You should go on the National archives of australia web site and order the A705 and A9300 for Hayes 411906. They will probaby give you much info. It is quite inexpensive. Search under the rcod search using the service number. Peter (author Shaky do the Skoda works raid 16/17th April 1943)
Hi Parkyt We are currently working of the establishment of a website for 101 squadron which you can find if you go to 156 Squadron and click on the link. There is still a great deal of work to do on the site. I don't think you will have much luck in finding a photo of the aircraft. There were very few around as they did not want the aircraft photographed showing the special arials for the jamming system. Leslie
I read this thread in my search for the history of a bomber wich went down in Bergen (L) The Netherlands in 1943. As far as my research it all points to the flight of Serial Number W4919
Squadron 101
X1D SR-A
Operation Dortmund
Date 1 23rd May 1943
Date 2 24th May 1943
You may ask why? Well I lived in that town for about 19 years. And in my young years i heard about an airplane from WOII wich was chrashed in our community. I've been collecting pieces of this crash eversince a little child. I have found mostley metal pieces, from wich some are marked with serials. Furthermore I've found lots of other meterials, like the plastic glass canopy, electronics, rubber, and a few textile fabrics. Any more assortmet parts, but that's for a later comment. My question is does anybody has more information about this flight? And more important. i'd like to get in touch with the remaining family members of this crew. It feels like my duty to bring them at least a piece back of their history. My intention is to get the city gouvernement of Bergen NL to place a monument on top of the crash site. So a shout out to all people whom have heard of this bomber, i need the story behind this crew and flight. All i got to show for are the debries, and the research, wich lead me to this tread. My email is aloystrines@gmail.com Please for more information and details give a mail.
"Serial range W4761 - W5012 This aircraft was one of 200 Lancasters ordered from Metro-Vick in 1940 and built as 170 Mk.1s (W4761-W4982) with Merlin 20 engines and 30 Mk.111s (W4983-W5012) with Merlin 28 engines from Sep42 to May43.
They were transported to Woodford for final assembly and flight testing. W4919 was delivered to 101 Sqdn ex-5MU Feb43, loaned to 207 Sqdn - no dates. No other key Operations traced. No record of total hours.
W4919 was one of two 101 Sqdn Lancasters lost on this operation. See ED775. Airborne from Holme-on-Spalding Moor. Shot down by a night-fighter, crashing 0233 24May43 at Bergen (Limburg), a small town on the E bank of the Maas and about 4 km inside Holland from the border with Germany. Unfortunately, it was the first mission for most of the crew after their initial training.
The crew were initially buried in the temporary Military Cemetery at Venlo. They have been subsequently re-interred in the Jonkerbos War Cemetery.
Sgt J.H.T.Hayes KIA Age 22 = Sgt Henry Terrence Hayes R/411906 Flight Sergeant (RAAF) , born at Marrickville NSW on januari 9 1921
Sgt W.R.Cook KIA Age 31 1116625 Flight Engineer (RAF)
Sgt P.G.Eames KIA Age 25 1319738 Navigator (Bomber) (RAF)
Sgt J.Park KIA James Park 1361100 Bomb Aimer (RAF)
Sgt J.W.C.Evans KIA Age 21 1334798 Wireless Operator/Air Gunner (RAF)
Sgt O.H.Sibson RCAF KIA Age 21 Owen Hugh Sibson R/175992 Air Gunner (RCAF)
Sgt L.G.Smith RCAF KIA Leslie Gordon Smith R/155648 Air Gunner (RCAF)
F/S Hayes and crew were posted to 101 Squadron on May 16th,1943 from No. 1656 Conversion Unit. (This would be where they were trained on the Lancaster.
May 23 was their first sortie with the Squadron.
The Squadron summary recorded "F/S Hayes failed to return - another promising crew lost.
May 23 - Lancaster I W4919 (Call letter is unclear)
Target Dortmund
No take off time noted but given the other aircraft times, would likely have been somewhere between 22.10 - 22.30 hours.
