UPDATE IN PROGRESS
F/O Chet Popplewell, crew 24 (4 missions)
“Just One of the Many”
A story about an ordinary Canadian youth who, along with thousands of other lads, served his Country in the Royal Canadian Air Force during World War Two, and in spite of their own personal reasons for ‘joining up’, including the dreams of emulating the great air aces of the First World War, or simply to avoid the Draft, they accomplished extraordinary feats of valour without realizing that they had.
Many of the next half-generation of youngsters who grew up during and after WWII as I did, spent many hours devouring books and watching movies dramatizing the exploits of such famous bomber pilots as Guy Gibson, Leonard Cheshire, John Fauquier and others.
During the War, the folks at home desperately searched for news of their loved ones who were fighting on many fronts during that bitter conflict. Many families had husbands, sons and brothers engaged in the air war over Europe and in other far flung theatres around the world so they pored over newspaper reports and watched newsreels at local movie houses in an effort to learn more about the war and the progress toward peace.
The general public never knew until after the War that it was not the special air raids carried out by those highly visible ‘heroes’ that the newsreels and print media extolled so vividly that accomplished the very significant role that the allied bombing campaign played in bringing about an end to the conflict in Europe and Asia. Rather, it was the dogged determination of youngsters like Chet Popplewell and his crew, who barely out of their teens, had to overcome their fears night after night, and ‘press on’ so as to not ‘let down the side’, and carried out their duty in the face of almost certain death, injury or capture.
Indeed, at the height of the allied bombing campaign over Europe, RAF and RCAF crews could literally expect to be shot down well before they completed the mandatory 30 trips over enemy territory that they must carry out before they were granted a ‘rest’ from operations.
This then, is an attempt to present a brief biography about, and a memorial to, an ordinary Canadian airman who lost his life while meeting an extraordinary challenge.
-Brent M. Hamre
The Crew of Halifax Bomber "T" for Tommy (L to R)
F/O Chet Popplewell (Pilot), P/O Ted Kirk (Navigator), W/O Ron Earl (Bomb Aimer), F/Sgt Ron Zahl (WAG), F/Sgt Wes Bailey (Air Gunner), Sgt Norman Harris (Flight Engineer) and Sgt Trevor Davies (Air Gunner).
Born to parents Olive and Roy Popplewell on January 10th, 1921 at Dinsmore, Saskatchewan, Chetwin Hamre Popplewell grew up with the resiliency of youth and budding manhood, despite the rigors of the Great Depression of the 1930’s. Chet attended Dinsmore High School from 1935 to 1939. He excelled in mathematics during this time and went onto Senior Matriculation after graduation.
Chet’s short employment history included a stint driving a fuel oil truck for the local BA Oil Co. Agent, and as a clerk in the Hearn’s Ltd. Red & White food store. Chet may very well have continued in a calling that was a tradition in the Hamre clan, for his grandfather on his mother’s side, T.O. Hamre, began a dynasty in Hanley, Saskatchewan. The Hamre General Store saw virtually all of Chet’s uncles working in the mercantile business.
On May 9th, 1941, this twenty-year-old from a small prairie town became a lowly AC2 in a branch of His Majesty’s colonial military, the fledgling RCAF.
After the mandatory stint of ‘Square Bashing’ and other unexciting aspects of a youngster’s initiation into the world of military life, fraught with shouting Drill Sergeants, bad food and unrelenting discipline, Chet suffered through weeks of such purgatory during his time at the I.T.S. He was then posted to the E.F.T.S. at Regina where he began the struggle to become a fighter pilot, the fervent dream of almost every Air Force recruit.
Tiger Moth, the primary biplane trainer aircraft used by both the RAF and the RCAF, Chet built up a total of 52 hours and 45 minutes of dual and solo flight on the Tiger Moth.
Chet continued his advanced flight training, completing the multi-engine aircraft course at No. 4 S.F.T.S. on the Cessna Crane and was awarded his pilot’s wings and promoted to the rank of Sergeant at a ceremony held at Saskatoon, on December 5th, 1941
Chet Receiving his Wings.
The Chief Instructor on this occasion was a S/Ldr. Thompson and his assessment of Chet’s ability was outlined in a report as follows; "This airman is a sound pupil, though inclined to be over cautious, learns quickly and has made good progress in all departments of his flying training. Shows exceptional ability at night flying. Has no particular faults to be watched for in his flying and will develop into a sound, safe pilot."
Chet must have realized, given this assessment, that he was not destined to soar into the skies over Europe as a glamorous ‘Fighter Boy’, for his Instructor’s comments clearly indicated that he was more suited to command a crew in an RAF or RCAF multi-engine aircraft of Bomber Command.
On January 8th, 1942, Chet received orders to embark for overseas duty. Shortly after arriving in England, he was posted to No. 3 (P) A.F.U. and on February 18th, 1942, began intensive flying training on Oxfords, the aircraft used by the RAF for light to medium bomber training.
During his stint at No. 3 (P) A.F.U., Chet was sent to No. 521 B.A.T. Flight at RAF Station Stradisall. Here he began to master the mysteries of ‘blind flying’ an ability so vital to an operational pilot who must complete his sorties over enemy territory in all kinds of weather and in total darkness.
During this phase of his training, Chet had to learn a host of subjects relating to armaments, bomb loads and navigation, coupled with survival and evasion techniques in the event he and his crew were forced down over enemy territory. The flying regime was intense in England, much more so than the relatively relaxed manner in the earlier flight training back in Canada.
While still posted to the A.F.U. Chet received a promotion to Flight Sergeant on June 5th, 1942. He finished his course at the A.F.U. in late August and was posted to No. 88 City of Hong Kong Squadron, RAF, on August 31st, 1942. In May of 1944 all Canadian airmen of 88 Squadron were sent to Operational Training Units in order to prepare for a posting with a heavy bomber unit. Thus, on August 2nd, 1943, Chet and Ted Kirk set off to join one of 6 Group, RCAF units, No. 434 City of Halifax Squadron, officially formed just a few days before. They would be the 24th crew assigned to the Bluenose Squadron.
Chet (centre) and Pals at Wedding
Chet had, following a whirlwind courtship, so typical of the frenzied, desperate lifestyle forced upon the young people of the time, married Eileen Mary Howard on August 10th, 1943 and the union was well and truly consummated as well for Chet was soon to become a father.
Charles Frederick ‘Ted’ Kirk
Ted was born on November 13th, 1920 in Toronto, Ontario, and the son of William and Winona Kirk. While growing up in that city, Ted completed elementary classes at Williamson Road Public School, then earned his Senior Matriculation Certificate from Malvern Collegiate, in 1940.
