RAF raid on Gdynia, 18/19 Dec 1944

[alkali]

Hi all,

Lately very interests me activity of Allied aviation over region in which I live. For example I seek of all relating information this of mission:

Mon 18/Tue 19 Dec 1944
Raid on Gdynia, Poland (236 Lancasters - 4 lost)

I assembled hitherto such informations -
44. Sqn –
L7540 „KM-J”

106. Sqn –
NN726 „ZN-D” – shot down – Pilot F/L Marcus Sydney Francis Pritchard
ND501 „ZN-O”

207. Sqn –
NE168 „EM-F”
NG144 „EM-G” – shot down – Pilot F/L David Graham Buchanan (RNZAF)
LM671 „EM-S” – shot down – Pilot F/L John D. White

227. Sqn –
PB723 „9J-W” – shot down – Pilot F/O Andre J.R.Wilson

463. Sqn –
ED733 „JO-” - Pilot F/O Howells.F.J. (RAAF)
LM130 „JO-N” - Pilot F/O Farrow.G.H. (RAAF)
LM217 „JO-E” - Pilot F/O Belford.A.C. (RAAF)
ME298 „JO-B” - Pilot F/L Huxtable.D.C. (RAAF)
ME325 „JO-O” - Pilot F/O Hicks.S.R. (RAAF)
ME327 „JO-X” - Pilot Sqd./L Padgham.J. (RAF)
ME329 „JO-S” - Pilot F/O Ward-Smith.B. (RAAF)
NG193 „JO-U” - Pilot F/O Hyland.F.E. (RAAF)
NG329 „JO-Z” - Pilot F/L Lincoln.G.E. (RAAF)
NN721 „JO-T” - Pilot F/O Peart.L.C. (RAAF)
PB264 „JO-H” - Pilot F/O West.R.F. (RAF)
PB639 „JO-R” - Pilot F/L Penman.J.G. (RAAF)
PB688 „JO-M” - Pilot F/O Halstead.R.H. (RAAF)
PB804 „JO-A” - Pilot F/O Leonard.R.A. (RAAF)
PD330 „JO-F” - Pilot F/O Smith.F.H. (RAAF)

467. Sqn –
R5868 „PO-S” - Pilot F/L Shanahan P.K. (RAAF)
JA909 „PO-E” - Pilot F/L Bache. M.G. (RAAF)
LM642 „PO-K” - Pilot F/O Robinson A.N.G.
LM646 „PO-” - Pilot F/O Allamby.N.V (RAF)
LM677 „PO-V” - Pilot F/O Eggins.R.B. (RAAF)
LM686 „PO-X” - Pilot F/O Stewart G.H. (RAAF)
NF908 „PO-C” - Pilot F/O Morris.H.J. (RAAF)
NG197 „PO-G” - Pilot F/L Bullock. A.E. (RAAF)
NG366 „PO-” - Pilot F/O Gray-Buchanan.P.R. (RAAF)
PA169 „PO-H” - Pilot S/L Broad. E.G. (RAAF)
PA187 „PO-F” - Pilot F/O Boxsell.W.K (RAAF)
PB306 „PO-J” - Pilot F/L Colley.N.S.C. (RAF)
PB726 „PO-B” - Pilot F/O Pilkington.G.A. (RAF)
PB754 „PO-U” - Pilot F/O Lillecrapp.I.F. (RAAF)
PB762 „PO-B” - Pilot F/O Smith T.E.M. (RAAF)
PB806 „PO-W” - Pilot F/L Baker. L.W. (RAAF)
PD231 „PO-T” - Pilot P/O Thomas.E.W. (RAAF)
PD362 „PO-Y” - Pilot F/L Cross.J.J. (RAAF)

Very little. Is lacking of many Squadrons and planes
I am hopeful that at your help I will manage to enlarge this list. I seek of information on theme aircraft's serial number, squadron and aircraft code, crew list of other planes.
Very I count on Your help

Best regards,
Alkali

[alkali]

Hi,

I fixed three next planes:

44. Sqn - ND578 „KM-Y” - F/L L.W Hayler
61. Sqn - LL843 „QR-D” - F/O W.G. Corewyn
189. Sqn - EE136 „CA-R” - F/L E.J. Abbott

Can you have informations about other ?

