Description
Irvin Caterpillar Club Badge, Gold, Warrant Officer Sydney Harold Potter, 630 Squadron, RAF, a “Kiwi” from New Zealand from the RNZAF, interned in Sweden having survived thanks to his parachute.
Officially engraved on reverse of the badge: “W/O S H POTTER”
An original Gold Issue with “Ruby” Eyes, given for free by Irvin & Co, Parachute Manufactuers, to those who had baled out of a plane, deployed their parachute and lived to tell the tale.
On the night of 13-14th January 1945, “Kiwi” Wireless Operator Sydney Potter was supposed to bomb the Politz Synthetic Oil Plant but due to engine trouble had to bail out when their Merlin engine caught fire, instead of landing in Nazi Occupied Denmark, they made it over the border to Sweden and the men jumped out at 8,000 feet.
Sydney lived, and was taken in by friendly Swedish Army who interned the men at Falun for 2 months, before he was returned to the UK, becoming one of the “Caterpillars”. However a poor family in the village of Dejarp ended up being woken up by a massive explosion from the crash landing with a cargo hold full of bombs, and needed their home to be rebuilt.
Warrant Officer Sydney Harold Potter, was a Wireless Operator in 630 Squadron, Royal Air Force.
He was tasked with a Night Raid on Politz, Germany, during which the engine caught fire whilst flying over Denmark, forcing the men to crash land and bale out over nearby Sweden.
Politz, now Police part of Poland, was home to the Politz Synthetic Oil Plant, which was responsible for providing Germany with about 15% of their total consumption of synthetic fuel.
Since May 1944, the Allies began to bomb all the POL Facilities (Petrol Oil Lubricants) to reduce the capability of the German Forces.
The plant was put out of action in early 1945 by a 250 Bomber Raid.
Denmark was occupied by Nazi Germany, landing there would mean capture and being taken as a Prisoner of War, whereas Sweden was Neutral, a slap on the wrist and “Internment” would instead follow.
The men all jumped with their Parachutes, all survived but the unfortunate Mid-Upper Gunner WO EJ Edwards, who hit his head on the tail and died the next day.
Potter actually upon landing apparently spent the night hiding in the forest believing that he had instead landed in Nazi Occupied Denmark.
Sydney Harold Potter, was a New Zealander, born there at Napier, the Eastern Coastal City at Hawke Bay, in New Zealand in March 1910.
By the time of the war, he had moved down to the south of the North Island, settling in Lower Hutt, Wellington, where he worked with Potter’s Fibrous Plaster Company in the town.
He initially wanted to serve his country, but an appeal was put in to finish work, the 3rd May 1941 issue of the Dominion Newspaper reads:
“MEN IN INDUSTRY, APPEALS AGAINST SERVICE, WELLINGTON HEARINGS.
…Potter’s Fibrous Plaster Company asked for a adjournment of 4-6 months for Sydney Harold Potter, Fibrous Plasterer, to enable work contracted for to be completed. Potter was stated to be anxious to service. The appeal was on the ground of public interest and hardship. It was dismissed subject to Potter not being called up before 2nd August.”
He then joined the war effort with the Royal New Zealand Air Force, being sent over to Canada for training.
He graduated from Course 1: Class 51C on 3rd May 1943, at the Royal Canadian Air Force, No 3 Wireless School in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Also going through the Royal Canadian Air Force, No 2 Bombing and Gunnery School in Mossbank, Saskatchewan.
He later died there on 6th April 1968 aged about 58, and was buried in Paraparaumu, Wellington, NZ, the death register specially noting that he was “RNZAF 426326”.
You can view his Gravestone here, courtesy of Kapiti Coast Council:
https://eservices.kapiticoast.govt.nz/cemeteries/plot_records/0100S060
During the war he was with 630 Squadron, who were equipped with Lancaster Bombers and specialised in Night Raids, their motto was “Noctura Mors” meaning “Death by Night”.
