419 Squadron RCAF 1941 to 1945 Crew of Wellington X3477

Crew of Wellington X3477

Wellington X3477 squadron ID VR-G took off from Mildenhall at 2000 for operations on Lubeck. The aircraft was intercepted on the way to the target by two Luftwaffe ME-110 night fighters coming at them head on. One night fighter was dealt with by the nose gunner F/S Bailey and then P/O Brodrick, the rear gunner, also engaged the fighter as it came under his guns. It was noted that the cockpit of the enemy aircraft was damaged and one engine was on fire as the fighter fell out of sight.

During the attack, cannon fire from the ME110 damaged controls and put the rear turret out of action. The results of the gunfire also wounded the pilot P/O Hobson who still managed to jettison the bombs and fly the aircraft. F/S Flesch was severely wounded.

X3477 was badly damaged by the attack. The use of dive manoeuvres helped to shake off the last fighter but this manoeuvre brought the aircraft into range of what was initially light flak.

The flak increased the further they strayed from its planned flight path. With his controls becoming less responsive P/O Hobson was not able to stop the additional damage being inflicted by the flak. The Wellington was reported to have impacted at a high rate of speed into a marshy area at Putthausen near Wilhelmshaven Germany at around 0030 the morning of the 29th.

Details given later by F/S Bailey describes that X3477's nose section broke off on impact and the center section of the Wellington spun around and skidded back wards. While the rear section was thrown a distance from the main sections.

Of all the crew only Bailey was uninjured. Brodrick was taken to hospital in Wilhelmshaven with severe back injuries. Marcotte's injuries were also to his back, suffering a fracture to his first lumbar vertebrae and concussion. For eight days he lay unconscious.

There were two versions of what happened to P/O Hobson and F/S Flesch.

One account mentions they later died of their injuries, no mention is made of their injuries or where they were hospitalized, but most likely it would have been at Wilhelshaven Naval Hospital as were Brodrick and Marcotte.

The second account mentions Hobson and Flesch died in the crash.

P/O Hobson and F/S Flesch were buried according to documents now available, with full military honours at Garrison Cemetery at Wilhelmshaven on April 2nd. Before being moved after the war to Sage War Cemetery, Oldenburg, Germany.

	Flight Sergeant Joseph Clarence Albert Marcotte 2nd Pilot First sent to the Naval Hospital in Wilhelmshaven from March to April 1942 then to Hohenmark Hospital in Oberursel until May of '42. From there to Stalag Luft III at Sagan. Relocated to Stalag Luft VI at Heydekrug and once more moved to Stalag 357 at Thorn and Fallingbostel. It was not until some time after his return home that further surgery on his back was performed in Vancouver during 1946
	Pilot Officer Kenneth Edward Hobson Pilot Age 30 Killed in Action Mar. 29 1942 From Winnipeg Manitoba Burial Sage War Cemetery,Oldenburg, Land Niedersachsen, Germany
	Flight Sergeant Arnold Leo Flesch Observer Age 26 Killed in Action. March 29 1942 From Cobourg Ontario Burial Sage War Cemetery,Oldenburg, Land Niedersachsen, Germany
	Sergeant K. H. Paul Wireless Op. POW #265 Stalag Luft VI
	Flight Sergeant S. J. Bailey W/O A/G POW #24805 Stalag Luft VIII which later became Stalag 344
	Pilot Officr W. E. Brodrick Tail Gunner POW #762 Stalag Luft III

Crew of Wellington X3477

Flight Sergeant

Joseph Clarence Albert Marcotte

Pilot Officer

Kenneth Edward Hobson

Pilot Age 30 Killed in Action Mar. 29 1942 From Winnipeg Manitoba Burial Sage War Cemetery,Oldenburg, Land Niedersachsen, Germany

Flight Sergeant

Arnold Leo Flesch

Observer Age 26Killed in Action. March 29 1942 From Cobourg Ontario Burial Sage War Cemetery,Oldenburg, Land Niedersachsen, Germany

Sergeant

K. H. Paul

Wireless Op. POW #265 Stalag Luft VI

Flight Sergeant

S. J. Bailey

W/O A/G POW #24805 Stalag Luft VIII which later became Stalag 344

Pilot Officr

W. E. Brodrick

Tail Gunner POW #762 Stalag Luft III

Pilot Age 30
Killed in Action Mar. 29 1942
From Winnipeg Manitoba
Burial Sage War Cemetery,Oldenburg, Land Niedersachsen, Germany

Observer Age 26
Killed in Action. March 29 1942
From Cobourg Ontario
Burial Sage War Cemetery,Oldenburg, Land Niedersachsen, Germany

Wireless Op.
POW #265 Stalag Luft VI

W/O A/G
POW #24805 Stalag Luft VIII which later became Stalag 344

Tail Gunner
POW #762 Stalag Luft III