Pathfinder Squadron

[saxonw.]

 I nearly added this on to the other posting for Lancasters.  James Henry Lovelock (born 1924)  was in the  Lancaster pathfinder squadron . I was always told that is was returning from the 1000 bomber raid: but now  I understand that he came down over Northern Holland where his grave is. But there appears to be no reference  to him on the CWGC site.  Any suggestions please?

I haven't got a copy of the picture of the grave: that went to another  (and closer) part of the family.

[liverpool annie]

Here he is ...

Name -   LOVELOCK, JAMES HENRY
Initials -   J H
Nationality -   United Kingdom
Rank -   Sergeant (Flt. Engr.)
Regiment/Service -   Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Unit Text -   405 (R.C.A.F.) Sqdn.
Date of Death -   20/10/1943
Service No -   1582638
Casualty Type -   Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference -   Coll. grave 31. G. 11-13.
Cemetery -    REICHSWALD FOREST WAR CEMETERY

And his headstone has been photographed ! ( which you can buy for a 3 pound donation )

http://www.twgpp.org/information.php?id=1351672

[saxonw.]

That's wonderful. Thank you. Given the date of his death: anyone know what raid he was pathfinding for?

[saxonw.]

Looks like he went down in softening up of Berlin

http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/weapons_lancaster_bomber_command.html

[kyt]

Lancaster JB348 on mission to Leipzig

Took off at 17.39 from Gransen Lodge. Crashed at Harrenstätte some 5 km NW of Werlte, shotdown by Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer of 12./NJG 1 (his 33rd out of 121 victories). Funerals for those killed were held at Harrenstätte  on 24th Oct 1943. They have been subsequently re-interred in the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery. All killed except Johnson

P/O K R Wood RAAF
Sgt J H Lovelock
P/O J N R Redpath RCAF
Sgt F W Bundy
F/Sgt W H Hedley
WO1 O O Johnson RCAF PoW
F/Sgt E C Brunet RCAF

WO1 O O Johnson was interned in Camp 4B, PoW No 261446

K

[kyt]

From the Bomber Command Diaries:

20/21 October 1943

Leipzig: 358 Lancasters of 1, 5, 6 and No 8 Groups. 16 Lancasters lost, 4.5 per cent of the force. This was the first serious attack on this distant German city. Weather conditions were very difficult - Bomber Command records describe them as 'appalling' - and the bombing was very scattered.

K

[liverpool annie]

I'm not sure if you'd be interested in this ... but I did find this .... 

33  20.10.1943  19:25  Lancaster  12./NJG  Near Harrenstätte Lancaster III (JB348) “LQ-R” of 405 Sqn, RAF, 6 killed, 1 POW

http://www.luftwaffe.cz/schnaufer.html

[saxonw.]

Wow That's brilliant: I'm just about to find chunks of the RAF family history for someone who hasn't got long to live and doesn't realise it: but loves the RAF/RFC so finding out all the answers is fantastic so I can tell him

[charlesmorris]

My mother’s twin brother Ernest Charles Brunet was the tail gunner in Lancaster JB348 that crashed near Harrenstatte in Germany. On a business trip to Germany I had the honour of paying my respects at his grave in Kleve. I have always had an interest in trying to find out more information about him, and his service record. Through the internet I have found out that the plane was shot down by Major Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer. When my brother and I visited the war museum here in Canberra we were stunned to see the tail of the Major’s ME110 and could clearly see the “kill” stencil of our uncle’s plane. The Australian connection continues with the pilot of the Lancaster, K. R. Wood, who was also killed, coming from Sydney. From the records I have found there was one survivor. Do you have any information on Warrant Officer 1, O. O. Johnson RCAF (mid-upper gunner) or any way to contact his family. I would appreciate any help. I have sent the above to:

No. 405 (RCAF) Squadron Association
Mrs. L.W. Hayes
13 Woodland Way
Petts Wood
Kent
BR5 1NB
England

But I have not had any reply. I am also possibly moving to Vienna later this year and will have a go at finding the crash site