course all of Ken’s crew are there but finding his name, and knowing that he now has a permanent memorial in his own country, as well as in Denmark, was a special moment.

The third, and most personal, form of memorial is the “Ribbon of Remembrance”. This is a set of engraved stones flanking the pathway all the way up to the memorial. Each one is engraved according to the wishes of the individual or group that has commissioned it. These are two of the seven I found that were dedicated to members of 102 Squadron.

4th August 2018

On my return visit to Lincoln I took with me ‘upgraded’ versions of the memorials for the Wall of Names.

Between visits I had also commissioned a stone, dedicated to Ken, to be laid in the Ribbon of Remembrance, and brought a memento to place by it.

11th November 2018 I returned to Pocklington for Remembrance Weekend, but first on the agenda was a visit to “Friday the 13th” again. It is a very eerie feeling when you look straight up into the space where Ken would have been lying, through the piece of Perspex that he would have been looking through in the opposite direction.

As well as the Remembrance Service at the church in Barmby Moor, the village on the other side of Pocklington airfield, which is attended by inhabitants of Barmby Moor, Pocklington, and members of 102 Squadron Association, another service is held afterwards by the Memorial to 405 and 102 Squadrons at the airfield. Usually six wreaths are laid, but this time it was seven, as I laid one for Ken and his crew.

There was one final act of commemoration that needed to be done for Sergeants Bennett, Campbell, Griffiths, Jenkinson, Marsh, Smith, Weir and White. With the agreement of the Wolds Gliding Club, which has an extensive array of 102 Squadron photographs on its walls, a small display that I made in remembrance of the crew of Halifax Mk II DT747 DY-P was added to them.

16th January 2019

I have obtained replacement medals for the ones that Ken was awarded, which my father buried with their mother when she died. They were issued on 29th December 1950.

I believe that the death of his ‘big brother’ Ken had a profound effect on my father, and that this text and photograph made a lasting impression on him – particularly considering the circumstances in which it was published, as is described in Ken’s story.

When my father married my mother in the summer of 1951, Ken had been dead for eight years, but this incident was clearly still in/on his mind. He gave her a gift –- not of a white elephant lucky charm, but a white elephant pendant.

I only discovered this when my father was in hospital dying from cancer in early 2015, when he told me where in his room he kept it and insisted that my daughter, Jodie, should have it. Initially she thought that it was a lovely memento to remind her of her Grandma and Grandpa. When I showed her the above cutting she realised the significance of the gift she had received.

The Crew

Sergeant Thomas Samuel Eric Bennett - RNZAF Thomas Bennett was born on May 15th 1911 in Upper Hutt, Wellington, New Zealand to Thomas and Elizabeth Bennett (nee Goodman).

He was educated at Brooklyn School and Wellington Boys’ College. His sporting interests included golf.

He married Alice Vera Hansen on 20th July 1940 and they had a son, Ashley Eric, born on 22nd April 1941.

He was employed by C F Lethaby, umbrella specialists, in Wellington prior to enlisting in the RNZAF as a pilot, which he did on 7th September 1941 at RNZAF Levin. At the time of enlistment his parents, wife and son were living at 51 Waterloo Road, Lower Hutt. Having spent six years in the (Air) Cadets, his flight training did not take long, and on 18th February 1942 he was awarded his Pilot’s Badge, being promoted to Sergeant on 28th March. He was attached to the RAF and embarked for England on 8th April, arriving on 10th May. The next day he was posted to 3 PRC (#3 Personnel Reception Centre) in Bournemouth. On 15th June he was posted to 14 AFU (#14 Advanced Flying Unit) at Ossington in Nottinghamshire. On 5th August he was posted to 7 FIS (#7 Flying Instructors School) at RAF Upavon in Wiltshire, where he took a Flying Instructor’s course on the twin engined Airspeed Oxford, before being posted to 3 (P)AFU (#3 Pilots’ Advanced Flying Unit) at South Cerney, Gloucestershire on 5th October, where he was an instructor on Oxfords.

On 3rd November he was posted to 15 OTU (#15 Operational Training Unit) at RAF Harwell in Berkshire (now Oxfordshire), where he spent four months flying a twin engined Vickers Wellington in preparation for posting to a squadron. His next posting was on 11th March 1943, to 1658 HCU (1658 Heavy Conversion Unit) at Ricall in Yorkshire where he retrained on the four engine Halifax “heavy” bomber. One month later, on 13th April 1943, he was posted to his first squadron – 102 Squadron, Pocklington. On 16th April, he went on his first mission as Second Dickie in Halifax HR712 – a bombing raid on the Skoda works at Pilsen that Ken also went on in DT747. Sgt T S E Bennett RNZAF was rostered for his second, and tragically final, mission on 20th April when he joined the crew of Halifax DT747 DY-P, again as Second Dickie. He died, with the rest of the crew, on 21st April 1943, the day before his son’s second birthday.

