Godden, Frank Stephen
Personal Information
Rank | F/S |
Forename(s) | Frank Stephen |
Surname | Godden |
Gender | M |
Age | |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 24-02-1944 |
Next of Kin |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Handley Page Halifax III |
Serial Number | LW586 |
Markings | LK-P |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | Germany |
Burial/Memorial Place | Durnbach War Cemetery |
Grave Reference | Coll. grave 1. G. 17-19. |
Epitaph |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 170 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | 1210979 |
Service | Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve |
Group | 4 |
Squadron | 578 |
Trade | WOp/AG |
Country of Origin | United Kingdom |
Other Memorials
Location | Adjacent to A19, Burn, North Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Memorial Stone |
Memorial Text | For all who served in 578 Squadron Royal Air Force Burn 1944 - 1945 |
Location | Methodist Church, Burn, North Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Metal Plaque |
Memorial Text |
Location | Selby Abbey, Selby, North Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | RoH in Glass topped wooden cabinet |
Memorial Text | In memory of all 578 Sqn Aircrew who failed to return from Ops at RAF Burn |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/2052/5 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/2050/3 |
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 24-02-1944 |
End Date | 25-02-1944 |
Takeoff Station | Burn |
Day/Night Raid | Night (1% moon) |
Operation | Schweinfurt- the first raid on this particular target (the centre of ball-bearing manufacture in Germany). 734 aircraft, 33 losses (4.5%). A new tactic was introduced where the bomber force was split into two waves separated by two hours. The first wave Lost 22 aircraft (5.6%) but the second Lost only 11 (3.2%) of which only 4 were shot down. Poor PFF target marking led to local reports quoting 'nominal damage'. Note that there had been a raid comprising 266 8th Air Force B-17s the night before so it is difficult to attribute damage levels. |
Reason for Loss | Attacked from astern by a night-fighter at 22000', causing a fire in all but one of the engines. Quickly engulfed in flames and F/O J W Rolfe was the only airman to bale out. Thought to have crashed at Unter-Alterheim, SW of Würzburg, Germany |