W/O J C Warner RAFVR and crew and Sgt A O Haines RAFVR - 103 Squadron -RAF Elsham Wolds – 1943/44
Elsham Wolds Collision - 19/20th February 1944 - Avro Lancaster III - ND334 - Op Leipzig.
Harold Gumbrell RAFVR and crew - 103 Sqn 1944 - See at foot of page
John Charles Warner ( pictured above ) was born 13th August 1921 and hailed from the town of Syston near Leicester.
After leaving school he joined the Midland Bank. He enlisted in the RAF 6th June 1941 and was mobilised in September 1941
Postings :-
No 1 ACRC – Regents Park London - 21st September 1941 to 10th October 1941
No 7 ITW – Newquay - 11th October 1941 to 17th March 1942
29EFTS - Clyffe Pypard - 18th March 1942 to 14th April 1942
No 1 BFTS - Terrell Texas USA - 20th June 1942 to 4th January 1943.
Pictured above John Warner ( Second Right ) during training at Terrell Texas USA with a group of fellow students. Also training at Terrell at the same time were 3 others who went on to serve at Elsham Wolds and were all killed. Joe Moss and Charles Pearton with 103 Sqn and Bertie Marks with 576 Sqn
15 (P) AFU - Grove - 10th May 1943 to 7th June 1943
1516 BAT Flt - Pershore - 8th June 1943 to 15th June 1943
15 (P) AFU Grove - 16th June 1943 to 6th July 1943
81 OTU – Whitchurch - 7th July 1943 to 8th September 1943.
1656 HCU – Lindholme - 1st October 1943 to to 26th November 1943.
103 Sqn – Elsham Wolds - 27th November 1943 to 19th February 1944. Flew 11 operations.
Hospital - Scunthorpe and Rauceby - 20th February 1944 to 7th February 1945. Multiple injuries in crash at Elsham Wolds.
Station HQ Elsham Wolds - 8th February 1945 to 1st September 1945
Promoted F/O in August 1945
Invalided out of the service.
Post war John Warner joined the Midland Bank where he enjoyed a long and successful career. He was also an active Member of the Royal Observer Corps for many years and was awarded the Royal Observer Corps long service medal. John was married in the early 1950s to Edwina and sadly passed away in 1994.
Warner’s crew was posted to 103 Sqn from 1656 HCU at the end of November 1943. The crew consisted of :-
Sgt J C Warner
Sgt DHJ Cunningham ( Pictured above )
P/O R H Fuller ( pictured above right with his pilot John Warner on the left ) Sgt J J Moore F/S G Bagshaw Sgt E S Gunn
Sgt A C Haines ( pictured above )
Anthony Haines’ parents ran the St Annes Guest House in Roseville Street, Havre Des Pas, Jersey before the war and Anthony Haines was employed as a gents outfitter in De Gruchy’s Department Store before he joined up. He joined the RAF in early 1940 and trained as a ground gunner before volunteering for aircrew.
Crew Changes :
1/2 Jan 44 Moore was replaced by Sgt A H Daines
5/6 Jan 44 Daines was replaced by F/S A Wild.
14/15 Jan 44 Wild was replaced by Sgt J W Smith.
30/31 Jan 44 Smith was replaced by Sgt J J Corkery.
15/16 Feb 44 Corkery was replaced by Sgt W L Churchill.
19/20 Feb 44 Churchill was replaced by Sgt Clapham.
Warner’s tour was as follows :-
2nd Dec 43 - Berlin in JB655 as second dickie to F/O Churchill.
