Walshaw, Kenneth
Personal Information
Rank | Sgt |
Forename(s) | Kenneth |
Surname | Walshaw |
Gender | M |
Age | |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 18-11-1943 |
Next of Kin |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Short Stirling III |
Serial Number | EE884 |
Markings | HA-B |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | Germany |
Burial/Memorial Place | Durnbach War Cemetery |
Grave Reference | Coll. grave 1. C. 19-21. |
Epitaph |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 259 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | 1527573 |
Service | Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve |
Group | 3 |
Squadron | 218 (Gold Coast) |
Trade | Flight Engineer |
Country of Origin | United Kingdom |
Other Memorials
Location | St. Mary's Church, Bexwell, Norfolk |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Stone Tablet |
Memorial Text | In memory of the squadrons based at R.A.F. Downham Market and those who have their lives during the 1939 - 1945 war |
Location | All Saints Church, Chedburgh, Suffolk |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | RoH and Sqn Crest |
Memorial Text | Roll of Honour and scroll remembering the members of the Royal and Polish Air Forces who served at RAF Chedburgh 1942 - 1946 |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1351/22 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1351/21 |
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 18-11-1943 |
End Date | 19-11-1943 |
Takeoff Station | Downham Market |
Day/Night Raid | Night (59% moon) |
Operation | Mannheim. 395 aircraft, 23 losses (5.8%). This was one of the larger diversionary raids and accounts for the high losses. By comparison, the main raid (On Berlin) registered 2.0% losses. There was cloud cover over the target and bombing was scattered as a result. Most of the damage fell to the north of the town, where the Daimler Benz car plant suffered a 90% loss in production as a result. 21 deaths on the ground and 7500 people were bombed out. |
Reason for Loss | Coned by searchlights and attacked by a single night-fighter from front below immediately after the bombing run. The damaged aircraft immediately began to lose height and after 6 miles the pilot gave the order to abandon. The bomb aimer was close to the door and was already wearing his parachute but the others were unable to don their parachutes in time. The pilot meanwhile searched for a suitable place to land but a wheel snagged on an overhead cable as they attempted to land and the aircraft crashed at 20:15 hours between Hofheim and Bobstadt, ENE of Worms, Germany. The bodies of those killed were buried locally the next day and moved to Durnbach after the war. The bomb aimer managed to get 40 miles before being arrested and was sent to Stag Luft I. |