Personnel Index - Detail
30/31 March, 1944; NUREMBERG:
Much has already been written regards this operation in which for various reasons, Bomber Command suffered its biggest loss of the war; 31 Halifaxes and 64 Lancasters, 11.9 per cent of the force dispatched failed to return. The unit's contribution to the night’s proceedings involved 16 Lancasters; the first aircraft lifting away from Fiskerton at 21.55hrs.
F/O Bill Colhoun (JB466) from Belfast, piloted A-Able on the crew’s 6th operation were lost; a night fighter got them, the 64th to go down. Four members of the crew were killed and included F/O Colhoun and Sgt Leslie Broad who both have no known graves, plus New Zealander, F/Sgt Hector Anderson and Sgt Kenneth Ellam who are buried in Berlin.
Lancaster JB466 (EA-A)
F/O W.A.L. Colhoun Pilot (Missing)
Sgt A.W. Black F/E (P.o.W.)
Sgt R. Prinn NAV (P.o.W.)
Sgt K. Ellam W/OP (Killed)
Sgt L.H. Broad A/G (Missing)
F/S H.W. Anderson RNZAF B/A (Killed)
Sgt W.A. Simmons A/G (Killed)
Crew on their 6th operation
An image has been discovered that appears to be an 'inspection' of JB466 by a number of senior officers.
We don't know for certain which crew were flying JB466 at the time of the photograph but it was this aircraft that was lost, killing F/O Colhoun and four of its crew.
However, it is speculated that the image was taken on the 20th February 1944 when JB466 was being piloted by Wing Commander Adams.
Image via Colin Cripps and Ed Norman