142 Squadron Wellington losses
09-10/08/1944
The squadron attacked the Romana Americana oil refinery in Ploesti, Romania and lost 3 aircraft.
Wellington X LN972 -W Failed to return from Ploesti. The Wellington was shot down by a night fighter in a frontal attack at 00-28 hours near Lom on the Danube. Lt E Cathrine SAAF, F/Sgt W McDonald (2nd pilot), Lt L Stone SAAF, Sgt J Graham, F/Sgt J Taylor, Sgt R McKay all managed to bale out and were taken POW. There is an account of the incident in Macdonald 'Through Darkness to Light'. Their captivity was brief and the squadron heard that they were back in Allied hands on 18 September.
Wellington X serial u/k (probably either LN857 or LP540, both listed as failed to return from Ploesti while flying with 142 Squadron on this night). The crew was F/Sgt R Marsh RCAF, Sgt W Chambers, F/Sgt J Watts, Sgt F Bullard and Sgt M Watts. The Wellington crashed and exploded at Orac near Snagov, 25km north of Bucharest and there were no survivors. According to Macdonald 'Through Darkness to Light', all were buried at Tâncăbești but they are now buried in Bucharest War Cemetery. The squadron Operations Record Book lists this aircraft as MF631 -C, which is incorrect (see below).
Wellington X LP189 (possibly -H) Failed to return from Ploesti. It crashed in northern Bulgaria and the crew are buried in Sofia War Cemetery: F/Sgt C G Hill RAAF, F/Sgt P Shepherd, F/Sgt R Thurlow RAAF, F/Sgt W Grisedale and Sgt G Pond. This may have been the aircraft that Lt Cathrine saw blow up, almost over the Danube. The aircraft is listed as LP548 -H in the squadron Operations Record Book, but this aircraft seems to have survived the war and F/Sgt Thurlow's personnel file states that the Wellington was LP189.