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Post by errolmartyn on Dec 21, 2016 22:16:15 GMT 12
I visited Arthur Joplin last week and he mentioned that he had heard that he might be the last pilot still alive that attacked the Tirpitz - does anyone have any information on this. I think 2 of his crew are still alive as well See Linzee Duncan's website at www.archieraf.co.uk/archie/index.html for Tirpitz info and her email address. An excellent researcher, and with a personal connection to the Tirpitz, Linzee knows more about the Tirpitz raids than anyone else that I can think of. Errol
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Post by bhebbard on May 19, 2018 16:18:43 GMT 12
19/5/18 Arthur is the only surviving pilot of the successful Tirpitz Operation. Benny Goodman who was a pilot on the first operation to Tromso is still alive but did not take part in the final one. Basil Fish is the only other one of Arthur's Crew still living Frank Tilley Arthur's Flight Engineer having passed away on the 15/3/17
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Post by Dave Homewood on Apr 25, 2020 23:16:45 GMT 12
BOMBED TIRPITZ
N.Z. AIRMEN'S ADVENTURES
(Special P.A. Correspondent) Rec. 10.30 a.m. LONDON, November 28.
By a vote of five to one the crew of a Lancaster bomber in which there were three New Zealanders decided to make a forced landing in Sweden in preference to the North Sea after they bombed the Tirpitz in the attack when the German battleship was sunk on November 12.
On the run-up to bomb, their Lancaster was hit by flak, but not seriously. It was not until after the attack that the starboard inner motor had to be cut out due to a fault in the cooling system, and the starboard outer motor developed trouble.
The New Zealanders, who were on their seventh raid together, were Flying Officer D. A. Coster (Limehills), who was pilot, Flight Sergeant J. H. Boag (Christchurch), who was bomb-aimer, and Flight Sergeant C. W. Black (Mokau), who was navigator. The remainder of the crew were two Englishmen and one Welshman.
"We took off at 2 a.m. after attending five different briefings," said Flying Officer Coster. "Visibility was good and we flew fairly low over the North Sea until the coast of Norway was sighted. It was a long trip—over five hours—to the target, but the monotony was broken over Norway, where we saw a glorious sunrise lighting up the rugged mountain ranges.
IN THE SECOND WAVE. "We were in the second wave of the attack, but we saw few other aircraft until nearing the target, as each flew a separate course. We first sighted the Tirpitz about seven minutes before we bombed her. There was a big column of smoke drifting up, indicating that she had already been hit, and we could see flak bursts ahead and gun flashes twinkling like electric lights both on the Tirpitz and in positions on the hills.
"We manoeuvred for position, and then started our bomb run, which lasted for about five minutes, the longest we have made so far. About two minutes before we dropped our 12,000 pounder a near burst of flak made the aircraft bump a bit. Pieces of splinter struck the tail turret, the bomb doors, and the port inner engine. But we continued our run without any trouble.
MOTOR'S FAILURE. "On the way, we saw what must have been a direct hit on the Tirpitz. When we dropped our little lot from about 15,000 feet the Lancaster rose sharply, but we had no opportunity of seeing what became of our bomb. We were just getting away nicely when the starboard outer motor started to play up and the rear gunner saw smoke pouring from it. Then the starboard cooling system of the inner motor failed and we had to feather it.
"With only two good motors, and a third working at from only half to three-quarters of its power, we had little hope of reaching our base. It was a case of force-landing in the North Sea, which is not very attractive in winter, or making for Sweden.
"We took a vote on it over the inter-communication system and set a course for Sweden. En route, over Norway, we sighted four Focke-Wulf 190's, which probably did not see us, for they paid no attention.
MESSERSCHMITT ATTACKS. "Then a Messerschmitt 109 put in an appearance and made four attacks, all of which missed. But our Welsh rear gunner got in a few bursts and sent him away with smoke trailing behind.
"Not long after reaching Sweden we struck low clouds, so we decided to force-land and made a belly landing with the wheels up on a strip of ground by a river. Nobody was hurt or even received a scratch, and by the time we got out all the people of a nearby village were swarming around.
"They gave us a great welcome." After two days spent, at a military camp the crew went to Stockholm, where they stayed for a most enjoyable nine days, wearing civilian clothes, before returning to England. They are now on 21 days' leave.
EVENING POST, 29 NOVEMBER 1944
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Post by pjw4118 on Apr 27, 2020 10:56:23 GMT 12
Here are a couple of pictures of the crews. L to R Balck, Boag, Carter Crew Shot Black 3fL, Coster front centre with Boag and Henderson Taken in Sweden 16 Nov Renunion 1986? Cardwell, Black, Hebbard, Joplin
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Post by Dave Homewood on Apr 27, 2020 11:11:12 GMT 12
Super photos Peter.
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Post by agile on Apr 27, 2020 12:59:01 GMT 12
Another one for the list.
Rowland John 'Jack' Dempsey who hailed from Goodwood near Palmerston and who later served on 487 Squadron (and flew our Mossie on Op Clarion) was involved in the raids of 1942. At the time Dempsey was a Halifax co-pilot on 10 Squadron and had already survived a ditching at sea.
On 30th March the crew captained by F/L Hacking flew W1039 ZA-C from Lossiemouth, but was unable to locate the target.
On 27th April the Hacking crew flew W1039 ZA-C from Lossiemouth. They attacked at 0106 from 350 ft. Dempsey's log records that they lost their ailerons and flaps (must have been a long trip home and a difficult landing). W1039 was apparently repaired in time for the Op the next night.
On 28th April Dempsey flew with the crew of F/Sgt Rochford in W1054 ZA-H. They attacked Tirpitz at 0105 from 200(!) feet. Over the target the aircraft took a direct hit in the radio compartment from a flak shell seriously injuring Dempsey and the W/O F/Sgt Clear. They made it safely back to Lossiemouth and both the injured crew survived, but Dempsey's injuries must have been very serious as he didn't fly again for nearly a year.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Apr 27, 2020 17:05:47 GMT 12
Thanks very much Alex, I have added him to the list in the original post.
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