RNZAF Harold Bruce Wright-Heney DSO -582 Squadron

[reebmit]

Hi all,
I am currently looking for any information on my Grandfather who was a New Zealander in 582 Squadron based in the UK during WW2.

I have also posted a thread on WW2 forum www.ww2talk.com/forum/war-air/25266-582-squadron-harold-bruce-wright-heney-dso.

Squadron Leader 39918, Harold Bruce Wright-Heney, DSO, 582 Squadron, had at least 59 sorties to his credit, died aged 23 on 28th May 1944. (born New Zealand, Canterbury).
The crew took off from Little Staughton (UK) at 23.25 on 27/28 May 1944. Their task was to attack the aerodrome at St. Jacques but Crashed on the western edge of the target area, with the loss of all the crew.

He is now buried at Rennes Eastern Cemetery, Ille-Et-Vilaine, FRANCE. Ref. Sec. 18. Plot 1. Row D. Grave 7.

Additional info found so far:

Lancaster III WD814 60-T
Op. Rennes

The Rennes raid of 27-28 May 1944

78 Lancasters and 5 Mosquitos of No 8 Group attacked the airfield at Rennes in good visibility. The marking was good and the bombing was very accurate. Much damage to the airfield installations was caused and there was a large explosion, probably in the bomb dump.
Crew:

BROWN, Stephen Watson - (Flight Lieutenant); Service Number - 413849 RAAF
HENEY H W B – (Squadron Leader); Service Number NZ 39918
CUDLIPP L W – (Sergeant); Service Number – RAF 1606835
LAMB R D – (Flight Lieutenant); Service Number – NZ 42300
ROSS F R – (Pilot Officer); Service Number – NZ 42341
HARRINGTON A G – (Pilot Officer); Service Number – NZ 421276
WEBB F S – (Flight Sergeant); Service Number – RAF 1387510

It would appear he joined the Squadron on April 1, 1944 when it was first formed.
He flew 11 sorties with 582 with the 11th being his last.

I hear that in Sean Feast's book Master Bombers, there are about 7 paragraphs in it that speak about my grandfather. " The night he was lost over Rennes he was flying as Deputy Master Bomber to W/C Dickie Walbourn. He had been asked to re-inforce the red TI's when there was a break in transmission. His aircraft appeared to be enveloped in a mass of red and green as it exploded, coming down on the western edge of the target area. There were no survivors."
The ultimate would be to find someone that is still alive that knew him but I think that is a very long shot as they would quite old now.

I look forward to your replies and any pointers that may help me in my quest to find out as much info as I can, many thanks for your time, Tim

Update, also in 37, 75 and 7 squadron

[smithy]

Tim,

Unfortunately I can't help as Bomber Command is not my area of interest but if you don't have any luck here you may wish to post your request on these two boards where a number of professional aviation historians are members:

forum.12oclockhigh.net/forumdisplay.php?f=7

www.rafcommands.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=1

When researching one of my relatives I used these organisations:

The MoD Service Records Enquiries

www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/ContactUs/ServiceRecordsEnquiries.htm

The AHB

www.raf.mod.uk/ahb/

RAF Museum

www.rafmuseum.org.uk

Just be aware that WWII service records are not yet in the public domain and so you will have to prove your familial relationship to obtain a copy of the war service record of your grandfather.

Best of luck!

Tim

[reebmit]

Hi Smithy, thanks for the links I will see how far I get. I have just sent off to NZ defence to get all the files/info from there so fingers crossed. Thanks again, take is easy, Tim

[Dave Homewood]

You can get his service records from the NZDF Personnel Record Office so long as you prove he's deceased (which won't be hard). They have a contact webpage here:

forms.nzdf.mil.nz/nzdf/contactform-nzdf-archive.asp

[reebmit]

Hi Dave, thanks for that, I have done just that a few days ago. I was sent the link a few days back from a lady in NZ (Liz) who also sent me a letter which was written by a crew member two days before my grandfathers death, very interesting.
I am looking forward to receiving some info back from the military, I await their letter/info pack! thanks for the link, greatly appreciated, Tim

[reebmit]

Hi again, here is the letter, some of you may find it interesting, especially as two days later they did not make it back, it says in the letter he was awarded the DFC but It was actually the DSO, I don't know if he had the DFC as well, or whether this is possible, still looking into:

Copy. Part of letter received from Fl.Lt.Steve Brown, dated 24th May.
I seems as though things will come to a head here soon as there is much activity on both sides and I can envisage much excitement ahead. We had rather an exciting time the other night, when Bruce the skipper did a magnificent job and was awarded the D.F.C
We were detailed to attack Dortmund in the Ruhr (Happy Valley) and poor Ron our navigator could not come as he had a cold. He was awfully disappointed and so was I because I like working with him and I was a bit dubious about the other navigator who was detailed in his place. After briefing we all went out to the kite, after a meal, and Ron came out to see us off. He gave me a trinket to take along saying “Kid that’s me Steve” and off we went.
The route to the target was uneventful. We saw a few fighters and one aircraft go down that was all. The trouble started when we got to the target. The flak was moderate but there was a lot of fighters and hundreds of searchlights groping for us. One fighter made a pass at us but no firing ensued and we successfully evaded him and he became lost in the night.
Then we started our bombing run. I had just called for “bomb doors open” when we got hit by a shower of incendiaries from another aircraft. The port motor engine caught fire and was burning furiously. We finished the bombing run then Bruce told us to prepare to bale out. We all got ready and by this time the searchlights had picked us up and we were being pasted by flak. We feathered the burning engine and Bruce twisting and turning dived to 13000’ to try and put the fire out as the extinguisher had no effect. The fire still persisted and then we knew we would have to bale out soon or we might blow up, so we decided to hang on for a few minutes so as to get as far away from the target area as possible before doing so. Then by a miracle the fire died out of its own accord. Imagine our relief.
We set course for home on the remaining three engines but as we had some of our navigational instruments hit, we strayed over Dusseldorf and were picked up by searchlights and again pasted and hit by flak. The aircraft became very sloppy but Bruce seemed to have her under control O.K. We finally crossed the enemy coast and headed home. Another of the engines started to miss and we sent out a distress signal but later it picked up again.
Not having normal speed we were running very late and being on our own provided an easy target, for any fighters. Just after we crossed the English coast the worst happened. Just when we were congratulating ourselves, a JU 88 came in and shot us up with cannon shells. How he missed a vital part is a mystery but our good fortune. We were sitters as both our turrets were unserviceable. He came in twice and raked us both times, shooting away the rudder, an elevator and the hydraulics and what not. Bruce did a wizard job of evasion and finally made base. Our radio transmitter was out of commission as all the aerials were shot away. However we got down O.K. and boy! were they glad to see us and were we glad to get down.
I could never describe my feelings during that hectic journey but I can tell you they were quite a mixture. We got back anyway and that’s the main thing. The navigator about whom I was a bit dubious coped marvellously under the circumstances but Bruce was the man that put up the good show. I’ve done 25 trips altogether now and that was the first time anything serious had happened so I’m touching wood for the future. Thanks goodness none of us were hurt. When we got out and looked at the kite it seemed impossible for all of us to escape.