THE EMOTIVE SECOND WAR 487 (NEW ZEALAND) SQUADRON GROUP TO AN AIR GUNNER WHO WAS KILLED IN ACTION DURING THE DISASTROUS OPERATION RAMROD 16 RAID ON THE HEMWEG POWER STATION, AMSTERDAM, A RAID IN WHICH 10 OF 12 OF THE SQUADRON’S VENTURERS WERE LOST AND THE SQUADRON LEADER WAS AWARDED A VICTORIA CROSS

NEW ZEALAND MEMORIAL CROSS ‘NZ41696 F/SJT. W. D. L. GOODFELLOW’, IN BOX OF ISSUE, 1939-45 STAR, AIRCREW EUROPE STAR, DEFENCE AND WAR MEDALS 1939-45, NEW ZEALAND WAR SERVICE MEDAL.

NZ41696 Flight Sergeant William Desmond Goodfellow was born in Auckland on 29 September 1919 and enlisted into the Air Force on 17 June 1940. Initially serving as groundcrew, he remustered as aircrew and went to Canada for training. Qualifying as an Air Gunner, he was posted to 487 (New Zealand) Squadron, fling Venturer’s from Fetwell, Norfolk (UK) from late 1942.

Taking part in 15 Operational Sorties over the following months, including low level attacks at Eindhoven airfield, railway yards at Haarlam and Bruge; rail and marshalling yards at Abbeville, Caen, Boulonge and docks at Dunkirk.

Having been promoted Flight Sergeant on 1 May 1943, he was killed in action on 3 May 1943, when his Venturer was shot down during the infamous ‘Ramrod Raid 16’ on the Hemweg Power Station, Amsterdam, a raid in which 10 of 12 of 487 Squadron’s Venturers were lost and the Squadron Leader was awarded a Victoria Cross:

“Disaster came on 3 May, when an eleven-aircraft Ramrod raid – one to be continued regardless of losses – against Amsterdam designated Operation Ramrod 16 resulted in the loss of all but one of the squadron's Venturas. After crossing the Dutch coast, the Venturas were bounced by a group of 70 to 80 German fighters. They penetrated the Spitfire escort and got in amongst 487 Squadron's bombers, damaging one and forcing it to return to base. The squadron pressed on, with further losses; by the time the Venturas had begun their bomb run, only five aircraft remained. The Germans then proceeded to pick them off, although they fought back as best they could, with Squadron Leader Leonard Trent downing one attacker with his machine-guns as the German fighter flew across his nose. Finally, only Trent's aircraft remained in the air. Reaching the target, he pressed home his attack, dropping his payload – narrowly missing the target, but causing some damage – before he too was shot down. For his leadership during the raid, Trent was later awarded the Victoria Cross. He survived being shot down and was taken prisoner; he later took part in the ‘Great Escape’.”

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Ramrod_16

Details of Goodfellow, including a picture him, his memorial and service, can be found here:

https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/C19097

Condition GVF. A scarce New Zealand Air Force Group.