The twins
flew in Stirling BF455. It was damaged by Flak over the
target and later engaged in a running
battle with night-fighters. Low on fuel,
the bomber was ditched in the Channel,
some 3 miles off Shoreham-by-Sea,
Sussex. All were picked up by an ASR
Walrus
amphibian. Sgt R Tod, was awarded an Immediate DFM
for his actions as Wireless Operator.
His
citation, which appeared in the London
Gazette on May 7, 1943, reads: "Sergeant Robert Ernest TOD,
Royal
Canadian Air Force, No. 75 (N.Z.)
Squadron.
This airman was the wireless operator of
an
aircraft which was damaged by
anti-aircraft fire
during an operational flight over enemy
territory.
The aircraft gradually lost height and
the pilot
was eventually compelled to bring it
down on to
the sea. Meanwhile, Sergeant Tod coolly
worked
at his apparatus, maintaining wireless
contact with
base. His excellent work enabled the
aircraft to
be continuously plotted from the ground,
and
plans for rescue to be made. The entire
crew of the aircraft were picked up
within 15 minutes of
coming down on to the sea. This airman
displayed
great coolness and unswerving devotion
to
duty throughout."
On 22/23 June 1943 the Todd brothers
were part of the mission to bomb the
German city at Mulheim. Their crew
consisted of:
Pilot
F/L Thomas Fraser McCrorie DFC RAFVR
Flight Engineer
Sgt Eric Grainger RAFVR
Navigator
P/O William Stuckey M.I.D. RAFVR
Bomb/Aimer
Sgt James Leonard Richards R.N.Z.A.F.
Wireless/operator
W.O.2 Robert Earnest Tod. D.F.M.
R.C.A.F.
Air GunnerW.O.2 Richard Douglas Tod. R.C.A.F.
Air Gunner
Sgt Raymond Anthony Kennedy RAFVR
The crew took off in
Stirling Mk.III EH889 AA-Z at 23.48
from Newmarket. 557 aircraft took part in the
operation and 35 of them were lost. One
of them was EH889. It was shot down by a
night-fighter, flown by Oblt. Lothar Linke,
of IV/NJG1
and fell at 00:26 hours into the
IJsselmeer.
Five
bodies of the crew were recovered from
the IJsselmeer during July.
F/L T. F. McCrorie Lies in
Hemelumer-Oldeferd [Molkwerum]
Protestant Churchyard.
Sgt E. Grainger and Sgt James Richards
are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
P/O W. Stuckey rests in
Wonseradeel [Makkum] Protestant
Churchyard.
Sgt R. A. Kennedy lies in Wieringermeer [Middenmeer] General
Cemetery
W/O
Robert Taylor is buried next to his
brother at Medemblik
General Cemetery, grave 248.
