5 Wellington losses 30-31 May 1942 Köln raid
 

Dear all,

For the research of the NJWD 2nd ed., I am looking for any info on the crash locations, time of crash & cause of loss of the following five Wellingtons that failed to return from the 30-31 May 1942 Köln raid:


12 Sqn Wellington Z8376
12 Sqn Wellington Z8643
22 OTU Wellington R1714
103 Sqn Wellington DV452
142 Sqn Wellington Z1208


Cheers and thanks, Theo

Re: 5 Wellington losses 30-31 May 1942 Köln raid
 

Hello Theo,
You may find the info you seek in Chorley's RAF BCL 1942 .
12 Sqn Wellington Z8376 - page 102 - Lt Alois Lechner, III./NJG2. Crash Dusseldorf.
12 Sqn Wellington Z8643 - page 103 - crashed in a forest area near Dorsten.
22 OTU Wellington R1714 - page 104 - Flak - crashed near Mönchengladbach.
103 Sqn Wellington DV452 - page 106 - Crash ? Germany.
142 Sqn Wellington Z1208 - page 106 - Crash Stefanstrasse, Neuss.

You may find updates in later volumes or perhaps look at it online at
-
http://www.rafinfo.org.uk/BCWW2Losses/

Or Here -

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?t=38279

Good hunting
Alex

Re: 5 Wellington losses 30-31 May 1942 Köln raid
 

Hello Alex,

Regrettably, Chorley does not provide the exact crash locations & added info about the cause of loss etc for the five listed a/c..

Cheers, Theo

Re: 5 Wellington losses 30-31 May 1942 Köln raid
 

Theo,

Ralph Barker indicates in his book "The Thousand Plan" on page175, that the tail gunner Kid Gane of the Wellington Z8643 came down by chute near DÜREN. He was collected by Germans in a truck where he saw the coffin of his pilot.
Not an exact position, but ...

Jörg

Re: 5 Wellington losses 30-31 May 1942 Köln raid
 

Hello and good morning Jörg,

Cheers and thanks for sharing these details, a valuable clue.

Best wishes, Theo

Re: 5 Wellington losses 30-31 May 1942 Köln raid
 

Hello Theo,
Taken from the old Tony Wood file.