His short career in the business world was as a clerk with the Gordon McKay Company, located at Bay and Front streets, in downtown Toronto. With the war in Europe building to a crescendo, Ted, like so many young men of his time, decided to join the armed forces.Ted enlisted in the RCAF on March 17th, 1941 and reported to No. 1 Manning Depot located at the Canadian National Exhibition grounds in Toronto. This was where recruits from Canada, the United-States and all around the Commonwealth were gathered together, awaiting assignments to bases across Canada to begin their training to become pilots, observers, air gunners and ground crew in the RCAF.
Beginning his service life in the Air Force as an Aircraftsman 2nd Class, Ted was soon raised in rank to Leading Aircraftsman.
Upon completion of his observer (navigator) training at various RCAF training stations across Canada, including St-Hubert, Quebec, and Trenton, Jarvis, Malton and Penfield Ridge in Ontario, he received notice that he was soon to be posted overseas on active duty.
This news triggered an event that had been planned to take place, but perhaps not quite as quickly as circumstances now dictated. Ted married Miss Eva Luella Bullock, at St. Paul’s Anglican Church, in Toronto, on March 18th, 1942.
Shortly after, on April 25th, 1942, Ted embarked at Halifax, Nova Scotia, for the voyage to England. Upon arrival on May 3rd, he reported to an RAF Manning Depot. He was soon posted to No. 88 Squadron, RAF, ready for active service with a front line light bomber squadron. Ted met and "crewed" up with Chet and Ron Zahl at this time.
Chet and Ted.
Ted’s recollection of the circumstances surrounding the loss of "T" Tommy was contained in a report given to a Lady Ampthill (apparently from the International Red Cross), who interviewed Ted on December 2nd, 1943, at Stalag Luft III where he was held as a POW.
Ted’s comments follow; "On the night of September 29th, 1943, while operating over enemy territory, my aircraft was attacked and received heavy damage which put the starboard engine on fire. Sgt. Davis, F/Sgt. Zahl and Sgt. Bailley were at the rear of the aircraft and I think may have been hit when we were attacked. I heard the pilot give the order to prepare to abandon the aircraft on the intercom and then it went dead. I tried to open the escape hatch, but it was jammed half-open.
I kicked it with my foot and I fell out after it. F/Sgt. Earl, who was just behind me, thought I had fallen out without my parachute on, and I heard later that he had reported me killed. However, luckily, he was mistaken.
Just after I left, there was a red flash, which might have been the aircraft exploding, but I am not sure. The German authorities at Dulag Luft informed me that five members of my crew were all dead and gave me their names and duties."
When the allied armies overran all of the Prisoner of War camps in Germany and other parts of the Third Reich, Ted and thousands of other POWs from the Commonwealth were repatriated to England. Ted arrived on British soil on May 13th, 1945, and on July 19th, he was honourably discharged from the RCAF and sent home. According to records held by the Department of Veterans Affairs at Charlottetown, PEI, Ted Kirk passed away on September 12th, 1968.
Wesley Glenn Bailley
Wes Bailley was born on January 22nd, 1922, at Lavenham, Manitoba, the son of Alfred and Mary Bailley.
He attended elementary school at Rosebank, Saskatchewan, where his family later moved to farm. Not unlike many other farm boys during the 1920s and 1930s, Wes did not continue past Grade 8 public school as he was needed to help his family on their farm.
In 1939, Wes took a farm worker’s job with a Mr. T.L. Foster at Redvers, Saskatchewan, where he remained until the time of his enlistment in the RCAF at the Recruiting Station in Winnipeg, Manitoba, on December 20th, 1940. He was just eighteen years old.
No time was wasted by the Air Force, for Wes was ordered to board a train for the massive RCAF Manning Depot in Toronto, Ontario, where he arrived three days before Christmas. One can only speculate what effect that this huge city and the masses of newly minted airmen jammed into the CNE buildings, had on a young farm boy who likely had never been further from home that the trip to Winnipeg for his enlistment.
Wes was classified as qualified for non-flying "General Duties" only, probably because of his lack of higher education. Nevertheless, he appeared to progress well, being promoted to Aircraftsman 2nd Class on March 3rd, 1941, then to LAC on June 20th. During this period, Wes underwent training at RCAF stations at Picton and Camp Borden, Ontario, then on to Summerside, Prince-Edward-Island, where he was re-classified for flight duties while at No. 1 Special Reconnaissance School. Wes enjoyed some short periods of leave as did his fellow airmen, but he also was granted "Farm Leave" on two occasions, when he returned home to help put in the wheat crop in the spring of 1942 and again in the fall to assist in the harvest on his father’s farm.
He was next posted to RCAF Station Mont-Joli, Quebec, where he underwent gunnery training, earning his Air Gunner’s Badge on March 5th, 1943. Wes received notice that he was shipping out to the war in Europe shortly thereafter and embarked for England on a troop ship at New York’s harbour on May 4th, 1943, arriving at destination on May 11th. After a short time at an RAF Training Pool, Wes was posted to No. 22 Operational Training Unit on May 18th. He spent two more months in training at 22 Unit to become fully combat- ready. It was here that he joined the others, completing the final make-up of the Popplewell crew. All were subsequently posted to No. 1664 Heavy Bomber Conversion Unit where they arrived on July 10th, 1943.
Finally, on August 1st, Wes and the crew were posted to No. 434 Squadron, ready in all respects to begin operations over enemy territory aboard a Squadron’s Mark V Halifax bomber. After only three sorties, the all too short life of Wes Bailley was snuffed out, along with four other members of his crew in the night skies over Legden, Germany. According to the report filed by Ted Kirk, it is likely that Wes and his fellow gunners in the aft section of their aircraft, died in a hail of cannon fire from the Luftwaffe night-fighter that overtook them on the way to their target.
Trevor Davies
Having been contacted recently by a Mr. Andy Evans, a nephew of the late Sgt. Trevor Davies, I can now relate some background information about this RAF member of the Popplewell crew.
Davies was born on November 13th, 1923, one of three children of Margaret Ann and David Morgan Davies. At the time of Trevor’s death he was survived by his parents, his brother Emrys and younger sister Iris. His mother passed away on the 16th of December 1983, never having visited her son’s gravesite, believing that she could not ‘return home’ without him. Trevor’s father preceded his mother’s death, having passed away in December of 1951. His brother Emrys died from Cancer on August 8th, 2003.
Trevor attended both primary classes and Grammar school at Upper Rhymney, and at the age of seventeen joined the RAF to begin his training as an Air Gunner. After being posted to 434 Squadron and crewing up with Chet and the other members of the crew, Trevor went home on September 26th for a brief leave and to celebrate his younger sister Iris’ 7th birthday. That same day, Trevor was asked to take the salute during a town parade. On the following day, Monday, September 27th, Trevor returned to the Squadron. In just two days, he would lose his life.
