428 Wellington(s) lost 8/9 April 1943 Duisburg ?

[peter monasso]

8/9 April 1943 Target Duisburg 428 Squadron R.C.A.F. lost probably 2 Wellingtons Mk III, DF635 (NA-I) with P/O R M BUCKHAM (RCAF), F/O N W RODIN (RCAF), P/O G C FLETCHER (RAF), Sgt J D FRASER (RCAF) and Sgt T WHITEHEAD (RAF). They were shot down near Duisburg. There was also another Wellington Mk III that possibly went lost of which Sgt Lorenzo BERTRAND (RAF 1050195) was one of the Air Gunners. His body was found near Holtwick/Haltern am See (Germany) and he was buried at a cemetery near Sythen (Ehrenfriedhof) on 9 April 1943 and later exhumed to Reichswald Forest War Cemetery. Does anyone knows in which crew and Wellington Bertrand was flying when he was killed ? Maybe his comrades didn’t crash but returned to Dalton as Chorley didn’t mention another Wellington of 428 Sq as lost for this night.
Peter Monasso

[Bill Walker]

Sgt. Bertrand was rear gunner in a 428 Squadron Wellington flown by Sgt. L. Williamson. The rear turret was blown off by flak, the rest of the crew returned safely with the severely damaged aircraft to West Malling.

Edit: found the serial number with a bit of digging. HE239, "NA*Y" or "NA*L", reported with both codes. This aircraft was repaired, and back on operations by late May 1943.

[peter monasso]

Hi Bill
Thank you for the info it makes clear why only Bertrand was killed and found. By the way do you have the names of the other crewmembers ?
regards,
Peter

[richard.k]

here you go Peter.

Date: April 8/9,1943
　
Aircraft: Wellington X
Serial No: HE-239
Code: NA-Y
Target: Duisburg
Pilot: Sgt L. Williamson R-107665
Navigator: F/Sgt W. Watkins R-92787
Bomb Aimer: F/Sgt H. Parker R-100022
Wireless Operator: Sgt J. Powley 1203562
Rear gunner: Sgt L. Bertrand 1050195

Richard

[Henk Welting]

Bill/Peter,
Don't know from where I had my info but in my files BERTRAND was on HE 158. Same storey: turret shot away by flak and came down near Sythen, 4 km N of Haltern; Bertrand initially buried at Sythen. Sorry Peter, no info on crew.
Perhaps David Gunby - our Wellington specialist - could be of any help.
Regards,
Henk.

[Bill Walker]

Henk;

The 6 Group records at http://www.6grouprcaf.com/ confirm that Williamson was the pilot on the flight where Bertrand was lost, but doesn't give a serial. From memory, it was a post at RAF Commands Forum that linked Williamson to HE239, but I can't locate it now. I have also seen HE158 reported with the rear turret blown off, but without a date and without any casualties listed.

Richard;

Can I ask your source linking HE239 to Williamson and Bertrand?

[richard.k]

Bill/Henk. This info comes from the 428 Sq ORB. There are two photos of this aircraft in Larry Milberry's book, stating that the aircraft is HE-158. Unfortunately the fabric that would of contained the serial number is torn away. In AIR 14/3460 "Damage to aircraft by the enemy, it also states that it is HE-158 coded NA-Y. "right code wrong serial". Also looking ahead, HE-239 again starts to fly as NA-L to Frankfurt on April 10/11,1943. I do not think they could of repaired the damage that quickly.
Obviously a problem in the ORB's.
Richard

[peter monasso]

Hi Bill, Richard and Henk
Thank you all for the info. Were HE158 and HE239 Mk III or Mk X ? On the list of allied casualties of the city Haltern am See Lorenzo Bertrand is mentioned to be in Grave no. 12 at the Ehrenfriedhof Sythen. Sythen is a small hamlet 3 Km N-E of Haltern. Bertrand was found at Holtwick again a small hamlet about 2 Km N-W of Haltern. Most of the 50 men mentioned on this list were killed close to Haltern also 4 Frenchmen probably convicts who tried to escape and were killed by locals or local Police. I could find the whereabouts of the 46 allied airmen (Canadians, British, Australian and Americans) not for the 4 Frenchmen. By the way the cemetery of Sythen was closed in 90’ies and is a lake now.
Again thanks for clear up the fate of Bertrand, it’s always difficult to find out what happened in such cases when the a/c did return leaving one man behind.
Regards,
Peter

[Henk Welting]

Peter,
Both HE158 and HE239 were Mk.X. Please Peter, if possible, could you give me a copy of the Sythen cemetery list ? My e-mail address: h.weltingATUPCmailDOTnl (replace AT and DOT by obvious). Or send it by mail to: Prinses Beatrixstraat 61, 7021CD Zelhem.
Thanks in advance and best regards,
Henk.