Hi Myles,

thanks for the info, looks like I can eliminate DK188 MP J for Johnnie from the list.  The photo can be seen at the link below:-

http://www.stelzriede.com/ms/photos/planes/ma21p.jpg

Mike H

Flt Sergeant Berry was on board with my relative John Heggarty. Do you have any photos of the crew?

Thank-you so much for that information. I'm trying to help a lady in Australia who has written an excellent website about 462 squadron in which her father was the sole survivor and John Heggarty perished. Although he is a member of my family, we have no photographs of John at all which is very sad and we would like to see what he looks like. We have tried so many avenues unsuccessfully up until now, so your information gives us hope! 

Hi Alan,

thanks for the heads up regarding the Halifax photo.  I thought this was too good to be true...

Bills' book does not mention the Halifax code/ serial number that Elder's crew are posed with (on page 105).

Regards,

Mike. 

Hi Vivienne,

glad you have managed to get a copy of the book.  All 8 crew members can be seen in the photo, however only Elder, Smith and Berry are named.

Check out pages 105 and 250.

Mike. 

OK, thank-you. I suppose I'll have to look for a family resemblence if he's not named! Thanks for the page references. 

Hi!

My mum has several photos of my great uncle during the war and has a copy of the photo mentioned framed in her living room.  P/O Bill Elder is at the top of the ladder, F/S Walter Berry to the left as you look at it (blonde hair).  So that eliminates no 3 and 4 (left to right) - Mum mentioned to me that Walter used to point at the picture and say "those two are no longer alive" referring to Smith and Heggarty but Mum cant remember which ones he pointed at.  The engines were hit and the rear turret disabled by a nightfighter attack (believed to be a Junkers 88) and Heggarty used the i/c to inform the planes crew he had been injured in the attack and his turret was disabled.  Just as Heggarty informed them of no tail turret cover a 2nd attack came in from Starboard and the mid upper was killed by a cannon shell to the neck.  Walter took over the mid upper position and when the night fighter came in for a third attempt and opened up injuring Walter in the leg - Walter released a burst of fire which warded it off and ordered Elder to corkscrew even though two engines were down.  They had no further attacks thereafter.  The pilot (Elder) ordered all to bale out when he levelled out due to only having two working engines but Walter stayed put (I vaguely recall him telling me his 'chute had gone from where it was stored and he later found a holed one unsecured in the fuelage!) and sat with the Pilot to assist with the landing, especially as Heggarty was wounded and trapped in the rear turret.  The landing, which was a belly landing, was assisted by one wing hitting a tree at the end of the runway.  From what I understand, DK - 188 MP-J was written off thereafter due to structural damage to the main wing frames and broken up for spares.  This is all the info my Mum can recall and from what i remember from him telling me.  I do have a cassette with a radio interview he did when he was alive, but I believe that was in reference to a later raid when he was shot down and evaded capture.  I will listen to it soon to see if he mentions this mission or comments re Heggarty.  Kind Regards, Myles

AW wrote:

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Hi Mike,

               I've discussed this photo some time back, on another forum. The Halifax is not all it appears to be, as if you enlarge it, you can see the mess that someone has made in trying to change the code letters.

Alan.

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 Anyone know where the original image might be found? I can't find it in the searchable archive of the IWM.

I'd love to know what it's serial / code really was as my Dad flew to Peenemunde in an MP-J (DK269 I believe) and it would be great to find a photo of it. 

Thanks

Andrew