There is a proposal to erect a new War Memorial to the Fallen of Thundersley, Essex. The anniversary of Don Hughes death is approaching, so does anyone have more information to add to what I have gleaned from the internet? The local paper may run an article shortly, so all info welcomed. Flight Sergeant Don Hughes was a member of the crew of 49 Squadron Lancaster Mk I. Serial Number: NG352. Squadron Codes: EA-J. Operation: Wurzburg on 16th/17th March 1945. NG352 was delivered to No.49 Squadron in Nov 1944. No Key Operations traced. NG352 was one of two No.49 Sqdn Lancasters lost on this operation. (See: ME454) Airborne at 18:02 16 Mar '45 from Fulbeck. Attacked and set on fire by a night-fighter. Sgt Finnerty died in this fire. F/Sgt Hughes had the tragic misfortune to fall into the hands of the SS and he was shot 18 Mar '45 by one Joseph Axt. With Sgt Finnerty, who came from Newry, County Down, he is buried in Durnbach War Cemetery. After the cessation of hostilities, Joseph Axt was apprehended by the Allies and brought to trial, subsequently being sentenced to death by hanging for his war crimes. Crew: F/O J.B. Gibson Inj; Sgt G.P. Roberts PoW; F/O D. Edwards Inj; F/Sgt R.M. Henderson Inj; F/Sgt D.J. Hughes, Executed; Sgt A. Finnerty KIA; Sgt J. Evan Inj. F/O D. Edwards, F/O J.B. Gibson, Sgt J. Evan and F/Sgt R.M. Henderson were confined to Hospital due injuries until Liberation. No PoW Nos. Sgt G.P. Roberts was held in three civilian jails before internment in Camp 5A. No PoW No. This crew were on their 13th operation. The following account of the murder of F/Sgt Hughes comes from a comrade, Mr G. P. Roberts, through 'Beware of the Dog at War' John Ward, 49 Sqdn History. “A third member of F/O Gibson's crew, F/Sgt Don Hughes, managed to escape from the burning aircraft successfully by parachute, landing by the banks of the River Main. In the morning he was found by two clergymen hiding in the Church Sacristy of Ebelstadt. They handed him over to a Doctor, who in turn took him to the Town Hall where he was interrogated. At 07:30 on Sunday 18 Mar '45, after two days in the Police cells, Don was removed from the cells by SS Kriminal-Sekretar Joseph Axt of the Wurzburg Criminal Police and Obersekretar Johann Weber. He was marched to the river, where Axt shot him in the back and threw his body into the river; his body was recovered from the river the next morning. Axt and Weber were subsequently charged before a Military Court at Iserlohn on 11 Jun 1946, and both were convicted of murder. Axt was sentenced to death by shooting, and Weber to 20 years imprisonment”. Name: HUGHES, DONALD JOHN. Rank: Flight Sergeant (W.Op./Air Gnr.). Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Unit Text: 49 Sqdn. Age: 20. Date of Death: 18/03/1945. Service No: 1873494 Additional information: Son of John William and Constance Louie Hughes, of Thundersley, Essex. Grave/Memorial Reference: 1. K. 18. Cemetery: DURNBACH WAR CEMETERY. Thanks in advance...
