The crew had successfully made the drop and started its return to base .
Unfortunately, shortly before it reached Krakow, the bomber was attacked by a German night fighter. Thought to have been flown by
Ofw. Helmut Dahms from I/NJG100.
The burning four-engine aircraft was seen flying over Zabłocie District (where the Schindler's Factory is located), caught by the searchlights and under heavy anti-airccraft fire, when it suddenly exploded and fell apart in the air. The tail section fell onto the old city abattoir on the other bank of Vistula. Some parts of the bomber fell into Vistula River, between the rail bridge and Kotlarski Bridge. However, most of the wreckage with the bodies of F/Lt John Liversidge, F/Lt William Wright and F/Sgt. John Clarke dropped directly onto Schindler's Factory and the prison camp therein.
The three survivors who managed to bail out were Sgt L. Blunt and Sgt. F. Helme (both taken POWs and later sent to Stalag Luft 7) and F/L Allan Hammet who ,hit with shrapnel and wounded in three places was found by the Polish partisans. After recovering from his wounds, he joined AK (Armia Krajowa, Home Army) and later fought in a unit which belonged to the 106th AK Infantry Division. In march 1945 he was repatriated via Odessa.
Sgt L. Blunt and Sgt. F. Helme are reported as being MIA or KIA, but they have ID numbers from SL7 .
BLUNT - Camp L7/Pow No.652
HELME - Camp L7/PoW No.666.
Which seems at odds with the reports of KiA and MiA .
The full crew list is
F/L W. D. Wright, RAF, pilot Killed
Sgt L. J. Blunt, RAF, engineer Baled and POW
S/L J. P. Liversidge, RAAF, navigator Killed
F/L A. Hammet, RAAF, wireless operator Baled and saved by partisans
Sgt. F. W. Helme, RAF, air gunner Baled and POW
F/S J. D. Clarke, RAF, air gunner Killed
Many thanks to my contact and friend Robin from Kracow whose information i have used and para-phrased here .
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