F/L T W G Morren and Crew - 576 Sqn - RAF Elsham Wolds- 1943/44.
Failed to Return - 14/15th January 1944 - Avro Lancaster III - LM381 - Op Brunswick
The Last Flight – researched and written by G H Clarke
(brother of the late BE Clarke, Sgt Air gunner with 576 Squadron).
Elsham Wolds, an RAF Bomber Command Airfield Jan 14th 1944, situated high on the Lincolnshire Wolds just south of the Humber. The Squadron, No. 576 that was stationed there, was equipped with Lancaster Bombers – Mk1 & Mk11. This story concerns only one, Registration UL-E2 serial number LM381 and its last and final journey. The aircraft had flown some 121 hours only when it went missing. It had been built at Yeadon in Yorkshire and had flown with No. 460 Australian Squadron and then taken over by 576 (having had 4 trips in November & December to Berlin & back). With No. 576 Squadron it had flown to Berlin – 4 raids, & also to Frankfurt, & to Stettin, in 1944.
The night of January 14th the aircraft was scheduled to raid targets at Brunswick. Manned by a crew of seven, they were: Flt Lt Morren (Pilot), Sgt B Boothman (Flt Eng), Sgt AC Jackson (Air bomber), Sgt FC Hickling (Nav), Sgt AE Unwin (RAAF W/op), Sgt A Barclay and Sgt BE Clarke (Air Gunners).
F/L TWG Morren RAF - right.
Sgt B Boothman RAFVR
Sgt A C Jackson RAFVR
Sgt F C Hickling RAFVR
Sgt A E Unwin RAAF
Sgt A Barclay RAFVR
Sgt B E Clarke RAFVR
The target route was from base via Haisborough to a course 53-05N, 0400E, then 52-50N, 09-30E, on to Brunswick via 52-ooN, 10-30E returning 52-30N, 08-20E; Haisborough & base using 53-05N, 0400E. Bomb load was 10,600lbs & bombing at a height of 21,000 feet. Instructions to bomb were as follows: “Using markers laid by Pathfinder Force, Green, TI & Flares (Wanganui) Reds, - bomb the Reds 1st choice, or 2nd choice centre of Greens, but if cloudy bomb the Wanganui flares.” As it turned out the weather was eight-tenths cloud over the target and difficult to pinpoint accurately.
The flight to the target was begun at 19.15 hours. When the Bomber Force of 498 Lancasters, and 2 Halifiaxes, was 40 miles out from Great Yarmouth, German radar was aware of the raid. During the flight cloud cover was six to eight tenths cirrus cloud at about 26,000 feet with no cloud below as far as 08-09E, then rapidly increasing towards the target, visibility was moderate, with nearly full moon rising about 20.30hours.
Opposition by enemy fighters was on a very small scale for some distance over occupied territory. From the area between Bremen and Hanover to the target and along the homeward route for 50 miles, numerous sightings were reported & there were over 50 combats.
Types of enemy aircraft identified in combat included a larger number of twin-engined aircraft than usual, for the twins out numbered the single-engined by 3 to 1. Among enemy aircraft encountered were 13 JU88s, which were the commonest type met, 9 ME110s, 5 ME210, and 7 FE190s. One attack by a four-engined aircraft was reported after leaving Brunswick and a FW200 was seen dropping flares.
Five victories were claimed by 3 Group against JU88s, by 6 Group against a FW190, by 5 Group against a T/E enemy aircraft, and by the Pathfinder Force against a ME110. All aircraft involved were Lancasters.
Over the Brunswick target slight to heavy flak between 15,000 and 24,000 feet was encountered. There was some predirected “unseen” fire at the beginning of the attack, but otherwise the defences were directionless, and searchlights were ineffective due to cloud. There was little flak along the route except at Texel (an island off the Dutch coast) where searchlights were able to operate. Bremen, Osnabruck, and Hanover were observed with defences in action, and the searchlight belt around Hanover was reported to be extended on the north and east sides.
Controlled night fighters however claimed one victim, which was probably the aircraft, shot down at Meppen. Other fighters, directed by running commentary and assisted by flares, which were dropped along the route from a point west of Bremen to the target, attacked the bombers along the route and over the target with considerable success. Observed losses were 9 aircraft between Meppen and Brunswick, at least 9 over target and along the homeward route as far as Minden. In addition, a further three aircraft were seen lost at Texel, one on the outward journey and 2 on the way home.
The fighter flares seen to be dropped were for the most part red, occasionally yellow, burning for a few seconds only and could have been used for indication only, not for illumination.
Many reports were received of rockets, both air and ground, and air fired and some aircraft were seen shot down by rockets from fighters. Up to present (report from Intelligence Source) no aircraft that had returned from a bombing sortie had suffered any damage that could be attributed to rockets and in every case where an aircraft was seen to have been shot down further observation ascribed the loss to cannon fire. It was considered that there was no conclusive evidence of the use of airborne rockets at night.
On a previous raid Sgt BE Clarke reported seeing a glow in close proximity to his aircraft, he opened fire from the rear gun turret and was successful in seeing it explode in mid air. A possible rocket missile.