News of "T" Tommy’s loss was announced to the crew’s relatives by telegram, but as in the case of the Popplewell family’s instructions received by RCAF authorities, Trevor’s family were instructed not to inform the local press that he was (at that time) reported to be missing in action in order that it did not present a negative influence on his home town’s residents.
Trevor’s brother had always wanted to visit the Reichswald Commonwealth Cemetery where Trevor and his crewmates lay, but died before he could arrange a trip there. Trevor’s surviving sister Iris has visited the cemetery on a few occasions, but has not done so recently.
88 Squadron Operations
No. 88 City of Hong Kong Squadron was originally formed in 1917 as a fighter and reconnaissance squadron and saw action over the Western Front from April of 1918 to the end of World war One. At the time of Chet's posting to it, the squadron was equipped with the Douglas Boston medium bomber.
Chet first appears in the records of No. 88 Squadron on September 1st, 1942 he would meet his first two N.C.O.’s, Charles (Ted) Kirk from Canada and Ron Zahl from England. Having not met previously they would be together till that fateful night one year later. Chet and his companions would spend the next few weeks becoming familiar with the Boston before being assigned to operations.
Sortie One; 8 November 1942
North Sea - Shipping Lanes
Chet, Kirk and Zahl participated on their first raid together, accompanying nine other Boston crews on a reconnaissance in force over the North Sea shipping lanes looking for targets of opportunity, but nothing was found. Seven of the aircraft were unable to reach home base that day due to bad weather, including Chet’s Boston "Z" for Zebra and landed at a base near West Rayham, returning to home base the next day.
Chet and his crew were next briefed for an operation against a German commerce raider called the Nevmark; (a heavily armed converted merchant ship used to carry out attacks on unsuspecting allied supply shipping on the high seas). The vessel was reportedly to have been tied up at a dock at Le Havre, France, but the after action reports indicated the ship was not moored at that location.
Most crews dropped their bombs in the general dock area, but many stated that some of their bombs failed to release due to electrical problems.
Chet’s report to the Intelligence Officer stated; "Bombed fishtail jetty, own bomb bursts unobserved, but other bombs seen to explode in the water next to this jetty."
Promotions
On December 1st, 1942, Ted Kirk was promoted to (temporary) Flight Sergeant and a day later Chet received his promotion to Pilot Officer. At this time, the Squadron may have been stood down from operations for the next several weeks, probably due to winter weather conditions. As a result, no action reports were found in the Operations Log of No. 88 Squadron until January 15th, 1943.
Sortie two; 21 Jan. 1943
Flushing, Holland
On January 21st, the Popplewell crew’s machine "Z" for Zebra, and a new crewmember, Sgt. N. Brooks joined Chet’s crew, for a total of four on a sortie to Holland. A maximum effort was launched in an attempt to destroy, or at least cripple, a large marine dock located at Flushing, Holland. The Squadron’s full roster of twelve Bostons would participate on this operation.
The after-action report on behalf of all of the aircraft commanders following the sortie was supplied by the Squadron CO, Wing Commander J. E. Pelly-Fry, DSO, who stated; "12 aircraft took off at 1400 hrs to attack the dry dock at Flushing, and mixed results were achieved. Once again some aircraft failed to reach the target and electrical problems with bomb release mechanisms resulted in a number of aircraft returning to base with bombs remaining on board."
Sortie Three; 13 February 1943
St. Malo, France; Lock Gates at harbor
Chet and his crew participated with 10 other Bostons to bomb the Lock Gates into St-Malo’s harbor. While reviewing the after action reports following the crews’ return to base, it is evident that the bombing accuracy suffered badly on this occasion. Most pilots reported that their bombs struck the area surrounding the Lock Gates, but some didn’t even see the primary target. Light flak was encountered and a heavy pall of black smoke masked the target thus perhaps accounting for the lack of bombing accuracy.
Chet’s own report however provides no clue to the problems experienced by other crews; "Target attacked. Own bursts seen to explode in Avant Port, 200 yards off the end of the Lock Gates. Other bursts seen to explode on beach south of Les Bas Sablons Bay, and one burst seen to explode in the town."
Sortie Four; 15 February 1943
Dunkirk, France; Dry-dock
Chet and his crew joined the Squadron’s 11 other Bostons for an attack against a large ship in dry dock at Dunkirk, France. Once again the bombing accuracy suffered and only fair results were recorded. Smoke and dust churned up over the target may again have contributed to the low scores. The entire Squadron appears to have been stood down for a time following the February 15th operation, as there is no record of further sorties until April 15th, 1943. This was probably due to the Squadron’s move in March to a new base at Swanton Morley.
Sortie Five; 15 April 1943
North Sea; Shipping targets
Chet and his crew joined two other Bostons on a reconnaissance over the North Sea, looking for shipping targets. Nothing was spotted on this occasion and all three aircraft returned to base.
#22 Operational Training Unit
On May 29th, all Canadian aircrews of No. 88 Squadron, including Chet, and Ted Kirk, were posted away to O.T.U’s, preparatory to being assigned to heavy bomber squadrons.
This move was precipitated by a decision of Canada’s War Department to form Canadian bomber squadrons, seeding them with RCAF/RAF crewmen with previous operational experience in RAF units, thus filling the ranks of badly needed aircrew for the squadrons being formed. (It was for this reason that Ron Zahl, an Englishman, was to move with Chet, and Ted).
Before leaving, Chet was interviewed by W/C Pelly-Fry who commented on his progress as follows; "A sound, average pilot and officer who will be useful with more experience."
Chet, Ted Kirk and Ron Zahl packed their kit and proceeded to No. 22 O.T.U. for conversion training on Wellington bombers. It was there that the final make-up of the Popplewell crew was completed. At that time, F/Sgts. Ron Earl and Wes Bailley, along with Sgts. Norman Harris and Trevor Davies, joined to round out the crew that would serve together till that dark night over enemy territory just a few months later.
Intensive Training
On June 1st, 1943, Chet and his crew began intensive training on twin-engine Wellington bombers to prepare them for transition to Bomber Command’s heavy four-engine aircraft used to penetrate deep into enemy territory to bomb targets in every part of the German Third Reich.
Before being posted to a heavy bomber conversion unit, the Base Commander at No. 22 O.C.U. wrote about the Popplewell crew stating; "An excellent captain whose crew works well together. Should do sound operational work. Two cross countries above 10,000 ft."
#1664 Heavy Conversion Unit
The Crew proceeded to No. 1664 H.C.U. on July 6th, 1943 to begin the final, very important phase of their training in order to qualify to join an operational squadron flying heavy four engine bombers on raids deep into enemy territory. At the Unit, the Popplewell crew began intensive training on Handley-Page Mark BVB Halifax bombers.
