Pilot Officer Allen Bruce Slater 402550 RAAF

An account of the loss of the Slater crew and Wellington X3652 AA-O.

From the O.R.B.;

25/26 March 42. Attack Against Target At St. Nazaire And Essen.
Twelve aircraft were detailed to attack the above target. Wellington III X3652 captained by P/O Slater, failed to return. Two aircraft failed to locate target. Bomb load of 500 lbs and 250 lbs was dropped in the target area but no results were observed. Slight A.A. fire and a few ineffective searchlights were encountered but no enemy aircraft were seen. Weather was fine with slight ground haze. Navigation by TR1335 and D.R. was good.

Wellington III X3652.    AA.O.          Up 20:39.          Missing.       
P/O Slater, Allen Bruce.                   Captain.             A.402550   RAAF             
Sgt Addis, John Henry.                     2nd Pilot.          1208366               
Sgt Fletcher, James Douglas.          Navigator.         NZ404546
Sgt Wainwright, A. Edward.            W/Operator.     1355493
Sgt Orr, Albert Gladstone.              F/Gunner.          NZ403627
Sgt Burridge, Philip L.                      R/Gunner.          901810
Took off from Feltwell, and cause of loss and crash site not known. The 2nd Pilot,
Sgt Addis was the only crew member killed. The other five crew became Prisoner of War.

The Wellington was hit by 4 Flak batteries of the 4. Flak-Division and belly-landed in a field at Kasslerfeld. (from Nachtjagd Combat Archive The Early Years part two).

The National Archives Australia have a report filled out by P/O Slater on being released from captivity.

The Navigator Flight Sergeant James Douglas Fletcher NZ404546 Prisoner of War.

If you have a photograph of any other crew members, please get in touch and I will be happy to include it to this page. 

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.

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.

75 (NZ) Squadron photo’s

There are some great photo’s posted by Anna on the 75 Squadron RAF/RNZAF Facebook site.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=oa.622389617782181&type=1

I hope the link works.

I have checked with Anna before posting the link on here, and she told me she will send scans of the photos to post here shortly.

Wayne.

75 (NZ) Squadrons 1st Loss Wellington R3157

The Squadrons first loss was Wellington IC R3157 with the code AA-H.

The crew were part of 124 aircraft sent to attack German Railway targets on the night of 21/22 May 1940.

Five aircraft were lost, including one from 75 squadron.

The crew were as follows;

F/L John Noel Collins.                                                                     Captain      NZ2513      +
P/O Francis Albert Gabriel Joseph De Labouchere Sparling.   2nd Pilot    41990        +
Sgt G. Thorpe.                                                                                  Obs.            523426      PoW
AC John Stanley Brooks.                                                                 W/Op          622115      PoW
P/O Leonard Phillip Redcliff Hockey.                                            Rear/Gnr    76011        PoW
Airborne 21:20 hours from Feltwell. Hit by flak at 2000 – 3000 feet during the run in to the target, crashing near Kain, 4 km NNW of Tournai, Belgium. Both pilots were killed, but the other three crew survived, and were captured. The 2nd pilot is buried at Kain, but the body of the captain was not recovered and he is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. F/L Collins was the first RNZAF pilot to loose his life while serving overseas.