Library Reference Number: 094
My Last Op - Further Information
In the heat of battle so many desperate life or death decisions are required in rapid succession, that one never expects many details to emerge at a later date - especially sixty years later! However, to my surprise this was my experience recently, when I discovered among other details, the name of the German pilot who shot my Stirling aircraft down over France in 1944.
A summary of my final mission over Europe during WW2 appears in the Scottish Saltire Branch publication "Well - You Wanted to Fly!" on page 135, and also at No. 13 in the Website Library. It is only now however, that I am able to add further relevant details that I have recently discovered.
As already recorded, the target was rail installations at Laon, Northern France. Take off was on the night of 22nd April 1944 from Woolfox Lodge in Rutland. We were one of a total of 181 bombers which left the UK on this mission of which 48 were Stirlings. Altogether 160 aircraft actually attacked the target, 40 of those being Stirlings including ourselves. The 40/48 Stirlings involved delivered 173.4 tons of bombs. Red and green target indicators were scattered but accurate flare drops transformed the target area into daylight. Flak was light, but German fighter activity resulted in nine bombers failing to return. 4 - Lancasters; 3 - Stirlings; 2 - Halifaxes. This represents 5.6% of aircraft which bombed the target (Stirlings 7.5%) so not such an easy operation as initially anticipated.
Now for the illuminating piece of information which prompted this narrative. After bombing the target shortly after midnight 23/4/44, we were attacked by two night-fighters (type not established by myself - believed to be ME109s). The pilot who shot us down was an `Oberleutnant Dietrich Schmidt of 111/NJG1' He also shot down another Stirling of 90 Squadron - so he had a good night! (This information was obtained from Volume 5 `Aircraft & Crew Losses 1944 RAF Bomber Command' by W.R.Chorley).
Our Stirling crashed at 00.26 hrs between the villages of Hautefontaine (Oise) and Vivieres in the neighbouring Department of Aisne, some 18Km South West of Soissons. Our Pilot S/Ldr Poulter was flying his first sortie since early on in the war, when he completed eight missions. When it had become obvious that there was no way we were going to make it back to base, I had looked up at our Pilot from the forward escape hatch. He gave me a tap on the shoulder indicating it was time to go. I naturally thought he would be following me, but either he was too badly injured or he lost control of the aircraft, but in any case he went down with the plane. He and FlSgt Lambert are buried in Vivieres Communal Cemetery, next to the crew of the 90 Squadron Stirling who were all killed.
The event I have described, was the final major Stirling bombing effort of WW2. No. 218 (Gold Coast) Squadron was the second last to convert to Lancasters. With regard to my own crew - I am the sole survivor, the final outcome being:-
No.218 (Gold Coast) Squadron, Stirling 111 EH942 Operation LAON, 22/23/April/1944
S/Ldr C.W. Poulter, MID. Pilot - Killed
F/Sgt H. Bossick, Flight Engineer - Evaded
F/O H.D. Thomas, RCAF. Navigator - Evaded
W02 A.J. McPhee, RCAF Bomb Aimer - Evaded
P/O H.H.J.Fisher (Self) Wireless/Op - Evaded - (present sole survivor)
F/Sgt F.W. Lambert, Mid-Up-Gunner - Killed
F/Sgt L.N. Clay, Rear Gunner - Evaded
No.218 (Gold Coast) Squadron Decorations
Victoria Cross - Ft Sgt A.L. Aaron, VC, DFM.
Distinguished Service Order - 4 + 2 Bars
Conspicuous Gallantry Medal - 2
Distinguished Flying Cross - 109
Distinguished Flying Medal - 46
Military Medal - 1
British Empire Medal - 1
I salute them all ....