x; ">N i g h t P h a s e : 3 0 -3 1 . M a y 1 9 4 2
1 0 4 7 D i s p a t c h e d : 4 1 B o m b e r s L o s t
Reichsverteidigung: R.A.F. Bomber Command: KÖLN
3 1.0 5 . 4 2 Ofw. Heinz Strüning E r g ./NJG 2 B o s t o n £ - 00.27 F i l m C . 2 0 3 1 / I X I I F l g . K p s .
3 1.0 5 . 4 2 Ofw. Heinz Strüning E r g ./NJG 2 B o s t o n £ - 00.28 F i l m C . 2 0 3 1 / I X I I F l g . K p s .
3 1 . 0 5 . 4 2 Ltn. Franz Brinkaus 4 ./NJG 1 W e l l i n g t o n £ - 00.50 F i l m C . 2 0 3 1 / I A n e r k : A S M
3 1 . 0 5 . 4 2 Hptm. Werner Streib Stab I./NJG 1 W h i t l e y V £ - 00.56 F i l m C . 2 0 3 1 / I Nr.1 0 1 5 4 7 / 4 2
3 1 . 0 5 . 4 2 Oblt. Reinhold Knacke Stab I./NJG 1 W e l l i n g t o n £ - 01.00 F i l m C . 2 0 3 1 / I Nr.1 0 1 5 4 7 / 4 2
3 1 . 0 5 . 4 2 Hptm. Erich Simon Erg./NJG 2 W e l l i n g t o n £ - 01.14 F i l m C . 2 0 3 1 / I 1 0 1 5 4 6 / 4 3-1 4
3 1 . 0 5 . 4 2 Oblt. Heinrich z. Wittgenstein Erg./NJG 2 W e l l i n g t o n £ - 01.16 F i l m C . 2 0 3 1 / I 1 0 1 5 4 6 / 4 3-1 5
3 1 . 0 5 . 4 2 Hptm. Horst Patuschka Erg./NJG 2 W e l l i n g t o n £ - 01.17 F i l m C . 2 0 3 1 / I 1 0 1 5 4 6 / 4 3-1 6
3 1 . 0 5 . 4 2 Oblt. Heinrich z. Wittgenstein Erg./NJG 2 Manchester £ - 01.36 F i l m C . 2 0 3 1 / I 1 0 1 5 4 6 / 4 3-1 7
3 1 . 0 5 . 4 2 Oblt. Rolf Bokemeyer 5 ./NJG 1 W e l l i n g t o n £ - 0 1 . 4 3 F i l m C . 2 0 3 1 / I Nr.1 0 1 5 6 6 / 4 3
3 1 . 0 5 . 4 2 Ltn. Franz Brinkhaus 4 ./NJG 1 Halifax £ - 01.48 F i l m C . 2 0 3 1 / I A n e r k : A S M
3 1 . 0 5 . 4 2 Oblt. Reese 2./NJG 1 W e l l i n g t o n £ N.W. Jüchheim: 3.500 m. 01.56 F i l m C . 2 0 3 3 / I Anerk: Nr.95
3 1 . 0 5 . 4 2 Oblt. Walter Barte 4 ./NJG 1 W e l l i n g t o n £ - 01.57 F i l m C . 2 0 3 1 / I A n e r k : A S M
3 1 . 0 5 . 4 2 Oblt. Alois Lechner Erg./NJG 2 W e l l i n g t o n £ - 01.57 F i l m C . 2 0 3 1 / I 1 0 1 5 4 6 / 4 3-1 8
3 1 . 0 5 . 4 2 Oblt. Reinhold Knacke Stab I./NJG 1 Halifax £ - 02.04 F i l m C . 2 0 3 1 / I Nr.1 0 1 5 4 7 / 4 2
3 1 . 0 5 . 4 2 Hptm. Werner Stre ib Stab I./NJG 1 W h i t l e y V £ - 02.05 F i l m C . 2 0 3 1 / I Nr.1 0 1 5 4 7 / 4 2
3 1 . 0 5 . 4 2 Hptm. Wolfgang Thimmig 2./NJG 1 Halifax £ - 02.06 F i l m C . 2 0 3 1 / I Nr.1 0 1 5 4 7 / 4 2
3 1 . 0 5 . 4 2 Ofw. Wilhelm Beier Erg./NJG 2 W e l l i n g t o n £ - 02.07 F i l m C . 2 0 3 1 / I 1 0 1 5 4 6 / 4 3-1 9
3 1 . 0 5 . 4 2 Ob l t . Walter Barte 4 ./NJG 1 Manchester £ - 02.14 F i l m C . 2 0 3 1 / I A n e r k : A S M
3 1 . 0 5 . 4 2 Oblt. Alois Lechner Erg./NJG 2 W e l l i n g t o n £ - 02.23 F i l m C . 2 0 3 1 / I 1 0 1 5 4 6 / 4 3-2 0
3 1 . 0 5 . 4 2 Ofw. Wilhelm Beier Erg./NJG 2 W e l l i n g t o n £ - 02.25 F i l m C . 2 0 3 1 / I 1 0 1 5 4 6 / 4 3-2 1
31.05 . 4 2 Oblt. Helmut Woltersdorf 7./NJG 1 W e l l i n g t o n £ K l a r e n b e e k / G e l d e r l a n d ( C G S ) 02.25 F i l m C . 2 0 3 1 / I Nr.1 0 1 5 6 7 / 4 3
3 1 . 0 5 . 4 2 Oblt. Reinhold Knacke Kdo. II./NJG 1 W e l l i n g t o n £ 3 km. S.W. Middelbeerst: 3.500 m. 02.30 F i l m C . 2 0 3 3 / I Anerk: Nr.55
3 1 . 0 5 . 4 2 Ltn. Helmut Niklas 6 ./NJG 1 W e l l i n g t o n £ - 02.46 F i l m C . 2 0 3 1 / I Nr.1 0 1 5 6 6 / 4 3
31.05 . 4 2 Oblt. Helmut Woltersdorf 7./NJG 1 W e l l i n g t o n £ - 02.55 F i l m C . 2 0 3 1 / I Nr.1 0 1 5 6 7 / 4 3
3 1 . 0 5 . 4 2 Ltn. Helmut Niklas 6 ./NJG 1 W e l l i n g t o n £ - 03.11 F i l m C . 2 0 3 1 / I Nr.1 0 1 5 6 6 / 4 3
3 1 . 0 5 . 4 2 Oblt. Alois Lechner Erg./NJG 2 L i b e r t a o r £ - 03.56 F i l m C . 2 0 3 1 / I 1 0 1 5 4 6 / 4 3-2 2