Below are reports from the New Zealand Press

Missing Believed Killed Gisborne Herald 31st July 1943 Stettin Raid Gisborne Herald 24th April 1943 Missing Wellington Evening Post 1st June 1943

Officially Presumed Dead Aukland Star 13th October 1943 Death Wellington Evening Post 16th October 1943 Officially Presumed Dead Hutt News (Local Paper) 20th October 1943

IBCC Lincoln – Wall of Names

Fovrfelt Cemetery

Wall of names (detail)

Sergeant Wilfred Ambrose Griffiths - RAFVR

Wilfred Griffiths was born in 1922, probably in either Hakin or Milford in the district of Haverfordwest, to Martha Jane Griffiths (nee Lewis). He was the stepson of John Peel, of Hakin. He was 20 years old when he died in Halifax DT747 DY-P.

He is remembered on the Milford Haven War Memorial, on the IBCC Wall of Names, and in Fovrfelt Cemetery.

Sergeant Arnold Jenkinson - RAFVR

Arnold Jenkinson was born in late 1919 or early 1920, the only son of John Jenkinson and Doris Wager.

He attended Ardwick Central Day School, and was a member of the choir of St Cross’ Church, Clayton.

Before the war he was employed in the office of the Manchester Slate Company.

He volunteered for the RAF in 1938, aged 18½.

After training, he qualified as a Wireless Operator, a position that he still held when Halifax DT747 DY-P was shot down. He died aged 23.

After the war, Arnold’s mother was in contact with Ken’s mother. She sent Maria Campbell copies of the above newspaper article and the photograph on the left.

Arnold is remembered on the Wall of Names at the IBCC in Lincoln, and in Fovrfelt Cemetery, Esbjerg.

Flight Sergeant James Thomas Smith - RAFVR

James Smith is remembered on the Wall of Names at the IBCC in Lincoln, and on his gravestone in Fovrfelt Cemetery, Esbjerg.

Sergeant Wilfred Charles Marsh - RAFVR

Wilfred Marsh was born in 1911 or 1912. When he enlisted in the RAF he was living in Ringwood, Hampshire. He was 31 when he died in Halifax DT747 DY-P.

His epitaph reads

In proud and loving memory Of Wilfred. “In God’s good time We will meet again”

Wilfred Marsh is remembered on the Wall of Names at the IBCC in Lincoln, and on his grave in Fovrfelt Cemetery, Esbjerg.

Flight Sergeant Alexander Cuthbert Weir - RCAF

Alexander Weir was born in Manitoba on 29th April 1917 to Hugh Philip Weir and Hattie Kippling, who were married in Winnipeg on 30th March 1917.

Before he volunteered for the RCAF he was living with his parents at Minaki Lodge in Minaki, Ontario, where his father was the caretaker and superintendant.

His uncle had also been in the RCAF, so it is no surprise that Alexander followed in his footsteps.

When he died in the wreckage of Halifax DT747 DY-P he was just one week away from his 26th birthday.

Alexander Weir is remembered on the IBCC Wall of Names at Lincoln, and on his headstone in Fovrfelt Cemetery, Esbjerg.

Sergeant Bertram Charles John White - RAFVR

Bertram White, or “Bob” as he was called by the crew (and himself – see right), was born in 1924 in the district of Wincanton, in Somerset. All I can determine is that his mother’s maiden name was Stone.

His death in DT747 DY-P was recorded in The War Illustrated on 3rd January 1947.

He is remembered on the memorial at Stourton in Wiltshire, the Wall of Names at the IBCC in Lincoln, as well as in Fovrfelt Cemetery, Esbjerg, Denmark.

Sergeant Joseph Wilson - RAFVR

As described in Ken’s story, Joe was unable to join his crew on the night of 20th April 1943 for the sortie on Stettin as he had severe eczema and was unable to fasten his oxygen mask to his face properly. Hence Ken went in his place.

