Bernard Farndale

18 November 1912 to 30 August 1944

An airman shot down over Denmark after a bombing raid in the Second World War, and secretly buried by the Danish resistance

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I am very grateful to Nicola, Bernard’s granddaughter, for her help in telling Bernard’s story.

Cleveland to Wales

Bernard Farndale, son of Arthur Edwin and Mary Ann (nee Burns) Farndale, was born into the Loftus 2 Line at Liverton on 18 November 1912. By 1921, the family lived in Middlesbrough where Arthur Edwin Farndale, 46, was a railway clerk with the North Eastern Railway Company. Mary Annie Farndale was 50. Brothers George William Farndale, 24, and Arthur Edwin Burns Farndale, 19, were both shipping clerks with George Alder Limited. Alfred Farndale was an engine cleaner with the North Eastern Railway Company. Dorothy Farndale was 11 years old, Bernard Farndale, 9 and Albert Farndale, 6.

Bernard Farndale married Muriel Glenys Picton Swales, (1913 to 2002) in 1933 in Merthyr Tydfil. Bernard was working as a chemist’s assistant. Glenys had been in service in a large house in London. Their son, Brian Picton Farndale, was born in Merthyr Tydfil on 28 March 1934.

Bernard and Glenys’ wedding in October 1933 Young Brian, with his parents, Bernard and Glenys in about 1938

World War 2

By 1939 Bernard worked as a spot assembler for aircraft and he lived with Muriel and Brian at 19 Charis Avenue, Bristol.

By 1944, Bernard was a sergeant with No. 115 Squadron RAF which had been formed during World War I. During the Second World War the squadron served as a bomber squadron and took part in scores of raids and also played an active part in gardening or minelaying. In April 1940, flying Wellingtons, on temporary loan to RAF Coastal Command, the Squadron gained the distinction of making the RAF's first bombing raid of the war on a mainland target when it was sent on a mission to the enemy held Norwegian airfield of Stavanger at Sola. Sixteen months later, in August 1941, it undertook the initial Service trials of Gee, the first of the radar navigational and bombing aid. As a result of its subsequent report on these trials Gee was put into large-scale production for RAF Bomber Command.

The memoirs of Sydney Percival Smith, a Royal Canadian Air Force Wellington pilot, contain detailed personal descriptions of 115 Squadron missions in late 1942 from its base in RAF East Wretham. These were directed at targets in Germany including Bremen, Stuttgart, Frankfurt and Munich and Turin in Italy, as well as mine laying in the French ports of Le Havre, Brest, St. Nazaire, and Lorient and the Bay of Biscay.

Hercules engined Lancaster IIs replaced the Wellingtons in March 1943 and these were replaced by Merlin engined Lancaster Is and IIIs in March 1944. Around this time the squadron relocated from RAF Little Snoring to RAF Witchford.

Bernard Farndale

RAF Witchford, which is near Ely and 21 kilometres north of Cambridge, was built in 1942 and opened in July 1943. 115 Squadron, 195 Squadron, 196 Squadron, 513 Squadron, and No. 29 Air Crew Holding Unit were all based at RAF Witchford. 115 Squadron RAF first started using RAF Witchford from 26 November 1943 with the Avro Lancaster II before changing to the Mk I and III Lancasters in March 1944 before moving to RAF Graveley on 10 September 1945.

115 Sqaudron Lancaster crews at RAF Witchford

By the end of the war, it had the distinction of being the squadron with the most operational service, most losses by any one single unit and the most tonnage of explosives dropped.

Avro Lancaster Mark 1 bombers operated from RAF Witchford in August 1944

1824896 Sergeant Bernard Farndale, 115th Squadron RAF, went missing, believed killed in action over Denmark, on 30 August 1944. He served as a flight engineer in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve of 115 Squadron. His records suggested he was associated by then with Robin Hood’s Bay, Yorkshire. He was aged 25 when he died and is buried at Ove Churchyard in Denmark.

The flight engineer controlled the aircraft's mechanical, hydraulic, electrical and fuel systems. He also assisted the pilot with take-off and landing. In an emergency, the flight engineer would also be needed to give accurate fuel calculations.

A new centralised administrative organisation came into force at RAF Witchford on 1 August 1944 and the operational aircraft included Avro Lancaster Mark I LAN ME718.

Avro Lancaster Mark I LAN ME718 had taken part in a number of raids in August 1944. For instance the bomber had attacked Bremen on the night of 18 and 19 August 1944, but Bernard had not been part of that mission. However Bernard had joined the crew of ME 718 by 25 August 1944 when the bomber had taken off at 20.25 hours to attack Russelsheim and returned at 04.35 hours on 26 August.

On the evening of 29 August 1944 nearly six hundred RAF bombers flew over Denmark on bombing raids to Königsberg and Stettin.

On its final mission, the operational record noted that Bernard’s aircraft took off at 21.14 hours on the night of 29 August 1944.

The daily diary recorded that ME 718 failed to return from operations and no news had been received.

