HART, Clifford Seymour
| Service Number: | 428697 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 10 October 1942 |
| Last Rank: | Flying Officer |
| Last Unit: | No. 103 Squadron (RAF) |
| Born: | LISMORE, NSW, 2 May 1921 |
| Home Town: | Curl Curl, Warringah, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Not yet discovered |
| Died: | Bombing Raid Pforzheim Germany 24 Feb 45, Pforzheim, Germany, 24 February 1945, aged 23 years |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" Runnymede Memorial, Surrey, England, United Kingdom |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, International Bomber Command Centre Memorial, Runnymede Air Forces Memorial |
World War 2 Service
| 10 Oct 1942: | Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Aircraftman 2 (WW2), 428697, Aircrew Training Units | |
|---|---|---|
| 24 Feb 1945: | Involvement Royal Australian Air Force, Flying Officer, 428697, No. 103 Squadron (RAF), Air War NW Europe 1939-45 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Steve Larkins
Clifford Seymour HART (1921-1945)
Flying Officer Clifford Seymour Hart was born in Lismore, New South Wales on 2nd May 1921, the son of Albert Seymour and Hart and Jessie Hart. He had a brother Albert Seymour Hart, who served in the RAAF as a P51B Mustang pilot with No. 122 Squadron.
Clifford Hart was pilot in command of Lancaster Mk1, NF909 of No. 103 Squadron (RAF), Squadron Code PM-J for a raid on Pforzheim Germany on the night of 23/24 February 1945. The aircraft was one of 25 aircraft from No. 103 Squadron taking part in the raid. Take off was 16:06hrs, as part of a force of 367 KLancasters, 13 dH 88 Mosquitos of Nos 1,6 sand 8 Gp. It was the first and only raisd of the war on this target.
The raiders crossed the French coast just north of Le Havre flying at less than 5,000 feeet. A jamming mission flown east of Brussels, as a deception measure, in a technique called 'Mandrel', deceived the defenders and achieved almost complete surprise, in conjunction with 100 Group and USAAF feints towards the Ruhr.
Tjhe bombing started at 19:50hrs taking the town of Pforzheim completely by surprise., particularly as it had not previously been attacked. The marking and bombing was particularly effective, causing almost total damage to the target and great loss of life. A firestorm ensued causing a total of 17,600 fatalities, and the destruction of 83% of the town.
Luftwaffe night fighters caught up with the bomber stream some 30 minutes after the bombing started. A total of 16 aircraft were lost along with 55 aircrew, wiith another 34 taken PoW. Two crew members, both RAAF presumably went down with NF 909, but neither they nor the aircraft were ever found. Hart (pilot) and the Wireless Operator 429239 Pilot Officer Angus McGrath aged 23 were declared missing believed killed, so they have no known grave. The remaining five were captured.
Sources:
Aircrew Remembered -
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