582 Squadron - Harold Bruce Wright Heney DSO

Discussion in 'The War In The Air' started by Reebmit, Apr 16, 2010.

  1. Reebmit

    Reebmit Junior Member

    Hi everyone, what an incredible site and so informative. It always touches me to read the moving stories of what people did for us back then and is greatly appreciated.
    I am currently looking for any information etc… and better still anyone that was in 582 Squadron although probably not many left now.
    My Grandfather Squadron Leader 39918, Harold Bruce Wright Heney, DSO, 582 Squadron, had at least 59 sorties to his credit, died aged 23 on 28th May 1944. (born New Zealand).
    I believe they took off from Little Staughton at 23.25 on 27/28 May 1944. Their task was to attack the aerodrome at St. Jacques but Crashed on the western edge of the target area, with the loss of all the crew. I believe he flew with Leonard Cudlipp, Ronald David Lamb, Steven Watson Brown, Frank Sydney Webb, Francis Robert Ross, Alan George Harrington.
    He is now buried at Rennes Eastern Cemetery, Ille-Et-Vilaine, FRANCE. Ref. Sec. 18. Plot 1. Row D. Grave 7.
    Any info on mission, people, characters etc etc……would be greatly greatly appreciated, thanks Tim:)
     
  2. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Hi and welcome to the forum.

    All I have on him is below. I tried to look his citation up for you at Kew online but he's not listed there. Do you have a copy you could post on here?

    b. 12.08.20 Kaiapoi, Canterbury New Zealand.

    KIA 27.05.44. Buried in Rennes Eastern Cemetery France.

    DSO LG 13.06.44. NZG 23.06.44.

    DSO for attack on Dortmund in May 1944 with 582 (Pathfinders) Squadron.

    A motor vehicle instructor prewar, Heney joined the RNZAF in 1939.


    Regards
    Andy
     
  3. Reebmit

    Reebmit Junior Member

    Hi Andy, many thanks for the info, I don't have anything more at the moment but am trying hard to research more. Are there any good places to try?
     
  4. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    There's a few RAF experts that will be along soon enough that should have a fair few answers for you.
     
  5. Peter Clare

    Peter Clare Very Senior Member

    Hello Tim,

    Welcome to the forum.

    The following is taken from 'Bomber Command Losses' Vol.5 - W R. Chorley

    27-28 may 1944

    582 Squadron
    Lancaster III WD814 60-T
    Op. Rennes

    S/L. H W. Heney DSO RNZAF +
    Sgt. L W. Cudlipp +
    F/L. R D. Lamb RNZAF +
    F/L. S W. Brown RAAF +
    F/S. F S. Webb +
    F/S. F R. Ross RNZAF +
    Sgt. A G. Harrington RNZAF +

    Took off 2325 hrs Little Staughton to mark the airfield;d at St.Jacques. Crashed on the western edge of the target area, all are buried in Rennes Eastern Communal Cemetery. S/L. Heney RNZAF was a most experienced PFF pilot with at least 59 sorties to his credit.


    The Rennes raid of 27-28 May 1944

    78 Lancasters and 5 Mosquitos of No 8 Group attacked the airfield at Rennes in good visibility. The marking was good and the bombing was very accurate. Much damage to the airfield installations was caused and there was a large explosion, probably in the bomb dump.
     
  6. Leslie

    Leslie Member

    Hi Reebmit and welcome to the forum.
    I happen to have the operational record books for 582 Squadron as I recently published my father's story of his service as a Pathfinder pilot who served with 101. 156 and 582 Squadrons.
    Rather than tie up the site with a bunch of data, would you please pm me with any details you have and I will endeavour to find the info you are looking for. Please provide your email address. I would be looking for dates of any sorties, or when he joined the Squadron, names of any crew members, that sort of thing.

    Leslie
     
  7. Leslie

    Leslie Member

    Sorry about that Reebmit. I should have reread your question. In any event, I would still appreciate your email address as well as your patience. This may take a little time to look up.
     
  8. DaveB

    DaveB Very Senior Member

    Not much to offer, except the service numbers of the crew.

    BROWN, Stephen Watson - (Flight Lieutenant); Service Number - 413849 RAAF

    HENEY H W B – (Squadron Leader); Service Number NZ 39918
    CUDLIPP L W – (Sergeant); Service Number – RAF 1606835
    LAMB R D – (Flight Lieutenant); Service Number – NZ 42300
    ROSS F R – (Pilot Officer); Service Number – NZ 42341
    HARRINGTON A G – (Pilot Officer); Service Number – NZ 421276
    WEBB F S – (Flight Sergeant); Service Number – RAF 1387510


    File type - Casualty - Repatriation; Aircraft - Lancaster ND814; Place - Rennes, France; Date - 27/28 May 1944
     
  9. Reebmit

    Reebmit Junior Member

    Hi guys, thanks for the info, as you know it all helps with little snippits that can lead to other info etc...Leslie, if you can find out anything at all that would be greatly greatly appreciated, I have PM'd you my email address, thanks Tim
     
  10. KevinBattle

    KevinBattle Senior Member

    Peter, I believe the serial should be ND814, not WD814. I can't find a WD series for Lancs. Specsavers?
     
