Glen's Story

My dear friend, Glen Heisler, is an 88 year old Canadian veteran from World War II who has a story, a memory of the war that he has lived with for the past 70 years. Up until 10 years ago, Glen hadn't told anyone what happened on the  night of March 5/6, 1945 but he wants to share it now so that another pilot, one who probably lost his life that night, might be posthumously recognized for his heroic actions.

Glen (Heisler, G.A. K254237) was a Flight Sergeant and Mid Upper Air Gunner at 434 Squadron (RCAF), based at Croft, Lincolnshire, England from November 14, 1944 until the end of the war. His crew, including P/O J.C. Kitchen, flew Lollipop, a Lancaster Bomber (Lanc X, Bmk.X.KB880, WL-L) and on the night of March 5/6, 1945 they were part of Operation Thunderclap, a raid over Chemnitz, Germany. Of the 760 aircraft involved that night, 498 were Lancasters, 256 were Halifax Bombers and 6 were Mosquitos....that evening, 14 Lancs and 8 Halifaxes were lost. Following is Glen's logbook entry:

March 5/6 Departed 16:36 Lanc X
Pilot: P/O Kitchen
Duty: Mid-Upper (gunner)
Remarks: OPS Chemnitz

Hit by Lancaster after bombs gone. Put in rear turret, cut nose off Lancaster. Few seconds later Ju-88 (Junkers 88) sighted off starboard quarter and up at 600 yards. Save corkscrew. Fighter fired one burst. Hit on starboard wing. Hit starboard elevator. Hits scored on fighter. Landed at Carnaby.

Duration of flight: 10:55

Glen recounts the story of that night in this way.....His crew had dropped their load of bombs and was unaware of any enemy aircraft in the area. Glen remembers looking down from his place in the turret and seeing two Merlin engines appearing on either side of the fuselage, knowing full well that it was another Lanc. The pilot gently eased the nose of his aircraft under Lollipop and proceeded to bump her with enough force to get P/O Kitchens' attention (and cause some damage to the landing gear) and disable the rear turret. Glen felt the other pilot was doing this to alert them of approaching enemy planes as  there was no radio contact between aircraft - this incredibly dangerous manoeuver would have been the only way to get their attention. Glen surmises the other plan was in bad shape and the plot would have know he had no hope of surviving.

As Glen watched the other Lancaster go down in a controlled manner, he also saw a Ju88 in a fast climb coming up past the other Lanc to where they were. Glen recalls "I told John Kitchen to HOLD-then I lost view of the fighter, realizing he was going too fast: he needed to slow his speed and come in on our flight path to keep his guns on us in the curve of pursuit. He would have to hide behind our starboard rudder. The only way I would know he was in attack mode was if he fired and hit our aircraft." At that moment, shells were fired from the Ju88 causing some damage to their landing gear-one armour piece hit Lollipops' landing gear and the stabilizer was hit by a high explosive 20mm. "That was when I yelled at John Kitchen - "Corkscrew Starboard! GO!" I set up a box right over the starboard rudder and fired my twin 303's knowing he would be moving into that space. Another crew sighted the Ju88 going down in flames and we claimed it as probably destroyed."

"We weren't aware of critical damage to our aircraft until Kitchen tried to let the landing gear down. The gear on the starboard side did not indicate it was locked and the air traffic controller wouldn't let us land at our home base but sent us to a crash dome. The navigator, Doug Reid, set up the co-ordinates for the crash dome. The night was pitch black and we were unable to locate the crash dome and were about to abandon when I heard Doug telling Kitchen he had set the wrong co-ordinates. Corrections made, John floated it in keeping the starboard wing higher than the port side and as he lost airspeed he came down.....past the lock position on the starboard main wheel. John then proceeded to give us one of his best landings."

For many years, Glen has lived with the knowledge that this other, unknown pilot, saved his life and those of his crew by putting himself in a dangerous position. At a time when he must have been facing his own death this man had the forethought and courage to help the crew of Lollipop.

Recently by accident, Glen came across the name of Abrams, Robert William in the book "They Shall Not Grow Old-RCAF". This name, in turn, led him to F/O (P) Rouse, Charles James. Another book entitled "The Bomber Command War Diaries-An Operational Reference Book" confirmed that this crew's aircraft was indeed involved in that raid.

The entry for Charles Rouse reads as follows:
Rouse, Charles James (F/O (P) J35290 from Milden Saskatchewan
Killed in action March 6/45 age 22 #576 Squadron

Also lost that night, and part of the same crew were:

Abrams, Robert William (P/O AG) J95424/R265753 from Rockhaven, Sask.
Pilot Officer Abrams has no known grave.

Dewar, W.W. (FS)(AG) R275670 from Langley Prairie, B.C.
Killed in action March 6/45 age 19 #576 Squadron

Magee, James Thomas Joseph (P/O, N) J95544/R189744 from Verdun, Quebec
Killed in action March 6/45 age 28 #576 Squadron (Carpe Diem)

Lancaster aircraft #PD 403 was in a mid-air collision with another aircraft over the target Chemnitz, Germany. Three of the crew, not Canadians, missing believed killed.

Glen has long wondered if one of these Canadians who were onboard Lancaster PD 403 -  all killed because of a mid-air collision during that operation - could possibly have been the heroic pilot who saved Lollipop and her crew. Information on the events of that night is scarce, in part, Glen thinks, because none of the crew was interviewed by Intelligence. And as much as we'd like to believe it was one of these Canadians, the fact is there were another 496 Lancaster bombers involved in Operation Thunderclap that night, most of whom were RAF.

For so many years, Glen Heisler has lived with this remarkable story of courage - in fact, not many nights go by that he doesn't wake up and relive that night over Germany. His one wish has always been to see the unknown pilot receive a posthumous commendation for this incredible act of bravery. If not for that man, the crew of Lollipop may also have been entries in the books listed in this story. Learning the identity of this gentleman could allow Glen to finally put to rest a memory which has been with him for most of his life. If you have any information that could help us in our search for this hero please leave me a comment at this blog, "View From a Lancaster".