PoW Info related to Lancaster JB595

**Henk Welting** · 1st January 2011, 16:20

To find a possible crash location in Germany looking for info from PoW reports of:
F/Sgt S. JACQUES - 1432964;
Sgt G.C. FARRAN - 1512473;
Sgt J.G. MORTON - 1335893;
Sgt F. SEDDON - 1536326;
Sgt J.E. HOLFORD - 3050007, and
Sgt D.C. O'DONNELL - 1061941.
They were 626 Sqn and missing 15/16-2-1944 on a raid to Berlin, flying Lancaster JB595.
The Flt Eng Sgt Alfred A. PHILLIPS - 1583796 died 15-5-1944 and lies buried in the Berlin War Cem. Not known whether or not he was wounded in the incident or later of other causes. Don't have his first burial location.
Chorley mentions that the aircraft may have been attacked by an enemy night fighter over Erfurt, but this may be way off track. A first burial location of Sgt Phillips or info from the PoW-reports could bring some news.
Regards and thanks for your help.
Henk.

**paulmcmillan** · 10th June 2020, 07:22

Beagletorque has reported this post:

PoW Info
http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/sho...8270#post58270

This is part of this thread:
PoW Info
http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?9956

This is the reason that the user gave:
I have information regarding Jcaques and Holford

**Beagletorque** · 12th June 2020, 15:36

F/Sgt Stewart JACQUES - 1432964; Shot down over Erfurt (JU88G) after unloading over Berlin reported all bailed out. Stewart Jacques - Injured - PoW 2133 - Dulagluft - Arrives 7/3/1944 Stalagluft 6 - 357 - Long March - Home RIP 1993
Sgt G.C. FARRAN - 1512473; Injured - Dulag - Air Force Hospital Branuschweig - Returned on Red Cross Ship Letitia Docking 2/2/1945 Liverpool
Sgt J.G. MORTON - 1335893; PoW 1619 - Dulag - Stalagluft 6 - 357 - Promotion to F/S 10/2/1945 in 357 - Outcome Unknown
Sgt Frank SEDDON - 1536326; PoW 1469 - Dulag - Arrives Stalagluft 6 28/2/1944 - 357 - Promotion to F/S 1/7/1944 in 357 - Outcome Unknown
Sgt John Edward HOLFORD - 3050007; PoW 1465 - Dulag - Arrives Stalagluft 6 28/2/1944 - 357 - Long March - Home RIP 2016 - Also ref 2 AGS RAF Dalcross 15 OTU RAF Harwell - have located relative with his Flight Log. Raf stories were gathered from him.
Sgt Daniel Conolly O'DONNELL - 1061941; Dulag - Injured - Air Force Hospital Branuschweig - Returned on Red Cross Ship Letitia Docking 2/2/1945 Liverpool.
Sgt Alfred Arthur Phillips died from injuries sustained during the attack 15-5-1944. Buried Berlin War Cemetery - Memorial Reference: 8. C. 29. - Son of Archibald and Mabel Grace Phillips, of Rugeley, Staffordshire. Also ref 4 AGS RAF Morpeth 30 OTU RAF Hixon

**Beagletorque** · 12th June 2020, 16:45

Further breaking news (for me) it seems that all the crew bailed, but Jacques may have landed the Lancaster some how. This is a very recent development, news from an ancient relative of one of the crew. Will update further....

**Beagletorque** · 31st May 2021, 17:18

Originally Posted by Henk Welting

To find a possible crash location in Germany looking for info from PoW reports of:
F/Sgt S. JACQUES - 1432964;
Sgt G.C. FARRAN - 1512473;
Sgt J.G. MORTON - 1335893;
Sgt F. SEDDON - 1536326;
Sgt J.E. HOLFORD - 3050007, and
Sgt D.C. O'DONNELL - 1061941.
They were 626 Sqn and missing 15/16-2-1944 on a raid to Berlin, flying Lancaster JB595.
The Flt Eng Sgt Alfred A. PHILLIPS - 1583796 died 15-5-1944 and lies buried in the Berlin War Cem. Not known whether or not he was wounded in the incident or later of other causes. Don't have his first burial location.
Chorley mentions that the aircraft may have been attacked by an enemy night fighter over Erfurt, but this may be way off track. A first burial location of Sgt Phillips or info from the PoW-reports could bring some news.
Regards and thanks for your help.
Henk.