The Popplewell crew consisted of three Canadians, Chet, Ted Kirk and Wes Bailley, and four British, Ron Earl, Norman Harris, Trevor Davies and Ron Zahl. Like most of the mixed nationalities ‘crewed-up’ together in Bomber Command aircraft, indications are that the Popplewell crew got on very well together and became a close-knit and efficient crew as their training together progressed. As a result, they completed their conversion training without any problems, ready then to join an operational Halifax squadron.
During Chet’s end of training interview with the CO of No. 1664 Heavy Conversion Unit, his assessment was written as follows; "An experienced plot who has done several daylight sorties on Boston aircraft. He has had no difficulty with the Halifax and should do well on night bombing operations. Good, average crew."
434 Squadron
On August 2nd, 1943, Chet and his crew set off to join one of 6 Group, RCAF units, No. 434 City of Halifax Squadron, officially formed just a few days before. They would be the 24th crew assigned to the Bluenose Squadron.
The Squadron was based at Tholthorpe, Yorkshire, and its first Commanding Officer was Wing Commander C. E. Harris. There is no doubt Harris must have been very pleased to receive the aircrews to man the 12 Halifax aircraft that would form the operational punch of the new Unit.
The number 13 would figure prominently in the life of No. 434 Squadron, and if anyone were superstitious, it would have been difficult not to blame the number 13 for the early, heavy aircraft losses suffered by the Squadron. Despite being passed as qualified to take part in operations against the enemy as a fully trained aircrew, for Chet, Ted Kirk, Ron Earl and Ron Zahl had already completed tours with other RAF squadrons, the crew as a unit was untested in battle.
"2nd Dickey"; 17 Aug 1943
Peenemunde, Germany; V-1 Rocket Plant
Chet’s first sortie as Second Pilot over enemy territory at night was with F/Sgt. Weaver on Halifax "U" for Uncle. On this occasion, the trip was aborted when the Flight Engineer reported that the generator had failed. The aircraft had been airborne for just two and a half hours on its way to bomb the V1 Rocket manufacturing plant at Peenemünde in the Baltic region of the Third Reich when it was forced to return to Base.
"2nd Dickey"; 22 August 1943
Leverkusen, Germany
Chet was Second Dickey onboard a Halifax when the Squadron was briefed for a raid on Leverküsen, Germany. This time the aircraft completed its trip to and from the target safely. This sortie took some 5 hours and 30 minutes from take-off to landing.
The crew’s after action report to the Squadron Intelligence Officer included the statement; "Heavy concentration of fires observed in the target area, but our bombs not seen to explode."
Note: Whether a crew observed the explosions of their bombs mattered little, as each aircraft carried a ‘photo-flash flare’ designed to be dropped last over the target and timed to ignite at a predetermined altitude. The device would explode with a blinding flash, lighting the target area in brilliant relief for thirty seconds, while a camera in the bomb bay was shuttered, capturing the scene for Intelligence Officers to analyze upon the aircraft’s return to Base after a bombing raid. – Author
434 Squadron Operations
Sortie 1; 27 August 1943
Nürnberg, Germany
Finally, on the night of August 27th, 1943, the Popplewell crew embarked on their first operation as a fully integrated team. Chet, as aircraft Captain, took command of Halifax V-DK259, "L" for Larry, in preparation for a raid on Nürnberg, Germany. One can only speculate as to the level of nervous tension being generated among these young men as they went through the routine of preparing themselves for take-off to the target assigned for that night.
Although they each must have felt a perfectly understandable fear for their own safety, their prime concern would likely have been to not let down their fellow crewmembers through some mistake or lapse of concentration on the job.
Nevertheless, the fact that Chet and at least some of his crew had experience operationally, they would still have been classed as a "Sprog" crew, the term used for ‘new boys’ on the Squadron.
However, they did successfully complete their assigned task and returned safely to Base. Further, this trip (only 29 more to go!) must have been tiring as well as nerve-wracking for, from take-off to landing, the aircraft was in the air for more than seven hours! This, partly due to the distance to and from the target, but also because the weather over England had turned sour making it necessary for returning aircraft to find alternates to their socked-in home bases. Chet managed to land safely at a satellite base near Silverthorne, completing a very long night in the air indeed.
Sortie 2; 15 September 1943
Montlukon, France; Marshalling Yards
Chet and his crew were briefed for their second trip together and on the night of September 15th took off on a raid to Montlukon, France. Tonight they would bomb the railroad marshalling yards at this strategically important rail centre used extensively by the Germans to send war materials to factories all around the Reich, also troops and equipment to the far-flung front lines.
This operation was relatively short in duration and the report to the Intelligence Officer did not indicate that there had been any major problems. Chet’s report stated; "Target Montlukon. 8/10ths cloud base. Heavy black cloud of smoke rising. Primary at 10000 ft. Seen from about 75 miles. Green Target Indicator seen in bombsight. No Window or Monica used."
Despite having made it through two sorties safely, the Popplewell crew could not have built up too much confidence in their ability to make it all the way through the 28 operations they must still do before being ‘rested’. The cold, hard statistics were clearly against them.
Tonights Target; "Happy Valley" Bochum Germany.
It is the late afternoon of September 29th, 1943, and the "buzz" is that tonight’s operation is going to be a long one. The Squadron had done a number of deep penetrations already, including raids on Milan, Italy, Frankfurt, Mannhein and Berlin, Germany. But the rumours were rampant all day that this one was going to ‘Happy Valley’.
The Ruhr was probably the most heavily defended target area in all of Europe at that time, with hundreds of radar-controlled searchlights, thousands of flak emplacements, and ringed by a host of night-fighter bases.
Chet and his crew had already carried out a flight test of Halifax "T" for Tommy and found the aircraft to be ready in all respects to carry them to wherever the trip was to take them later that night.
At this time, everyone’s nerves would begin to be felt as the wait for the briefing, and the lorry ride out to the aircraft would seem interminable. Crews chosen for an operation were expected to rest until summoned to the briefing, but most were too keyed up to sleep, even the veterans.
Everybody had too much time to think. The veteran crews, those who had managed to survive more than two or three trips of the required thirty, had their own gremlins to suppress. They had witnessed, more than once, the destruction of a 434 Squadron machine when their mates were caught in the unrelenting glare of a searchlight battery, then blasted out of the sky by a barrage of flak or shot down in flames by prowling night-fighters.
These veteran crews told vivid stories of aircraft near them being caught in a deadly ‘coning’ by searchlights looking for all the world like a moth caught in the headlights of an automobile, then seeing them burst into flames and begin a death spiral to the dark earth below. How could anyone be expected to sleep or even rest while conjuring up all the ways the enemy would be trying to kill you in just a few hours.
At last, it was time for the briefing. The crews assigned to the operation for tonight filed into the briefing hut, shuffling to their seats in a haze of tobacco smoke. They would all try not to stare at the shrouded map on stage, at the front of the room. The door at the rear opens with a bang and the Station Commander and his entourage stride down the aisle as everyone crashes to attention with a great rumbling and scraping of chairs.