Regards,
Alkali
czareklot@wp.pl

[HARD_Sarge]

463. Sqn –
ED733 „JO-” - Pilot F/O Howells.F.J. (RAAF) Francis John
LM130 „JO-N” - Pilot F/O Farrow.G.H. (RAAF) Graham Hope
LM217 „JO-E” - Pilot F/O Belford.A.C. (RAAF) Angus Chessell
ME298 „JO-B” - Pilot F/L Huxtable.D.C. (RAAF) Denzil Christopher
ME325 „JO-O” - Pilot F/O Hicks.S.R. (RAAF) Sidney Raymond (not sure of him rank is wrong, leading aircraftman)
ME327 „JO-X” - Pilot Sqd./L Padgham.J. (RAF)
ME329 „JO-S” - Pilot F/O Ward-Smith.B. (RAAF) Bruce Ewan
NG193 „JO-U” - Pilot F/O Hyland.F.E. (RAAF) Francis Edward
NG329 „JO-Z” - Pilot F/L Lincoln.G.E. (RAAF) Geoffrey Filmore (think E is wrong)
NN721 „JO-T” - Pilot F/O Peart.L.C. (RAAF) Leslie Christie
PB264 „JO-H” - Pilot F/O West.R.F. (RAF)
PB639 „JO-R” - Pilot F/L Penman.J.G. (RAAF) John Guille
PB688 „JO-M” - Pilot F/O Halstead.R.H. (RAAF)
PB804 „JO-A” - Pilot F/O Leonard.R.A. (RAAF) Ronald Alfred
PD330 „JO-F” - Pilot F/O Smith.F.H. (RAAF)

467. Sqn –
R5868 „PO-S” - Pilot F/L Shanahan P.K. (RAAF) Peter Kenneth
JA909 „PO-E” - Pilot F/L Bache. M.G. (RAAF) Maurice George
LM642 „PO-K” - Pilot F/O Robinson A.N.G. Alton Neil (didn't list a G)
LM646 „PO-” - Pilot F/O Allamby.N.V (RAF)
LM677 „PO-V” - Pilot F/O Eggins.R.B. (RAAF) Robert Bruce
LM686 „PO-X” - Pilot F/O Stewart G.H. (RAAF) Gordon Herbert
NF908 „PO-C” - Pilot F/O Morris.H.J. (RAAF) Howell James (not sure, he is listed in a despot at the end of the war and not with 467 as the rest are ?)
NG197 „PO-G” - Pilot F/L Bullock. A.E. (RAAF) Allan Ernest
NG366 „PO-” - Pilot F/O Gray-Buchanan.P.R. (RAAF) Peter Ronald
PA169 „PO-H” - Pilot S/L Broad. E.G. (RAAF) Edmund George
PA187 „PO-F” - Pilot F/O Boxsell.W.K (RAAF) Walter Kitchener
PB306 „PO-J” - Pilot F/L Colley.N.S.C. (RAF)
PB726 „PO-B” - Pilot F/O Pilkington.G.A. (RAF)
PB754 „PO-U” - Pilot F/O Lillecrapp.I.F. (RAAF) Ivan Frank
PB762 „PO-B” - Pilot F/O Smith T.E.M. (RAAF) Thomas Edward Maxwell
PB806 „PO-W” - Pilot F/L Baker. L.W. (RAAF)
PD231 „PO-T” - Pilot P/O Thomas.E.W. (RAAF) Edwin William
PD362 „PO-Y” - Pilot F/L Cross.J.J. (RAAF) James Joseph


I find a Alan George Pilkington, but no Squadron, just that he flew ? (I see he is a RAF, I was looking under RAAF)

[HARD_Sarge]

I find a Laurence Winston Baker, shows him as a FO with 9 ACHU at time of discharge ?

and a Frank Hunter Smith, but he is flying with 97 Squadron (transfered ?)

under Halstead, I do not find those letters, or the ones I find, do not look like pilots

hope that helps

[alkali]

HARD_Sarge - Thanks a lot for your supplements and corrections
In fact in some places was mistake, for example it should be Halsted, no Halstead.

