F/Sgt Kenneth Michael HENDERSON was killed in action in an attack on Saarbrucken when the aircraft he was piloting Lancaster PD344 collided with a 75 Sqn Lancaster ND904. all 14 airmen were killed and the aircraft came down Wolsfeld, 8 kms SSW of Bitburg. It is believed they were on their 4th Operation. You can request the ORB for 115 Sqn from the UK Archives I believe they are £3.50 per month.
Lancaster PD 344 took off at 17.15 for operations to Saarbrucken, crew on board were
F/Sgt K.M. Henderson, Pilot.
F/Sgt M.W. blockley, Nav.
F/Sgt R.W. Cuthbert, RNZAF, A/B.
F/Sgt F.S.B. Scougall, RAAF, W/Op.
Sgt A.W. Blake, M/U.
Sgt A. Coe, R/G.
Sgt A. Horridge, F/E.
Failed to return, information inserted into ORB at later date says... This aircraft collided with Lancaster ND904 of 75sqdn over Wolsfeld. They were initially buried in Wolsfeld Churchyard, but on 25/11/46, were moved to the British Military Cemetery at Rheinberg.
Previous ops for this crew were to....
West Kappelle, 3rd Oct, Lancaster HK578.
Calais, 27th Sept, Lancaster HK578.
Cap Griz Nez, 26th Sept, Lancaster HK555.
Calais, 25th Sept, Lancaster HK555.
The ORB does not give any details as to when the crew were posted in, or where from, but F/Sgt Scougall's Service Record and Caualty file are available to be digitally viewed on the NAA (National Archives Australia) if you so wish to pay for them to be digitised. The service record will show when he/they were posted in to 115, and the casalty file may have a MREU report, giving details of the crash site and possible winesses.
If you so wish, i can let you have scans of the relevant pages for this crew, if you let me have your email address via my whiteboard in my profile.
Alan
-- Edited by AW on Sunday 19th of August 2012 03:23:51 AM
-- Edited by AW on Sunday 19th of August 2012 03:30:56 AM
-- Edited by AW on Sunday 19th of August 2012 03:33:11 AM
-- Edited by AW on Sunday 19th of August 2012 03:37:50 AM
-- Edited by AW on Sunday 19th of August 2012 03:39:54 AM
Hi Giys Bizarrely I am searching this one from the other side as it were.
I am in contact with one of the relatives of the crew from the 75(NZ) Squadron Lancaster ND904 AA-B and am interested in terms of filling in the gaps of that night from the 75 side, but also, given that 115 were 'right next door' to 75 (Witchford and Mepal), the details of PD344 as well. The raid page in the 75(NZ) ORB has a hand written addition that notes the collision and position and interestingly, the subsequent move of the bodies of both crews to Rheinberg in 46.
Faxeh I got your message on the whiteboard - dunno if you have seen my reply yet - apologies for the garbled first reply, I didn't understand the offer until I had engaged my brain! I look forward to seeing the document
As a small addendum to this thread and discussion:
The 75(NZ) Lancaster, ND904 actually came from 115 Squadron originally. More remarkable, when it was with 115, its designator letters were KO-M, exactly the same as the designator that PD344 was carrying when they collided......
