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Crew 17, Pilot Sydney John Carthy – 462 Squadron RAAF

 

Crew 17 of 462 Squadron, Driffield - Sydney John Carthy, James Edward Peasley, John Walker Horridge, William Alex McKinnon, Eric Kerr Leyden, L W Witt, H L Rundell.
Photo from the Horridge Family Archives.

Wanted please: Photos of members of this crew
and information about them.
If you can help, please make contact.

(Photo of Crew, and photo of Halifax LW440 were supplied by, and used with the permission of Jon Horridge.)

 

Crew 17, 462 Squadron, Driffield, Yorkshire, outside the Respirator Workshop, the usual location for Crew photos.

When 462 Squadron moved from Driffield to Foulsham, this crew was posted to 466 Squadron (becoming 466 Sqdn crew 175), and remained at Driffield. This photo was also published in "Brave and True" page 152, with the following caption ......

Back, left to right: F/Sgt W A McKinnon, Sgt H L Rundell, F/Sgt L W Witt, Sgt E R Leydon (sic).
Front, left to right: F/Sgt J W Horridge, P/O S J Carthy (captain), F/Sgt J W Peasley.

The original crew was made up of the following .......
Pilot: Sydney John CARTHY
Navigator: James Edward PEASLEY (Jimmy)
Bomb Aimer: John Walker HORRIDGE (Jack)
Wireless Operator: William Alex McKINNON
Flight Engineer: Eric Kerr LEYDEN
Mid-Upper Gunner: L W WITT
Rear Gunner: H L RUNDELL

Links to Group photos at Driffield; Crew information; and Crew Ops at 462 Squadron; photo of Halifax LW440 Z5-B flown by this crew; later Ops at 466 Squadron; and death of Carthy post-tour.
Reference sources – Australian WW2 Nominal Roll; The National Archives of Australia (462 Squadron Operational Record Book); Commonwealth War Graves Commission; Books "Brave and True" and "To See The Dawn Again".

 

 

Photo of Pilot Carthy to be added when available.

Please note: Sydney John Carthy is mentioned in "To See the Dawn Again" page 136 as Sidney John Carthy, with the notation that he was Killed in Action with 466 Squadron on 27 February 1945. Private information received from his nephew has shown that information to be incorrect. He had been posted out of 466 Squadron after completion of his tour, and his death occurred during a later posting.

CWGC information is included to the right.

* From the website http://www.ab-ix.co.uk/rfc_raf.pdf which details RFC and RAF Service Numbers. No. 1375001 to No. 1400000 were allocated from August 1940 at Euston. This batch includes 1389580 for Sydney John Carthy.
Name variations for Carthy in the ORB were Carthey; the initials A J, S H, and J; and the Service Number 138958.

 

Pilot

Name: Sydney John CARTHY
Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Service Number: 187561 (previously 1389580)
Date of Birth: 29 June 1922
Date of Enlistment: 30 April 1941
Place of Enlistment: Euston *
Marital Status: Single
Next of Kin: Charles Alfred CARTHY
Date of Death: 27 February 1945 (post-tour)
Rank at Death: Pilot Officer
Posting at Death: 20 OTU, Lossiemouth
Grave reference: Screen wall, Panel 3, Camberwell (Honor Oak) Crematorium
Age at Death: 22
Son of Charles Alfred and Margaret CARTHY, of Bexley, Kent.

Posthumous Award: Distinguished Flying Cross.
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Navigator

Name: James Edward PEASLEY (Jimmy)
Service: Royal Australian Air Force
Service Number: 428622
Date of Birth: 15 June 1921
Place of Birth: Elsternwick, Victoria
Date of Enlistment: 2 December 1942
Place of Enlistment: Melbourne, Vic
Next of Kin: James PEASLEY
Date of Discharge: 30 January 1946
Rank at Discharge: Flying Officer
Posting at Discharge: 16 Aircrew Holding Unit
Prisoner of War: No

Variations in the ORB for McKinnon were the incorrect
Service Numbers 422623, and 420622.

