Mission: Stuttgart

Date: 11/12th March 1943

Unit: No. 214 Squadron

Type: Stirling III

Serial: BF469

Code: BU-M

Base: R.A.F. Chedburgh, Suffolk.

Location: Fagnières

Pilot: P/O. Alexander Carruthers J/16064 R.C.A.F. Age 28. Killed

Fl/Eng: Sgt. Edgar Louis Eaglen 629071 R.A.F. Age 23. Killed

Obs: Sgt. Eric Parker 655812 R.A.F.V.R. Age 26. Killed

Air/Bmr: Sgt. Percy Pugh Oakes 1201575 R.A.F.V.R. Age ? Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Fl/Sgt. Basil Carnell 798585 R.A.F.V.R. Age 21. Killed

Air/Gnr: Sgt. Brian Roland Jennings 1215579 R.A.F.V.R. Age 19. Killed (1)

Air/Gnr: Fl/Sgt. A.J. Tyrell P.O.W. No: 27746 Camp: Stalag Lamsdorf (344)

REASON FOR LOSS:

214 Squadron Stirling BF469 took off at 20.02 hrs from R.A.F. Chedburgh, Bury St. Edmunds in Suffolk on an operation to Stuttgart. 314 aircraft took part to bomb the German city, one of a total of 53 raids which, after the war, left the centre of Stuttgart almost completely destroyed, with 4,477 people dead.
This raid was not a success as far as damage was concerned, with only a small packing store at the Bosch factory destroyed. Most of the bombing fell in open country but some fell on two small towns, killing 112 people and injuring 386. Mostly houses were hit, with 186 destroyed. The reason for the poor bombing is probably that although the pathfinders did drop accurate markers the main force arrived late and were also subject to German decoy markers, in use for the first time.
This operation cost 13 aircraft lost, with the deaths of 42 aircrew, 25 becoming prisoners of war. and 13 aircrew evading capture. 3 civilian maids were also killed when an abandoned, severely damaged Halifax, DT492 MP-H, from 76 squadron, crashed onto the residence of Colonel Loder at Slaugham, Horsham. Stirling BF469 was attacked and shot down by Oblt. Hans Autenrieth (2) of 6./NJG4 over Fagnières with combat taking place at 00.45 hrs.

(1) Sgt. Brian Roland Jennings was a pupil of Moseley GrammarSchool from 1934 to 1938
(2) Oblt. Hans Autenrieth, already an ace at this time with 10 kills, went on to make a total of 22 kill, before he was shot down on the 4th August 1944 and taken prisoner. He did manage to evade capture for 2 days before being caught by the French resistance.

Burial details:

P/O. Alexander Carruthers. Chalons-en-Champagne East Communal Cemetery. Sec I. Coll. Grave 1591
Son of James D. Carruthers and Agnes D. Carruthers, of Tonawanda, New York, U.S.A.
Sgt. Edgar Louis Eaglen. Chalons-en-Champagne East Communal Cemetery. Sec I. Coll. Grave 1591
Son of A. Eaglen and Dulcie Eaglen, of Saham Toney, Norfolk; husband of V. Eaglen, of Holme Hale, Norfolk.
Sgt. Eric Parker. Chalons-en-Champagne East Communal Cemetery. Sec I. Coll. Grave 1591
Son of Arthur and Jane Parker, of Blackpool Lancashire.
Sgt. Percy Pugh Oakes. Chalons-en-Champagne East Communal Cemetery. Sec I. Coll. Grave 1591
No further details as yet.
Fl/Sgt. Basil Carnell. Chalons-en-Champagne East Communal Cemetery. Sec I. Coll. Grave 1591
Son of Harry and Eva Carnell; husband of Paula Carnell, of Newton Abbott, Devon.
Sgt. Brian Roland Jennings. Chalons-en-Champagne East Communal Cemetery. Sec I. Coll. Grave 1591
Son of Roland Bingham Jennings and Florence Amelia Jennings, of Hall Green, Birmingham.
Researched by: Kelvin T. Youngs (A.R. Society) For the relatives of the crew.
Acknowledgments: With thanks to the following: Keith Townsend, historian of Moseley School memorial records, Bill Chorley - "Bomber Command Losses", Theo Boiten - "German Nightfighter War Diaries", Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt "Bomber Command War Diaries", the superb work of the C.W.G.C.