ANZAC DAY 2024

Badge of No. 75 (NZ) Squadron, RAF.

On ANZAC Day 2024 I thought it was a good time to reflect on the Losses suffered on 75 (NZ) Squadron during the Second World War.

Some details from The Bomber Command War Diaries by Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt. 

Raids Flown. –
Wellingtons. – 291 Bombing, 24 Minelaying, 4 Leaflet, 1 Photo Recon.
Stirlings. – 103 Bombing, 107 Minelaying.
Lancasters. – 190 Bombing, 18 Minelaying, 1 Leaflet.

Sorties and Losses.

Wellingtons. – 2,540 sorties, 74 aircraft Lost.
Stirlings. – 1,736 sorties, 72 aircraft Lost.
Lancasters. – 3,741 sorties, 47 aircraft Lost.

8 Lancasters were destroyed in crashes.

Carried out the fourth highest number of bombing raids in Comber Command Heavy Squadrons.
Flew the most sorties in 3 Group and the whole of Bomber Command.
Suffered the second highest casualties in Bomber Command.
Believed to have dropped the third highest tonnage of bombs (approximately21,600).
Also dropped 2,344 mines, probably the second highest number in Bomber Command.

Image from the RW Russell personal album collection. “Refueling and Bombing Up. Tanker Carries 2,500 Gallons, Weighs 22 Tons. Bomb load Here 1 – 4,000 LB “Cookie”, 10 – 500 LB General Purpose, 4 – 250 LB General Purpose. Pushing the “Cookie” under the No. 75 Squadron Lancaster.

Image from the Russell Brothers personal album collection. No. 75 Squadron crews resting on the grass beside a line up of No. 75 Squadron Lancasters. Unknown location. Near aircraft is JN-M.

Photo’s Of The Alexander Crew

These photo’s were found on the Air Force Museum site, via Allan Alexander.

https://fotoweb.airforcemuseum.co.nz/fotoweb/archives/5003-Search-the-Collection/?25=World%20War%20Two

Image from the Allan Mason Forbes Alexander personal album. AMF Alexander and his No. 75 Squadron crew beside the port main wheel of their Stirling. Unknown location in England. Handwritten under the print “Operations crew 1943 75 NZ. Squadron. England. / [L-R] McDonald Rear Gunner, Des Andersen Navigator, Frank Howard Engineer, Doc Lyon Mid Upper Gunner, Tom Mayhew Wireless Operator, Phil Pullyn Bomb Aimer. A Alexander Pilot [crouching in front].”

Image from the R. W. Russell personal album collection. No. 75 Squadron Lancaster crew in front of a Nissen (Quonset) hut. Believed to be at RAF Station Mepal. L-R: “Jack, Ivor, myself [R.W. Russell], George, Fred (crouching, front), Nev, Vic”.

Image from the Allan Mason Forbes Alexander personal album. Informal group of RAF ground crew standing behind a fuel tanker under the wing of a No. 75 Squadron Stirling. Unknown location in England.

Image from the Allan Mason Forbes Alexander personal album. Unknown man standing on a starboard engine of a Stirling. Unknown location in England. Could this be a No. 75 Squadron aircraft?

Image from the Allan Mason Forbes Alexander personal album. 3/4 front view of a No. 75 Squadron Stirling. Unknown location in England.

Image from the RW Russell personal album collection. “Refueling and Bombing Up. Tanker Carries 2,500 Gallons, Weighs 22 Tons. Bomb load Here 1 – 4,000 LB “Cookie”, 10 – 500 LB General Purpose, 4 – 250 LB General Purpose. Pushing the “Cookie” under the No. 75 Squadron Lancaster.

Image from the RW Russell personal album collection. “Bruce’s Crew. [L-R] Rear Gunner “Tutty”, Navigator Jeff Boulton, Bomb Aimer Cyril Bullock, Pilot Bruce, Wireless Operator “Scotty”, Flight Engineer Bill Allred, Mid Upper Gunner “Smithy”. Presumed to be No. 75 Squadron personnel.

Image from the Allan Mason Forbes Alexander personal album. Informal portrait of Pilot Officer AMF Alexander, No. 75 Squadron pilot. Unknown location. Handwritten in the image area “1943 / 75 Squadron.”

Photo’s of 75 (NZ) Squadon Lancasters

The New Zealand Bomber Command site on Facebook have posted some photo’s of Lancasters from their collection. Chris Newey has added comments to a few to help identify crews and aircraft. I hope the link works.