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Bomb Aimer

Name: John Walker HORRIDGE (Jack)
Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Service Number: 1576752 (later 190746 as Officer)
Date of Birth: 18 December 1912
Place of Birth: Crumpsall, Manchester
Date of Enlistment: July 1941
Place of Enlistment: Birmingham *
Marital Status: Single (married 1946)
Next of Kin: Myra HORRIDGE (wife)
Date of Discharge: ......
Rank at Discharge: ........
Posting at Discharge: ........

* From the website http://www.ab-ix.co.uk/rfc_raf.pdf which details RFC and RAF Service Numbers. No. 1575001 to No. 1585000 were allocated from June 1941 at Birmingham. This batch includes 1576752 for John Walker Horridge.
He was also recorded in the ORB with incorrect Service Number 1576758.
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Wireless Operator

Name: William Alex McKINNON
Service: Royal Australian Air Force
Service Number: 426951
Date of Birth: 10 June 1914
Place of Birth: Woodburn, NSW
Date of Enlistment: 17 August 1942
Place of Enlistment: Brisbane, Qld
Next of Kin: James McKINNON
Date of Discharge: 8 September 1945
Rank at Discharge: Flying Officer
Posting at Discharge: 27 Operational Training Unit
Prisoner of War: No

Variations for McKinnon in the ORB are the initials W M, W P, and W,
but he was not ever recorded as W A.

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Flight Engineer

Name: Eric Kerr LEYDEN
Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Service Number: 1823520 *
Date of Birth: .........
Place of Birth: .......
Date of Enlistment: .......
Place of Enlistment: Edinburgh *
Marital Status: .........
Next of Kin: .........
Date of Discharge: .........
Rank at Discharge: .........
Posting at Discharge: .........

* From the website http://www.ab-ix.co.uk/rfc_raf.pdf which details RFC and RAF Service Numbers. No. 1820001 to No. 1830000 were allocated from November 1943 from Edinburgh. This batch includes 1823520 for E K Leyden.
Name and Number variations in the ORB are 1823250 and 1825520,
E R Layden, G R Leyden, G P Leyden. In "Brave & True" he is recorded as E R Leydon.
In the London Gazette he is recorded as Eric Kerr Leyden, 1323520.

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Mid-Upper Air Gunner

Name: L W WITT
Service: Royal Air Force (VR?)
Service Number: 1450908
Date of Birth: .........
Place of Birth: .........
Date of Enlistment: .........
Place of Enlistment: Cardington *
Marital Status: .........
Next of Kin: .........
Date of Discharge: .........
Rank at Discharge: .........
Posting at Discharge: .........

* From the website http://www.ab-ix.co.uk/rfc_raf.pdf which details RFC and RAF Service Numbers. No. 1425001 to 1474999 were allocated from April 1941 from Cardington. This batch includes 1450908 for L W Witt.
Service Number variations in the ORB are 1450905 and 145908.

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Rear Air Gunner

Name: H L RUNDELL
Service: Royal Air Force (VR?)
Service Number: 1111227
Date of Birth: .........
Place of Birth: .........
Date of Enlistment: .........
Place of Enlistment: Padgate *
Marital Status: .........
Next of Kin: .........
Date of Discharge: .........
Rank at Discharge: .........
Posting at Discharge .........:

* From the website http://www.ab-ix.co.uk/rfc_raf.pdf which details RFC and RAF Service Numbers. No. 965000 to No. 1149977 were allocated from September 1939 from Padgate. This batch includes 1111227 for H L Rundell.
Variations in the ORB are initials A L, surname Rundle, and Service Number 1111287.

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Group photos at Driffield January 1945

Bomb Aimers at 466 Squadron Driffield, January 1945, including John Walker Horridge and Edward Alfred Oswald Revell, both previously 462 Squadron, Driffield.
Photo received from the 466-462 Squadrons' Association, via John McManus.