Having served as an Air Bomber in 102 Squadron Joe was selected for the Path Finder Force, which was even more dangerous. Pathfinders were the aircraft that dropped the flares showing where the target was and when to release bombs. Joe later qualified as a Master Bomber, which meant that his plane, having released the markers, was required to gain height and circle the target, observing the effectiveness of the bombing and giving instructions to other bombers to adjust their bomb runs and release. Naturally the Germans viewed them as a significant danger, and sent night fighters to target them. The survival rate was not very good, to say the least. But Joe survived the war and took up life as a teacher in Runcorn, just across the River Mersey from Ken’s home in Widnes. He is one of the few remaining veterans of 102 Squadron, and it has been my privilege to have met him.

Jenny & Joe reciting a poem that Joe wrote during the war

Joe and I in 2015

Appendix A

The End of Halifax II DT747 DY-P and its Crew

The following are official German documents, and photographs that show the total destruction of the aircraft.

Warning The next page shows the result of 27 tons of metal, fuel, explosives and the Earth interacting with the human body at approximately 150mph. If it’s not for you, then please pass it by.

The following images are from German archives. It is a report relating to the action on the night of April 20th/21st 1943.

My “attempted” translation of this document appears on the next page.

Secret!

By The Command of the Naval Station of the North Sea Wilhelmshaven To Anti-Aircraft Command Denmark Aarhus Commander in the West Coast section Esbjerg Flak subgroup Esbjerg

Subject Shooting of an enemy machine Previous without

Concerning the shooting report, battle report, testimonies, combat sketch, photo of the crash site of the enemy machine, opinion of the Flak subgroup Esbjerg and opinion of the Anti-Aircraft Command Denmark submitted with the request for information. It is clear from the documents that the Halifax crash on 21/4.43 0051 hours, 2.5 km north of Esbjerg (near Saedding), is the result of naval land-launch, air-force and shipboard-flak fire.

The consumption of ammunition for the departments involved is as follows

2cm 3.7cm MG 10.5cm 8.8cm Naval Land Flak 478 156 380 70 Airforce Flak 734 171 70 Sperrbrecher 177 (AckAck Ship 177) 30 15 Flakjager 24 (Ack Ack Boat 24) 20 28 12 Verposten Flak Boot (Flak Ship) 76 1202 HSF1 Esbjerg boat 8 60 Total 1368 385 450 70 15

Contrary to the opinion of the FAK Denmark, it is requested that the firing of the participating naval units of the Flak subgroup Esbjerg be granted primarily, especially as H.E. The crash is ultimately due to the shelling of the 3.7 cm flak train at Saedding (page 4 Anl.D point 11). It is proposed to grant each 50% stake in the Flak Subgroup Esbjerg to the Navy and Air Force Flak.

It is also requested The lock breaker 177 The Flakjager 24 The Vp Boat 1202 and The boat 8 of the HSF1. Esbjerg To grant a co-participation and to give the flak subgroups Esbjerg a shooting pennant.

The commander of the Flak subgroup Esbjerg has tried to stop the shooting of the heavy anti-aircraft battery "Femhoje". The commander of the Flak subgroup has been informed by K.i.A that the shooting of a heavy anti-aircraft battery on a plane at 100m altitude technically is not correct.

A translation of the above document follows -

Combat Report

21 April 1943

Weather: 0051 hours Covering 9/10 Cloud height 1000m Visibility 20km Wind SW 2

At 2308 hours, the flak sub-group gave the alarm. In the course of this alarm, a 4-engined enemy machine of the type "Halifax" came from the North at a height of about 150 m, flew over the Esbjerg air base, and at 0047 hours was there taken under fire from the SW. Airfield by the 2 cm and 3.7 cm weapons of the Air Force (2/742, 2/844 and alarm battery 11/XI). The searchlights of the 4/204 "Richter" and "Halen" reacquired the target and handed it over to the SW (searchlights) "Trupp", "Lund", "Emil", "Fano" and "Hans". The enemy machine was shot at with MG fire from the SW (from searchlights) "Trupp" and "Lund" and turned west. Immediately after reacquiring the target in the SW, the 10.5 cm battery "Femhoje" opened fire. At the same time the enemy machine was fired on by the positions South Seaport (2/742) and North Seaport (1/204), the flak train Saedding (6/204) and the heavy battery "Fano", with 2 cm, 3.7 cm and 10.5 cm weapons. The Sperrbrecher 177 (a minesweeper/anti-aircraft ship) and the Flakjager 24 (anti-aircraft boat), lying in the harbour, were effective in attacking the enemy machine. The shots were well on target and the machine was hit in one of the left engines, and a significant blaze observed. The machine tried to gain height, but was hit by new salvos and crashed at 0051 hours almost perpendicular to the road from Esbjerg to Hjerting at Saedding. A massive fire developed and the machine burned out completely. All crew members died in the crash

Munitions Consumption

70 shots 10.5cm 15 8.8cm 385 3.7cm 1368 2.0 450 MG Christoph Lieutenant M.A. (Munitionsanstalt – Munitions Establishment) Evaluation Officer

Map showing the path taken by DT 747 DY-P as it was attacked by machine guns and flak batteries

“Crash site of the Halifax”

A partial translation of this document appears on the following page.

