No. 7 A.O.S. Portage-La-Prairie Revisited

Updated 17 February 2024 with this comment…

 

Hello to all (researchers),
the ‘Grave Location’ of Sgt. Arthur Henry Riders (Jr.), ‘Panel 42’, is not correct ! Please, write down ‘Panel 92’ (of Runnymede Memorial).

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These pictures were shared by Gerald Thomas Padden’s nephew. He can  be  reached by email: Graham Padden (paddeng@padden.eu)

Collection Gerald Thomas Padden
Courtesy Graham Padden (paddeng@padden.eu)

Collection Gerald Thomas Padden
Courtesy Graham Padden (paddeng@padden.eu)

Collection Gerald Thomas Padden
Courtesy Graham Padden (paddeng@padden.eu)

Collection Gerald Thomas Padden
Courtesy Graham Padden (paddeng@padden.eu)

Collection Gerald Thomas Padden
Courtesy Graham Padden (paddeng@padden.eu)

Collection Gerald Thomas Padden
Courtesy Graham Padden (paddeng@padden.eu)

Gerald Thomas Padden did not survive the war. He died on December 17, 1942. He was part of a crew of Wing Commander Victor Mitchell, RAF 37755. Gerald Thomas Padden’s pilot was W/O Bagnall who was flying second dickie. 

It was Gerald Thomas Padden’s first mission. It will be his last…

You can click here for the Website where I gathered the information I will use with these never seen before pictures.

V. Mitchell crew 27.08.42 †

27/08/1942 – Attack Against Targets at Kassel

Twelve aircraft were detailed to carry out the above attack. Bomb load of 4000 lb. 500 lb. and incendiaries were dropped in the target area. Numerous fires were seen in the whole area. A.A. fire was moderate, very few searchlights were encountered. Wellington BJ.584 captained by Sgt. Burril met JU88 when about 30 miles from target, combat ensued in which Sgt. Burrill’s aircraft was seriously damaged and port engine put out of action. The rear gunner, Sgt. Gorman claims to have shot down the JU88 and to have seen it falling in flames to the ground, the bomb load was jettisoned, and he turned for home. The aircraft failed to maintain height and was down to 700ft at the Dutch Coast, being shot at by light A.A. fire. He crossed the sea still losing height and belly landed at R.A.F. Wattisham on return. The weather was fine, navigation was excellent. Wellington BJ.708 captained by F/Lt Osbourn failed to return.

Wellington Mk.III BJ.725 AA-H

W/C Victor Mitchell, RAF 37755 – Pilot.
Sgt. Walter Duncan McAlpine, RNZAF NZ403551 – Observer.
F/S Edward Albert Letchford, RNZAF NZ404074 – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. Lumley Durham Ashwin, RCAF NZ41563 – Front Gunner.
Sgt. William George Henry White, RNZAF NZ41717 – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 20:50 – Landed 02:35
Flight Time 05:45

06/09/1942 – Operations. Attack Against Targets At Duisburg

Fifteen aircraft were detailed to carry out the above attacks. Bomb load of 4,000lb. 1,00lb. 500lb. 250lb. and incendiaries were dropped in the target area, large fires were seen to be growing in intensity. A.A. fire was heavy and intense but was bursting high above aircraft, searchlights were intense, particularly at target area.
Wellington BJ772 captained by F/Lt. Womersley was attacked from rear on return by an enemy aircraft, one bursts was fired by the rear gunner and the enemy aircraft was driven off. No other enemy aircraft was seen. The weather was good, clear over target with slight ground haze. Navigation was good. Wellington BJ.765 captained by Sergt. Sharman G.W> and Wellington X.3867 captained by F/Sgt.Parkes W.R. failed to return.

Wellington Mk.III BJ.837 AA-F

W/C Victor Mitchell, RAF 37755 – Pilot.
Sgt. Alfred Sydney Drew, RNZAF NZ404560 – Observer.
Sgt. M.H. Hughes, RAFVR – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. Henry Edwin Rousseau, RNZAF 1026535 – Front Gunner.
Sgt. Bruce Rahu Phillip, RNZAF NZ405517 – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 01:35 – Landed 05:30
Flight Time 03:55

19/09/1942 – Operations. Attack Against Targets At Saarbrucken

Eight aircraft were detailed to carry out the above attack. Bomb load of 4000lb and incendiaries were dropped in the target area. Results could not be entirely observed owing to considerable ground haze, Light and heavy A.A. fire was encountered, which was ineffective. No searchlights were seen at target area. A few enemy aircraft were seen but no attacks were made. The weather was good on way to target, visibility was poor at target area. Navigation was by T.R. and D.R.

Wellington Mk.III Z.1747 AA-?