Above: Bomb Aimers of 466 Squadron, Driffield, January 1945

Back row, left to right: 1. F/Sgt C H Gill; 2. F/Sgt B McKellar; 3. F/Sgt W J Furlonger; 4. F/Sgt K A Swanton;
5. F/Sgt J W Horridge (blue arrow); 6. F/Sgt R E Roff; 7. F/Sgt H Hammond; 8. F/Sgt R S Fox; 9. F/Sgt E R Brooks;
10. F/Sgt R G Cook; 11. F/Sgt C M Williams; 12. W/O J C Finch; 13. W/O A E Williams; 14. W/O B W Stevens.

Front row, left to right: 15. F/O E W Cook; 16. F/O D K Barker; 17. F/O N G Theodore; 18. F/Lt W R McEwen;
19. F/Lt D N Rankin; 20. F/O B V C Seaton; 21. P/O E A Revell (blue arrow); 22. F/Lt H R Hoare; 23. F/O M E Peychers.
F/Lt Rankin was Bombing Leader.

This photo was received from John McManus of the 466-462 Squadrons' Association. It was also published on page 63 of "Brave and True – 2nd Edition, December 2007" (for book details, please refer to Acknowledgements.)
The names recorded above are listed as per the caption in "Brave and True", except for 5. John Walker Horridge who was incorrectly listed there as G R Horridge.
21. Edward Alfred Osmond Revell 418568 RAAF had previously served with 462 Squadron, Driffield (Triggs crew 35, and Hourigan crew 33).

 

Navigators at 466 Squadron Driffield, January 1945, including James Edward Peasley and Keith Allison Worrall, both previously 462 Squadron, Driffield.
Photo received from the 466-462 Squadrons' Association, via John McManus.

Above: Navigators of 466 Squadron, Driffield, January 1945

Back row, left to right: 1. F/Sgt J E Peasley; 2. not named; 3. not named; 4. W/O J Ashurst;
5. not named; 6. not named; 7. F/O R G Russell; 8. F/O M P Gilmour; 9. F/Sgt A C Swinfen;
10. W/O J H Bails; 11. W/O J S East; 12. W/O J A McClean.

Front row, left to right: 13. F/O R K Dear; 14. F/O N H Carlton; 15. F/O K A Worrall; 16. F/O D S Rodgers;
17. F/Lt H O Stenborg; 18. F/O D H Glasson; 19. F/O N E Anderson; 20. F/O P Connaughton; 21. F/Sgt G B Yates.
F/Lt Stenborg was Nav Leader.

This photo was received from John McManus of the 466-462 Squadrons' Association. It was also published on page 62 of "Brave and True – 2nd Edition, December 2007" (for book details, please refer to Acknowledgements.)
The names recorded above are listed as per the caption in "Brave and True", except for 1. James Edward Peasley, who was incorrectly listed there as J W Peasley.
15. Keith Allison Worrall 423969 RAAF had previously served with 462 Squadron Driffield (Triggs Crew 35, Hourigan Crew 33, and Marchant Crew 32).
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Additional Crew Information. (Information sourced from National Archives of Australia Series A9186 Unit History; Australian WW2 Nominal Roll; The London Gazette. As of 6 December 2014, and re-checked for 6 May 2017, the NAA Service Files for the two RAAF members of this crew, Peasley and McKinnon, had not been digitized. Therefore their enlistment and training information is not yet available. The Service Files for the RAF(VR) crew members are also not accessible. However after analysis of documents and the Log Book from the family of Bomb Aimer Horridge, his RAFVR training and service has been determined. From Horridge's information, details of the crew formation and postings have also been defined.)

Summary of Crew formation and postings – deduced from documentation of Bomb Aimer John Walker Horridge

Mid to late April 1944 – posted to 20 Operational Training Unit, Lossiemouth, Scotland; the crew of 6 with Pilot Carthy would have formed soon after arrival; training in Wellington aircraft.
07 May 1944 – first flight with Pilot F/Sgt Carthy
11 June 1944 – last flight at 20 OTU, 'B' Flight

Late June 1944 – Crew of 6 posted to 1652 Heavy Conversion Unit, Marston Moor, Yorkshire, for training in Halifax aircraft; most likely carrying out training at nearby Acaster Malbis in the first few weeks prior to flying training.
Flight Engineer Eric Kerr Leyden would have joined the crew at 1652 HCU, making a crew of seven.
22 July 1944 – first flight logged at 1652 HCU
18 August 1944 – last flight at 1652 HCU.

