RAF Swinderby

[DaveHam9]

Hello,

A G Sands S/N 402578 - Enlisted 16 Sep 1940 - Specialty Salesman - RCAF Training Canada 23 Jan 1941 to 30 Jun 1941 - 455 Sqn RAAF Bomber Command 29 Jul 1941 to 30 Nov 1941 (Officially presumed)
Navigator (PO) in Hampden bomber shot down over Germany.
Hampden P1272 took off from RAF Swinderby at 1654 hours on the night of 30 Nov 1941 to bomb the Blohm & Voss Shipbuilding Yards at Hamburg, Germany.
Crew:
RAAF 404264 Sgt Shannon, J (Pilot) 404246 ?
RAAF 402578 PO Sands, A G (Navigator)
RAF 1375139 Sgt Shorey, A C (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner)
RAF 1258909 Sgt Towers, V E (Air Gunner)
Buried in Ohlsdorf Cemetery, Hamburg, Plot 5A, Row E, Grave 1.

This is curious. The above information may be incorrect in more than just Sgt Shannon's service number. Did they in fact take off from RAF Swinderby?

"The two Polish squadrons continued to operate from Swinderby until July 1941 at which time the station had been passed to No. 5 Group in a general re-allocation of airfields in Bomber Command. No. 50 Squadron was moved in from Lindholme, resuming operations with its Hampdens on July 20 but personnel and equipment for No. 455 Squadron (an RAAF unit which was being re-established in the UK to fly Hampdens) were so long in arriving that its first raid - a single sortie - did not take place until August 29/30."

"Swinderby had been waterlogged the previous winter and was badly rutted from taxying Wellingtons. As a result, the airfield had a priority for the installation of hard runways and in November 1941 the two resident squadrons took their Hampdens to Skellingthorpe so that construction could commence."

Regards,

Dave

 

[ronmanley]

Hi Dave

I found these details that might be of use to you

Service Record Name SANDS, ALAN GEORGE
Service Royal Australian Air Force Service Number 402578
Date of Birth 23 Jan 1917
Place of Birth ROSEVILLE, NSW
Date of Enlistment 16 Sep 1940
Locality on Enlistment Unknown
Place of Enlistment SYDNEY, NSW
Next of Kin SANDS, RAYMOND
Date of Death 30 Nov 1941
Rank Pilot Officer
Posting on Death 455 SQUADRON
WW2 Honours and Gallantry None for display
Prisoner of War No
Roll of Honour CHATSWOOD NSW

Name SHANNON, JOHN
Service Royal Australian Air Force
Service Number 404264
Date of Birth 8 Sep 1920
Place of Birth MACKAY, QLD
Date of Enlistment 19 Jul 1940
Locality on Enlistment Unknown
Place of Enlistment BRISBANE, QLD
Next of Kin SHANNON, JOHN
Date of Death 30 Nov 1941
Rank Sergeant
Posting on Death 6 Operational Training Unit
WW2 Honours and Gallantry None for display
Prisoner of War No
Roll of Honour NEBO QLD

I'll try and find the two RAF personell details and get back to you

Regards - Ron

 

[ronmanley]

You might already have these details.

P1272 was one of two 455 Sqdn Hampdens lost on this operation.
See: AE430. Airborne 1654 30Nov41 from Swinderby.
All are buried in the Hamburg Cemetery, Ohlsdorf. Sgt J.Shannon RAAF KIA P/O A.G.Sands RAAF KIA Sgt A.C.Shorey KIA Sgt V.E.Towers KIA "

 

[ronmanley]

Me Again

CWGC Hamburg

CWGC Hamburg

7 SANDS, ALAN GEORGE, A G Pilot Officer 402578Royal Australian Air Force 30/11/1941 24 Coll. grave 5A. E. 1.

39 SHANNON, JOHN, J Sergeant 404264Royal Australian Air Force
30/11/1941 21 Coll. grave 5A. E. 1.

63 SHOREY, ALEXANDER CHARLES, A C Sergeant ( W.Op./Air Gnr. ) 1375139 Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 20/11/1941 21 5A. E. 1.

274 TOWERS, VICTOR EDWARD, V E Sergeant ( W.Op./Air Gnr. ) 1258909 Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 30/11/1941 21 5A. E. 1.

One interesting point that Shorey date of burial (I assume) was 10 days after the others?

Regards - Ron

 

[DaveHam9]

Hello Ron,

Thanks. I didn't know two were lost.

I'm puzzled by this:

...in November 1941 the two resident squadrons took their Hampdens to Skellingthorpe so that construction could commence."

Airborne 1654 30Nov41 from Swinderby.

November has 30 days so they couldn't have moved to Skellingthorpe the day after that raid because that was then December. Even some sites listing what squadrons were at Swinderby list 455 Sqn but with no dates so there seems some confusion. Is there a definitive source?

I have early photos of the grave with a temporary cross that were sent to my grandmother.

I also have a newspaper clipping with the story dealing mainly about Sgt SHANNON, but I don't have a scanned copy.

Regards,

Dave

 

[DaveHam9]

Hello Ron,

63 SHOREY, ALEXANDER CHARLES, A C Sergeant ( W.Op./Air Gnr. ) 1375139 Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 20/11/1941 21 5A. E. 1.

That must be a typo. I think I'll send an email off to CWGC.

I believe they were flying a Mk1 Hampton.

On one site I remember seeing Sgt Shannon's service number as 404246.

Regards,

Dave

 

[DaveHam9]

Hello Ron,

It's 11 pm here so I'll catch up with you tomorrow.

Regards,

Dave

 

[ronmanley]

Speak on Monday

These are the two lost on that raid

Hampden AE430 Information
Type Hampden
Serial Number AE430
Squadron 455
X1D UB-M
Operation Hamburg
Date 1 30th November 1941
Date 2 1st December 1941

Hampden P1272 Information
Type Hampden
Serial Number P1272
Squadron 405
X1D UB-R
Operation Hamburg
Date 1 30th November 1941
Date 2 1st December 1941

This is a list of all Hampden's lost by 455 Squadron

AD783 AE243 AE249 AE291 AE308 AE352 AE430 AE434 AT119 AT181 AT192 AT221 P1156 P1201 P1202 P1203 P1272 P2085 P5325 P5326 P5328 P5329

You could try contacting Bob Baxter at http://www.bomber-command.info/index.htm

Yes I agree a typo error

Ron

 

[DaveHam9]

Hello Ron,

Thank you very much for the details and the contact.

Regards,

Dave