582 Squadron - Harold Bruce Wright Heney DSO

Hi Tim
I have just stumbled across your posting, so have joined to reply to you. My Grandfathers brother was Allan George Harrington and funnily enough only last week an aunty sent me a folder of copies of his army memorabilia. In this is a letter describing a hair raising bombing mission they went on only 2 days before they went MIA, and a few other little snippets about their crew. I would be more than happy so send these on to you if you would like?
I can't see your email address, but mine should show up.
cheers
Liz

 

Hi Liz and welcome the forum.

Any chance you can scan them and post them on this thread?

Regards
Andy

 

Hi Andy
Unfortunately my scanner is broken at the moment but will try to use my friends one to get it on here sometime soon. Actually the description in the letter is of the mission to Dortmund
Cheers
Liz

 

Hi Tim and Andy

I just transcribed that letter describing their eventful night a few days before they went missing. The only liberty I took was to add paragraphs as there weren't any in the original....I guess paper was at a premium then?!
Tim I see that the letter talks of 'Bruce' which I assume was your grandfather as that is his middle name?

Enjoy
Liz

 

Hi Liz and welcome to the group. They were awesome when I was researching my book and provided much information to fill in the blanks including the name of the German fighter pilot who shot them down in August of 1944.

What an awesome letter. This crew's experience is very similar to the one my father had on Dec.2/3, 1943 returning from Berlin. My Dad was awarded the DFM for that sortie, his 4th, flying with 101 Squadron.
I am following this thread closely as there are not too many threads about 582 Squadron Pathfinder Force.

Thank you for sharing.

 

Hi all, I am overwhelmed with the responses from everyone, many thanks. If I have not replied to some emails etc... I will soon I'm just working my way through them. Liz I will email you my details, I only briefly read your letter and wow what a find. Thanks for the info Dee I will persue that route also. Kevin thanks for the description of the TI's etc... that helps me a lot. Tim

 

Liz,
Hello and welcome to the forum.

It is always refreshing to find members providing further information to posts. Well done.

Regards
Tom

 

quick update, I've found out he was in 37 squadron, then 75 squadron then 7 squadron then 582.

 

Hi Tim,

Glad that you liked the letter, your grandfather sounded like a great man. My Gr Uncle Allan was also in the 75th then the 7th then the 582 squadron. I got a wad of information about him from the New Zealand Defense Force Archives about a year ago, and from memory it was a free service. It included all of his enlistment details, where he trained, all of the squadrons he was in, copies of telegrams to his parents informing them of his MIA etc, his will, the medals he received and who they were sent to etc etc. Here is the link to the site, so you just print out the request and send it.
http://www.nzdf.mil.nz/personnel-records/nzdf-archives/accessing-military-service-records.htm
A great service.
Thanks Leslie and Tom, yes that letter paints quite a picture, hard to imaging going through something like that and extra poignant as they all died only a few days later.
Regards
Liz

 

Hi Tim,

Glad that you liked the letter, your grandfather sounded like a great man. My Gr Uncle Allan was also in the 75th then the 7th then the 582 squadron. I got a wad of information about him from the New Zealand Defense Force Archives about a year ago, and from memory it was a free service. It included all of his enlistment details, where he trained, all of the squadrons he was in, copies of telegrams to his parents informing them of his MIA etc, his will, the medals he received and who they were sent to etc etc. Here is the link to the site, so you just print out the request and send it.
http://www.nzdf.mil.nz/personnel-records/nzdf-archives/accessing-military-service-records.htm
A great service.

Regards
Liz
Thanks Liz, I will do that, its sounds just what I'm after. If you have any other info of any of the crew that would be great, hopefully you have my email now, Regards Tim

 

Liz, I sent off application a few days ago so shall see what turns up in a few weeks, fingers crossed, you're right they say they will give quite a lot of info if they have it, where they trained, telegrams home to loved ones etc...

I got the master Bombers book and yes there were several paragraphs about my Grandfather, thanks Leslie, perfect, I even found out that his name was sometimes 'Pat' amongst his friends.