As captain of his own crew :-
03-Dec-43 - Leipzig - Lancaster- ND334 - Sgt JC Warner
23-Dec-43- Berlin - Lancaster - ND334 - Sgt JC Warner
29-Dec-43- Berlin - Lancaster - ND334 - Sgt JC Warner
01-Jan-44- Berlin - Lancaster - ND334 - Sgt JC Warner
02-Jan-44- Berlin - Lancaster - ND334 - Sgt JC Warner
05-Jan-44- Stettin - Lancaster - ND334 - Sgt JC Warner
14-Jan-44- Brunswick - Lancaster - ND334 - Sgt JC Warner
27-Jan-44- Berlin - Lancaster - ND334 - W/O JC Warner
30-Jan-44- Berlin - Lancaster - ND334 - W/O JC Warner
15-Feb-44- Berlin - Lancaster - ND334 - W/O JC Warner
19-Feb-44- Leipzig - Lancaster- ND334 - W/O JC Warner ( Collided with JB530 on return )
Circumstances of Collision.
On return from Leipzig JB530 ( F/S Harold Gumbrell and crew ) was struck on the runway at Elsham Wolds by ND334 ( W/O JC Warner and crew. ) See comments below.
The official report in rather vague but it appears as if permission by the Flying Control Officer was given to JB530 to land first and then gave permission for ND334 to land but before JB530 had actually cleared the runway after landing.
The Court of Enquiry comments suggest that this was due to a lack of flying discipline at the airfield and also added that crews must keep a better lookout. The report also records AOC comments to the effect that FCOs must not depart from normal Group regulations for landing procedures and that funnel positions on approach must be established by FCOs. The report summarises that the accident was caused by the FCO not following normal procedures.
Information from the Warner family adds further light to this sad incident. ND334 was returning from the operation in a damaged condition and was given permission to land by the Flight Controllers. However permission was given before JB530 had cleared the runway after landing just before. The collision occurred on the runway.
Sgt Shaw, who was the Flight Engineer in Sgt Gumbrell’s crew, escaped and then returned to his burning aircraft, JB530, several times to rescue trapped comrades who were injured.
Mark Simpson tells me that Sgt T.V.Shaw was 1588527 Thomas Vernon Shaw. He was awarded a B.E.M. for his actions on the night of 19/20 Feb 44, the award was gazetted 26 May 44 with the citation below.
" One morning in February, 1944, Sergeant Shaw was the flight engineer of an aircraft which, when approaching to land after an operatipnal sortie, crashed and immediately caught fire. Three members of the crew of the Lancaster managed to extricate themselves. Sergeant Shaw, who was suffering from shock and was badly shaken, was escaping through his window when he noticed that, although the propellers were broken off, the engines were still running. Disregarding his personal safety Sergeant Shaw made his way back into the burning bomber and succeeded in switching off the engines, thereby making any rescue work less dangerous.
With the assistance of a medical officer, Sergeant Shaw then succeeded in extricating the bomb aimer who had been trapped in the fuselage. Another member of the crew (the mid upper gunner), who was burned on the face and hands and blinded by blood, was making his way to the end of the aircraft which was burning.
Sergeant Shaw re-entered the aircraft and, despite the intense heat, smoke and fumes, he succeeded in getting the mid upper gunner to safety.
Sergeant Shaw's unselfish and courageous actions undoubtedly contributed to a greater saving of life than would otherwise have been effected. "
The following airmen were killed :-
W/O John Charles Warner RAFVR – Pilot – 103 Sqn – Seriously Injured.
Sgt Donald Henry James Cunningham RAFVR – Flight Engineer - 19 – 103 Sqn - Son of Geoffrey Joseph and Alice Maud Cunningham, of Hounslow, Middlesex – Brigg Cemetery, North Lincolnshire
F/O Ronald Harry Fuller RAFVR – Navigator - 22 – 103 Sqn - Son of Henry James Fuller and Florence Fuller, of Marylebone, London – Cambridge City Cemetery, Cambridgeshire.
