| Sergeant John
Richmond
was serving as Flight Engineer aboard
Halifax Mk. BIII NR197 coded AL-Z during a
mine laying
operation to
Sandefjord, Norway on
December 28/29, 1944. The aircraft departed Leeming at 1600hrs as
one of
four squadron aircraft sent to drop mines in the Oslo Fjord in an
attempt to stop shiploads of German soldiers bound for the Eastern
front. Three of the aircraft dropped their mines in the designated
area. Halifax NR197 set course for Sandefjord on the South Eastern
coast of Norway, carrying four mines, three which would detonate
after a short time in the sea and the fourth after four days. The
other aircraft witnessed it
spin out of control and crash upon impact near the target area, all of the crew
perished. The other
crewmembers were:
|
Name |
Service |
Trade |
Hometown |
Age |
|
F/O Bertram Drewery |
RCAF |
Pilot |
Charing Cross, Ontario |
25 |
|
Sgt John Richmond |
RAFVR |
Flight Engineer |
Gravesend, Kent |
23 |
|
F/O Lloyd Catheralle |
RCAF |
Navigator |
New Westminster, B.C |
23 |
|
F/O Joseph Cullen |
RCAF |
Bomb Aimer |
Ottawa, Ontario |
25 |
|
P/O Adam McDonald |
RCAF |
W/Op/AG |
Masterville,Quebec |
28 |
|
F/Sgt Karl Kelly |
RCAF |
Air Gunner |
New Liskeard,Ontario |
20 |
|
F/Sgt James Giblin |
RCAF |
Air Gunner |
Ontario |
27 |
Sergeant
John Daniel Richmond RAFVR was the son of Alexander Buchan and
Elizabeth Richmond and brother of Gordon and Thomas of Gravesend,
Kent.
An
eye witness described how after hearing the air raid warning signal,
he saw a large bomber coming in from the North East at a low
altitude. It’s lights were flashing alternatively red and green from
the wing tips of the aircraft as it passed Framnes mechanical
workshop and he later heard the German AA guns fire at the aircraft.
Shortly afterwards, he heard an explosion and was told later that an
aircraft had crashed into the Jahres Chemical Factory where he
worked. Another eye witness remembers the German soldiers cheering
as the damaged bomber was hit by German AA Guns from Sandefjord
harbour.
John Richmond beside Halifax rear turret. Engine parts fromt eh plane recovered after teh war Article regarding the parts. Memorial service for the crew and civilians. Article on the memorial service.
John Richmond beside Halifax rear turret.
The
Jahres Chemical factory was totally destroyed in the crash and many
houses were destroyed or damaged. Felix Gunszt, supervisor at the
factory was killed along with two other civilians.
A
Memorial service was held after the war, where a stone was laid at
the spot where the Halifax crashed, in memory of the crew and
civilians who lost their lives in the crash.
|