OK, so the link only shows the first 5 Lancasters, but then goes on to show more posts from the NZ Bomber Command page. They are all interesting photo’s so take a look. 

 

Can You Help With This Photo?

Do  You  Recognise   Any  Of  These  Lads?

On one of the online aviation groups this photo was posted without much additional information. There isn’t a date or location so far, but it’s an interesting photo.

Noting the rear turret and the bomb trolley, could these be Armourers?

A note on the back of the photo has four of these men were posted to 75(NZ) Squadron.

The names are Hardy, Johnson, Birchel and Wright. There is no indication which four airmen they are.

Can you identify any of the above as ground crew don’t get enough recognition.

UPDATE

I am updating the 1943 page at the moment with more accurate details of Stirling aircraft with serial numbers and codes. I’m also adding as many aircrew service numbers as possible. The update will be removing the Summary of Events to a separate page which will be completed after the 1943 update is finished. 

At the moment I’m only up to mid April, but have been cross referencing the Form 78 Aircraft Movement Cards, the Form 1180 Accident Cards and the Aircraft Loss Cards. This is needed due to the many mistakes in the Operational Records Books (ORB’s). The whole process is slow but rewarding being able to correct mistakes in the ORB. 

I chose the 1943 page to start due to the fact I’m fascinated with the Stirling aircraft and although an improvement from the Wellington, it was hampered somewhat by the divided bomb day and lower ceiling than the Lancaster. It is a shame there are no surviving examples left anywhere in the world. 

Any questions let me know, or if you have seen a mistake, leave a comment for me.  Also if you have access to a family members Log Book and can correct or add any information, please let me know so i can update the page.

Thanks to all that have visited, it is much appreciated.

Images from the Air Force Museum Collection

The New Zealand Air Force Museum have a wonderful collection of photographs spanning World War Two and beyond. I have selected a few to post here from 75 (NZ) Squadron during World War 2. Please credit the Museum if you use any photo’s. Link below.

https://fotoweb.airforcemuseum.co.nz/fotoweb/archives/5003-Search-the-Collection/?25=World%20War%20Two

Aircrew in front of a No. 75 Squadron Wellington. RAF Station Feltwell, England. Kangaroo nose art on aircraft. CH2674

Two No. 75 Squadron crew members at their positions, inside a Wellington. Unknown location. CH 473

No. 75 Squadron Stirling, with engines running. Unknown location. CH6314

Image from the No. 75 Squadron album collection. Original caption on the reverse reads: “33968. New Zealand ground crews pushing a mine rack in position for ‘bombing up’ for the night’s operation.” Three men pushing a bomb trolley with mines under a No. 75 Squadron Stirling. Unknown location.

Image from the J Way personal album collection. “‘M’ Mother Newmarket.” Nine No. 75 Squadron aircrew stand in front of Stirling AA-M. Seven are wearing parachutes (aircrew). RAF Station Newmarket.

Image from the Russell Brothers personal album collection. No. 75 Squadron crews resting on the grass beside a line up of No. 75 Squadron Lancasters. Unknown location. Near aircraft is JN-M.

Image from the No. 75 Squadron album collection. Flight Sergeant Dunlop of Auckland in his position in the rear gun turret of a No. 75 Squadron Lancaster.

Image from the Ronald Wynn Russell personal album collection. “Overhauls Are Sometimes Needed”. Ground crew perform maintenance on No. 75 Squadron Avro Lancaster AA-C. 82 mission markers painted on nose.

Squadron Photo dated on reverse as 1940 – Feltwell.

I had a message from Frank who had found an old photograph in a chest, and wondered if I might be interested in it. He said it was dated 1940 – Feltwell on the back and had the squadron standing in front of a Wellington bomber.                                                                                                  Naturally I was very interested, and Frank sent me a photo of the photo to let me have a quick look at it. It did indeed show a squadron in front of a Wellington, and there were about 238 squadron members in the photo.  Not all are aircrew, about half are possibly ground crew.          I asked Chris Newey to look at the photo and he thought he could identify Wing Commander Buckley and possibly Cyrus Kay, which identified the squadron as 75 (NZ) squadron.  So I              contacted Frank and said YES, I’m very keen to have the photo.

This is what Frank sent me;

75 squadron Feltwell 1940

This is a small close up.

75 squadron 1940 Close Up.

So, watch this space for a scan of the original photo Frank has sent to me via snail mail. If you can identify anyone in the photo, please let me know so we can name as many as possible.         I must at this point thank Frank so much for making contact, then passing on this great photo.