Regards,
Alkali
czareklot@wp.pl

[HARD_Sarge]

okay

got a Roger Hubert Halsted, flew with 463 RAAF, KIA Dec 22 1944

and the service number for Frank Hunter Smith is correct, so he may of been transferred to 97 Squadron sometime after the raid

[HARD_Sarge]

I think I found the right Hicks

Stewart Rivers Hicks, but with 467 RAAF

[HARD_Sarge]

service numbers for Stewart River Hicks and Howell James Morris match, so those should be the right guys

also Laurence Winston Baker service number matches

[peter64]

I am the Nephew of David Buchanan

Maybe you could help with the following
The crash was survivable, no bodies where recovered from the aircraft
Any local knowledge as to what happened to the crew would be appreciated


Mon 18/Tue 19 Dec 1944
EASTERN FRONT: 236 RAF Lancaster’s of No 5 Group attacked the distant port of Gdynia, Polandon the Baltic coast and caused damage to shipping, installations and housing in the port area.
4 Lancaster’s lost. The night time attack sinks the Schleswig-Holstein and 8 other ships at Gotenhafen (Gdynia)

207 Squadron, RAF (Spilsby, Lincolnshire - 5 Group)
Lancaster I NG144/G - took off at 1700 and brought down off the coast of Poland, crashing into the sea 100 metres off Holzkathen (now Smoldzínski Las), 33km NE of Stolp (Slupsk), at 2230.
The seven crew are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
Captain: NZ421840 Flt Lt David Graham BUCHANAN, RNZAF - Age 23. 704hrs. 16th op.

Lancaster NG144 crash Information
http://www.lostbombers.co.uk/results.php?type=&search=LM671&dday=&dmonth=&dyear =&dday2=&dmonth2=&dyear2=&pagefrom=1&submit=Sear ch

"Serial Range NF906 - NG503 This aircraft was one of 400 Lancasters ordered from Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft (Baginton) and delivered from Jul44 to Feb45 mainly with Merlin 24 engines from Baginton and Bitteswell.
NG144 was delivered to 207 Sqdn 16Sep44. No operational history
NG144 was one of two 207 Sqdn Lancasters lost on this operation.
See: LM671. Airborne 1700 18Dec44 from Spilsby carrying 10 x 1000 lb Bombs

Brought down off the coast of Poland, crashing into the sea 100 metres off Holzkathen (now Smoldzínski Las), 33km NE of Stolp (Slupsk), at 2230
Crashed into shallow water, the tail section breaking away, leaving the wings and fuselage partially submerged. all are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.

The Crew was as follows
NZ421840 - F/O (A/F/Lt) - D.G.Buchanan - Pilot (RNZAF)
1868287 - Sgt - E.G.Hall - F/Eng
1600602 - F/Sgt - H.R.Hillier - Nav
996215 - Sgt - W.E.Crane - Air Bomber
1624601 - F/Sgt - T.Cronan - W/Op (Air)
1325152 - Sgt - C.C.Crux - A/G
1079426 - F/Sgt - J.Wilson - A/G

[Col Bruggy]

Hello,

No.463 Sqn RAAF -

ME327 - 136926 F/L John Gilbert PADGHAM RAF*
PB264 - 187333 F/O Ronald Frank WEST RAF

No.467 Sqn RAAF -

19 aircraft despatched - you have missed one -

NF910 - PO-Q - AUS419614 P/O John Boyd CLARK RAAF.

LM646 - AUS428516 F/O Walter Vernon Wilfred ALLAMBY RAAF
PB306 - 130450 F/L Noel Sidney Caesar COLLEY RAF
PB726 - 185158 P/O George Allen PILKINGTON RAF

*I have used RAF in the generic sense, purely for ID.

Col.