W/C Victor Mitchell, RAF 37755 – Pilot.
Sgt. Walter Duncan McAlpine, RNZAF NZ403551 – Observer.
Sgt. Wallace Frederick Stokes, RNZAF NZ412362 – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. Eric Lumley Durham Ashwin, RNZAF NZ41563 – Front Gunner.
Sgt. William George Henry White, RNZAF NZ41717 – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 20:40 – Landed 02:25
Flight Time 05:45

02/10/1942 – Operations. Attack Against Targets At Krefeld

Thirteen aircraft were detailed to attack the above target. Bomb load of 4,000 lb and incendiaries were dropped in the target area. Fires were seen, which appeared to be mainly in open country. Heavy and light A.A. fire was encountered, mainly on enemy coast. Searchlights were considerable, operating in cones over the target area. A few enemy aircraft were seen but no attacks were made. The weather was fine at target, with considerable ground haze, Navigation was good.

Wellington Mk.III Z.1738 AA-?

W/C Victor Mitchell, RAF 37755 – Pilot.
F/S Charles Wynne Brunsdon Kelly, RNZAF NZ403562 – Observer.
Sgt. Maurice Allington Carter, RNZAF NZ391694 – Wireless Operator.
F/S Raymond Clifford Reynolds, RAFVR NZ403030 – Front Gunner.
Sgt. Bruce Neal, RNZAF NZ411771 – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 18:53 – Landed 23:04
Flight Time 04:11

24/10/1942 – Operations. Attack Against Targets At Milan

Five aircraft were detailed to attack the above target. Bomb load of 1,000lb. 500lb. 250lb and incendiaries were dropped in the target area. Some slight A.A. fire was encountered, cloud stopped searchlight activity. No combats with enemy aircraft took place. 10/10ths cloud from the French Coast to the target made identification of the target difficult. Navigation was difficult owing to cloud preventing the use of Astro. Wellington Z1652 captained by Sergt. Hugill and Wellington BK725 captained by Sergt. McConnell failed to return.

Wellington Mk.III BK.274 AA-?

W/C Victor Mitchell, RAF 37755 – Pilot.
Sgt. Herbert James Dalzell, RNZAF NZ414263 – 2nd Pilot.
P/O Roy Reginald Rayner, RNZAF NZ41399 – Observer.
Sgt. W.E. Hopley, RAFVR 1071316 – Wireless Operator.
F/L Dennis Chadwick Barnett, RNZAF 581260/ 45584 – Front Gunner.
Sgt. A. Brown, RAFVR 1358025 – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 19:10 – Landed 04:05
Flight Time 08:55

28/11/1942 – Operations. Attack Against Targets At Turin

Four aircraft were detailed to attack the above target. Bomb load of 1000lb and 500lb were dropped in the target area by three of the aircraft. The captain of the other aircraft being forced to jettison his bombs in the Alps, as one engine cut and he was unable to maintain height with his bomb load. This raid was very successful, large fires being seen in the whole of the town, it appeared to be on fire from end to end. It is thought by the crews that both the Lancia and Fiat works were ablaze. There was some light A.A. fire at target, but heavy and light A.A. fire was encountered at Dieppe and Amiens area. Only one searchlight was seen at Turin, a few enemy aircraft were seen but no combats took place. The weather was cloudy to the Alps, it then cleared and was clear but hazy at Turin. BK608 captained by F/Sgt Blincoe ran short of petrol nearing base, the engines were failing and the aircraft was losing height, when at 900 feet he gave his crew the option of bailing out, two of the crew, the Navigator and the Rear Gunner baled out at 600ft and landed safely about 2 miles North of Stradishall, the aircraft crash landed at Stadishall, none of the crew being injured.

Stirling Mk.I BF.398 AA-F

W/C Victor Mitchell, RAF 37755 – Pilot.
Sgt. Benjamin Allan Franklin, RNZAF NZ414277 – 2nd Pilot.
Sgt. William Henry Whitcombe, RNZAF NZ41561 – Navigator.
Sgt. Edgar William Harvey, RNZAF NZ41902 – Air Bomber.
Sgt. Harold Rangi Welch, RNZAF NZ41709 – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. William Joseph Lawrence, RCAF R.70294 – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. Eric James Burbridge, RCAF 1392526 – Mid Upper Gunner.
Sgt. Tom Pascoe, RAFVR 1308491 – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 18:16 – Landed 02:33
Flight Time 08:17

16/12/1942 – Operations. Gardening off Bordeaux

Nine aircraft were detailed to carry out the above operation with 1500lb. vegetables. The take-off was rather cross wind and unfortunately during take-off the wind backed severely so that the flare path was dead cross wind. Three aircraft swung violently on take-off. Then Sergeant Franklin tried to take-off in Stirling I, R9245, it swung as violently as the other aircraft, but went on, straightened and got airborne, only to crash a mile away from the aerodrome. Two mines exploded and all of the crew were killed. It later transpired that the starboard under carriage carried away the oil tank to the starboard inner engine and this is presumed to have seized, causing the aircraft to spin into the ground. No other aircraft took off after this. The three aircraft who successfully took off all planted their vegetables in the allotted area. Some light tracer and a few searchlights were encountered, no enemy aircraft were seen. The weather was variable with heavy rain and hail storms over the garden area, but clear generally. Navigation was good.