Sergeant Henry Stephen Mulholland 1332768 Air Bomber Update

I have been contacted by Mr. Dany Ernst from Frodithier, Belgium.

He had been researching the loss of Stirling BK817 and her crew and offered a few photo’s of the crash site. Naturally I was very interested and Dany very kindly sent a few photo’s for the Blog.

The first shows a German soldier standing by one of the Stirling’s engines.

Engine of Short Stirling BK817 – Froidthier

The next photo shows some of the wreckage scattered around a field in Froidthier.

The photo below shows some of the wreckage recovered from the crash site. The large object in the left photo’s are of an engine, and in the photo’s to the right surprisingly  show quite a few incendiaries, which I hope were handled with extreme care.

 

 

An engine and incendiaries recovered from the crash site of Stirling BK817

This is the recovered engine after being cleaned up after 70 years in the ground.

Dany tells me these two Browning machine guns were from the front turret of BK817.

Browning Machine Guns

Once again I would like to thank Dany for taking the time to make contact and share his photo’s.

To read the story of Sgt Mulholland and the crew of Stirling BK817 see here                                      http://wp.me/p3l3Fv-oD2

Sgt Robert Holtby Tasker RAF 1381172

Last year I had a request from Emily for any information on Sgt Tasker and the crew of Wellington X9914 shot down over Belgium on the night of 22/23 October 1941.

I had helped her with some information on the crew for a school project. Approaching the time for Emily to make her presentation, she was feeling unwell, and didn’t think she could attend. However, she did make the ceremony, and was chosen to read out her poem, written in remembrance of the crew lost that night in October 1941.

Here is Emily’s update.

Dear Wayne,
Thank you so much for the picture of the 2nd Pilot!

After all I was selected for the event under the Menen Gate in Ypres. The teacher was still deciding which student she wanted for this occasion.

At 11 November we went with a few Flemish and British schools to Ypres for collecting sand bags from all the cementeries of the British soldiers in Flanders.
Those sand bags will be shipped to London for a big World War I monument.

It was one of the most beautiful and saddest thing I ever saw. It was nice to see that they wanted to remember the soldiers who died in battle

This was the poem:

Between the lonely graves so grey

One still can imagine the noisy battle

A pitiful silence shall always stay

Amongst what remains of the iron wattle

Once an aircraft fell down from heaven

None of the crew survived this crash

R H Tasker was one of these seven

All that’s left is memory and ash

Between the lonely graves so grey

One still hears Taskers family say:

‘In the garden of happy memories,

It is always summer.’

Best regards
Emily Sabbe

Below; Two photo’s from the ceremony at  Menen Gate in Ypres

Above;  Rampart Cemetery Ypres.

 

Wellington IC X9914   AA.?                   Up 18:05       Missing.
Sgt Taylor, Cyril.                                    Captain         110661
Sgt Spark, Frederick Alexander            2nd Pilot       NZ401415
Sgt Levack, Sidney Joseph Lawrence   Nav                971231
Sgt Roberts, James                                W/Op/Air      A400310
Sgt Steele, William Reid                        F/Gnr            1051619
Sgt Tasker, Robert Holtby                     R/Gnr            1381172
Took off from Feltwell between 18:05 and 18:15 hours, and was brought down over Belgium near Werken, 8 km east of Dixmude. All six crew are buried in Werken Churchyard.
From MREU; The Brigade Commandant, M. Verhaeghe of Mandzaeme stated “On the 22nd Oct 1941, at approx 23:30 hours I was awakened by the noise of an aircraft which seemed to be in trouble. The night was very dark and it was raining. The aircraft was a British bomber. When it hit the ground it exploded, and bits and pieces of the crew and aircraft were scattered in an area of approx one kilometre. The crash occured in the Rue Haute, and in front of M. Staels Julien’s farm in Werken. None of the bodies were complete, and were placed in six coffins and buried in the cemetery of Werken. The aircraft was salvaged by the Germans.

I was contacted by Rudy who kindly sent photo’s of the crew’s graves at Werken. Thank you so much Rudy for your help.

 

Sgt Neville John Netscher Hockaday – Pilot 1376051

Sgt Hockaday and crew with Wellington AA-F

Left to Right – Standing.                                                                                                                             Bill Gordan (F/Gunner) Alf Drew (Navigator) Neville Hockaday (Pilot) Mike Hughes (Wireless Operator) Bruce Phillip (Rear Gunner).                                                                                                    The Ground Crew names are unknown.

