LOSS OF LANCASTER PB 542 OF 460 SQUADRON RAAF
ON 12/13 DECEMBER 1944 ON AN OPERATION TO ESSEN

Subject:     War Veteran Christopher Sanders RIP
Date:              Thu, 4 Nov 1999 10:04:44 -0000
From:            "Fr. Clifton Graham" <FrClifton@st-michaels.co.uk>

Dear Mr Dunn,

My Cleaner is the daughter of Flt. Lt. Christopher Sanders who flew with RAAF 460 Squadron. Sadly he did not return form his last sortie on 12.12.1944. The crew are buried together in the Reichwald Cemetery in Germany.

Her name is Pat Kazmi and she will be writing to you soon,

Good Luck and God Bless !

Subject:     460 Squadron
Date:             Thu, 06 Jul 2000 20:03:04 +1000
From:           "Peter L. Reid" <bgofilt@impulse.net.au>

Dear Mr Dunn,

I must congratulate you on your web-site.

Perhaps you can help me clear up a few matters.

In crew listings etc under pilot J. Clark (C17)all the crew bar 1 are listed as KIA on 12/12/44. The exception being L. Milner (E) who is listed as POW.

According to Peter Firkins in his book, all the crew were killed. All the info I have points to the same conclusion. Those killed included my uncle F-O Brian C. Reid DF, who was navigator.

Perhaps you can direct me in the right direction. If L. Milner survived the war, I wonder who I contact to see if he is still alive etc.

Sorry to impose on you with this.

Kind regards
Peter

Subject:    Flying Officer Christopher Sanders - 460 Sqdn
Date:             Sat, 04 Nov 2000 21:01:27 +0000
From:          "Mr Chris Deykin." <chrisdeykin@aol.com> 

I am currently researching my Grandfather, Christopher Sanders of 460 Squadron R.A.A.F., who failed to return from his last sortie on the 12th December 1944 to Essen, under Sqdn. Leader J. Clark (D.F.C.). I have since found out the name of the 7th member of the crew, who is Flight Engineer L. Milner. For some reason, he has not been laid to rest with the other members of the crew at the Reichswald War Cemetery in Germany. Does anyone have any information either regarding the crash, which happened over Berghausen, or, what happened to F/E Milner.

The other members of the crew were:-

B.C. Reid (D.F.C.), S.J. Bethel, P.E. Edwards and J.M. Scott (D.F.M.).

Any information on the remaining crew would also be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks,

Chris Deykin.

The following information is from John Watsons' Crew Lists for 460 Squadron:-

C17 Clark J + 12/12/44 - 7 KIA/1 POW 2nd Tour 10 Ops
(P2) 27/11/44 Walter P G.
-------------
(E) Milner L P +
(B) Bethal S J +
(N) Reid B C +
(W) Sanders C +
(G) Edwards P E +
(G) Scott J M +
10

Their target for the night was the Krupp Steelworks in Essen in Germany. Seven aircraft were shot down that night. Eight men were held as prisoners of war, and 32 men were buried by the Germans. Another three airmen were captured by police on 13 December and handed over to the German Army.

Wehrmacht Captain Erich Heyer ordered the three men to be marched through the ruins of Essen. They were on their way to be interrogated by the Luftwaffe. The two guards had orders from Heyer to not stop the local crowd if they decided to attack the three captured men as "they were going to be shot anyway". This order was said aloud so that some members of the crowd could hear what was said. The angry crowd started to hit the three men and threw sticks and stones at them.

A German Corporal fired his pistol at one of the men wounding him in the mouth. When they reached the Wickenburg Bridge someone in the crow shouted "These are the dogs who have killed our wives and Children. Kill them." The three men were shoved into the stream below. One of the men died from the fall. The other two men died from gunshot wounds from the bridge or at the hands of the angry crowd who kicked and beat them. These details were made public at a War Crime trial in 1946. Wehrmacht Captain Erich Heyer and a civilian were sentenced to be hanged and three other men were jailed for up to ten years.

One of the three men thrown from the bridge and subsequently killed is believed to have been Flying Officer Leon Milner 160860 of Lancaster PB 542 of 460 Squadron RAAF.

The above is from an article "Tragic tale of airmen left at the mercy of a baying mob".

In Memory of

JAMES CLARK DFC

Squadron Leader
402439
Royal Australian Air Force
who died on Tuesday, 12th December 1944. Age 29.

Son of David and Mary Clark; husband of Joy Eileen Clark (correct name is Ivy Eileen Clark), of East Ipswich, Queensland, Australia.

Cemetery: REICHSWALD FOREST WAR CEMETERY, Germany
Grave Reference/Panel Number: 13. G. 12.

In Memory of

CHRISTOPHER SANDERS

Flying Officer
149052
W.Op./Air Gnr.
460 (R.A.A.F.) Sqdn, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
who died on Tuesday, 12th December 1944.

Cemetery: REICHSWALD FOREST WAR CEMETERY, Germany
Grave Reference/Panel Number: 13. G. 10.

In Memory of

LEON MILNER

Flying Officer
160860
460 Sqdn., Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
who died on Tuesday, 12th December 1944. Age 23.

Son of Harold and Emily May Milner, of Long Eaton, Derbyshire; husband of Barbara Jean Milner, of Long Eaton.

Memorial: RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL, Surrey, United Kingdom
Grave Reference/Panel Number: Panel 208.

In Memory of

BRIAN CLAPHAM REID DFC

Flying Officer
409224
Royal Australian Air Force
who died on
Tuesday, 12th December 1944. Age 24.

Son of Arthur and Francis May Reid, husband of Jan Reid, of Ashburton, Victoria, Australia.

Cemetery: REICHSWALD FOREST WAR CEMETERY, Germany
Grave Reference/Panel Number: 13. G. 13.

In Memory of

STANLEY JAMES BETHEL

Flying Officer
411987
Royal Australian Air Force
who died on
Tuesday, 12th December 1944. Age 24.

Son of Thomas Stanley and Miriam Georgina Bethel, of Rockdale, New South Wales, Australia.

Cemetery: REICHSWALD FOREST WAR CEMETERY, Germany
Grave Reference/Panel Number: 13. G. 14.

In Memory of

PHILIP EDWIN EDWARDS

Flying Officer
411772
Royal Australian Air Force
who died on Tuesday, 12th December 1944. Age 31.

Son of Philip Robert and Minnie Lavina Edwards, of Glebe, New South Wales, Australia.

Cemetery: REICHSWALD FOREST WAR CEMETERY, Germany
Grave Reference/Panel Number: 13. G. 11.

In Memory of

JOHN MAXWELL SCOTT DFM

Flying Officer
404043
Royal Australian Air Force
who died on Tuesday, 12th December 1944. Age 27.

Son of Wallace Oakhampton Scott and Annie Scott, of Ashgrove, Queensland, Australia; husband of Marjorie Scott, of Auchenflower, Queensland, Australia.

Cemetery: REICHSWALD FOREST WAR CEMETERY, Germany
Grave Reference/Panel Number: 13. G. 9.

Ron Rodgers a "spare bod" WAG of 460 Squadron lived near Flying Officer P.E. "Joe" Edwards in Cowra, New South Wales when he was a boy. In June 1997, Ron and his wife Margaret visited the village church in Binbrook and discovered the Book of Remembrance open on a page that listed "Joe" Edwards.

Can anyone help with more information?

"Australia @ War" WWII Research Products

This page first produced 13 November 2000

This page last updated 27 September 2022