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F/O William H Hepburn RAFVR and crew - 576 Sqn - RAF Fiskerton - 1944.
Failed to Return - 2/3rd November 1944 - Lancaster I - LM122 - Op Dusseldorf.
William Hepburn and his crew were posted to 576 Sqn at RAF Elsham Wolds in August 1944. Their first operation was a daylight attack on the airfield at Leeuwarden in the Netherlands. This crew completed 13 operations being lost on their 14th.
See tour details below :-
16/09/1944 – Leeuwarden – LM651 – F/O WH Hepburn
23/09/1944 – Neuss - PB467 – F/O WH Hepburn
24/09/1944 – Calais – PD312 – F/O WH Hepburn
26/09/1944 - Cap Griz Nez – NF975 – F/O WH Hepburn
03/10/1944 - Westkapelle – ME671 – F/O WH Hepburn
05/10/1944 – Saarbrucken – LM651 – F/O WH Hepburn
07/10/1944 – Emmerich – LM651 – F/O WH Hepburn
12/10/1944 - Fort Frederik Henrik - LM651 – F/O WH Hepburn
14/10/1944 – Duisburg – LM122 – F/O WH Hepburn
14/10/1944 – Duisburg – LM122 – F/O WH Hepburn
25/10/1944 – Essen – LM122 – F/O WH Hepburn
27/10/1944 – Cologne – LM122 – F/O WH Hepburn
30/10/1944 – Cologne – LM122 – F/O WH Hepburn
02/11/1944 – Dusseldorf – LM122 – F/O WH Hepburn – FTR - Hit by bomb over target. Crashed in Belgium.
This aircraft is known to have been damaged by a falling bomb from another aircraft over the target. A flak hit has also been mentioned. Be that as it may they limped back towards the safety of Allied controlled Belgium before succumbing to its damage and crashing. It may have been finished off by a night fighter. The aircraft must have come down near the front line at that time in the area of Liege, Belgium
Per John Jones - Took off from RAF Fiskerton at 16:12.
There is also the suggestion of a claim by Ofw Josef Strohlein 6/NJG1
Flying at 17,500 ft released bombs at 19:21 and immediately after hit by “Flak” tearing big hole under Navigators compartment and in No 1 tank, both inner engines u/s, pilot ordered to bale out at 5,000 ft ,crashed probably Baraque Michel area Liege Belgium Ofw Strohlein in Bf110 G-4 G9+BN fired two long bursts of gun fire into four engined bomber from behind over target at 19:22 setting it on fire before swerving off after spotting a twin engined aircraft flying nearby, claimed to observe his quarry crashing 3 minutes later.(Nachtjagd Combat Archives 1944 Part 5 - Theo Boiten)
Sgt Rees was part of Trupp 55. He arrived at Bankau on 20 December 1944.(The Long Road by Oliver Clutton-Brock)
4 of this crew were killed and rest at the Hotton War Cemetery in Belgium. 2 evaded capture and 1 was captured.
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F/O William Hendry Hepburn RAFVR – Pilot – 21 – 576 Sqn - Son of James Low Hepburn and Jean Caldwell Hepburn of Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland - Hotton War Cemetery, Belgium
Sgt T Hughes RAFVR – Flight Engineer – 576 Sqn – Evaded.
Sgt J Reavey RAFVR – Air Bomber – 576 Sqn – Evaded.
Sgt Francis McWatt RAFVR – Navigator – 21 – 576 Sqn - Son of Peter and Alice Elizabeth McWatt of Dumbarton, Scotland - Hotton War Cemetery, Belgium
Sgt WN Rees RAFVR – Wireless Operator – 576 Sqn – POW – Camp L7 – POW No 1258
Sgt Thomas McKay Arnand Murray RAFVR – Air Gunner – 22 – 576 Sqn - Son of Robert and Elizabeth Murray of Aberdeen, Scotland - Hotton War Cemetery, Belgium
Sgt Salvin Fielding RAFVR – Air Gunner – 21 – 576 Sqn - Son of Samuel Bennett Fielding and Beatrice Fielding of Wyke, Bradford, Yorkshire - Hotton War Cemetery, Belgium
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2 November 44 – Dusseldorf – Germany Night. 19 aircraft detailed. Crews reported 8/10ths strata cumulus cloud over England decreasing in amount to 5/10ths over the Channel. The cloud increased to 8/10ths over the Continent but gradually decreased approaching the target. Bombing was carried out at 18000 ft.
PFF opened the attack by dropping red TIs and these were backed up by green TIs. The river was clearly visible and bombing was well concentrated.
A moderate heavy flak barrage was encountered over the target bursting mainly at approx 14000 ft.
Enemy fighters were active and F/O Phripp and F/O Stewart both reported combats. F/O Button was abortive due to engine failure.
F/O Mulrooney and crew and F/O Hepburn and crew failed to return.
( 992 aircraft. Another heavy attack which destroyed large parts of the northern area of Dusseldorf. Much destruction and damage to industrial property including some important steel works. 678 people killed. This was the last big attack by Bomber Command on this city )
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Lancaster LM122.
This was a veteran machine having completed 71 operations with another early return due to an engine fire and being lost on its 73rd. LM122 was mostly flown on ops by P/O J J B Ryder who flew it 25 times and also F/O H Hing who flew it 21.
Its first operation was on the 24/25th May 1944 with F/S Ryder and crew and it seems to have had a largely trouble free career.
Item compiled and written by David Fell
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