Simon Glancey has submitted the following:
Sgt. Watcham was killed when Vickers Wellington III X3455 QT-D of 142 Sqn was lost on a mission to Milan. The Wellington crashed in the North Sea off the Dutch coast, with the loss of all six crew members. The crew had survived a previous accident on October 15th 1942, when their flak-damaged Wellington crashed on landing returning from a raid on Cologne.
Royal Air Force Bomber Command Losses of the Second World War: 1942; W.R. Chorley; 1994; Midland Counties Publications; ISBN 0 904597 89 X, pages 241 and 250
John Jones has provided the following:
142 Squadron Wellington III X3455 QT-D
Milano
Took off from RAF Grimsby at 19:25.
Claim by Hptm Dr Horst Patuschka 4/NJG2 - Sea 10km West of Goeree (Biber?): 30m at 03:10.
Also claimed by Marine Flak of 2/M.A.A. 202. Victory confirmed for Hptm Patuschka 27 September 1944.
Crashed North Sea West of Schouwen Island.
Crew
Pilot: Aus/406682 Sgt Bartlett Parker Shaddick, DFM RAAF - The Hague (Westduin) General Cemetery Allied Plot Row 2 Grave 38.
Observer: 1074722 Sgt Frank Bernard Hough - Bergen op Zoom Canadian War Cemtery Plot 6 Row H Grave 10.
Bomb Aimer: 656472 Sgt Eric Watcham - Amsterdam New Eastern Cemetery Plot 69 Row D Joint Grave 18.
Wireless Operator/Air Gunner: 1376622 Sgt Edwin Cuthbert Woollard - Monster General Cemetery Row B Grave 24.
Air Gunner: R/126898 Flt Sgt Gerald Thomas Reyburn RCAF - Rockanje (Zeeweg) General Cemetery Plot 3 Joint Grave 33.
The Citation for the immediate award of the DFM to Sgt Shaddick is as follows:
“Sgt B P Shaddick (RAAF) was Captain of a Wellington bomber detailed to attack Cologne on the night of 15th October 1942. On the way to the target, his aircraft was engaged by anti-aircraft guns working in conjunction with searchlights and was hit in the starboard wing. Immediately afterwards, Sgt Shaddick smelt petrol and on inspection his gauges noticed that petrol from his starboard wing tanks was being lost at an alarming rate. Undaunted, he turned off the port tank and ran both engines on the starboard tanks until they were dry. While adjusting the fuel supply in this manner and although forced down several thousand feet, he carried on through heavy defences to his target which he bombed with success. The aircraft was hit in the port engine when over the target area, but, owing to his skilful piloting and sound judgement, he brought it home on one engine and crash-landed at Manston without injury to his crew. I recommend that his extreme devotion to duty and sterling determination in that he carried on to bomb his target, although seriously damaged on the outward journey and then flew the crippled aircraft home without loss to his crew is recognized by an immediate award of the DFM. “
Remarks by Station Commander: Sgt Shaddick showed great determination in carrying on to attack the target in a damaged Aircraft and considerable skill in bringing the aircraft and crew safely home.
Sgt Shaddick is a most enthusiastic young Australian who has instilled a high morale and cheerful spirit of dash into his crew.”
The immediate was promulgated in the London Gazette on 3 November 1942.
Eric Watcham is remembered in Shildon on S122.02 and in Bishop Auckland on B140.01