Sadly Henk will never read this, but I have found some answers after a long search and much help, as I'm sure is always the case with these things.

Flt Eng Sgt Alfred A. PHILLIPS - 1583796 banged his head and fractured his skull during an evasive manoeuvre as they were being attacked on the run in to Berlin from the North. The bombs were dropped and a course set for home. FE was obviously not fully compos mentis and it became clear that the fuel tanks had been hit and there was insufficient fuel for the return leg. The pilot deviated south from the home route and set a course towards "Erfurt". The order was given to bail out which everybody did. Rear Gunner Sgt O'Donnell was injured in the attack, his parachute cord pulling arm's shoulder was hit with tracer. He was dragged up from the back by the Navigator and his chute was clipped on upside so he could pull it with his good arm. FE Phillips also bailed, but was in no fit state for anything including his responsibility to help the pilot get his own chute on. Nav, Sgt Farran, went to say good bye to the skipper before jumping and was asked to help him on with his chute, which he did. However in the process the chute was dropped and lost out of the front hatch. So, 2 in the crate and 1 chute remaining. After some discussion they stayed together and decided to try and land the Lanc. They spotted an airfield (possibly one of the 2 at Erfurt at that time) and Jacques belly landed on the runway. Farran was very badly injured in the process and was dragged from the burning wreck by the pilot who had a smashed shoulder, but was otherwise ok.

AA Phillips was taken to the local Erfurt civilian hospital after parachuting out, he died 3 months later from the fractured skull and was initially buried in the local cemetery before being relocated to Berlin after the war.

Everybody else survived and lived a longish life even after the normal severe PoW experience. Both Farran and O'Donnell spent the rest of their war in hospital(s) and were eventually repatriated by ship. Both were treated in Germany at different times by Brigadier Tony Crook and feature in this memoir "Barbed-wire Doctor - One Doctor's War".

The next question, how do I found out exactly were the Lancaster landed? Erfurt seems like the obvious place, but who would know!

**Argus** · 31st May 2021, 20:31

Hello Beagletorque,

I went through the old ITS files.

Alfred Arthur Phillips, born 5/5 1923, 5. Bryans Lane, Rugeley, Staffordshire.

He was first taken to "Ehem. Res. Lazarett, Kuranstalt Hohemark, Oberursel on 28/2 1944". By the way, the location is very close to the Dulag Luft.

He died caused a parietal bone fracture, after an aircraft shot down.

According the Death Certificate, he died in "Reserve Lazarett II, Erfurt, on 15/5 1944 , time 18:15".

Buried Hauptfriedhof of Erfurt.

Regards

Finn Buch

**Beagletorque** · 1st June 2021, 07:32

Thanks for the info Finn.

What is "ITS" and does it have any information on Jacques, Farran or O'Donnell?

**Argus** · 1st June 2021, 08:06

Hi,

George Cromley Farran, born 15/4 1921 in Dublin. He is also mentioned in the medical record, date 1/3 1944 of "Ehem. Res. Lazarett, Kuranstalt Hohemark, Oberursel".

No details found about Jacques and O'Donnell.

ITS is equal to International Tracing Service.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arolse...zi_Persecution

Regards

Finn Buch

**Beagletorque** · 2nd June 2021, 09:51

Finn,
thank you for that information. Then I do have copies of those documents and O'Donnell is in there too, twice ITS 179 and 140. But in my view they are not accurate, partly because they were made up some time later and partly because I have original written testament from one of crew so I know ITS can't be 100% correct.
I think "Ehem. Res. Lazarett, Kuranstalt Hohemark, Oberursel" seems to be a catch all term for any injured prisoner, may be to prove they were sticking to the agreed international protocol to treat injured airmen humanely? Very probably because it was so close to the Dulag Luft.

If you know of any way to find out where the Lancaster JB595 may have landed (I have the original written testament of one of those onboard when it landed, and confirmation from family members of other crew that it did "land" at a German airfield, most likely an Army Base not Luftwaffe) then I would be very happy.

Kind Regards,
Andrew

**Bobthejo** · 24th October 2021, 08:57

Good morning all,

I am the current owner of John Mortons belongings which was purchased by me after being sold by his widow, Valerie, 83, the grouping included his Airmans Logbook, Caterpillar Club Pin and certificate, medals, some hand written details, photographs etc also there is a Daily Mail article with details of the sale. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...-years-on.html