Bomber crew remembered

The crew of N-Nuts, shortly before they were killed: (from left): Ken Francis, Jack Mitchell, Reg Corcoran, William Summers, Ron Gallagher, Lawrence Pearse and Tony Atkinson.

The cross erected in memory of Pilot Officer Jack Mitchell.

Wiith the cross is a plinth, bearing the names of the crew members.

By CAPT Phil Pyke

IT would be hard to find a more isolated memorial in Tasmania.

On the peak of Sugarloaf, overlooking the Jordan Valley in the State’s Midlands, sits a simple white cross. This is a memorial to a young man from the area who led a bomber crew over Germany.

Pilot Officer Jack Mitchell was the pilot of Lancaster bomber N-Nuts on a raid over Magdeburg, southwest of Berlin, in January 1944.

On its return 60 years ago, the Lancaster was shot down. The crew were listed as missing until the end of the war when it was found they had been buried with full military honours by the Germans.

On his last leave home, Jack Mitchell climbed to the top of Sugarloaf with some friends and jammed a stick between rocks on the peak. As he did so, he declared, “I wonder if this will be here when I come home?”

His Lancaster, from No. 467 Squadron RAAF, was the only bomber not to return from the Magdeburg raid.

On hearing the news, PLTOFF Mitchell’s father, Cliff, climbed to where his son had placed his stick and erected a wooden cross. In time a wooden shield was added, commemorating the Lancaster crew.

As time went on, Cliff Mitchell passed away and the wooden cross fell down. It would seem this is the end of the story.

However, in 1981, local landowner Tony Bisdee manufactured a new cross of tubular steel and set it in concrete on the peak of the mountain. He used a tractor and winch system to haul the 3m cross up the steep slope.

Nine years on, the Air Force and the Bothwell Historical Society climbed to the top of Sugarloaf and held a memorial service.

A special gathering was held in 1994 – 50 years to the day since the Lancaster and crew were shot down – and since then a memorial service has been held on the peak most years on January 22.

The names of the other RAAF crew members and one RAF crew member have also been added on plaques.

In front of locals from the Bothwell area at this year’s service, CO No. 29 (City of Hobart) Squadron Wing Commander Geoff O’Hara recounted the story of the crew of the Lancaster on their final mission over Germany 60 years before, after which the Ode to the Fallen was read.

Squadron Leader Alan Robertson, XO 29SQN, said the cross was important as a memorial to a single bomber crew – and a tribute from the community.

“This rural area strongly felt the loss of this bright young man in 1944,” he said.
“Unfortunately, details of their deaths weren’t confirmed until 1948. As time went on, people in the area felt an appropriate memorial was required.

“Although the peak of Sugarloaf is isolated, it is certainly an appropriate place not only just to remember the crew of the Lancaster bomber N-Nuts and Jack Mitchell, but also all RAAF bomber crews who served in World War II.

.