Late August 1944 – Crew of 7 posted to 462 Squadron, Driffield
Ops details in following section
The crew members had the following rank ...
Flight Sergeants – Pilot Carthy, Nav Peasley, W/OP McKinnon;
Sergeants – Bomb Aimer Horridge, R/AG Rundell, MU/AG Witt and F/Eng Leyden.

Late December 1944 – crew of 7 posted to 466 Squadron, Driffield
Ops details in following section
The crew members had the following rank ...
Pilot Officer – Pilot Carthy;
Flight Sergeants – Nav Peasley and Bomb Aimer Horridge;
Sergeants – Rundell and Witt.
W/OP McKinnon and F/Eng Leyden were not listed in the December 1944 Postings FROM 462 Squadron, but according to their last Op on 18 Dec, McKinnon was Flight Sergeant, and Leyden was a Sergeant.

Mid February 1945 – crew posted from 466 Squadron, having completed their first Tour.

Sydney John CARTHY – Service details. Additional information was received in September 2016 from Carthy's nephew Mike Jeremy.
(Service data incomplete, my comments in italics. Note that various records have different spelling for his first name – London Gazette as Sydney, also as Sidney; the CWGC as Sydney; written here as published in those records. His relations refer to him as Sydney).

29 June 1922 – Date of birth
30 April 1941 – Enlisted in the RAFVR
(No info on early training and postings in the UK)
January 1942 to October 1942 – Trained as Pilot in Canada and the USA, under the "Arnold Scheme".
November 1942 – Posted to 5 (Pilot) Advanced Flying Unit (5 (P) AFU, UK)
Undated – Posted to 5 Glider Training School (UK)
(No info – dates of postings to OTU, and HCU, and their locations in the UK)
23 August 1944 – Posted to 462 Squadron, Driffield, to 22 December 1944 (assumed to be here from from an HCU)
23 December 1944 – Posted to 466 Squadron, Driffield, to 16 February 1945 (462 Squadron relocated to Foulsham by 31 December 1944)
17 February 1945 – Posted to 20 Operational Training Unit (20 OTU), Lossiemouth, Morayshire
27 February 1945 – Killed in aircraft accident, with crew under training.

Sydney John Carthy – Promotions (from 462 Squadron ORB and London Gazette)
Carthy was posted to 462 Squadron at the Rank of Flight Sergeant, with his 1st Op on 31 August 1944 as Second Pilot for the Brophy crew. Carthy's first Op as Pilot with his usual crew was on 9 September 1944. He was recorded in the Squadron ORB as F/Sgt until his 24th Op on 1 December 1944. By the 18 December 1944, on his 25th and last Op at 462 Squadron, he was recorded as Pilot Officer.

From the London Gazette, dated Friday 22 Dec 1944 (2nd Supplement, Tuesday 26 December 1944), Issue 36857, page 5911
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, General Duties Branch, Appointment to commission, As Pilot Officer on prob. (emergency), from rank of Flight Sergeant, effective 3rd November 1944. 1389580 Sydney John CARTHY (187561)

From the London Gazette, dated Tuesday 22 May 1945 (4th Supplement, Friday 25 May 1945), Issue 37094, page 2668 ..... quote ...
"Air Ministry, 25th May 1945. The KING has been graciously pleased to approve the following awards:-
Distinguished Flying Cross, Pilot Officers
Sidney John CARTHY (187561)
, R.A.F.V.R., 466 (R.A.A.F.) Sqn. (since deceased)."

Sydney John Carthy 187561 RAFVR DFC, London Gazette May 1945 (previously 462 Squadron).

Above is a clipping of the entry in the London Gazette.