 

Hi Tim
Yes hopefully you should get a lot of information, I was amazed how much I got and as you probably have seen your first request is free. Let me know what sort of stuff you get.
Cheers
liz

 

Hello,

I just found your message about your grandfather Harold Wright Bruce Heney, who died on a mission near the site of Rennes.
I visited the crash site and a witness tells us that the cockpit of the Lancaster is in the River.
I must go to Rennes to take pictures of graves of airmen from the RAF, including that of your grandfather.
I pay tribute to your father and would like to have his biography, photos for placement on a page, we are working for the duty to remember for many years.

http://www.absa39-45.com/28%20mai%20194 ... -ND814.htm

Regards,
Dan


http://www.absa39-45.com/

 

Hi Dan and welcome to the forum.

If you do take the photos at Rennes could you please take a couple for me?

Brown who was on the flight and is RAAF and P/O Readhead who was an Australian in the RAF.

I noticed on the flags on your website that you had a couple of the Flags in the wrong position for the members on this flight as Brown should be (Australia) and Lamb should be NZ.

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

BROWN, STEPHEN WATSON Flight Lieutenant 413849 582sq 28/05/1944 21 Royal Australian Air Force Australian Sec. 18. Plot 1. Row D. Grave 6. RENNES EASTERN COMMUNAL CEMETERY

READHEAD, HARRY SANFORD Pilot Officer 131647 161sq 15/01/1943 31 Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve UK Sec. 18. Plot 1. Row C. Coll. grave 8-13. RENNES EASTERN COMMUNAL CEMETERY

P/O Readhead was part of this crew.

15/16 January 1943 - 161 Squadron - Halifax DG285 - MA-X
Crashed near Rennes (Ille-de-Vilaine), Northern France.

From:
Roll of Honour - Bedfordshire - Tempsford - Air Crew Losses

Cheers

Geoff

 

Hi Dan and welcome to the forum.

If you do take the photos at Rennes could you please take a couple for me?

Brown who was on the flight and is RAAF and P/O Readhead who was an Australian in the RAF.

I noticed on the flags on your website that you had a couple of the Flags in the wrong position for the members on this flight as Brown should be (Australia) and Lamb should be NZ.

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

BROWN, STEPHEN WATSON Flight Lieutenant 413849 582sq 28/05/1944 21 Royal Australian Air Force Australian Sec. 18. Plot 1. Row D. Grave 6. RENNES EASTERN COMMUNAL CEMETERY

READHEAD, HARRY SANFORD Pilot Officer 131647 161sq 15/01/1943 31 Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve UK Sec. 18. Plot 1. Row C. Coll. grave 8-13. RENNES EASTERN COMMUNAL CEMETERY

P/O Readhead was part of this crew.

15/16 January 1943 - 161 Squadron - Halifax DG285 - MA-X
Crashed near Rennes (Ille-de-Vilaine), Northern France.

From:
Roll of Honour - Bedfordshire - Tempsford - Air Crew Losses

Cheers

Geoff
Hello,

Here are long overdue pictures of graves in Rennes the entire crew of the Lancaster III ND814.

Cimetiere_Rennes 28 MAI 1944


I reherche in exchange for photos of the pilot Harold Bruce Wright Heney and other documents on the Lancaster, a photo ?

Regards,
Dan

 

Hi Guys,

Im new to the forum and have been doing some research for my wife, her grandfather flew with the 582 Squadron. He transfered from the 156 Squadron when it was first formed in April 44, we have been able to get his records from the 156 but cant seem to get any for the 582, im wondering if anybody could point me in the right direction. His name is P/O Gilbert Desmond Smith RAAF. cheers, Rob

 

If you let me have your email via a private message, i'll get back to you. I have a copy of 156 and 582 Operations Record Books, also a copy of 625sqdn ORB, from where he was posted to 156sqdn on 01/03/44.
Alan.

 

Hello and welcome to the forum. Seems Alan has the info you require.

Regards
Peter

 

Was he RAAF or RAF?

His name does not come up on the Australian Nominal Roll.

Cheers

Geoff

 

He is not only on the Nominal Roll, but also in the NAA Archive under his service number 417125. The reason you cannot find him is that he is Gilbert Derek, not Gilbert Desmond. The NAA also wrongly has him as an "LAC" on board 582sqdn Lancaster PB182 lost near Recklinghausen, Germany, on 11th Sept 44, but PB182 was not lost on this date.