Personnel Index - Detail
19/20 February, 1944; LEIPZIG:
If the previous raid had been relatively quiet for the squadron then the Leipzig trip proved to be quite the opposite. Again Bomber Command put up over 800 aircraft, but this time as they crossed the Dutch coast the German night-fighters were waiting, and a running battle ensued all the way to the target. False wind forecasts had many aircraft reaching the target area too early.
The losses suffered by Bomber Command on this night were horrendous -78 aircraft and crews, which included 44 Lancasters and 34 Halifaxes; this figure represented 9.5 per cent of the force. The Halifax IIs and Vs would never be asked to operate over Germany again following this raid.
Reported missing was 21 year-old pilot, F/Sgt Ed White (JB469) and crew who were all killed when B-Baker was shot down; they are buried together in Hannover War Cemetery with the exception of Sgt James Ellis the W/Op, who sadly has no known grave but is remembered at Runnymede.
Lancaster JB469 (EA-B)
F/S E. White Pilot (Killed)
Sgt J.R. Ward F/E (Killed)
Sgt W.W. S. Compton NAV (Killed)
Sgt J.E. Ellis W/OP (Missing)
Sgt D.N. Stevens A/G (Killed)
Sgt J.T. Loveland B/A (Killed)
Sgt H. Thomas A/G (Killed)
Crew on their 4th operation