Sydney John Carthy 187561 RAFVR, DFC Citation (previously 462 Squadron).
Copy supplied by and used with the permission of Mile Jeremy.

Above is a copy of the Citation for his DFC (transcription below).

Distinguished Flying Cross

Pilot Officer Sidney John CARTHY, (187561), Royal Air Force Volunteer
Reserve, No. 466 (R.A.A.F.) Squadron
. This officer has completed as
pilot, numerous operations against the enemy, in the course of which
he has invariably displayed the utmost fortitude, courage and devotion
to duty.

John Walker HORRIDGE (also known as Jack Horridge) 1576752 Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. After receiving a Commission to the rank of Pilot Officer on 27 January 1945, he was allocated a new Service Number 190746. Due to the amount of information received from his family (photos, documents, and complete Log Book), a separate page was created and can be viewed at F/Sgt John Walker Horridge.

John Kerr LEYDEN 1823520 Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve; Flight Engineer
John remained in the Royal Air Force after the war, retaining his original RAFVR Service Number. He was a Master Pilot by 1964, with distinguished service in Borneo; was Commissioned to the rank of Flying Officer, and later promoted to Flight Lieutenant.

From the London Gazette of Friday 13 November 1964, (3rd Supplement, Tuesday 17 November 1964), Issue 43490, page 9813 ..... quote ...

MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
17 November 1964,
The QUEEN has been graciously pleased to give
orders for the publication of the names of the under-
mentioned personnel who have been mentioned in
despatches in recognition of distinguished service in
the Borneo Territories:
....
Master Pilot Eric Kerr LEYDEN (1823520), Royal Air Force.
....

From the London Gazette of Friday 28 October 1966, (2nd Supplement, Tuesday 01 November 1966), Issue 44159, page 11803 ..... quote ...

MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
ROYAL AIR FORCE
GENERAL DUTIES BRANCH
Appointment to Commission (Permanent)
As Flying Officers (Supplementary List):
Master Pilot Eric Kerr LEYDEN (1823520), 23rd Sept. 1966 (seniority 23rd Sept. 1963).

From the Supplement to the London Gazette, 23 September 1969, Issue ?, page 9710 ..... quote ...

AIR FORCE DEPARTMENT
ROYAL AIR FORCE
GENERAL DUTIES BRANCH
Promotion
Flying Officer to Flight Lieutenant:
23rd Sep. 1969
........
E. K. LEYDEN (1823520)
..........

Additional temporary/substitute members of this crew:-
Mid-Upper Gunners – 1 op each for T Godsall (from W/Cdr Shannon's Crew, and substitute for various other crews); Robin Eugene Nicholls (Triggs crew 1944, & replacement MU/AG for McGindle crew, 1945); and Geoffrey Harrison-Broadley (later KIA with Crew 17 Pilot Tootal).
Navigators – William Thompson Hamilton Watt on 4 Ops (replacement Nav for McGindle crew, 1945); and William McCorkindale for 1 Op (later Missing on Ops with Crew 21 Pilot Mitchell, survivor and PoW).
Flight Engineer – H P Murray on 2 Ops (from W/Cdr Shannon's Crew, and substitute for various other crews).
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Ops by Crew 17 at 462 Squadron, Driffield, Yorkshire (Information extracted from 462 Squadron RAAF Operational Record Book – Forms 541, Detail of work carried out; and Forms 540, Summary of Events; also from 462 Squadron Summary of Ops Series A11385; all from the National Archives of Australia).

Driffield – Bombing, with usual crew of 7

Carthy, Total 25 personal Ops. 1st Op on 31 August 1944 as 2nd Pilot for Pilot James Thomas Brophy (Crew 03).
Carthy subsequently flew a further 24 Ops with his usual crew, with some substitutions (listed in previous section, also in Ops below).

First Op with his usual crew on 9 September 1944, and last Op on 18 December 1944.
September 1944 – 9 Ops
October 1944 – 7 Ops (also listed in ORB on 30 Oct 1944 as Non-Starter in Halifax Z5-M, due to "leak in oleo leg")
November 1944 – 6 Ops
December 1944 – 2 Ops
Total Ops at 462 Squadron, Driffield – 24 for crew (plus the extra 1 for Carthy as 2nd Pilot).

