WWII D.F.C. GROUP OF 4 MEDALS & LOG BOOKS TO F/LT. D.W BATEMAN, R.A.F. (SHOT DOWN AND MADE P.O.W. 1943)

Distinguished Flying Cross Gazetted 13 July 1943:

"This Officer was making his last operational sortie as wireless operator in Aircraft DT734 to Munich on the night of 9/10th March 1943, from which he failed to return but is now reported to be a prisoner of war. He joined the Squadron as an N.C.O. on 3 Nov 1941 and was appointed to commissioned rank on 18 Dec 1942, and both as an Officer and N.C.O. maintained a high standard of efficiency as Deputy Signals Leader. During attacks on many targets he was a constant inspiration to his comrades by his calmness and complete disregard for danger, and was held in affectionate esteem by all with whom he came in contact. Consistently good throughout the whole of his tour of duty with this Unit, I strongly recommend that this Officer's fine record be recognised by an award of the D.F.C. This Officer, now a prisoner of war, has a fine operational record."

On the night of 9 Mar 1943, Bateman's aircraft was part of a force of 264 tasked to attack targets in Munich, but due to string wind, the raid was concentrated on the western half rather than the centre of the city. 291 buildings were destroyed, 660 severely damaged and 2134 less severely. 11 hospitals, the cathedral, 4 churches and 14 'cultural' buildings were hit, but also 3 wholesale and 22 retail business premises were completely destroyed and no less than 294 military buildings were struck, including the headquarters of the local Flak brigade, which was burnt out.

The most serious industrial damage was at the B.M.W. factory where the aer-engine assembly shop was put out of action for 6 weeks. Many other industrial concerns were hit, including 141 small back-street workshops which were destroyed. Detailed reports show that 208 people were killed and 425 injured. The dead included 2 party officials on duty, 10 soldiers, 1 Hitler Youth boy serving at a Flak site.

The local Flak fired 14,234 rounds of ammunition - 2314 of 105mm, 8328 of 88mm, 3592 of 20mm - and 7 night fighters were reported as being on duty in the Munich area but only 1 bomber, unidentified because of its explosion in the air, was shot down over the city. During the course of this operation, Flt. Lt. Bateman's Halifax was seriously damaged by Flak whilst over the target. Reduced to three engines, the aircraft steadily lost height and became an easy target for a Me110 night fighter and was shot down over the Belgian border.

Bateman parachuted to safety, injuring his foot on landing and after two days of shelter from a Belgian family he was still unable to make contact with the Resistance, so walked to the nearest town and surrendered. Bateman was imprisoned on Stalag Luft 3.

Dennis Walter Bateman was born in Birmingham on 5 Mar 1920 and enlisted with the Royal Air Force on 5 July 1940 and promoted to Temporary Sergeant on 16 Aug 1941 and served as a Wireless Operator with 77 Squadron, operating initially as Coastal Command anti-submarine patrols from 18 Dec 1942 until he was shot down on 9 Mar 1943.