The CO opens the briefing with a pep talk about the importance of the target for tonight and, with a flourish, whips off the covering of the great map of Europe. A chorus of groans and a few ‘I told you so’ are muttered by those who supported the buzz about the target identity. For yes, it was indeed to be the Squadron’s very first trip to the dreaded Ruhr Valley!
The briefing continued, with a very subdued audience, as the CO turned the proceedings over to the Met. Officer whose prognostications seemed always to be suspect, then the Armaments Officer droned on a length about bomb loads. Finally, only the Navigators remained in the room, poring over the details of the courses to be flown to and from the target, a little-known city called Bochüm, deep in the Ruhr Valley.
After the briefing, the crews all headed to the Equipment Room to collect their flight suits, helmets and parachutes. They then boarded the lorries that would take them out to the aircraft waiting at the Dispersals.
At approximately 1700 hrs, Chet and his crew were taken to the flight line and boarded their aircraft.
It is likely that the good-hearted banter that bomber crews were noted for would be conspicuously absent at this time for Chet and his companions would likely have been contemplating the odds of their returning safely from this hottest of targets in the entire German Reich. Other Bomber Command squadrons had already tested the defences in the Ruhr Valley and had suffered grievous losses after being trapped in the glare of radar-controlled searchlights, then mercilessly pounded into flaming scrap by flak batteries.
Night-fighter attacks were another frightening probability for there were a large number of fighter bases spotted strategically throughout the Ruhr Valley and their crews were highly skilled in locating the bomber stream, using their airborne radar sets. These Luftwaffe crews often picked off an unsuspecting bomber crew whose only warning before their aircraft burst into flames would be the bright flash of the enemy’s cannon tracer fire.
Despite earlier attempts to better arm RAF bombers, by 1943 none of the long-range machines like the Halifax were equipped with belly-mounted turrets. If they had been, some of the aircraft lost to night-fighters may have survived. But without a pair of eyes and guns positioned below, only the Rear Gunner was able to warn his Pilot of an attack from this quarter.
The Rear Gunner’s only chance to spot a marauding Bf 110, the nemesis of many a hapless bomber crew, would be to catch a fleeting glimpse of the enemy aircraft’s engine exhaust glow, perhaps providing a split-second chance to warn his Pilot.
More often, though, the first indication of the presence of a night-fighter was the bright flash of cannon fire and the impact of the exploding shells in the vital components of your aircraft. The contest between the Rear Gunner and a night-fighter was almost always a one-sided affair, with the night-fighter most frequently coming away the victor.
The time before ‘Start Engines’ seemed to drag even more slowly than was normally the case before a sortie and the Popplewell crew shuffled about in their flight suits, sweating profusely on this warm September evening. For luck, some of them headed for the rear of the aircraft for a nervous pee against the tail.
Chet likely had even more thoughts running through his mind than perhaps many of the rest of the crew as he waited nervously for the order to board "T" Tommy and prepare for take-off.
Finally, the crew of "T" Tommy climbed aboard their aircraft and began the ritual of preparing for take-off. Chet scanned his instrument panel and Sergeant Harris, the Flight Engineer, checked all the fuel tank settings, the electrical breakers and switches. From the Control Tower balcony, a green flare arched into the twilight sky, signalling ‘Start Engines’.
Harris set the fuel cocks and throttles for take-off, then Chet started each of the Hally’s engines in turn until all four were rumbling with seeming impatience to be gone. Chet then taxied the aircraft clear of the Dispersal and joined the gaggle of other 434 Squadron machines as they waddled out to the main runway.
Each heavily loaded Halifax took off into the dusk in turn. Finally, "T" Tommy was idling at the main runway threshold. Chet ran up the Hally’s engines with the brakes hard on, checking for ‘magneto drop’ on each power plant, then, releasing the brakes, the great machine began its take-off roll. As the speed increased, Sgt. Harris placed his hand on the throttles, holding them in full forward position, as Chet took the control column with both hands, steering now with the rudder pedals as the aircraft accelerated down the dimly-lit runway.
After what always seemed to be an eternity, "T" Tommy finally lifted off into the darkening sky and slowly rose into its true element at 1818 hrs.
The Popplewell crew would be joining hundreds of other aircrew for this important raid and their aircraft would be just one of the 352 machines taking part that night. The bomber stream would consist of 213 Lancasters, 130 Halifaxes and 9 Mosquitos. The Mosquitos with their fast, twin-engines would range ahead of the main stream to mark the target with colour-coded flares in an effort to provide an accurate aiming point for the heavy bombers that followed.
Nine aircraft did not return from this mission. "T" Tommy was one of this number.
While reviewing a selection of the returning crews’ after action reports, and even taking into consideration the normally unemotional comments made during these debriefings, no clue emerges as to what may have befallen Chet and his crew on this their third and final sortie. The only comment in the Squadron’s official operational record of the raid carried out against the city of Bochüm on the night of September 29-30, 1943 was simply stated as follows; "Nothing more heard from this aircraft since take-off."
The reports of returning No. 434 Squadron crews indicated that visibility was generally good in the target area, with no cloud cover, but quite hazy. None mentioned any reference to either heavy flak or the presence of night-fighters, either on the run in to the target or when exiting the Ruhr Valley region.
What, then, happened to "T" Tommy?
On or about November 15th, 1943, the first concrete news about "T" for Tommy’s demise was received through the International Red Cross, at Bomber Command headquarters.
Apparently, the aircraft went down near the town of Legden, Germany. (Legden was reported to be situated north by northwest of Münster). This early report indicated that of the seven-man crew, two were captured alive (Kirk and Earl) and the bodies of four of the other crewmembers were identified. The body of the 5th and unidentified 7th airman had to be Chet Popplewell.
Chet, along with Ron Zahl, Wes Bailey, Norman Harris and Trevor Davies were originally buried near the crash site of "T" for Tommy in the town of Legden Germany. However, following the defeat of Germany, Graves Registration teams searching burial sites, located their remains and had them exhumed and re-interred in the Reichswald Forest Cemetery in 1948.
REICHSWALD FOREST WAR CEMETERY - CLEVES, GERMANY (photo's courtesy Harold Pot)
Main gate to the right, photo taken from the left tower.
Flying Officer Chetwin Hamre Popplewell's Grave
1921-1943
Resting at the Commonwealth War Cemetery - Cleves, Germany
"Sleep Now Honored Warrior - You Served Your Country Well"
Left to right; F/Sgt Wes Bailey, Sgt Norman Harris, Sgt Trevor Davies, F/O Chet Popplewell, F/Sgt Ron Zahl.