  11. Peter Clare

    Peter Clare Very Senior Member

    Peter, I believe the serial should be ND814, not WD814. I can't find a WD series for Lancs. Specsavers?

    Thanks for the correction, as you say, should have gone to Specsavers..:)
     
  12. Leslie

    Leslie Member

    Hi Tim
    I will be emailing copies of the 582 Squadron orbs for your grandfather's sorties shortly.
    It would appear he joined the Squadron as my father did, on April 1, 1944 when it was first formed. Unfortunately I can find no mention of where he reported from. I have checked 156 Squadron crew data base and there is no record of him there.
    He flew 11 sorties with 582 with the 11th being his last.

    Have you read Sean Feast's book Master Bombers? There are about 7 paragraphs in it that speak about your grandfather. " The night he was lost over Rennes he was flying as Deputy Master Bomber to W/C Dickie Walbourn. He had been asked to re-inforce the red TI's when there was a break in transmission. His aircraft appeared to be enveloped in a mass of red and green as it exploded, coming down on the western edge of the target area. There were no survivors."
    Leslie
     
  13. Smudger Jnr

    Smudger Jnr Our Man in Berlin

    Tim,

    A belated hello and welcome to the forum.
    I hope that you find the information that you are seeking.

    Regards
    Tom
     
  14. Reebmit

    Reebmit Junior Member

    Hi Tim
    I will be emailing copies of the 582 Squadron orbs for your grandfather's sorties shortly.
    It would appear he joined the Squadron as my father did, on April 1, 1944 when it was first formed. Unfortunately I can find no mention of where he reported from. I have checked 156 Squadron crew data base and there is no record of him there.
    He flew 11 sorties with 582 with the 11th being his last.

    Have you read Sean Feast's book Master Bombers? There are about 7 paragraphs in it that speak about your grandfather. " The night he was lost over Rennes he was flying as Deputy Master Bomber to W/C Dickie Walbourn. He had been asked to re-inforce the red TI's when there was a break in transmission. His aircraft appeared to be enveloped in a mass of red and green as it exploded, coming down on the western edge of the target area. There were no survivors."
    Leslie
    Hi Leslie, thats very interesting about the book i will investigate. I did not know whether the plane had blown up or crashed etc....I keep seeing green T.I.s and yellow or red T.I.s are these bomb types?? was there a procedure for an op i.e fly out, drop flares, drop bombs, fly back etc.....
     
  15. Reebmit

    Reebmit Junior Member

    Tim,

    A belated hello and welcome to the forum.
    I hope that you find the information that you are seeking.

    Regards
    Tom
    Hi Tom, yes I'm finding out a lot of info, they are a good bunch on here, regards, Tim
     
  16. Reebmit

    Reebmit Junior Member

    Hi Leslie, thats very interesting about the book i will investigate. I did not know whether the plane had blown up or crashed etc....I keep seeing green T.I.s and yellow or red T.I.s are these bomb types?? was there a procedure for an op i.e fly out, drop flares, drop bombs, fly back etc.....
    I've just bought a very good second hand version as we speak off ebay for a fiver. I will be very interested in the book as a whole not just my grandfathers bit. I think it should be an interesting read.:)
     
  17. Leslie

    Leslie Member

    Hi Tim
    I have not been able to ascertain exactly what hit your grandfather's aircraft. Most likely it was flak, however it was not uncommon for aircraft to be hit by their own bombs while on the bombing run. The TI's were markers dropped by the Pathfinders to mark the target area. They were usually different colours ie: red green yellow so as to confuse the enemy somewhat. The master bomber would then instruct the bomb stream to bomb on whatever colour had been chosen for this operation, once they were over the target area.
    Hope this helps a little.
    Leslie
     
  18. KevinBattle

    KevinBattle Senior Member

    T.I.'s stands for Target Indicators. The bombers were told what colours would apply for that attack. They would be dropped by the Master Bomber or Pathfinders on the target itself, or more usually, a minute or so before the target so the bombers could "line up" to ensure they were on target. They were usually on a parachute so they were visible for longer, in case bombs destroyed those on the ground.

    The Germans often tried to lure the bomber stream away from the target by lighting similar flares in open land. When that happened, another set of markers, of a different colour could be used to keep the bombers on the right target.

    There were instances of aircraft being hit by bombs from aircraft above them (imagine trying to get upwards of 1,000 aircraft to a destination at one time!) but usually as they hadn't time to fuse they could be brought back embedded in the wings etc.

    Master Bombers circled round the target with radio contact with the stream to correct any "drift" away from the target and drop fresh markers as the previous set burnt out or were extinguished. To keep orbitting the target would expose them to more nightfighter attacks and being tracked by flak. Not a job for the faint hearted.

    From the description, the target indicators must have been hit in the bomb bay before release, hence the colours being seen in the explosion (which otherwise would just have been the yellow of fuel).

    Whether flak or a night fighter stalking them from below with tracerless Schrage Musik into the fuselage, is probably going to remain a mystery, unless either a barrage of flak was seen nearby, or a fighter claim. Another possibility could be a midair collision..
     
  19. Leslie

    Leslie Member

    Much better explanation and description than mine Kevin. Thanks for that.
    Leslie
     
  20. Oggie2620

    Oggie2620 Senior Member

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