He had flown with Pilots Richard Joseph Sassoon, and John William Langley.
On the night of 13-14th January 1945, WO Potter was the Wireless Operator on board Lancaster Bomber PB880, flying out of RAF East Kirkby.
The crew was a multinational bunch from England, Australia, Canada and New Zealand.
Pilot: F/O John William Langley . Age 23 result: interned
Flight Engineer – Sgt Joseph R Thomas. Age unkonown, result: interned
Navigator – F/S George Bernard Gaughan. Age 21, result: interned
Bomb Aimer – F/S Ivor James Penglase RAAF. Age 24, result: interned
Wireless Operator – W/O Sydney Harold Potter RNZAF. Age 34, result: interned
Mid Upper Gunner – W/O Ernest James Edwards. Age unknown, result: Died of injuries
Rear Gunner – F/S Thomas William Panting RCAF. Age 19, result: interned
The crew had been tasked with dropping their bomb load in a night raid on Politz, Germany.
However things did not run smoothly, on the outbound flight to Germany, the starboard Merlin engine began to play up, and then whilst passing Denmark at about 8:15pm, the engine caught fire.
Despite great efforts by the crew the fire could not be put out nor the prop feathered so upon reaching the nearby coast of Sweden, the crew identified Bastad, 20 miles north of Halsingbord and decided to bale out of the plane at 8,000 feet.
The men deployed their “Irvin Co” Parachutes, Airmen who lived thanks to their parachutes were invited to apply to Irvin for this Gold “Caterpillar Club” badge.
However on the way out of the plane, Warrant Officer Ernest James Edwards hit the tail of the plane and suffered fatal head wounds, he died the following day, and was buried locally in Sweden at Halsingborg (Palsjo) Cemetery.
The rest of the crew including WO Potter, managed to safely land on the outskirts of the town, within an hour locals brought them into their sitting room of their house.
Another report notes that the Radio Operator, WO Potter “spent the night in a forest believing he had landed in Occupied Denmark.”
By 1 am, the Swedish Army had arrived and collected them taking them to the nearby Military Camp, being then moved again the next day at 2pm to a detention barracks in Halsingborg.
There they were questioned by a Swedish Army Officer and later that day at 9pm on 15th January were moved over to an Internment Camp at Falun, which is 120 miles north of the Capital Stockholm.
The crew remained there at Falun until 13th March when they were taken down to Stockholm and at 7pm on 14th March, they were flow back home to the UK.
The men likely had no idea what became of their Lancaster PB880, however unfortunately for the local Swedish People of the village of Dejarp, near Hov, the plane which had a full bomb load having not managed to drop them over Germany, ended up crashing into the village causing a large explosion, some injuries were sustained but nothing serious.
About 10 years ago in 2014, at the Former Swedish Air Force Base “Ängelholms flygmuseum” in Angelholm, Sweden, a man donated a piece of this exact Lancaster to them, a thermostatic valve from a Merlin Engine.
The museum also housed a Machine Gun that was recovered from the plane, and how has a number of additional items.
Mr Rudolf Filip from museum went out to the area the plane crashed to see what became of it.
He found a local family who owns the actual field where the plane had crashed making a crater, but had since been buried under dirt.
He even went next door to find a man in his 80s, who was a young back back in 1945 when the plane crashed, it actually caused his parents home to be badly damaged and had to be rebuilt as a result, a quick look around garden revealed various parts including the propeller which had been resting in a nearby bush.
Further reading and sources:
630 Squadron Website Page: https://630squadron.wordpress.com/2019/03/15/01-1945-january-1945/
https://www.key.aero/forum/historic-aviation/134051-lancaster-pb880 Discovery of Plane Parts in Sweden.
https://asn.flightsafety.org/wikibase/159514
https://www.battlefieldsww2.com/synthetic-fuel-plant-politz.html Politz Oil Plant.