The aircraft bound for Stettin in particular were attacked by German night fighters, when they were passing the northern part of Jutland and the Kattegat. Bernard’s aircraft, the Avro Lancaster I LAN ME718, was hit over Denmark when it was attacked by a German night fighter and caught fire. At about 1 am, it crashed near Ove northeast of Hobro killing all onboard. The bomb load exploded when the Lancaster hit the ground spreading wreckage and the remains of the crew over a wide area. After being hit the Lancaster flew for a moment through the air before it crashed like a burning torch at Ove, about 400 m west of Rinddalsvej, north of the Mariager Fjord in Denmark. All of the bomb load exploded on impact. All of the crew were killed.

403 aircraft were involved in the Stettin raid. Twenty three aircraft were lost, 5.7% of the mission. It was declared to have been a successful raid, causing damage to areas not bombed on previous raids. The local report states that 1,569 houses and 32 industrial premises were badly damaged. One ship was sunk and seven others damaged. 1,033 people were killed and 1,034 were injured.

The Germans did not want to collect the remains of the crew and left them in the field. The locals were appalled by this behaviour and collected the remains in wickerwork baskets. The Wehrmacht ordered the Danes to hand the baskets over, and these were thrown in the crater at the crash site and covered. When the Germans had left the area, the locals together with members of the Civil Air Defence opened the crater and placed the remains in a coffin, which was driven to Ove church. On 4 September 1944, unknown to the Wehrmacht, the airmen were laid to rest in Ove cemetery. Vicar A. Bundgård officiated at a graveside ceremony. The coffin was decorated with flowers, but there were only a few mourners. Apparently the German Wehrmacht knew nothing of this funeral.

The Crew of ME 718

The Pilot of ME 718 was Flight Lieutenant Edward Chatterton of the Royal Canadian Air Force. The Flight Engineer was Sergeant Bernard Farndale. The Air bomber was Anthony Michael Kovacich of the Royal Canadian Air Force. The Navigator was Pilot Officer William George Sankey. The Wireless Operator was Sergeant Leslie Taylor. The first Air Gunner was Gunner Pilot Officer John Couzens Reeb. The second Air Gunner was Sergeant Donald Bullock.

Bernard is remembered on The Walls of Names at the International Bomber Command Centre at Canwick Hill in Lincoln, Phase 2, Panel Number 162.

Parts of the plane were found in 2008. The biggest parts of the plane had been taken away very soon after the crash, but John Sørensen and Torben Juhl found these and other parts at the crash site in 2008.

After the War, given that the aircraft had exploded and there was not much left of it, the only way the aircraft was identified as Lancaster ME 718 was because a strap of the boot of the Canadian pilot was found with his name on it.

The airmen were later formally buried at Ove Cemetery, Ove, Denmark.

From the Air Ministry, 24 August 1947.

Madam.

While the Department is reluctant to reopen the painful subject of the loss of your husband I am directed to inform you that a report has recently been received from His Majesty’s Air Attache, Denmark, the details of which you will doubtless wish to know.

This states that on 27^th July 1947 a representative of the Air Attache attended the unveiling of a memorial to the seven members of your husband’s crew at Ove.

The memorial service was held in the very picturesque twelfth century church of Ove, and although the village was an extremely small one, inhabitants had come from miles around the district to attend the service and the church was overflowing. Eleven standard bearers lined the approach to the church and awaited the arrival of the Royal Air Force Detachment and followed the Detachment into the church. The first part of the service was the baptism of an infant child, about three months old, followed by the sermon in Danish and English. Following the church service the congregation moved to the churchyard overlooking the small village, where the Reverend Aage Bundgaard, who was the priest who carried out the funeral service against the wishes of the Germans in 1944, unveiled a very beautiful memorial of cut granite. On one side of was an inscription, “They died that we might live” in bronze raised letters, and on the opposite side under the Royal Air Force crest the same inscription in English. On one of the other two sides were the names of the English crew members, and on the opposite one the names of the American and two Canadian members.

A wreath was laid by the Air Attache’s representative who was later invited to reply to the address made by the pastor. All those who contributed to the erection of the memorial were thanked on behalf of all ranks of the Royal Air Force, Royal Canadian Air Force, and next of kin. A wreath was then laid by a representative of the Danish Navy who also gave an address, followed by the laying of wreaths and addresses of the Danish Army and Police and old associations of Ex Marines. At the conclusion of the unveiling ceremony, tea was given by the local inhabitants in the village hall to all those who wished to attend.

Approximately four hundred people were there. The Air Attache’s representative had the opportunity of personally thanking all those who took a leading part in the erection of the memorial, particularly Mr Christiansen, a Dane, who was the leader of the underground movement locally during the war.

In forwarding these details I am to express the hope that the knowledge of your husband’s great sacrifice is not forgotten will come as some consolation to you in your great loss.

The church at Ove, Denmark

A monument to the seven airmen from LAN ME 718 who rest in Oue Churchyard was unveiled 27 July, 1947.

Called here in the hour of destiny, here rest in foreign ground. Erected by friends.

All Honour to these noble men. They died that we might live.

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The webpage of Bernard Farndale includes a chronology and research notes.