Ron A. Earl, Warrant Officer RAF (Ret.), is the only living member of the crew of Halifax "T" Tommy and the only witness able to provide the details of the events surrounding the loss of the aircraft on the night of September 29-30, 1943. (see Acknowledgements - Harry Barker). I wrote immediately to Ron, enclosing a draft copy of the story, and posed a number of questions in hopes that he could fill in the gaps in the story pertaining to the loss of the aircraft. I had a great deal of trouble curbing my impatience and enthusiasm to find out as much detail that Ron could recall after the passing of so many years. But, I tried to remember too that he might be reluctant to dredge up memories that must surely have been put as far from his mind as possible. The trauma of bailing out of a crippled aircraft is horrendous enough, but in addition, suffering years of privation in a POW camp.
While I had learned through Chet’s daughter Annette Hardy, that Ted Kirk had apparently visited her mother and Chet’s widow, upon his release from prison camp, details of the loss of "T" Tommy remained incomplete. Therefore, I queried Ron requesting that he clear up the unanswered questions that arose in my mind as I progressed through the researching of the story. I was therefore delighted to receive a letter from him on July 1st, 1993. Ron’s letter is reproduced in its entirety, with only minor editorial revisions;
Dear Brent,
Thank you for your letter and story about your cousin Chet Popplewell. I found it to be most interesting and informative. I will answer the questions you posed in the following notes.
"We did not make it Bochüm that night. A night-fighter struck us a mortal blow as we were nearing the target so we had a full bomb load aboard. One 4000 lb HE bomb with many smaller incendiary bombs in the bay and under the wings. I remember seeing redtracer streaming past the nose of the aircraft coming from the rear and below". (This suggests the probability that "T" Tommy had run afoul of one of the latest night- fighters, equipped with upward-firing cannon, thus allowing an unseen attack from below its quarry - Author).
"Our aircraft seemed to go into a shallow dive and I believe that we were on fire. Chet immediately gave the order to bail out. It all happened so quickly. Ted Kirk and I were up front in the aircraft (I had been preparing for the bombing run). Ted and I opened the forward escape hatch. Ted went out first, and then I followed."…
Ron. A. Earl
July 1993
"TAME BOAR" DOWNS "T" TOMMY
As the air war progressed into 1943, the tactics and equipment of both the Allied and German air forces improved greatly. In the continuous thrust and parry of the conflict, each side attempted to stay ahead of the other in developing new and more effective countermeasures. Earlier in this story, I had alluded to a number of such technological innovations, but probably one of the most successful accomplishments related to the improved tactics of the night-fighter aircraft of both the British and the Germans.
Until early 1943, the Luftwaffe had used the somewhat modified fast and deadly Me.109 single-engine fighter aircraft as highly successful night-fighters dubbed ‘Wild Boar’. But in order to provide more range and tactical superiority, the Germans soon began using specially modified twin-engine BF110 and JU-88 light bombers. These machines, originally designed as fighter aircraft, proved to be too slow and lacked the necessary manoeuvrability to be successful as day-fighters. Thus was born the ‘Tame Boar’.
The BF110 G night-fighter aircraft carried a pilot, a rear gunner and a radar operator/observer, and was vectored on to a target in the bomber stream by a ground controller until the observer spotted their quarry on his own radar set. The observer would then quide his pilot to within a few hundred feet of the enemy bomber. The pilot would manoeuvre closer visually until within effective firing range and loose off a stream of cannon shells into the wings and fuselage of the bomber, firing cannon mounted in the nose of the aircraft. In this way, and sometimes without using tracer shells to mark the target, many Bomber Command aircraft were destroyed without their crews even knowing what had hit them, nor from what direction the cannon fire had come.
During the course of continuing research into the circumstances surrounding the loss of the Popplewell crew’s Halifax, I had been able to gather evidence that points to the type of aircraft that shot "T" Tommy down. Then, with information garnered with the help of the German Embassy in Ottawa, and subsequently the Luftwaffe Fighter Pilots Association in Germany, I was able to identify the name of the night-fighter pilot who, along with his squadron mates was defending against RAF and RCAF bombers on the Bochüm raid during the night of September 29-30, 1943.
There appears to be no question now on the identity of "T" Tommy’s adversary.
"The Luftwaffe Prince"
Major Egmont Prinz zur Lippe Weissenfeld
By studying the Combat Reports of III Gruppe, Night-fighter Wing 1 for the period of September-October, 1943, Hauptmann zur Lippe Weissenfeld claimed the destruction of two Halifax bombers on the night of September 29-30, 1943. This Luftwaffe Ace managed to shoot down both of these aircraft within a time frame spanning just 10 minutes, a truly amazing feat!
The Combat Report filed by Major Egmont Prinz zur Lippe Weissenfeld (*) a 25 year old Austrian nobleman, clearly indicates that the first of two Halifaxes he destroyed that night was downed at 2155 hrs. 2.5 kilometers south west of Legden. This data, coupled with the information already learned, including the time of "T" Tommy’s take-off from her base and allowing for the time taken enroute to the target, all adds up to evidence that must surely confirm that the Popplewell crew’s adversary had been identified.
Weissenfeld seen at left inspecting the wreckage of one of two Halifax bombers he shot down the night of 29-30, 1943. The aircraft wreckage could be that of F/O Popplewell's machine.
It is little wonder that "T" Tommy’s demise was so swift and unexpected, for Chet and his crew had run afoul of one of the Luftwaffe’s great night-fighter Aces. During the course of Major zur Lippe Weissenfeld’s Luftwaffe career, spanning a period from mid-November 1940 to March 1944, he shot down a total of 51 RAF and Allied bombers – an incredible accomplishment!
The following biography of Major zur Lippe Weissenfeld was supplied to the Author by the Secretary of The Luftwaffe Fighter Pilots Association.
…was born on 14 July 1918 at Salzburg/Austria. Like many Austrian men of "royal" blood, young zur Lippe Weissenfeld opted for a military career, joining the Austrian Army at the age of eighteen in 1936. He served first in the Infantry, but wishing to follow in the footsteps of the great flying Aces of the First World War, he soon applied for pilot training with a view to joining the fledging German Luftwaffe, which he did the following year.
He began his Luftwaffe career as an Army Recce pilot, serving first with the 2nd Gruppe/Destroyer Wing 76. He was transferred to Night-Fighter Wing 1 on 4 August 1940. It was from then on that zur Lippe Weissenfeld was destined to become one the greatest night-fighters in the Luftwaffe. However, it was not until the night of 16-17 November 1940 that he achieved his very first victory, shooting down an RAF bomber.
He was wounded in an encounter with an enemy bomber on 13-14 March 1941, and on 30 June of that year, he crashed his aircraft into the Zuider Zee, following a mid-air collision with an aircraft he was stalking.
