Ramrod 16

[Kyt]

No.487 Squadron lost 11 Ventura's on "Ramrod 16" on the 3rd May 1943.

From: The Ventura Airmen at St Nicholas

"Due to a re-shuffle in Command stations, RAF Feltwell moved back under the control of No.3 Group RAF. At the start of April 1943 No 464 Sq. & No. 487 Sq. joined No. 21 Sq. at RAF Methwold. During the spring of 1943 the Ventura units continued flying "circus" bombing operations from Methwold, culminating in the disastrous attack on the Amsterdam power station made on 3rd May, which brought the award of the Victoria Cross to Squadron Leader Len Trent.
The operation was code-named "Ramrod 16" and was a co-ordinated low-level attack. Fighter interception and very severe Flak resulted in the loss of over 80% of the attacking force.


The target was relatively undamaged. It was not fully understood, until after the war had ended, what had really happened. In fact 464 Sq. & 487 Sq. the units which had been at Feltwell a month earlier, were effectively wiped out on this raid."


The planes lost were:


AJ209 EG-V
AE716 EG-U
AJ478 EG-A
AE713 EG-B
AE780 EG-S
AE916 EG-C
AE731 EG-O
AE956 EG-H
AJ200 EG-V
AF478 EG-A
AE684 EG-B

Details of crews etc: Lost Bombers - World War II Lost Bombers

One VC was awarded for this action:

Group Captain Leonard Henry Trent VC DFC(1915-1986) was a New Zealander recipient of the Victoria Cross, the most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

Boston, which he strongly recommended to the RAF. He was appointed to command A pilot of the Royal New Zealand Air Force, Trent was attached to the Royal Air Force on initially flying Bristol Blenheims. He test flew the Douglas DB-7No. 487 Squadron RNZAF, a New Zealand Squadron of the Royal Air Force, which was working up on Lockheed Venturas, for day light raids, a task the type was manifestly inadequate for.

He was 28 years old, and a Squadron Leader in the Royal New Zealand Air Force, serving with 487 Squadron, Royal Air Force during the World War II when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

On 3 May 1943 the squadron was ordered on a 'Ramrod' bombing attack on a target in Amsterdam, (the code Ramrod, meaning the mission was so important it was to be continued with regardless of losses). Two squadrons were to escort the Venturas, a low level Supermarine Spitfire Mk5 group and a high level escort of Spitfire Mk9s ,which were to cross the coast at sea level so as not to alert German Radar, then climb. Unfortunately the Mk9s arrived early, and had also crossed the coast high, being anxious to gain a height advantage. Than ran low on fuel before the Venturas arrived and had to leave. A conference of leading German fighter pilots was taking place at an airfield virtually en route. These pilots scrambled when the Mk9s were detected.

Under constant attack, 487 Squadron continued on to its target, the few surviving aircraft completing bombing runs before being shot down. Squadron Leader Trent, whose leadership was instrumental in ensuring the bombing run was completed, was awarded the Victoria Cross. Squadron Leader Trent shot down a Messerschmitt Bf 109 with the forward machine guns of his plane.

Immediately afterwards his own aircraft was hit, went into a spin and broke up. Squadron Leader Trent and his navigator were thrown clear and became prisoners. He had displayed cool, unflinching courage in the face of overwhelming odds.

After his capture, Trent was assigned to Stalag Luft III; Sagan, Germany (now Zagan, Poland). He participated in the so called "Great Escape" of March 24, 1944; although he was recaptured shortly thereafter. Trent survived the war in a POW camp. He later achieved the rank of Group Captain; retiring in 1965. Rejoining the Royal Air Force, he trained in jets, (having the dubious distinction of having to eject from a Vampire and a Meteor), and later commanded a Squadron of then new Vickers Valiants. He became a group Captain, and Air Attache to Washington, before returning to New Zealand with his wife and two daughters. A biography, Venturer Courageous by James Saunders was published by Hutchinson in 1983. He returned to New Zealand and died May 19, 1986 in a hospital in Auckland, New Zealand.

Does anybody have anymore details?

[adrian roberts]

was working up on Lockheed Venturas, for day light raids, a task the type was manifestly inadequate for.