F/S Charles Bagshaw RAFVR – Air Bomber - 22 – 103 Sqn - Son of Charles Garrett Bagshaw and Sarah Bagshaw, of Urmston – Urmston Cemetery, Lancashire
Sgt Edward Sandilands Gunn RAFVR – Wireless Operator / Air Gunner - 21 – 103 Sqn - Son of Edward Sandilands Gunn and Bessie Gunn, of Glasgow. His brother David also died on service – Glasgow Western Necropolis, Scotland
Sgt S Clapham RAFVR – Air Gunner - 103 Sqn – Seriously Injured
Sgt Anothony Oliver Haines RAFVR – Air Gunner - 26 – 103 Sqn - Son of Francis Henry Claudian Haines and Florence Ethel Haines, of Bristol - Brigg Cemetery, North Lincolnshire.
W/O J C Warner RAFVR and Sgt S Clapham RAFVR survived although both were badly injured. W/O Warner was thrown from his seat and suffered multiple injuries. He was in hospital for a year and never flew with the RAF again.
Haines and Cunningham are buried at Brigg Communal Cemetery. Fuller is buried at Cambridge City Cemetery. Bagshaw rests and Urmston Cemetery and Gunn at Glasgow Western Necropolis.
19-Feb-44 – Leipzig
103 Squadron detailed 15 aircraft with two reserves for this attack on the distant German city of Leipzig. This almost virgin target was again attacked through cloud. The bombing was carried out between 22000 ft and 24000 ft on sky markers. Crews reported Pathfinder marking to be well concentrated and plentiful. The winds given seemed to be out and the timing not all it might have been. Crews also reported seeing a number of combats. F/L Russell-Fry returned early due to electrical failures and oxygen failure caused W/O Frost to bomb Leeuwarden before returning. Two aircraft piloted by W/O Warner and F/S Gumbrell collided on landing. Five of Warner's crew were killed and two seriously injured. F/S Armstrong and W/O Nimmo landed at Kirmington. W/O Law and Sgt Bradley are missing from this raid. All other aircraft returned to base.
For this attack on Leipzig Bomber Command detailed a total of 823 aircraft - 561 Lancasters, 255 Halifaxes, 7 Mosquitos. 78 aircraft - 44 Lancasters and 34 Halifaxes - lost, 9.5 per cent of the force. The Halifax loss rate was 13.3 per cent of those dispatched and 14.9 per cent of those Halifaxes which reached the enemy coast after 'early returns' had turned back. The Halifax IIs and Vs were permanently withdrawn from operations to Germany after this raid.
This was an unhappy raid for Bomber Command. The German controllers only sent part of their force of fighters to the Kiel minelaying diversion. When the main bomber force crossed the Dutch coast, they were met by a further part of the German fighter force and those German fighters which had been sent north to Kiel hurriedly returned. The bomber stream was thus under attack all the way to the target. There were further difficulties at the target because winds were not as forecast and many aircraft reached the Leipzig area too early and had to orbit and await the Pathfinders. 4 aircraft were lost by collision and approximately 20 were shot down by flak. Leipzig was cloud-covered and the Pathfinders had to use skymarking. The raid appeared to be concentrated in its early stages but scattered later.
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Lancaster – ND334 – W/O JC Warner
This machine was lost on its 12th operation. See below :-
03-Dec-43 – Leipzig – Lancaster – ND334 – Sgt JC Warner – Early return - Turret failure
23-Dec-43 – Berlin – Lancaster – ND334 – Sgt JC Warner
29-Dec-43 – Berlin – Lancaster – ND334 – Sgt JC Warner
01-Jan-44 – Berlin – Lancaster – ND334 – Sgt JC Warner
02-Jan-44 – Berlin – Lancaster – ND334 – Sgt JC Warner - Landed at Hunsdon owing to bad weather at base
05-Jan-44 – Stettin – Lancaster – ND334 – Sgt JC Warner
14-Jan-44 – Brunswick – Lancaster – ND334 – Sgt JC Warner
21-Jan-44 – Magdeburg – Lancaster – ND334 – F/O GM Russell-Fry
27-Jan-44 – Berlin – Lancaster – ND334 – W/O JC Warner - Landed at Ludford Magna
30-Jan-44 – Berlin – Lancaster – ND334 – W/O JC Warner
15-Feb-44 – Berlin – Lancaster – ND334 – W/O JC Warner
19-Feb-44 – Leipzig – Lancaster – ND334 – W/O JC Warner – Collision on return. Collided with JB530 on runway on return at Elsham Wolds.