Marshall Herman Goering inspecting Major Weissenfeld and his air crews at NG4 Gruppe's Base (Major Weissenfeld is seen second from the right in the photograph)
By 25 July 1941, zur Lippe Weissenfeld had built his score of enemy aircraft to 10. On 1 November of that year, he was appointed Squadron Commander of 5th Squadron, Nigh-Fighter Wing 2. By the end of 1941, Zur Lippe Weissenfeld had achieved 15 victories in encounters with RAF and Allied bombers in the night skies over the Reich.
Hauptmann Weissenfeld (2nd from left) celebrating his 33 victory with his crew. Note the victory symbols on the rudder of his BF110G aircraft, each denoting a "Kill"
During the night of 26-27 March 1942, he was successful in shooting down four RAF bombers, all on the same night! These victories brought his score to 21 aircraft destroyed, so it was not surprising that Major zur Lippe Weissenfeld was rewarded with the Knights Cross. During the nights of 20-21 June and 2-3 July 1942, he bagged three more enemy aircraft, becoming one of the Luftwaffe’s top night-fighter Aces with his 37 victories to date.
Hauptmann Weissenfeld inspecting a trophy taken from Vickers Wellington "Just Jane"
On 1 October 1942, Major zur Lippe Weissenfeld was transferred to take over the command of 1st Gruppe/NJG 3, and during his time there, he posted three more victories. He was then sent to NJG 1 as Commander of No. 3 Gruppe. On the night of 29-30 July 1943, Major zur Lippe Weissenfeld gained his 45th victory. As a result of this outstanding record, he was awarded the coveted "Oak Leaves" to his Knights Cross.
During the night of 16-17 December 1944, he achieved his final two victories as a night-fighter pilot, bringing his personal score of enemy aircraft destroyed to an astounding 51 aircraft! After a month’s sick leave, Major zur Lippe Weissenfeld was appointed Commander of Night-Fighter Wing 5, effective 20 February 1944.
On 12 March, he decided to visit his former Squadron mates at his old Gruppe and filed a flight-plan from Parchim to Laon-Athies, in northern Belgium. While crossing the Ardennes in poor visibility aboard BF 110G4, s/n C9+CD, his aircraft crashed into unseen high ground.
Weissenfeld's grave in Holland, sister; Theodora Prinzessin Von Auresperg
Major zur Lippe Weissenfeld was killed, along with crewmembers Ofw. Renette and Uffz. Rober. A tragic accident that ironically spelled the end of an outstanding Luftwaffe Ace who had survived so many combats over Germany and the occupied countries, only to die in a weather-related flying accident before war’s end.
"House of Weissenfeld"
Following an exhausting search on the Internet, I was able to find the lineage of the Austrian aristocracy going back to the time of the Crusades. In the more contemporary time period, I was able to identify the "House of Weissenfeld" and the members of that family, again going back many years. One can imagine my excitement when I discovered not only Major zur-Lippe’s position on the ‘family tree’, but also the identity of two of his sisters who I hoped were living and, if so, wondered whether I could locate and contact them.
After a rather short search, I was successful in finding that both sisters were alive and well, with one residing in France and the other near Vienna, Austria. These two fine ladies are: Theodora Prinzessin Von Auresperg and Sophie Prinzessin zur Lippe Mme. S. Tagle. Having found living relatives of Major zur Lippe, I was anxious to learn more about this man who had been such a skilled pilot and combatant who had shot down 51 Allied bombers over Holland and Germany. The Major was killed in March 1944, when his BF110 fighter aircraft reportedly crashed in bad weather while enroute to his former night-fighter base to visit with friends and fellow pilots.
The reply to my letter sent to both sisters was received from Prinzessin Theodora who graciously thanked me for sending her a copy of the earlier unfinished draft of my story. She also sent me the photographs I have inserted in the pages to follow, including Major zur Lippe’s investiture in the order of the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross, an award that was subsequently upgraded to the Knight’s Cross with Oak Leaves on August 2nd, 1943, just over a month before his encounter with the Popplewell crew’s Halifax, one of two such machines he shot down in a matter of just minutes apart on September 29th.
Prinzessin Theodora has been most helpful in other ways as my research proceeded into the life of her brother Egmont. A truly intriguing letter arrived from Theodora, containing an article that must have been excerpted from a book about WWII. In it were comments about Major zur Lippe’s death, suggesting a different scenario to that reported by the Luftwaffe after the loss of his aircraft in March 1944.
Hauptmann Weissenfeld and another Knight's Cross winner flanking the CO. of NG5.
The author of the article speculated that the airman’s death, along with his crew and an SS officer being ferried by Major zur Lippe, was not an accident! Rather, it was likely that Major zur Lippe or the SS officer (or both) had been marked for death by the Nazi leadership.
Hauptmann Weissenfeld (L) chatting with another Knight's Cross winner.
It must be remembered that even before the attempt on Hitler’s life in July 1944 by an Austrian nobleman, Count Von Stauffenberg, after which Hitler had the Count and a host of generals and others thought to be part of the plot executed, it was known he did not trust the so-called aristocracy, including those of royal blood, and objected to these officers being allowed to hold high office or even to remain in the military. Could it be that the loss of Major zur Lippe’s aircraft was caused not by the weather, but by some plot to assassinate him or his passenger?
Prinzessin Theodora and her sister firmly believe that to be the case. Indeed, a friend of theirs, who rather ironically was with British Intelligence during the war working as a Code Breaker, told the sisters that witnesses to the crash of Egmont’s aircraft noted that an explosion occurred in mid-air, tearing one wing off the machine, forcing it to crash and burn. Witnesses went on to report that no anti-aircraft gunfire had been noted at the time of the explosion, nor was it shot down by enemy aircraft.
Hauptmann Prinz Egmont zur Lippe-Weissenfeld awarded the Knight's Cross March 1942. Weissenfeld is seen 2nd from the left as Adolph Hitler congratulates his "Knight's of the Sky".
Weissenfeld, was promoted to Major and awarded the Oak Leaves to his Knight's Cross shortly after he shot down two Halifax bombers on the night of September 29th-30th, 1943. One of those victories was won against F/O Popplewell's Halifax "T" for Tommy.
Adolph Hitler had often stated that officers from reigning families were unworthy of being members of the German Wehrmacht. However, Göering, who was in charge of the Luftwaffe, did not wish to lose one of this high-scoring night-fighter Aces. In March 1944, Prinz Egmont was due to take over command of a "Gruppe" in Holland as the former Commander and Egmont’s friend, Prinz zur Sayn-Wittgenstein had been killed in January 1944.
In order to reach the new Base, The Major was to fly from Berlin to Holland on March 12th. It was a clear day, with good visibility, and he was accompanied by his faithful radio operator/gunner with whom he always flew. He was ordered to take with him another passenger who would take the place of his radar operator. This man was a high-ranking SS officer.
