The crew took
off from their base Dunholme Lodge in
Lincolnshire in Lancaster I LL938-S. The
time was 23.23 and they were tasked to bomb
the synthetic oil plant at Wesseling, close
to Cologne. It was P/O Wood's third mission
with 44 squadron. He had already 500 hours
logged.
The Lancaster
was shot down over the target area, crashing
near the town of Oberempt. The pilot, P/O
Wood, air bomber WO II Arthur Leonard and
air gunner Sgt. Vincent McKenzie were killed
and buried in the town. Sgt Such, F/S
Philips and WO Sargeant were taken POW. The
American wireless operator T/Sgt Albert
Martin is still missing.
W/O A
Sargeant RAAF, wrote: “Wesseling
was our second op as a crew. After the
skipper and I each took part in a
familiarization trip to AUNAY we went to
BEAUVAIS for our first op and attacked a V
weapon site. Our next target was the oil
plant, but we were hit by a night fighter
shortly after entering Germany and had to
get out.”
“George Phillips the M/U had opened the rear
door when he spotted Tich Mackenzie, the
rear gunner, struggling with an already
opened parachute. While helping him to
gather it up the door closed end jammed fast
trapping them both. As Frank Such, the
flight engineer, helped Russell Wood with
his parachute he could see the skipper's
face was covered in blood. Forwards in the
nose Bud Leonard lay slumped over the bomb
sight, and as Frank went forward and pulled
the release handle it came away in his
hand.”
“Meanwhile
the aircraft entered a steep spiral and I
found myself stuck fast by the accompanying
forces. My salvation came when LL938
exploded blowing Charles, Frank and I clear.
Our WOP Al Martin was an American who,
having enlisted in the RCAF, had transferred
to the USAAF during training. He died with
the rest of the boys. We three survivors
were quickly rounded up next day.”[1]
After the war
the three were taken by the American Graves
registration to Margraten were they were
reburied. In 1947 they were moved to their
permanent resting place at the Nederweert
War Cemetery.
P/O Russell
Wood was 23.
(Picture
courtesy of Auckland Museum War Memorial)