The aircraft UL-E2 now well on its way to Brunswick in the main bomber stream dropped its bombs on the target and made for the return journey. What happened next is taken from letters home from surviving crewmembers. The Lancaster blew up in mid air and only the Pilot and the Flight Engineer survived. Both men were blown clear and parachuted to earth to spend their war behind prison of war camp confinement.
It is believed to have been shot down by a fighter (German defences 1 & 2: III/KG3), at this time German Luftwaffe had interceptor fighters with upward firing guns enabling them to get underneath the bombers blind spot thereby having a sitting duck target.
The Lancaster with the remaining crew crashed at Kollerbeck, a small village south and east of Hanover.
The official “Missing Believed Killed” notice issued by the Royal Air Force was later officially confirmed, but it was not until July 1946 that a member of the Red Cross who was known to a relative of one of the crew members (Mrs Jackson) wrote describing the burial place of 5 crew members. The crewmembers killed in action were originally buried in Kollerbeck cemetery and at the end of hostilities removed to Hanover war graves cemetery along with many more Service personnel.
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F/L T W G Morren RAFVR - Pilot – POW - Camps L3 - POW No 3379
Sgt B Boothman RAFVR – Flight Engineer – POW - .Camps 4B/DL – 270011.
Sgt Alfred Clifford Jackson RAFVR – Air Bomber – 28 – 576 Sqn - Son of Alfred Ernest and Mary Conway Jackson of Tong Moor, Bolton, Lancashire – Hanover War Cemetery, Germany
Sgt Francis Charles Hickling RAFVR – Navigator – 576 Sqn - Hanover War Cemetery, Germany.
Sgt Alfred Edmund Unwin RAAF – Wireless Operator – 576 Sqn - Son of Machon and Frances Eleanor Unwin; husband of Lynda Margaret Unwin of Balgowlah, New South Wales, Australia - Hanover War Cemetery, Germany
Sgt A Barclay RAFVR – Air Gunner – 20 – 576 Sqn - Son of Arthur and Lilian Jane Barclay of Glasgow - Hanover War Cemetery, Germany
Sgt Brian Edward Clarke RAFVR – Air Gunner – 19 – 576 Sqn - Son of Arthur Edward and Edith Emily Clarke of Luton, Bedfordshire - Hanover War Cemetery, Germany
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Synopsis of Operation 14/15 Jan/44
14/15 January 1944
BRUNSWICK
496 Lancaster and 2 Halifaxes on first major raid to Brunswick of the war. 38 Lancasters lost, 7.6% of the force. The German running commentary was heard following the progress of the bomber force from a position 40 miles from the English coast and many German fighters entered the bomber stream soon after the German frontier was crossed near Bremen. The German fighters scored steadily until the Dutch coast was crossed on the return flight. 11 of the lost aircraft were Pathfinders.
Brunswick was smaller than Bomber Command’s usual targets and this raid was not a success. The city report describes only a “light” raid, with the bombs in the south of the city which had only 10 houses destroyed and 14 people killed. Most of the attack fell either in the countryside or in Wolfenbuttel and other small towns and villages well to the south of Brunswick.
FLYING-BOMB SITES
82 aircraft – 59 Stirlings, 13 Halifaxes, 10 Mosquitoes – attacked sites at Ailly, Bonneton and Bristillerie without loss.
Minor Operations: 11 Mosquitoes to Magdeburg and 6 to Berlin. 9 RCM sorties. 2 Serrate patrols. 29 aircraft mine laying off Brest and in the Frisians, 36 OUT sorties. No losses.
Total effort for the night: 673 sorties, 38 aircraft (5.6%)lost.
Written by G H Clarke.
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Footnote.
I can add some details to this most comprehensive report from my own files. Some years ago I visited Ben Boothman. He told me that the return trip from Brunswick had progressed without incident. They were flying in clear conditions when they were hit without warning from underneath. The starboard wing was well alight and F/L Morren gave the order to prepare to bale out. Ben clipped on his own parachute and was in the process of clipping on his pilot’s chute. He had secured one clip when the aircraft exploded. Ben was thrown clear and managed to open his parachute as he fell. Morren was also thrown clear and opened his chute. He had an uncomfortable descent and landing as the parachute was only secured on one clip so he was swinging violently all the way down. The two airmen were quickly captured and reunited. They were escorted to the Aircrew Interrogation Centre at Frankfurt. Whilst on Kassel Station waiting for their train they were left by their guards. Escape was out of the question as the locals were clearly very hostile and they feared for their lives. The guards later returned and the journey was resumed. After interrogation the two were parted and sent to different camps.
F/L Morren
Morren survived the war but was killed in flying accident on the 19th July 1947. He was testing Bristol Brigands at the time and his aircraft plunged into the sea in Lyme Bay during an air/sea firing exercise. The aircraft climbed, stalled and dived into the sea.
At the time it was thought that ejected cases from the fixed forward cannons had jammed in the tail control surfaces. The crew had no chance to escape. Apparently this was a known issue with the Brigand. There were several similar accidents before the problem was resolved. It was eventually ascertained that a build up of gases in the long cannon blast tubes, which ran under the cockpit, were igniting through use of high-explosive shells. This in turn severed hydraulic lines, which would burn. In effect the Brigands were shooting themselves down. This was cured by drastically reducing the ammunition loads and using only ball rounds.
Many thanks to Mr Clarke for this most interesting item and the photographs and also Ben Boothman for his excellent background info
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