Stirling crash in Mannheim 26/2/1943 - Flak records?

[llamaboy]

Hi
I wonder if any of you have any info or guidance for me regarding Flak battery combat reports for the Mannheim area?

The crew of BF450 HA-X that was lost on the night of 25/26 Feb 1943 included my uncle John William Hearn who was the rear gunner.

My mother gave me his logbook and all the documents that the family received from his squadron, the War office and the Red Cross following his loss. It's incredible the amount of correspondence each missing airman must have created!

I did some research into the events of that night and found that the Stirling was downed on the edge of the Rhein near the Mannheim Power Station, with my uncle's body being recovered from the wreckage, while others on the bomber where recovered on the opposite bank and buried in Ludwigshafen.

There are no matching combat reports in German nightfighter records so I'm assuming they were off course and flew into the Mannheim flak batteries.

The flight engineer was a young Australian James Wade who had been a farm hand and mechanic being volunteering, and his entire military record is available online.
However I have been unable to trace any of the other crew;

Sgt R.W.White KIA Sgt J.C.Wade RAAF KIA Sgt G.Mathews RCAF KIA Sgt L.L.Stuart KIA Sgt H.V.Werner KIA F/S K.I.Young RCAF KIA Sgt J.W.Hearn KIA

Over the last 2 years I have contacted the Mannheim archives, the national archives and an Australian farming website - these resulted in a Mannheim Police report, the weather forecast and flightplan and meeting relatives of James Wade!

A photo of my uncle is attached



Any info or photos would be greatly appreciated.

[Klaus Deschner]

Hi IIamaboy,
this Infos where i have about this crash:

Nr.84

MACR: ----
Flugzeugtyp: Stirling I
Flugzeugkennung: HA-X, Serien Nummer: BF450
Sgt. R.W. White, KIA
Sgt. J.C. Wade, RAAF, KIA
Sgt. G. Mathews, RCAF, KIA
Sgt. L.L Stuart, KIA
Sgt. H.V. Werner, KIA
F/S. K.I. Young, KIA
Sgt. J.W. Hearn, KIA
Einheit: 218 Squadron
Datum: 25/26. Februar. 1943, Uhrzeit: unbekannt
Angriffsziel: Nürnberg
Absturzursache: Flak und Nachtjäger
Absturzort: Mannheim Rheinau
Status: alle gefallen
Heimatflughafen: Downham Market, England (Gestartet 19:40)
Letzte Ruhestätte: Dürnbach War Cemetery

regards
Klaus

[Larry deZeng]

L.B. -

The Flak claims covering February 1943 can be found on:
C2036N - 1. Teil
OKL Chef für Ausz. und Disziplin V - Film Nr. 3, 1. Teil
[Daily logs for victory claims of fighters, Flak in ETO, Hungary: 23 Nov 42 - 31 Dec 42, Feb 43, Apr 43, Jun 43, Jul 43, 1 Apr 44 - 19 May 44.]

The above provides date, location where the aircraft came down, altitude when hit, aircraft type, Flak-Batterie making the claim. Many of the far more detailed Flak-Abschußmeldungen can be found in BA-MA Freiburg Signature RL 5 (506 folders - about 10.5 linear meters of material).

L.

[llamaboy]

Hi

Thanks for the info - are these files something I could search for on the Bundesarchiv ARGUS website?

And also..

Has anyone a copy of the Nachtjagd War Diaries Vol One who could check for an entry for the above date?

many thanks

Jack