Crew members of Halifax JD113
Halifax JD113 on the night of May 13-14th 1943 was set on a course to Bochum a new target to 419 squadron.
Bochum a target
in the well defended Ruhr Valley was to be a costly raid for Moose squadron. Two Halifax aircrews
were not to return that night.
(Halifax DT672 being the second aircraft)
All was going well for this crew until they were hit by flak almost directly over the target area, then they were attacked by an enemy fighter. That was the recollection of one the surviving crew members in his reports given years after the events.
In a second report given by another of the crew's survivors, the events were given differently. In his remembrance of the night, JD113 had made it almost to the coast doing a number of evasive actions along the way when the aircraft went into a dive after being hit in the starboard wing. The attack by an enemy night fighter had resulted in a fire breaking out both on that wing and one of the engines fed by the fuel still being pumped to the engine.
The Pilot called for the starboard petrol cocks to be turned off, to help stop the fires in the engine. This was accomplished by the Flight Engineer, Sgt. Walkerdine. Sgt. Walkerdtine was killed in the second attack, this is not officially noted anywhere, but since it was reported that he was helping with saving the aircraft after the initial attack it would seem to fit.
Sgt. Buckwell the pilot had the escape hatches opened and gave the orders to bail out, control of JD113 was beginning to become lost, fire was spreading. It was the only thing that could be done, the aircraft was lost, it was time to save his crew.
At this point the Halifax was again attacked by another enemy aircraft. Sgt. Hurteau and/or rear gunner Sgt. Bovaird would have been the aircrafts only protection at this time. Although it is not clear from any of the available reports if Sgt. Bovaird and F/Sgt. Hurteau were both killed during the first attack. Without these gunners or full control of the aircraft the Halifax was lost.
The most common attack on the bombers was from behind and slightly below, which would have left the Mid -Upper gunner with no view of the attack if it had beencome from this rear position.
The loss of this crew and the crew of DT672 was heightened by this being the squadrons third double loss in three consecutive operations.
Those aircraft crews were DT794, JB861 W7817 and JB791 .
The difference in the two recollections of where the events of that night began, gives an indication of how chaotic and intense the scene was being played out and yet still each man did his duty to the end.
(Halifax DT672 being the second aircraft)
All was going well for this crew until they were hit by flak almost directly over the target area, then they were attacked by an enemy fighter. That was the recollection of one the surviving crew members in his reports given years after the events.
In a second report given by another of the crew's survivors, the events were given differently. In his remembrance of the night, JD113 had made it almost to the coast doing a number of evasive actions along the way when the aircraft went into a dive after being hit in the starboard wing. The attack by an enemy night fighter had resulted in a fire breaking out both on that wing and one of the engines fed by the fuel still being pumped to the engine.
The Pilot called for the starboard petrol cocks to be turned off, to help stop the fires in the engine. This was accomplished by the Flight Engineer, Sgt. Walkerdine. Sgt. Walkerdtine was killed in the second attack, this is not officially noted anywhere, but since it was reported that he was helping with saving the aircraft after the initial attack it would seem to fit.
Sgt. Buckwell the pilot had the escape hatches opened and gave the orders to bail out, control of JD113 was beginning to become lost, fire was spreading. It was the only thing that could be done, the aircraft was lost, it was time to save his crew.
At this point the Halifax was again attacked by another enemy aircraft. Sgt. Hurteau and/or rear gunner Sgt. Bovaird would have been the aircrafts only protection at this time. Although it is not clear from any of the available reports if Sgt. Bovaird and F/Sgt. Hurteau were both killed during the first attack. Without these gunners or full control of the aircraft the Halifax was lost.
The most common attack on the bombers was from behind and slightly below, which would have left the Mid -Upper gunner with no view of the attack if it had beencome from this rear position.
The loss of this crew and the crew of DT672 was heightened by this being the squadrons third double loss in three consecutive operations.
Those aircraft crews were DT794, JB861 W7817 and JB791 .
Sgt. Duggan's Capture
Sgt. Duggan had escaped the crippled Halifax and made his way to the Dutch Resistance. With the help of the Resistance he made his
way through Brussels and eventually by train arrived in Paris. His next move some time after his arrival in Paris
was to go to the Bristol Hotel. It was at this hotel where he and possibly others ushered there by the Underground were arrested
within minutes of their arrival.
This was not the first time members of 419 Squadron had been caught in such traps set up by traitors in the Underground.
He was interrogated and beaten by the Gestapo, before being sent to Stalag IVB. Where he was there from November 4th 1943 to April 22/23 1945 when the camp was freed by Russian troops. .
This was not the first time members of 419 Squadron had been caught in such traps set up by traitors in the Underground.
He was interrogated and beaten by the Gestapo, before being sent to Stalag IVB. Where he was there from November 4th 1943 to April 22/23 1945 when the camp was freed by Russian troops. .
The difference in the two recollections of where the events of that night began, gives an indication of how chaotic and intense the scene was being played out and yet still each man did his duty to the end.