SECRET

Flak Subgroup Esbjerg Esbjerg, 21.4.1943

Attachment No f383/43 From 24.4.43 Statement

1. Time (day, hour, minute) and location 21.4.43, 0051 hours, 2.5 km north of Esbjerg (Saedding) Height 100m

2. By which unit was the shooting done? Flak Subgroup Esbjerg

3. Type of aircraft shot down “Halifax”

4. Nationality of the enemy English

5. Type of destruction Machine crashed burning to the ground a) Flames with a bright colour c) 100% broken

6. Type of hit (only if this can be observed) b) Impact blaze

7. Fate of the occupants dead

8. Action/Battle/Combat Report

As well as the combat report of the battery chiefs, units must report the following a) Date 21.4.1943 b) Time of the downing 0051 hours c) Flight direction of objective See battle sketch – item (d) e) Shooting Procedure Destruction fire f) Type of fire and munitions Set up see overleaf g) Detailed information about the behaviour of the target during the shooting down Battle report – item (b) i) Participation of the other flak helpers (i.e. of the Army and Navy) See item (b) j) Weather situation at the target (cloud, position of the sun etc) See battle report – item (b)

9. Sign (name, rank) b) Heritage Brigadier N. A. Harland – see item (c)

The above information also had to be included in the report. Basically it is the same information as in the table seen 8 pages before this. The difference here is that the Naval and Airforce ammunition usage has been apportioned to the individual flak batteries. So, 1/M Flak A 2041 up to 6/N Flak A 2041 are Naval (including the MGs at searchlights ‘Trupp and Lund). The Flak Division (Flakabt. - Flakabteilung) and the Alarm Flak Battery are Airforce. It also gives the full version of the Acronym HSFl in the same table. Hafenschutzflottille Esbjerg Boat 8 – Harbour Protection Flotilla.

Eye Witness Accounts

Below is a letter written to the father of Thomas Bennett, 2nd Pilot on DT747 by the Air Secretary of New Zealand, almost 4 years after the incident. Probate from Thomas’s will had been granted in 1944, so it cannot be in relation to that. My feeling is that Thomas senior simply wanted to know as much as possible about what happened to his son, as anyone would.

Unfortunately the bottom of the first page is cut off so that only five of the crew are listed, and of them, only two identified. Page 2 (below) confirms the misconception at the time that there were seven men in the plane as that was the normal number of aircrew for a Halifax. As the letter mentions a ‘communal cross’, it is clear that it was written when the men were in their original “German” graves, before the exhumation, reburial and identification process was carried out by the Graves Registration Units and Graves Concentration Units.

Appendix B

G for George

Above: Five of the crew of Halifax 'G-George' which crashed into the West Green on 29th March 1943. From left to right: Sgt. Myles Squiers, Air Gunner; Flying Officer Douglas Harper, Navigator; Flight Sgt. Bill Comrie, Pilot; Sgt. Frank Dorrington, Wireless Operator; Pilot Officer William Jenkins, Bomb Aimer.

The fateful night of 29th March 1943 was one of heavy rain, low cloud and icing. The target was Berlin. Tom Wingham who was in the crew of one of the other nine aircraft setting off for Berlin that night takes up the story:

"We had visited Berlin two nights before and the word was that Butch Harris wanted one more crack at it before the lighter evenings made it too difficult. The weather forecast was appalling and unofficially our two Met Officers at Pocklington were backing a 'scrub'. At the original time of take- off, I think about 7.00pm, a postponement came through since there was an occlusion running North to South right through the Yorkshire and Lincolnshire bases. At the time it was pouring with rain with cloud up to 16,000 feet. The occlusion was moving more slowly than forecast and a further postponement was made as the new take-off time drew near, which is why we were taking off so late for a trip to Berlin. Having hung about the messes for nearly three hours awaiting a decision no one really believed that we were going to face this weather and a great deal of incredulity was expressed when we finally found ourselves committed. One of the few nights I can remember when Butch Harris's parentage was in doubt!"