Bomb Aimer Horridge – 24 Ops – all with Carthy
Nav Peasley – 22 Ops – 19 with Carthy, plus 2 with Hourigan (Crew 33) and 1 with Anderson (Crew 45)
W/Op McKinnon – 24 Ops – all with Carthy
MU/AG Witt – 22 Ops – 21 with Carthy plus 1 with Hickey (Crew 9)
R/AG Rundell – 24 Ops – all with Carthy
F/Eng Leyden –
22 Ops – all with Carthy

The following Table lists Ops for Carthy and his crew .

Op number for Carthy as Pilot.
Aircraft Code numbers Z5- have been taken from the Log Book of Bomb Aimer Horridge, as they are not usually recorded in the ORB Ops.
Times up and down in black are day flights, and times in red are night flights.
Target "La Pourchinte x 8" means 8 aircraft tasked from 462 Squadron to the target of La Pourchinte, with Carthy's crew being one of those 8 (and so on for the other dates). There is some variation in the spelling of Target names in the original ORB.
Code for Op Type – B Bombing
When 462 Squadron transferred to 100 Group, Foulsham in late December 1944, this crew were posted to 466 Squadron and remained at Driffield. Therefore they did not carry out any Radio Counter Measures (RCM) Ops.

Date Op No A/c Serial Code Z5- Up Down Target Op Type Comments
31/08/1944 1 MZ400 J 1252 1604 La Pourchinte x 8 B Carthy as 2nd Pilot for James Thomas BROPHY (Crew 3); 10/10 cloud cover over target, Op abandoned by Master Bomber, all bombs brought back.
09/09/1944 2 LL598 A 0621 1032 Le Havre x 12 B Op abandoned by Master Bomber,
bombs jettisoned in sea
10/09/1944 3 LL598 A 1436 1901 Le Havre x 16 B  
11/09/1944 4 LL604 D 0604 0946 Cadillac x 11 B Also known as Le Havre area
12/091944 5 LL598 A 1105 1614 Gelsenkirchen-Buer x 16 B  
13/09/1944 6 LW440 B 1600 2041 Gelsenkirchen x 15 B Also known as Nordstern; 2 bombs hung-up, bombs jettisoned at sea
23/09/1944 7 LW440 B 1900 0018 Neuss x 14 B 1 bomb hung-up; jettisoned at sea
25/09/1944 8 LW440 B 0637 0952 Calais x 14 B 10/10 cloud cover over target, Op abandoned by Master Bomber, some bombs jettisoned, some brought back; substitute Flight Engineer H P Murray

26/09/1944

9 LW440 B 0806 1208 Calais x 13 B Also known as Cap Gris Nez;
Substitute Flight Engineer H P Murray
30/09/1944 10 LW440 B 0943 1407 Bootrop (sic) x 14 B Bottrop
06/10/1944 11 LW440 B 1415 1931 Sterkrade x 17 B

Log book as Sterkrade – Holten

07/10/1944 12 LW440 B 1134 1635 Kleve x 12 B All diverted to Bungay on return; LW440 landed at Woodbridge with flak damage (Category A/C); crew collected on 8 Oct by Pilot Lane in Z5-Y
23/10/1944 13 NA619 Q 1642 2227 Essen x 16 B 1 bomb hung-up, brought back;
Substitute Nav William Thompson Hamilton Watt
25/10/1944 14 NA521 H 1258 1747 Essen x 16 B Substitute Nav William Thompson Hamilton Watt
28/10/1944 15 NA521 H 1022 1315 Oostkapelle x 13 B Log book as Oostkapelle Walcheren;
Substitute Nav William Thompson Hamilton Watt
29/10/1944 16 NA521 H 1024 1332 Westkapelle x 15 B Log book as Domberg Walcheren;
Substitute Nav William Thompson Hamilton Watt
30/10/1944 ? M Köln x 13

