Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

FLIGHT SERGEANT JOHN HENRY DYSON #402569

F/Sgt Dyson’s connection to Nowra is not obvious through his official records however, the intricacies of family relationships confirm the association. Born in Broken Hill, John was baptised at the All Saint’s Anglican Church, Nowra—the same church his mother sang in the choir as a young girl. His maternal grandparents were both considered pioneers of the Shoalhaven district and are buried at the Nowra General Cemetery.

In late November 1940, as John completed his initial RAAF training (2ITS) and prepared to proceed overseas as part of the Empire Air Training Scheme, he proposed to his girlfriend. They were married on the 6th December at the Mosman Congregational Church. A jeweller, John made “a silver bracelet, from which hung many tiny charms” as a gift to his bride. Three weeks later LAC Dyson embarked from Sydney bound for Canada.  

John’s flying training began in Edmonton, Alberta at the Air Observers School (2AOS). He then proceeded to Mossbank, Saskatchewan where he attended the Bomb and Gunnery School (2B&GS/BAGS) and on to Rivers, Manitoba and the Air Navigation School (1ANS). In late June 1941, John embarked for England.

Sgt Dyson joined the RAF Operational Training Unit (22OTU) at Wellesbourne in Warwickshire on the 4th August 1941. After three months of instruction, dedicated to preparing night bomber crews for Vickers Wellington aircraft, John joined the RCAF 405 Squadron based at RAF Pocklington in Yorkshire.

On the evening of the 26th February 1942, nine of the squadrons Wellington bombers were launched during a ten minute window as part of operation Kiel Docks. Bomber W5516 was the last aircraft to take-off, with F/Sgt Dyson being the navigator. Visibility was good, although the conditions were freezing with occasional snow. Only five aircraft are known to have reached the target area, with two returning due to icing and a third forced to turn back. No word was received from W5516 after take-off and they were reported missing at the end of the operation.

It is well documented the flight experienced “tremendous flak from Kiel harbour.” Did W5516 reach the target area? An allied pilot reported seeing two vapour trails near Husum at 20:13, followed by a large red flash and a burning aircraft descend into the sea. The air ministry eventually deemed the six aircrew of W5516 as presumed dead, with effect from 26th February 1942. Interestingly, a Wellington bomber was claimed by German pilot Hauptmann Gunther Radusch, from the Luftwaffe night fighter-wing (NJG3), at 00:55 on the 27th. This bomber was reported as going down further north, off the Westerland coast, and has been tentatively linked to W5516 in recent years. Either way, a terrifying end.

Flight Sergeant John Henry Dyson is listed on both the Runnymede Air Forces Memorial and International Bomber Command Centre Memorial in England and the Australian War Memorial.  In Nowra, John’s parents commissioned a stained glass window which was unveiled and dedicated at the All Saints’ Church in 1950.

K. Standen 2022