I am seeking any further information about my uncle, George Nelson (412476 Sergeant (Obs) (RNZAF)) who died while serving in the R.A.F during WW11. It seems their target was Krefeld (Germany) on the night of 02/10/1942, they were in a Wellington bomber (115 R.A.F. Sqdn) Serial number BK271/Op or BK271/A and took off from Mildenhall at 18.45. Their aircraft was supposedly brought down southwest of the target area near Dusseldorf. Other crew members who died were: Pilot Sgt ADSETT Frederick Charles R/92747 RCAF Pilot 2 Sgt JONES Rex Nigel Hugh 411217 RNZAF W/AG Sgt MARTIN George Wilfred 405302 RNZAF W/AG Sgt TURVEY Keneth Tempest 925966 I would like to talk to anyone who knew him or his fellow flyers, or have photos, records or any documentation relating to any of the above. Many thanks."
Hi, One of our members has created the 'Back to Normandy' website which covers more that just 1944 onwards - there are some details on there of the plane you are searching for - link - http://www.backtonormandy.org/the-history/air-force-operations/airplanes-allies-and-axis-lost/wellington/BK2711942-10-03.html - which you may have already seen ?? Also from CWGC: http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead.aspx?cpage=1 NELSON, GEORGE Rank: Sergeant Trade: Obs. Service No: 412476 Date of Death: 02/10/1942 Age: 21 Regiment/Service: Royal New Zealand Air Force 115 (R.A.F.) Sqdn Grave Reference Joint grave 8. E. 7-8. Cemetery REICHSWALD FOREST WAR CEMETERY Additional Information: Son of James and Margaret Baird Nelson, of Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand. Edited to add: Others should be accessible via the CWGC site
Hi and welcome to the forum. If you have not done so already I suggest that you apply for your Uncle's service record the cost would be £30, more details here. You can also download 115 Sqn Operational Record Book (Summary of Events and the Record of Events - £3.36 each) for the period from here.
Hello, Brian As you know, George was part of the crew of Wellington Mk III Squadron Code KO-A serial BK271 NELSON, GEORGE. Rank: Sergeant. Trade: Obs. Service No: 412476. Date of Death: 02/10/1942. Age: 21. Regiment/Service: Royal New Zealand Air Force. 115 (R.A.F.) Sqdn Grave Reference: Joint grave 8. E. 7-8. Cemetery: REICHSWALD FOREST WAR CEMETERY Additional Information: Son of James and Margaret Baird Nelson, of Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand. JONES, REX NIGEL HUGH. Rank: Sergeant. Trade: Obs. Service No: 411217. Date of Death: 02/10/1942. Age: 22. Regiment/Service: Royal New Zealand Air Force. 115 (R.A.F.) Sqdn. Grave Reference: Joint grave 8. E. 7-8. Cemetery: REICHSWALD FOREST WAR CEMETERY Additional Information: Son of Charles Jones and of Dagmar Constance Jones (nee Knipe), of Smethwick, Staffordshire, England. ADSETT, FREDERICK CHARLES. Rank: Flight Sergeant. Trade: Pilot. Service No: R/92747. Date of Death: 02/10/1942. Age: 22. Regiment/Service: Royal Canadian Air Force. 115 (R.A.F.) Sqdn Grave Reference: Joint grave 8. E. 9-10. Cemetery: REICHSWALD FOREST WAR CEMETERY Additional Information: Son of Charles L. and Bertha M. Adsett, of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. TURVEY, KENNETH TEMPEST. Rank: Sergeant. Trade: Air Gnr. Service No: 925966. Date of Death: 02/10/1942. Age: 26. Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. 115 Sqdn. Grave Reference: Joint grave 8. E. 9-10. Cemetery: REICHSWALD FOREST WAR CEMETERY Additional Information: Son of Wallace and Alice Mary Louisa Turvey, of Slough, Buckinghamshire. MARTIN, GEORGE WILFRED. Rank: Sergeant. Trade: W.Op./Air Gnr. Service No: 405302. Date of Death: 02/10/1942. Age: 23. Regiment/Service: Royal New Zealand Air Force. 115 (R.A.F.) Sqdn Grave Reference: 8. E. 11. Cemetery: REICHSWALD FOREST WAR CEMETERY Additional Information: Son of Charles Henry Martin and of Helen Mary Martin (nee Buchanan), of Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand. There is additional information on Rex Jones on a Cambridge NZ site, where it seems his family had emigrated to (although the Additional Information seems to imply they were in England http://www.cambridgeairforce.org.nz/rex%20jones.htm Ah! I see someone has pointed you to Normandy Remembers which in turn points you to Aircrew Remembered, and Googling on Wellington BK271 may produce more. Unusually both George and Rex are shown on the RAF Loss Card as Observers and neither as a Navigator, but one should have had navigation as their primary role. Rex seems to have joined 115 in September 1942, but no details of how many raids known. The same may apply for George. I'd certainly confirm the advice to download the Operational Record Book for 115 Squadron for at least September and October. They often list at the end of each month not only the losses but men being posted to the Squadron. You may find that George and Rex, possibly others of the crew all arrived about then... Turvey was the rear gunner, Gorge and Rex may have manned the beam guns if they were shot down by fighters, explaining why they were difficult to individually identify, both being RNZAF. However the RCAF uniform of the pilot, Adsett should have been a way to identify him. Good luck.
Hello Looking for George - welcome and l hope you find what you are looking for. Elsie Tricky Dicky Thanks for the link it is fantastic. I shall be reading it all later . Elsie
Hi Brian, I had a look and found some photographs you might find interesting. But you might know them already. His portrait from the Weekly News. His headstone at the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery. A Roll of Honour plaque at the Addington Railway Workshops, in remembrance of their fallen members of staff.
Just to add that the CWGC Concentration information shows they were initially buried at Dusseldorf North Cemetery, which would be close to the actual crash site. There's now a 115 Squadron website which has further details of the crash site and photos of the crew https://www.115squadron-raf.be/crews/Wellington Mk III - BK271 - KO-A.html
Finally found out how Uncle Georges Wellington Mk III (Squadron Code KO-A serial BK271) was downed on the 2nd October 1942. Thank you to everyone who contributed to locating all the relevant information. The bomber was shot down by Night fighter pilot Oberleutnant Manfred Meurer of the Stab III./NJG 1, who was flying a Bf 110 F-4 from Twente airfield in the Netherlands. It was shot down at 21:47 roughly 2 kilometres (1.2 miles) north-northeast of Haldern.
I am from the Haldern area in Germany. Would you be interested what records may be found locally? Can't promise anything but I know the manager of the municipal archives of Rees, the town nearby which is also in charge of Haldern. Best Alex
Hi Alex, thank you for your reply, would be great if I can get any further information about the actual crash. The aircraft was a Wellington Mk III Squadron Code KO-A serial BK271 shot down about 21:47 as stated above. The date of the crash was 2nd October 1942. I would be so grateful if there were any local records or photographs of the crash, thank you. Brian Nelson