Wilson, Michael McIvor
Personal Information
Rank | P/O |
Forename(s) | Michael McIvor |
Surname | Wilson |
Gender | M |
Age | 20 |
Date of Death | 04-11-1944 |
Next of Kin | Son of Michael Kavanagh Wilson and Ethel Louisa Wilson, of Balldale, New South Wales, Australia. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Handley Page Halifax III |
Serial Number | LV936 |
Markings | HD-D D-Dog |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | Germany |
Burial/Memorial Place | Reichswald Forest War Cemetery |
Grave Reference | 31. G. 2. |
Epitaph | HIS DUTY FEARLESSLY AND NOBLY DONE. EVER REMEMBERED |
Ribbon Stone | 0329 (Block 4, Column 21, Row 4) |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 267 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | 432611 |
Service | Royal Australian Air Force |
Group | 4 |
Squadron | 466 (Australian) |
Trade | Air Gunner |
Country of Origin | Australia |
Other Memorials
Location | International Bomber Command Centre, Canwick Avenue, Lincoln LN4 2HQ |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed stone tablet |
Memorial Text | RAAF 466 Sqn Driffield Halifax LV936 'HD-D' JH WN DU AD JV MW HK |
Location | Memorial Gardens, North End Park, Driffield, East Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Marble Memorial |
Memorial Text | A memorial to the men and women of 462 and 466 Sqns RAAF who served in Bomber Command during WW2 |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1926/22 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1926/21 |
Fellow Servicemen
Please note that this list gives all the losses aboard the quoted aircraft and occasionally these may have occurred on an earlier date when the aircraft was not itself lost. Please check the dates of death carefully.
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 04-11-1944 |
End Date | 05-11-1944 |
Takeoff Station | Driffield |
Day/Night Raid | Night (77% moon) |
Operation | Bochum. 749 aircraft, 28 losses (3.7%), mainly due to night-fighters. 346 Free French Squadron lost 5 out of its 16 Halifaxes. A very successful attack with severe damage to the centre of Bochum. More than 4000 buildings were destroyed, including the steel works. 994 people were killed. This was the last major raid on Bochum |
Reason for Loss | Hit by flak five minutes after the bombing run, setting the aircraft on fire. Two further bursts set each wing ablaze and the order to abandon was given. As the pilot was clipping on his parachute, the starboard wing detached, the aircraft flipped onto its back and exploded. The pilot, 425697 F/Lt. "Big" Joseph Herman RAAF, was blown clear without his parachute and free-fell 12,000 feet before instrinctively grabbing hold of something he brushed against during his descent. It turned out to the his mid-upper gunner's feet (432023 F/Sgt. John Martin "Irish" Vivash RAAF) and together they descended the final 5,000 feet and landed heavily, but survived. Specifically, Vivash landed on Herman's chest and broke two ribs. Despite this they managed to evade capture for five deays before being handed to the police when they sought help at a farmhouse. The Gestapo officials refused to believe their miraculous story until they were taken to the landing site and uncovered the single parachute. This is thought to be the only occasion on which a single parachute saved two people. The aircraft crashed near to the small village of Neviges, Germany. The Flight Engineer, 189617 Sgt. Harry Knott RAF also survived the incident and evaded capture until 9 November but was captured as he attempted to cross the Rhine. Joe Herman returned to his homeland after he was liberated and became a crop duster and commercial pilot. He had 4 children, 15 grandchildren and 23 great grandchildren - so far. |