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Gumbrell’s crew.
F/S H Gumbrell RAFVR and crew - 103 Squadron -RAF Elsham Wolds – 1944
Elsham Wolds Collision - 19/20th February 1944 - Avro Lancaster III - JB530 - Op Leipzig.
Harold Gumbrell's crew were on their second operation, the first being the 15/16th Feb to Berlin, and consisted of :-
F/S H Gumbrell
Sgt T V Shaw
F/O H J Hearn
F/S F C Osborne - Seriously injured
F/S J Seward
Sgt D W Evans - injured
Sgt R A Boulton
F/S Fred Charles Osborne, the Air Bomber was seriously injured and Sgt David William Evans an Air gunner was injured. The other 5 escaped relatively unhurt. As mentioned above the Flight Engineer in this crew Sgt T V Shaw entered the aircraft 3 times to turn off the engines which were still running and also rescue the Air Bomber and the Mid Upper Gunner both of whom were incapacitated. for this gallantry he was awarded a BEM - see above. I cannot find any indication that any of these airmen flew with 103 Sqn again and neither did Lancaster JB530.
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Lancaster – JB530 – F/S H Gumbrell
This machine was lost on its 21st operation. See below :-
03-Nov-43 – Dusseldorf – Lancaster – JB530 – F/S NE West
18-Nov-43 – Berlin – Lancaster – JB530 – F/S LJ Grigg
22-Nov-43 – Berlin – Lancaster – JB530 – F/S LJ Grigg
23-Nov-43 – Berlin – Lancaster – JB530 – W/O NH Frost
23-Nov-43 – Berlin – Lancaster – JB530 – F/S LJ Grigg
26-Nov-43 – Berlin – Lancaster – JB530 – S/L C Scragg - Combat. Attacked by 2 twin engined night fighters. Guns frozen. Evasive action. Enemy aircraft lost. Diverted to Leeming. Bad visibility at base.
02-Dec-43 – Berlin – Lancaster – JB530 – S/L C Scragg
03-Dec-43 – Leipzig – Lancaster – JB530 – S/L C Scragg
16-Dec-43 – Berlin – Lancaster – JB530 – F/S HT Griffin
20-Dec-43 – Frankfurt – Lancaster – JB530 – F/L RF Griffin
23-Dec-43 – Berlin – Lancaster – JB530 – F/L RF Griffin
29-Dec-43 – Berlin – Lancaster – JB530 – F/L RF Griffin
01-Jan-44 – Berlin – Lancaster – JB530 – F/O GM Russell-Fry
02-Jan-44 – Berlin – Lancaster – JB530 – F/L RF Griffin
20-Jan-44 – Berlin – Lancaster – JB530 – F/S HT Griffin
21-Jan-44 – Magdeburg – Lancaster – JB530 – F/L RF Griffin
27-Jan-44 – Berlin – Lancaster – JB530 – F/L RF Griffin
28-Jan-44 – Berlin – Lancaster – JB530 – F/L HD Churchill
30-Jan-44 – Berlin – Lancaster – JB530 – F/O GM Russell-Fry
15-Feb-44 – Berlin – Lancaster – JB530 – F/S H Gumbrell
19-Feb-44 – Leipzig – Lancaster – JB530 – F/S H Gumbrell - Collision on return - Collided with ND334 on return and crash landed at Elsham Wolds.
Item written by David Fell with thanks to the late John Haines for the photo of his brother. Also Jon Warner son of W/O J C Warner for other photos and the loan of his fathers log books and album etc. Also Mark Simpson
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