Sgt Neville Hockaday arrived on 75 (NZ) Squadron on 30 May 1942.  He flew his first               operation on the night of 5/6 June 1942 as 2nd Pilot to Flt/Sgt McLaughlan and crew in           Wellington X3636 to Essen. Altogether flew as 2nd pilot on 5 ops before being given his own crew, and then flew another 31 ops before his tour was finished. The crew flew almost exclusively in Wellington BJ837 except for a few times when another aircraft was used.

5/6 June 42. Operations. Attack Against Essen.
Wellington III X3636   AA.?       Up 23:35                 Down 03:25
F/S McLaughlan                         Captain                   12th op
Sgt Hockaday, N. J.                    2nd Pilot                    1st op
Sgt Hoare                                  Navigator
Sgt  Waters                               W/Operator
Sgt Pugh                                    F/Gunner
F/S Lewis                                  R/Gunner
6/7 June 42. Operations. Attack Against Targets At Emden.
Wellington III X3636   AA.?       Up 23:15                 Down 03:55
F/S McLaughlan                         Captain                   13th op
Sgt Hockaday, N. J.                    2nd Pilot                   2nd op
8/9 June 42. Operations. Attack Against Targets At Essen.
Wellington III X3646   AA.?       Up 23:45                 Down 03:30
F/S McLaughlan                         Captain                   14th op
Sgt Hockaday, N. J.                    2nd Pilot                    3rd op
22/23 June 42. Operations. Attack Against Targets At Emden.
Wellington III X3751   AA.?       Up 23:40                  Down 04:20
P/O Jarman, E. G. D.                 Captain                     24th op
Sgt Hockaday, N. J.                   2nd Pilot                     4th op
P/O Taylor                                 Navigator
Sgt Fernie                                  W/Operator
Sgt Davey                                  F/Gunner
P/O Chunn                                 R/Gunner                                                                                             25/26 June 42. Operations. Attack On Targets At Bremen.
Wellington IC BJ584   AA.?       Up 23:15                  Down 00:40?
F/S McLaughlan                         Captain                   15th op
Sgt Hockaday, N. J.                    2nd Pilot                    5th op
28/29 June 42. Operations. Attack Against Targets At St.Nazaire and Bremen.
Wellington III X3452   AA.?       Up 23:00                    Down 05:00
Sgt Hockaday, N. J.                    Captain                      6th op
Sgt Drew                                    Nav
Sgt Hughes                                 W/Op
Sgt Gordon                                  F/Gnr
Sgt Phillips, B.                             R/Gnr
Wellington IC BJ837   AA.F       Up 23:35       Down 05:20                                                                  29/30 June 42. Operations. Attack Against Targets At Bremen.  
Sgt Hockaday, N. J.                   Captain                       7th op
Claimed a Ju.88 as ‘Destroyed’.                                                                                                                 2/3 July 42. Operations. Attack Against Targets At Bremen.
Wellington III BJ837   AA.?       Up 23:25       Down 01:50
Sgt Hockaday, N. J.                   Captain                          8th op
7/8 July 42. Operations. Attack Against Targets At Frisian Islands (Gardening).
Wellington III X3586   AA.?       Up 00:10       Down 04:10
Sgt Hockaday, N. J.                   Captain                          9th op
8/9 July 42. Operations. Attack Against Targets At Wilhelmshaven.
Wellington III BJ837   AA.?       Up ??:??       Down ??:??
Sgt Hockaday, N. J.                   Captain                        10th
13 July 42. Operations. Attack Against Targets At Duisburg.
Wellington III BJ837   AA.?       Up 00:35       Down 04:30
Sgt Hockaday, N. J.                   Captain                        11
Operations.  Attack Against Targets Near Terschelling (Gardening).
Wellington III X3452   AA.?       Up 22:55       Down 01:55
Sgt Hockaday, N. J.                    Captain                       12
21 July 42. Operations. Attack Against Targets At Duisburg.
Wellington III BJ837   AA.?       Up 00:15       Down 03:50
Sgt Hockaday, N. J.                    Captain                       13
23 July 42. Operations. Attack Against Targets At Duisburg.
Wellington III BJ837   AA.?       Up 01:00       Down 04:40
Sgt Hockaday, N. J.                   Captain                        14