S u p p l e m e n t a l C l a i m s f r o m F i l m s & L i s t s : 3 1 s t May 1942

3 1 . 0 5 . 4 2 Ltn. Brinkhauselmann Kdo. II./NJG 1 W e l l i n g t o n £ 35 km. N.W. Köln: 4.000 m. 00.50 F i l m C . 2 0 3 3 / I A ne r k : N r . 6 5
3 1 . 0 5 . 4 2 Oblt. Knacke Kdo. I./NJG 1 W e l l i n g t o n £ 10 km. E. Weert: 5.400 m. 01.00 F i l m C . 2 0 3 3 / I Anerk: Nr. -
3 1 . 0 5 . 4 2 Ltn. Brinkhau üs Kdo. II./NJG 1 Halifax £ 30 km. N.W. Köln b. Bergheim: 4.000 m. 01.48 F i l m C . 2 0 3 3 / I Anerk: Nr.49
3 1 . 0 5 . 4 2 Oblt. Barte Kdo. II./NJG 1 W e l l i n g t o n £ 30 km. N. Hasselt: 3.400 m. 01.57 F i l m C . 2 0 3 3 / I Anerk: Nr.50
3 1 . 0 5 . 4 2 Oblt. Knacke Stab I./NJG 1 Halifax £ 3 km. E.S.E. Weert: 4.500 m. 02.04 F i l m C . 2 0 3 3 / I Anerk: Nr. -
3 1 . 0 5 . 4 2 Oblt. Barte Kdo. II./NJG 1 Manchester £ Kinroy: 3.500 m. 02.14 F i l m C . 2 0 3 3 / I Anerk: Nr.66 * D u p l i c a t e d w i t h C . 2 0 3 1 N / T e i l I .
3 1 . 0 5 . 4 2 Hptm. Werner Streib Stab I./NJG 1 W h i t l e y V £ - 00.56 AAbs C . 2 0 3 1 / I 1 0 1 5 4 7 / 4 2
3 1 . 0 5 . 4 2 Oblt. Reinhold Knacke Stab I./NJG 1 W e l l i n g t o n £ - 01.00 AAbs C. 2031/ I 1 0 1 5 4 7 / 4 2
3 1 . 0 5 . 4 2 Oblt. Reinhold Knacke Stab I./NJG 1 Halifax £ - 02.04 AAbs C . 2 0 3 1 / I 1 0 1 5 4 7 / 4 2

Alex

Re: 5 Wellington losses 30-31 May 1942 Köln raid
 

http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au
Digitized file :
SHEARER William Bruce - (Flying Officer); Service Number - 404994; File type - Casualty - Repatriation; Aircraft - Wellington Z8643
After crossing the Dutch/German border the starboard engine began smoking [seemingly mechanical trouble], then burst into flames, bail-out order given around 1.30 AM.

Re: 5 Wellington losses 30-31 May 1942 Köln raid
 

Thanks for posting these additional details; I've already seen the RAAF file, the description of the loss cannot be tied to any known Flak or NJ claims, it does appear to be mechanical failure.

Cheers, Theo