Note: According to Prinzessins Theodora and Sophie, it was because that officer and their brother Egmont had been marked for elimination, that the aircraft was destroyed over the Ardennes Forest in Belgium. – Author
Epilogue
When I began researching and writing the Chet Popplewell story, I had no idea what different directions it would take, or the number of persons with whom I would cross paths who had some connection with the story.
Clearly, the most fascinating aspects of the undertaking occurred as one coincidence after another surfaced time and again as the background research for the story progressed.
For example, when I located the night-fighter pilot who had destroyed the Popplewell crew’s Halifax bomber, I had not realized that the name Major Egmont Prinz zur Lippe-Weissenfeld should have been familiar to me from a previous ‘encounter’. Some years prior, I had read a book entitled "Bonds of Wire", a story by Kingsley Brown, a Canadian airman who wrote about his POW experiences during WWII. Then, in September 1994, while waiting to see my family physician, I picked up a 1990 issue of the Reader’s Digest. In the "condensed" section was a shortened version of "Bonds of Wire".
In his book, Brown related how, after being shot down, he was taken to a nearby Luftwaffe night-fighter base where his interrogator said while questioning him, "Did you know that you were shot down by a real live Prince?" Yes, Kingsley Brown had also run afoul of the great German night-fighter aces, Major Egmont zur Lippe.
My interest duly tweaked, I set out to find and contact Kingsley Brown. In due course, I located a telephone number for a K. Brown near Antigonish, Nova Scotia. A Kingsley Brown answered my call, but turned out to be the elder Brown’s son and namesake, for Brown Sr. had passed away about three years previously, losing his battle against cancer.
Nevertheless, Kingsley Brown Jr. was most cooperative and spoke at length about his father’s air force career. I sent him a copy of the then latest version of this Essay and he subsequently sent back a letter and a very well preserved copy of a newspaper that his father had co-edited with other officers at No. 4 S.F.T.S., at Regina, Saskatchewan. While this piece of memorabilia was most interesting indeed, I was literally "floored" by another enclosure in the package sent to me by Mr. Brown.
He had copied a page of his father’s flight logbook, completed while instructing in Navigation at No. 4 S.F.T.S. Contained in the log was an entry in December 1941, indicating that a certain pilot trainee by the name of Leading Aircraftsman C. Popplewell spent an hour’s instruction with S/L Brown! Neither could have envisioned how their future air force careers would take a similar path, with them both being shot down by the same enemy airman. S/L Brown survived his encounter, the only member of his crew to do so. Chet and four of his crewmembers perished when their Halifax was intercepted and shot down by the same Luftwaffe pilot.
It took the outstanding and much appreciated cooperation and assistance of a host of individuals and organizations that provided the writer with historical facts and other invaluable information, enabling me to complete the story about Flying Officer Popplewell and his Crew. I am indebted to the following persons and organizations for supplying the information needed in order that a factual story could be told.
Joy Popplewell: Chet’s youngest surviving sister who provided many of the photographs and memorabilia used while producing the book, lending a personal touch to the story.
Annette Hardy: Chet and Eileen’s daughter who never knew her father, but aided greatly in my research by applying to the RAF Personnel Records Office for information that can only be obtained by a relative of a deceased officer.
Harry Barker: A ‘passing acquaintance’ only initially, Harry Barker became a friend and an outstanding supporter of my quest to finalize the Chet Popplewell story. Himself a veteran of the air battles over Europe, Harry was a Bomb Aimer with No. 218 Squadron RAF. His dedication in the search for Ron Earl resulted in the locating of the only (living) survivor of the loss of "T" Tommy.
Rob Schweyer: As Curator of the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum archives, Rob was very helpful in vetting the RAF/RCAF slang words used in the story, making the dialogue attributed to the persons in the story as authentic as possible.
Roy Nesbitt: This individual, a respected World War Two biographer, searched the records of No.88 Squadron RAF, allowing me to fill in the gaps respecting Chet’s early operational flying record.
Theodora Von Auresperg: An Austrian Princess and one of two surviving sisters of Major Prinz Egmont zur Lippe-Weissenfeld, provided information and many photographs that appear in the pages to follow.
Louyse Reid: Struggled to correct the Author’s grammar and other mistakes then re-typed the manuscript to appear in its final form. Many thanks Louyse.
Other sources from which I sought and received information included the RAF Personnel Records Office, National Defense in Ottawa, National Archives of Canada, the German Embassy in Ottawa, the Bundesarchiv, Militarchiv (German Military Archives Office) and the Luftwaffe Fighter Pilots Association. Without the assistance of all of these contacts, the story could not have been told with the accuracy that I believe has been achieved.
Update 14th July 2014. "Just One of The Many" by Brent Hamre added to rcaf434squadron.
Sadly Brent Hamre passed away in 2013. I had connected with Brent through a number of emails after a story about my Uncle Clarence had been published in "AirForce" magazine in 2003. He provided an electronic version, as well a printed pamphlet on his research into his cousin Chet. With his approval an edited version was first posted on www.bombercrew.com and still remains today.
If it were not for Brent's thoroughness in research, and inspiration, this web site may not be what it is today. Thank you Brent.
Brent Hamre 1939-2013
Prinz Egmont zur Lippe-Weissenfeld claims two 434 squadron bombers; Halifax DK-259 "WL-L" and Halifax LK-634 "WL-T"
In 2013, I recieved email inquiries from a research group "Bomberteam Boekelo" (Rob Lanting, Ronnie Heijink, Harold Pot and Erik Schaddelee) in The Netherlands. They were researching Lt. Clary and crew #16 (434 Squadron) including a planned memorial. Prinz Egmont zur Lippe-Weissenfeld name surfaced again, he was in fact the pilot whom shot down both bombers within 10 minutes; Lt. Clary's Halifax DK-259 "WL-L" and F/O Popplewell's Halifax LK-634 "WL-T". Images of both wreckages were available, we were able to determine Chet's location is in below images.
2014; Crash site of WL-T "Tommy". (Photos graciously supplied by Harold Pot.)
On an old picture this ditch is visable.
Evidence of a ditch behind from the old photo
Overview of the area, in the middle the field.
The field and behind it the Dinkel river.
The LK634 crashed about 150 meters off the Dinkel river, on the lightbrown field.
This farmhouse is about 300 meters of the crashsite.
REICHSWALD FOREST WAR CEMETERY - CLEVES, GERMANY (Photos graciously supplied by Harold Pot.)
Main Gate
Looking from behind main gate
walking through, 6431 British, 706 Canadian, 328 Australian...
...127 New Zealand, 1 South African, 1 Belgium, 1 The Netherlands...
1 U.S.A., 73 Poland, 1 Norway, 1 Yugoslavia.