1941-11-09, Wellington Z8942

Zuidland

Wellington Z8942 Information

Type Wellington

Serial Number Z8942

Squadron 75

X1D AA-?

Operation Essen

Date 1 8th November 1941

Date 2 9th November 1941

Further Information

"Serial Range Z8942 - Z8991. 50 Wellington Mk.1C. Part of a batch of 450 Wellington Mk.1C/11/V111. Z8942-Z8991; Z9016-Z9045; Z9095-Z9114 (250) Mk.1C and V111 delivered by Vickers (Weybridge) between May41 and Nov42. Z8709; Z8831; Z8850 converted to Mk.XV1. Z8750 experimentally fitted by Rolls-Royce with a Rovber built W2B 'booster unit' (Whittle Jet Engine. Z8416 for Vickers 'S' Gun tests. Z8942 was one of three 75 Sqdn Wellingtons lost on this operation. See: X9628; X9977.

Mission

Airborne from Feltwell. Shot down by Flak and crashed 2215 8Nov41 at Zuidland (Zuid Holland), 20 km SW of Rotterdam. Those killed are buried in the city's Crooswijk General Cemetery.

The sole survivor, Sgt Hope, was killed 19Apr45 by Allied fighter bombers which mistakenly attacked the PoW column in which he was marching. he is buried in the Berlin 1939-45 War Cemetery.

Crew

Sgt Sir C.T.H.Mappin was the 4th Baronet and son of T.W. and V.M.Mappin.

Sgt J.S.Wilson RNZAF KIA

P/O R.O.Foster RNZAF KIA

P/O R.L.O.Ryder RAAF KIA

Sgt J.H.Reid KIA

Sgt Sir C.T.H.Mappin KIA

Sgt L.B.H.Hope RNZAF PoW "

--

source: CWGC

75 (NZ) Squadron, RAF (Feltwell, Norfolk - 3 Group)

Wellington IC Z8942 - took off at approximately 1730-1850 on same raid as above, and brought down over the Netherlands by flak at 2215, crashing at Zuidland, 17km SW of Rotterdam. Five of the crew are buried at Rotterdam. The sole survivor was the RNZAF rear gunner, Wt Off L B H Hope, who was taken prisoner. Tragically, he was to lose his life on 19 April 1945, less than three weeks prior to VE Day. While on a forced march from Stalag 357 at Fallingbostel to Lübeck with some 500 Allied prisoners, he was one of 30 who died at Gresse, 14km NE of Lauenburg, when RAF fighter-bombers attacked the column, mistaking them for enemy troops. The bodies were buried in the parish churchyard at Gresse, but in July 1947 all except that of an American were reinterred at Berlin.

Captain: NZ402530 Sgt John Stephen WILSON, RNZAF - Age 27. 305hrs. 13th or 14th op.

2nd Pilot: NZ402443 Plt Off Ralph Owen FOSTER, RNZAF - Age 29. 214hrs. 3rd op.

Rear Gunner: NZ40940 Wt Off Lawrence Beresford Hamilton HOPE, RNZAF - Age 28. 222hrs.

--

HOME SEARCH INDEX WWII WWI

Copyright © 2003-2007 New Zealand's Roll of Honour

John Stephen Wilson

Copyright © 2003-2007 New Zealand's Roll of Honour

No. 75 Squadron NZ

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

No. 75 Squadron RNZAF was formed from the RAF's World War II bomber squadron, No. 75 Squadron, which had been initially equipped by the New Zealand government and was largely manned by New Zealanders. It had flown more sorties and suffered more casualties than any other in the European theatre.

History

No. 75 Squadron Royal Flying Corps (later RAF) was formed as a home defence fighter unit in World War I but disbanded at the end of the war. The squadron reformed at Driffield on 15 March 1937 as part of the RAF expansion in the mid 1930s, with transfer of pilots from No. 215 Squadron RAF, being equipped with four Vickers Virginias and seven Avro Anson for bomber training. The squadron later operated Handley Page Harrows which were replaced by Ansons in 1939, operating again in a training role alongside No 15 Operational Training Unit. Meanwhile, the New Zealand government had ordered 30 modern Vickers Wellington bombers to replace its Vickers Vildebeests. Aircrew were sent to England to train on these new aircraft before flying them back to New Zealand. They and their aircraft were attached to 15 OTU.

75 (NZ) Squadron

Vickers Wellington bombers of the RNZAF in England, 1939

In August 1939, with war seeming increasingly likely, the New Zealand government offered to lend Britain both men and machines. These took over the "75" squadron number, the letters (NZ) being added in brackets afterwards.

75 was the first of the "brackets" squadrons. Ultimately, six other New Zealand units, as well as Australian, Belgian, Canadian, Czech, French, Greek, Hong Kong, Indian, Norwegian, Polish and South African squadrons were formed within the RAF, until the practice ceased in 1942. These squadrons were usually formed around aircrews from the named nation, replacement aircrew where possible coming from that nation as well, although most ground crew were British. Although often referred to, then and since, as an RNZAF unit, 75 squadron was equipped and controlled by the RAF until VJ day.

World War II

75 Squadron saw action early over France, Norway and most other European nations, but principally against Germany. The squadron was progressively equipped with Short Stirlings, Avro Lancasters, Wellington Bombers and then Avro Lincolns, which it was preparing to take to the Far East as part of Tiger Force when Japan surrendered. The squadron won a single VC, awarded to Sergeant James Allen Ward for climbing along the wing of a Wellington, in flight, to put out an engine fire. 75 Squadron claims to be the only squadron engaged constantly against Germany from 1939 to VE day. The squadron flew more sorties than any other RAF heavy bomber unit, and suffered more casualties than any other squadron. It dropped the second-largest weight of bombs.

An unusual sortie for 75 Squadron was the high altitude run over The Hague in March 1945 by a lone Lancaster piloted by Flight Lieutenant H W Hooper. He dropped thousands of leaflets containing an apology from the British government for the earlier Allied bombing of the city which had been an error.

In March 1944, No. 75 began to exchange its Stirlings for Lancasters and was ready in time to participate in preparation and support of the Allied invasion, the bombing of flying-bomb sites and close-support of the armies. Here it may be mentioned that a Lancaster of the squadron (ND917, a Mark III, captained by Squadron Leader NA Williamson, RNZAF) was, on 30 June 1944, the first British heavy bomber to land in Normandy after the invasion began. The Lancaster was returning from an attack on Villers Bocage in support of the Army and the pilot brought it down on one of the new landing strips in the beach-head in order to seek medical aid for his flight engineer, who had been wounded by flak.

75 Squadron RNZAF

In recognition of their wartime record, in October 1946 the RAF officially handed over the 75 Squadron title and badge to the RNZAF. This is the only occasion that the RAF has “gifted” a Squadron title and badge to another Commonwealth Air Force and is a tribute to the sacrifices and contribution made by all New Zealanders in the RAF during World War II.