I don't think any light bombers other than the Mosquito were really adequate to the task; this wasn't the only time when entire squadrons were wiped out.

In the case of the Ventura, they nearly doubled the power of the engines compared with the Hudson, but forgot to increase the size of the fins, so if one engine was disabled you could not put enough power into the other to maintain height without turning and probably spinning.

[Kyt]

I admit to being completely ignorant on the Ventura (amongst may other things ) and I just clicked the Ventura button on the Lost Bomber site - and boy did I get a shock when I saw the above info.

[adrian roberts]

I've just found the Lost Bombers site and put it in "favourites" - thanks.
A labour of love, and very sobering.

[Kyt]

It's a fantastic site, and yes a real labour of love.

Now, if only there was an equivalant for fighters (and one for other theatres). Any volunteers?

[spidge]

This is a fantastic resource.

My first search was just putting in Lancaster and nothing else. Came up with 207 pages @ 20 listings per page....PHEW!!!!

The first RAAF 460 squadron aircraft was interesting and unusual all in one.
Lancaster LL951 Information


Type Lancaster Serial Number LL951 Squadron 460 X1D AR-C Operation Duisburg Date 1 21st May 1944 Date 2 22nd May 1944
Further Information

"Serial Range LL617 - LM296 This aircraft was one of 450 Lancasters ordered from Armstrong whitworth Aircraft Apr42 and delivered as 100 Mk.11s with Hercules XV1 engines, delivered from Oct43 to Mar44, and 350 Mk.1s with Merlin 24 engines delivered from Nov43 to Aug44. LL951 was a Mk.1 and was delivered to No.460 Sqdn Apr44. When lost this aircraft had a total of 34 hours. No other operational history traced. Airborne 2229 21May44 from Binbrook. Shot down near Zundert (Noord- Brabant), a large village astride the main road between Breda in Holland and the Belgian port of Antwerpen. Those killed are buried in Zundert Protestant churchyard. although not unique, it was unusual not to have an RAAF member of crew in an RAAF Bomber Squadron. F/O R.E.McDougall RCAF KIA Sgt W.H.Leaney PoW F/S R.R.Bunker KIA F/O E.O'Donoghue PoW Sgt J.Herkes KIA Sgt W.F.O'Neill KIA Sgt H.R.Elsbury KIA. Sgt W.H.Leaney was interned in Camp L7, PoW No.173. F/O E.O'Donoghue initially evaded until betrayed by Ren_ van Muylem and captured in Antwerp 8Aug44 and interned in Camp L3, PoW No.6304. "

[Kyt]

Have you read the Homepage? Created the site after a lifetime in aviation, recovery from cancer, and spent 11 years on the research!! Amazing. The gentleman is now 76/77!!

[spidge]

And the Heroes Mosquito. Guy Gibson.

Mosquito KB267 Information

Type Mosquito Serial Number KB267 Squadron 627 X1D AZ-E Operation Rheydt Date 1 19th September 1944 Date 2 20th September 1944
Further Information

"Serial Range KB100 - KB299. 200 Mosquito B.MkXX. Part of a batch of 245 (including nine to the USAAF as F8) delivered by De Havilland (Toronto) Canada. Airborne evening of 19Sep44 from Woodhall Spa. Cause of loss not established. Crashed in flames when homebound near Steenbergen (Noor-brabant), where both are buried in Steenbergen-en-Kruisland Roman Catholic Cemetery. W/C G.P.Gibson VC DSO DFC KIA S/L J.B.Warwick DFC KIA Richard Morris's biography of W/C Gibson is recommended reading. S/L Warwick had completed two full tours prior to his appointment to RAF Coningsby as Station Navigation Officer, and was therefore screened from further operations unless he chose to volunteer. "

[spidge]

Originally Posted by Kyt

Have you read the Homepage? Created the site after a lifetime in aviation, recovery from cancer, and spent 11 years on the research!! Amazing. The gentleman is now 76/77!!

And they bestow awards on cricketers who win back the ashes............

[Kyt]

Originally Posted by spidge

And they bestow awards on cricketers who win back the ashes............

It's an unfair world.

But noticed an anomaly - look up 617 Squadron.