204619 Sgt Ron Arnold Royal Air Force 12 Squadron My Grandfather, Ron Arnold was the rear gunner with a crew which was shot down in 1942, in Wellington mkII W5442 PH-B of 12Sqn flying from RAF Binbrook.
The Raid:
Essen – 9 March 1942
187 aircraft took part - (136 Wellingtons, 21 Stirlings, 15 Hampdens, 10 Manchesters, 5 Halifaxes) – to continue the series of heavy Gee-guided raids to Essen. 2 Wellingtons and 1 Halifax were lost. Thick ground haze led to scattered bombing. Only 2 buildings were destroyed in Essen but 72 were damaged. Bombs also fell in 24 other Ruhr towns with particular damage in Hamborn and Duisburg. 10 people were killed, 19 were missing and 52 were injured in Essen; 74 people were killed and 284 injured in other towns.
W5442 took off at 20:39hrs from RAF Binbrook. Shot down by flak and crashed at 23:42hrs alongside a road known as the Kagerweg, near Beverwijk Noord Holland, 21 km NW of the centre of Amsterdam.
Crew:
- Pilot: P/O R.H. Buchanan 45419 - Inj
(P/O Buchanan was confined in Hospital due injuries then returned to UK)
- 2nd Pilot: Sgt P.G. Sanders 1380919
(Killed in action)
- Navigator: RNZAF Sgt R.A. Scragg nz/401413
(Killed in action)
- Front Gunner: Sgt H.M. Murdo 1060255
(Killed in action)
- Rear Gunner: Sgt R.A. Arnold 612589
(Initially reported as missing in action, on 26 March a call was received from Berlin advising that he was a PoW interned in Camp 8B/344/L4. No.24843)
- Wireless Operator: Sgt C.J.Chedd 923890,
(PoW No.24831)
Those killed are buried in the General Cemetery at Bergen
Camp:
Stalag VIII-B near Cieszyn (Teschen), Poland, a sub camp of Stalag 8b (later renamed 344) which was the main camp 3km from Lamsdorf.
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