Non Starter due to "leak in oleo leg".
31/10/1944 17 MZ467 C 1812 2304 Köln x 3 B Log book as Cologne;
Substitute Nav William McCorkindale
02/11/1944 18 MZ370 L 1623 2151 Düsseldorf x 15 B  
16/11/1944 19 MZ370 L 1241 1758 Jülich x 16 B  
18/11/1944 20 MZ431 J 1218 1733 Munster x 15 B  
21/11/1944 21 MZ431 J 1733 2355 Sterkrade x 15 B 2 aircraft and crews both listed as MZ341; Bomb Aimer's log book records it as J, therefore this crew was in MZ431; and the Hancock crew was in MZ341 Z5-P
29/11/1944 22 MZ431 J 0239 0905 Essen x 17 B Substitute MU/AG Geoffrey Harrison-Broadley
30/11/1944 23 MZ431 J 1632 2214 Duisburg x 16 B 2 aircraft and crews both listed as MZ341; Bomb Aimer's log book records it as J, therefore this crew was in MZ431; and the Rohrlach crew was in MZ341 Z5-P;
Substitute MU/AG Robin Eugene Nicholls
02/12/1944 24 MZ431 J 1750 0041 Hagen x 15 B

18/12/1944 25 MZ431 J 0300 0910 Duisburg x 16 B Substitute MU/AG T Godsall

Halifax MZ400 Z5-J Failed to return from a night Op to Bochum on 9 October 1944, with all 7 of the Coleman crew KIA.
Halifax LL604 Z5-D Failed to return from a night Op to Bochum on 9 October 1944, Black crew, 4 PoWs and 3 Evaders.
Halifax LL598 Z5-A Crashed soon after take off on the night of 14 January 1945, with 6 of the Astill Crew KIA, and 2 survivors.
Halifax MZ467 Z5-C Failed to return from a night Op to Augsburg on 17 April 1945, with 5 of the Lodder Crew KIA, and 3 PoWs.
Halifax LW440 Z5-B Photo, and magnified version, shown below.
Halifax LW440 Z5-B and MZ370 Z5-L and MZ431 Z5-J – photos on the Halifax page.
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Halifax LW440 Z5-B of 462 Squadron, September 1944.
Photo from the Horridge Family Archives.

Halifax LW440 Z5-B of 462 Squadron, flying over cloud in September 1944. The original photo was kept in Bomb Aimer Horridge's log book. The other two aircraft (far distance, and foreground partial starboard engine) were most likely from 462 Squadron also.

The first Op for LW440 at 462 Squadron was on 9 September 1944.

The Carthy Crew flew in this Halifax on 5 Ops in September 1944 and 2 Ops in October 1944. Six of those flights were in daylight. Their last flight in LW440 was on 07 October 1944 to Kleve. All of the 462 Squadron aircraft were diverted to Bungay on return, due to poor weather conditions over Driffield, "with low cloud and fine misty rain". One Halifax landed safely at Driffield, however Carthy and Crew in LW440 landed at Woodbridge with flak damage (Category A/C). Pilot Lane and crew, who had landed at Bungay in MZ457 Z5-Y, flew to Woodbridge on 8 October 1944 to collect Carthy and crew before they returned to Driffield.
Damage "Category A/C" was classed as "repairable on site by Contractor" (Reference: "Espionage in the Ether" Appendix 8; details at Acknowledgements).

LW440 was back in action on 23 October 1944. The last recorded Op for LW440 at 462 Squadron was on 18 November 1944.

 

Close-up view of Halifax LW440 Z5-B of 462 Squadron, September 1944.
Photo from the Horridge Family Archives.

Halifax LW440 Z5-B of 462 Squadron, September 1944, cropped and magnified from the photo at left. The serial number is not clear, however the Z5-B is distinct.

Note that the rear wheel is down, so time may have been soon after take-off, or preparing to land.

From late September 1944, three broad vertical yellow stripes were placed on the two tail fins of each 462 Squadron Halifax, for identification purposes. As the stripes had not yet been added, this dates the photo to early to mid September 1944.