25 July 42. Attack Against Targets At Duisburg.
Wellington III BJ837   AA.?       Up 00:30       Down 04:50
Sgt Hockaday, N. J.                   Captain                        15                                                                      26/27 July 42. Attack Against Targets At Hamburg.
Wellington III BJ837   AA.?       Up 23:00       Down 04:15
Sgt Hockaday, N. J.                   Captain                        16
28/29 July 42. Attack Against Targets At Hamburg.
Wellington III BJ837   AA.?       Up 23:00       Down 05:10
Sgt Hockaday, N. J.                   Captain                        17
29/30 July 42. Attack Against Targets At Saarbrucken.
Wellington III BJ837   AA.?       Up 23:55       Down 06:00
Sgt Hockaday, N. J.                   Captain                        18
31 July 42. Attack Against Targets At Dusseldorf.
Wellington III BJ837   AA.?       Up 00:50       Down 04:30
Sgt Hockaday, N. J.                   Captain                        19
9 August 42. Attack Against Targets At Osnabruck. 
Wellington III BJ584   AA.?        Up 00:25       Down 04:25
Sgt Hockaday, N. J.                    Captain                        20                                                                     11/12 August 42. Attack Against Targets At Mainz.
Wellington III BJ837   AA.?       Up 22:55       Down 00:15
Sgt Hockaday, N. J.                    Captain                       21
12/13 August 42. Attack Against Targets At Mainz.
Wellington III BJ837   AA.?       Up 22:35       Down 04:50
Sgt Hockaday, N. J.                    Captain                       22
17/18 August 42. Attack Against Targets At Osnabruck.
Wellington III BJ837   AA.?       Up 22:30       Down 02:45
Sgt Hockaday, N. J.                    Captain                       23
24/25 August 42. Attack Against Frankfurt.
Wellington III BJ721   AA.?       Up 21:40       Down 02:40
Sgt Hockaday, N. J.                    Captain                       24
27/28 August 42. Attack Against Targets At Kassel.
Wellington III BJ837   AA.?       Up 21:05       Down 02:35
Sgt Hockaday, N. J.                   Captain                        25                                                                     28/29 August 42. Attack Against Targets At Nuremburg.
Wellington III BJ837   AA.?       Up 20:40       Down 04:40
Sgt Hockaday, N. J.                   Captain                        26
1/2 September 42. Operations. Attack Against Targets At Saarbrucken.  
Wellington III BJ837   AA.?       Up 23:55       Down 05:25
Sgt Hockaday, N. J.                   Captain                        27
2/3 Sept 42. Attacks Against Targets At Karlsruhe.
Wellington III BJ837   AA.?       Up 23:10       Down 23:35
Sgt Hockaday, N. J.                   Captain                        28
4 Sept 42. Attack Against Targets At Bremen.
Wellington III BJ837   AA.?       Up 00:20       Down 05:40
Sgt Hockaday, N. J.                   Captain                        29
8/9 Sept 42. Attacks Against Targets At Frankfurt.    
Wellington III BJ837   AA.?       Up 21:10       Down 03:25
Sgt Hockaday, N. J.                   Captain                        30
16/17 Sept 42. Attack Against Targets At Essen.
Wellington III BJ837   AA.?       Up 20:30       Down 02:10
Sgt Hockaday, N. J.                   Captain                        31
19/20 Sept 42. Attacks Against Targets At Saarbrucken.
Wellington III BJ837   AA.?       Up 20:25       Down 02:25
Sgt Hockaday, N. J.                   Captain                        32
24 Sept 42. Gardening Off Texel.
Wellington III DF639   AA.?       Up 19:35       Down 22:10
Sgt Hockaday, N. J.                    Captain                        33
26/27 Sept 42. Gardening In The Baltic. (Silverthorne II)
Wellington III X3931   AA.?       Up 21:10       Down 00:45
Sgt Hockaday, N. J.                    Captain                        34
2 October 1942. Attack Against Targets At Krefeld.    
Wellington III BJ837   AA.?       Up 18:55       Down 23:00
Sgt Hockaday, N. J.                   Captain                        35
5/6 October 42. Attack Against Targets At Aachen.
Wellington III X3954   AA.?       Up 19:15       Down 00:50
Sgt Hockaday, N. J.                   Captain                        36
The award of the Distingushed Flying Cross and the Distinguished Flying Medal are also awarded to P/O J. L. Wright RNZAF, and F/S N. J. N. Hockaday respectively. The authority for these awards is 3 Group Routine Order Serial Number 269 dated 30th December 1942.