419 Squadron RCAF 1941 to 1945 Crew of Halifax JB805

Crew members of Halifax JB805

On April 3rd 1943 Sgt. Johnson and his crew were set upon by an Me 110 night fighter. The target was Essen and in the evening at approximately 19.52 hours took off in DT669. His crew for this operations was Sgt. Metcalf as Navigator, Sgt. Ross Bomb Aimer, Sgt. Humphreys WAG, Sgt. Thornhill F/E, Sgt. Thomson Upper gunner and Sgt. Wallis in the rear gunner position.
The attack came within three hours of take off. The attack was sudden and the Me 110 guns ripped up the Halifax's fuselage as well as inflicting heavy damage to the rear turret and loss of elevator and flap control. The bomb load was released on safety and evasive actions were taken to shake off the attack. The aircraft was left with both gunners wounded and the pilot without any idea if they had lost the attacker or not. Pilot Johnson managed to struggle with the controls and reach Coltishall air base. The wounded were taken to Norfolk and Norfold hospitals, in time all recovered from their wounds. No mention of how severe the wounds were or if the men returned to active duty.
It would be April 26/27th before Sgt. Johnson and his crew with the replacement gunners and Bomb Aimer would be on another operation the target was Duisburg.
Sgt. Peets a very young man of 18 years took the position of B/A, Sgt. D. J. Shtitz would replace the Upper gunner and Sgt. E. L. Armstrong would replace the rear gunner on Johnson's new crew. Their next operation was a "Gardening" op of the coast off Denmark, problems with "Gee" made it impossible to locate the correct drop points for the mines and heavy haze made visual sighting of landmarks also impossible so they returned to base.
May 1st found Johnson and his remaining original crew members back at Essen where they had been attacked the previous month. The May 12/13th operation to Duisburg was hampered by heavy frosting on all windows and cloud cover looming in the distance to a height above 24,000 feet. They returned to base. The next operation was to Bochum were they reported heavy air defences of large numbers of fighters. Searchlights and flak were also in evidence through out the target area and along the Ruhr itself.
May 23/24th operation to Dortmund was another unsuccessful mission when the number 2 fuel tank was found to be out of service.
On the night of May 29/30 while on an operation to Wupperthal, the crew were lost to night-fighter action, after leaving Middleton St.George at about 0256 in the morning of May 30th a night fighter of .1/NJG4 shot down Halifax JB805, the aircraft coming down near Peronnes-lez-Binche about 14 km ESE of Mons. It was Sgt. Bakers first operation, he was taking the place of Sgt. Thornhill on that flight.
WOII Johnson had completed 13 operations, F/S Humphreys 11 ops, F/S Metcalf 9 ops, F/S Peets 7 ops, F/S Armstrong 6 ops. and Sgt, Stitz also 6 ops.
As I mentioned Sgt. George Baker was just 18, the youngest airmen to be lost with the 419 squadron.

Crew members of Halifax JB805

Flight Sergeant

Thomas William Peets

Bomb Aimer Age 22
Killed In Action May 30 1943
From Belleville Ontario.
Burial Peronnes-Lez-Binche (Charbonnage) Belgium

Warrant Officer II

Phillip Shuttleworth Johnson

Pilot Age 25
Killed In Action May 30 1943
Burial Charleroi Communal Cemetery Belgium

Flight Sergeant

Edward Lawrence Armstrong

Rear Gunner Age 33
Killed In Action May 30 1943 1943
From Wakefield Quebec
Burial Charleroi Communal Cemetery Belgium

Flight Sergeant

Gwyn Fyrn Humphreys

WAG Age unknown RAF
Killed In Action May 30 1943
From Not recorded
Burial Charleroi Communal Cemetery Belgium

Sergeant

Charles Patrick Baker

F/E Age 18 RAF Killed In Action May 30 1943
From Hereford, England
Burial Charleroi Communal Cemetery Belgium

Flight Sergeant

Rowland Stafford Metcalf

Navigator Age 33 RAF, Husband of Beatrice Metcalf Killed In Action May 3 1943
From Handforth, Cheshire, England
Burial Charleroi Communal Cemetery Belgium

Flight Sergeant

David Jacob Shtitz

Air Gunner Age 22
Killed In Action May 3 1943
From Portage La Prairie Manitoba
Burial Charleroi Communal Cemetery Belgium

Crew members of Halifax JB805

Flight Sergeant

Thomas William Peets

Bomb Aimer Age 22 Killed In Action May 30 1943 From Belleville Ontario. Burial Peronnes-Lez-Binche (Charbonnage) Belgium

Warrant Officer II

Phillip Shuttleworth Johnson

Pilot Age 25 Killed In Action May 30 1943 Burial Charleroi Communal Cemetery Belgium

Flight Sergeant

Edward Lawrence Armstrong

Rear Gunner Age 33 Killed In Action May 30 1943 1943 From Wakefield Quebec Burial Charleroi Communal Cemetery Belgium

Flight Sergeant

Gwyn Fyrn Humphreys

WAG Age unknown RAF Killed In Action May 30 1943 From Not recorded Burial Charleroi Communal Cemetery Belgium

Sergeant

Charles Patrick Baker

F/E Age 18 RAF Killed In Action May 30 1943 From Hereford, England Burial Charleroi Communal Cemetery Belgium

Flight Sergeant

Rowland Stafford Metcalf

Navigator Age 33 RAF, Husband of Beatrice Metcalf Killed In Action May 3 1943 From Handforth, Cheshire, England Burial Charleroi Communal Cemetery Belgium

Flight Sergeant

David Jacob Shtitz

Air Gunner Age 22 Killed In Action May 3 1943 From Portage La Prairie Manitoba Burial Charleroi Communal Cemetery Belgium

Bomb Aimer Age 22
Killed In Action May 30 1943
From Belleville Ontario.
Burial Peronnes-Lez-Binche (Charbonnage) Belgium

Pilot Age 25
Killed In Action May 30 1943
Burial Charleroi Communal Cemetery Belgium

Rear Gunner Age 33
Killed In Action May 30 1943 1943
From Wakefield Quebec
Burial Charleroi Communal Cemetery Belgium

WAG Age unknown RAF
Killed In Action May 30 1943
From Not recorded
Burial Charleroi Communal Cemetery Belgium

F/E Age 18 RAF Killed In Action May 30 1943
From Hereford, England
Burial Charleroi Communal Cemetery Belgium

Navigator Age 33 RAF, Husband of Beatrice Metcalf Killed In Action May 3 1943
From Handforth, Cheshire, England
Burial Charleroi Communal Cemetery Belgium

Air Gunner Age 22
Killed In Action May 3 1943
From Portage La Prairie Manitoba
Burial Charleroi Communal Cemetery Belgium