Stirling Mk.I BF.396 AA-

W/C Victor Mitchell, RAF 37755 – Pilot.

Take Off – – Landed –
Flight Time

17/12/1942 – Operations. Attack Against Targets At Fallersleben

Five aircraft were detailed to attack the above target with bombs of 1,000lb. This was to be a low level flight all the way climbing to 5,000feet to bomb. Four out of the five aircraft unfortunately failed to return.

They were the Squadron Commander, Wing Commander V. Mitchell, D.F.C., captain of Stirling I BF396 who took W/O Bagnall and crew who had only arrived a few days previously.

Stirling I,BF400 captained by F/O Jacobson, Stirling 1, BK620 captained by P/O R.E. Williams, and Stirling I, R9247 captained by F/Sgt. Rousseau. The one aircraft to return was captained by P/O McCullough who could not find the target owing to rain and bad visibility, and bombed an alternative. This was an aerodrome, the bombs were seen to explode on the flare path and hangars. A.A. fore was fairly heavy and a few searchlights were seen. The aircraft was twice attacked by fighters but they were driven off on each occasion, on return the aircraft was found to have four holes believed due to combat with one of the fighters. The weather was clear to the target but developed to rain and 7/10th cloud on return. Navigation was good.

Stirling Mk.I BF.396 AA-X

W/C Victor Mitchell, RAF 37755 – Pilot.
W/O Trevor Horace Bagnell , RNZAF NZ40640 – 2nd Pilot.
F/S Reginald William Pearson, RAFVR 747858 – Navigator.
Sgt. Gerald Thomas Padden, RAFVR 1041966 – Air Bomber.
Sgt. Stuart John Goff, RAFVR 916785 – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. Robert Hart, RAFVR 523663 – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. Arthur Henry Rider, RAFVR 960489 – Mid Upper Gunner.
F/S Albert Charles William Parker, RAFVR 909252 – Rear Gunner.

Take Off – – Landed –
Flight Time – Missing

Stirling Mk.I BF.396 AA-X was lost without trace and all crew presumed dead. They are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. The Captain, W/C V Mitchell, DFC, RAF, was the Squadron Commander. W/O Bagnall and his crew had only arrived on the Unit a few days previously.

W/C Victor Mitchell, RAF 37755 – Pilot.
Lost without trace age 27.
Son of John Mitchell, and of Isabella Forsyth Mitchell, of Elgin, Morayshire.
Commemorated Runnymede Memorial, Surrey, England..
Grave location – Panel 64.

W/O Trevor Horace Bagnall, RNZAF NZ40640 – 2nd Pilot.
Lost without trace age 26.
Son of Henry Gordon Bagnall, and of Maud Janetta Bagnall (Nee Ames), of Palmerston North, Wellington, New Zealand.
Commemorated Runnymede Memorial, Surrey, England..
Grave location – Panel 114.

W/O Reginald William Pearson, RAFVR 747858 – Navigator.
Lost without trace age 27.
Son of Mr. and Mrs. William Pearson; Husband of Margaret Pearson, of Bilton, Harrogate, Yorkshire.
Commemorated Runnymede Memorial, Surrey, England..
Grave location – Panel 72.

Sgt. Gerald Thomas Padden, RAFVR 1 041966 – Air Bomber.
Lost without trace age 20.
Son of Gerald Luke and Janetta Padden, of Chester-Le-Street, Co. Durham.
Commemorated Runnymede Memorial, Surrey, England..
Grave location – Panel 91.

Sgt. Stuart John Goff, RAFVR 916785 – Wireless Operator.
Lost without trace age 20.
Son of John Thomas Goff and Norah Goff, of Dagenham, Essex.
Commemorated Runnymede Memorial, Surrey, England..
Grave location – Panel 84.

Sgt. Robert Hart, RAF 523663 – Flight Engineer.
Lost without trace age 28.
Son of Phyllis Rose Hart, of Gaddesby, Leicestershire.
Commemorated Runnymede Memorial, Surrey, England..
Grave location – Panel 85.

Sgt. Arthur Henry Rider, RAFVR 960489 – Mid Upper Gunner.
Lost without trace age 31.
Son of Arthur H. and Ellen R. Rider, of Dovercourt, Essex; Husband of Ethel G. Rider, of Dovercourt.
Commemorated Runnymede Memorial, Surrey, England..
Grave location – Panel 42 92.

F/S Albert Charles William Parker, RAFVR 909252 – Rear Gunner.
Lost without trace age 22.
Son of James Christopher and Emma Parker, of Gorleston, Norfolk.
Commemorated Runnymede Memorial, Surrey, England..
Grave location – Panel 75.

Collection Gerald Thomas Padden
Courtesy Graham Padden (paddeng@padden.eu)

Sgt. Gerald Thomas Padden, RAFVR 1 041966 – Air Bomber.
Lost without trace age 20.
Son of Gerald Luke and Janetta Padden, of Chester-Le-Street, Co. Durham.
Commemorated Runnymede Memorial, Surrey, England..
Grave location – Panel 91.