A photo of LW440 over the North Sea (Halifax page) shows the tail fin with stripes, so it was taken at a later date.

Later aircraft with the same code Z5-B, but not flown by Carthy and Crew:
MZ479 Z5-B – first Op 29 November 1944; last Op 7 February 1945 (engine fire after take-off, Pilot Simms crash-landed at Hethel with full bomb load, after ordering Crew 38 to abandon.)
MZ396 Z5-B – first Op 8 April 1944, too late for the Carthy crew.

 

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Ops by this Crew after posting FROM 462 Squadron, TO 466 Squadron, Driffield, renamed as Crew 175 (Information from the book: "Brave and True" pages 96, 152, 153, 167; see also photos of 466 Squadron Bomb Aimers, and Navigators, in a previous section.)

Carthy Crew 175 of 466 Squadron, Driffield, previously Crew 17 of 462 Squadron, Driffield.

At 466 Squadron, Carthy and Crew 175 completed a further seven bombing Ops in Halifax aircraft.

B182, 30 December 1944, Target Köln-Kalk (Marshalling Yards);
B183, 1 January 1945, Target Dortmund-Hoesch;
B184, 2 January 1945, Target Ludwigshafen;
B185, 5/6 January 1945, Target Hanover;
B188, 16/17 January 1945, Target Magdeburg;
B189, 22/23 January 1945, Target Gelsenkirchen;
B190, 28/29 January 1945, Target Stuttgart (Kornwestheim).

While at 466 Squadron, a substitute Navigator was Sgt D L Baverstock, who had also previously served in 462 Squadron, Driffield (Sanderson Crew 27); and a substitute MU/AG was Sgt N P Range.

The crew was split up and posted from 466 Squadron during February 1945, having completed their first Tour of 30 Ops, some with 31 Ops (e.g. Horridge), and Carthy with 32 Ops, including his first as 2nd Pilot. Presumably Peasley, Witt, and Leyden were able to fly in "catch-up" Ops with other crews, to bring their Op totals to 30. Possibly the Crew had stayed together until all had reached the required 30 Ops.
Sadly, Carthy was killed just 10 days later, after taking up duties as an Instructional Pilot training new air crews at 20 OTU, Lossiemouth.

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Death of Sydney John CARTHY 27 February 1945

1. Information summary from RAF Bomber Command Losses, Volume 7, Operational Training Units 1940-1947 by W. R. Chorley (2002)

27 February 1945, 20 OTU, Wellington aircraft, on Operational Training

Took off from Lossiemouth at 2132 hours for a night exercise, after three minutes the pilot radioed "coming straight in to land on wide circuit". At 2137 hours, with its port motor stopped, the aircraft dived onto civilian property near Lossiemouth harbour. Sgt. Ormond survived with injuries. Three were buried at Lossiemouth Burial Ground, and three were buried elsewhere by their next of kin.

Crew (6 Killed, and 1 survivor)
F/O C F Last †
P/O S J Carthy DFC †
P/O K R Tatham †
W/O W E Fielder †
Sgt A A Pardoe †
Sgt J Mellor †
Sgt C Ormond, Injured

2. Information from website ... aircrewremembered.com/carthy-sydney.html ... readers are referred to that site for comprehensive details of the aircraft involved; crew names, service numbers and ages; aerial photos, reason for loss, and the aftermath of the crash. Some differences in details occur between "Aircrew Remembered" and Chorley.

Of interest are the crew details –
Carthy – Pilot;
Last – Pilot 2;
Tatham – Pilot Under Training;
Fielder – Bomb Aimer;
Mellor, Pardoe, and Ormond – all Air Gunners.

3. Information from CWGC website (online casualty search)

Pilot Officer Sydney John CARTHY, DFC, Pilot, 187561, RAFVR, death 27 February 1945, age 22, son of Charles Alfred and Margaret Carthy, of Bexley, Kent, England. Grave reference – Screen Wall, Panel 3, Camberwell (Honor Oak) Crematorium, London, UK.

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