Ten aircraft finally took off from Pocklington after the two postponements. The first took off at 9.45pm and the last at 10.06pm.

'G-George' took off at 9.58pm but one minute later it was to crash into the West Green. Exactly what happened in that minute we will never know as all seven crew members were killed instantly. Crashes such as this were so frequent that extensive enquiries were not held. However, from eye witness accounts a fairly clear picture emerges. There was certainly no shortage of ability in the crew. As we have seen, the Pilot, Bill Comrie, favourably impressed the Conversion Flight Commander. Dismissing a common cause of such crashes in the early designs of Halifax 'swig on take off - Wally Lashbrook says: "not with a Pilot of Comrie's ability". The Navigator, Flying Officer Douglas Harper, had been the top cadet on his navigator's course in Edmonton, Canada.

Why was it then that an aircraft with a pilot and navigator who had shown such outstanding attainments in training and had survived the flak of the Ruhr Valley earlier in the month, flying in an aircraft only a month old and which had flown to Berlin successfully two nights before should crash so soon? RAF records only state: "attempting to avoid another aircraft stalled and crashed soon after take-off.

From eye witness accounts including some with expert knowledge of Halifaxes and flying control procedures we can elaborate on this. Stan Jeffrey, who happened to come from the same village as Douglas Harper, was working on 'E-East' at its dispersal point. He watched the aircraft circle the aerodrome and then crash.

The circling of the drome is explained by Jack Merrick who worked as an R/T Op in Flying Control, as the 'aircraft setting course' when the aircraft circled round before all were airborne and could set off together. At that time the circuits of Pocklington intersected with those of Melbourne and Elvington, but this was subsequently changed. An aircraft from one of these other two airfields got under the main-plane of 'G-George' and the other aircraft's slipstream caused it to turn over.

Tom Thackray who was serving in 10 Sqn at that time was at Melbourne on that night and said that the story at the time was that 'G-George' "broke cloud and there was another aircraft very close which made them take rapid evasive action and the aircraft stalled or some such action occurred and they had not sufficient altitude to recover."

Jack Merrick was walking back from an evening in Pocklington with his friend, Peter Tranmere, who also worked as an R/T Op in Flying Control. They were to be on duty for the return from Berlin. As they watched the aircraft circling they saw the navigation lights of one of them turn over. His comment was "B...... Hell! A Halifax can't do that."

The phenomenon of the lights turning over was also witnessed by New Zealander Eric (Ned) Kelly, the Pilot of an aircraft which had taken part in the previous night's raid on St Nazaire. He was walking back in the drizzle to the airfield with the Roman Catholic padre after an evening at the Oak House Cinema (now Penny Arcadia). In wartime, pictures were shown early. They saw the aircraft navigation b'ghts going overhead. Then - "With one I suddenly realised that something was very wrong. The port red light had turned to green which meant that the plane had turned right over."

The next thing that Jack Merrick and Peter Tranmere noticed was that the aircraft appeared to be heading in their direction, the navigation lights getting wider and wider and they dived into a ditch, just as the aircraft went onto the field opposite. The aircraft was, in the words of Wilf Bell, seen to "side slip" into the West Green.

It seems that not only had Bill Comrie managed to avoid hitting the other aircraft, but had also avoided hitting the town itself. Arthur Brown saw that the aircraft was heading directly for the town and then swerved to avoid it. Arthur believes that it was the skill of the Pilot which saved the town from massive devastation. This view is endorsed by Peter Tranmere who said: "I can confirm that the pilot Sgt Bill Comrie appeared to be making every effort to miss the town. When we saw the navigation lights rum over the aircraft was over the town side of the railway crossing and I thought he was going to hit the town. Then he appeared to be coming right on to us, so he must have managed to get partial control to avoid the town."

The aircraft crash landed in an open field opposite Pocklington School. The explosion was heard not only all over Pocklington, but Tom Thackray remembers hearing it from as far away as Melbourne. With its load of high explosives and incendiary bombs as well as about 2000 gallons of high octane petrol in its wings 'G-George' was soon ablaze. The fire brigade was on the scene within five minutes and fought the blaze for 32 minutes. The road was blocked. Pocklington's leading fireman at that time, Raymond Slaughter, recalled: "It was a very sad night. The seven were laid up dead and the atmosphere was heavy with the smell of aircraft fuel. The inferno and roaring noise could be seen and heard all over Pocklington and we had to work quickly because it was well after blackout time and there was the danger of attracting enemy planes.” G-George Memorial - Pocklington