Date of birth:

October 5th, 1912 (Velke Hamry,Liberec, Czechoslovakia)

Date of death:

January 2nd, 1942 (North Sea, Petten, Netherlands)

Buried on:

Commonwealth War Graves General Cemetery Bergen
Plot: 1. Row: D. Grave: 4.

Service number:

82622

Nationality:

Czechoslovakian (1918 - 1948, Republic)

Flying Officer
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, 311 (Czechoslovak) Sqdn.

Josef was accepted by the RAF on August 16, 1940 and, as a Pilot Officer, was posted to RAF Bassingbourn in Cambridgeshire for navigator training. On 6th September and having completed the training, he was transferred to 311 (Czechoslovak) Sqn, where he initially joined the crew of Ft Lt Breiceitl and subsequently, Sgt Adolf Musalek, flying Wellington bombers.
Throughout 1941, Josef flew 35 combat missions, totalling almost 200 hours flying time, and on 28th December, was preparing for what was to be his last mission of the tour before commencing a six-month break from operations. Josef, now a Flying Officer, was also making plans for the New Year’s Eve celebrations with his close friend and wireless operator in the crew, F/O Josef Scerba. Flying a Wellington – codenamed KX-B and commanded by Sgt Alois Siska -- the target for the raid was the German naval shipyard and harbour installations at Wilhelmshaven and despite being hit by flak, their bombs were dropped successfully.
However, 20 minutes into the flight back to base, the left engine burst into flames and soon after, this engine’s propeller tore off, becoming embedded in the fuselage, damaging the hydraulic system and rendering the aircraft unmanageable. With great skill, Sgt Siska managed to land in the North Sea but the rear gunner, Sgt Rudolf Skalicky, was killed – the rest of the crew managed to scramble into the rubber dinghy. Although contact had been made with their base immediately before abandoning the aircraft, no rescue came, and they had to contend with the freezing conditions in the open dinghy.
On the fifth night, 2nd January 1942, the co-pilot, Sgt Josef Tomanek, died shortly after midnight and along with Sgt Skalicky, is commemorated on the RAF Memorial at Runnymede. And just a few hours later, Josef Mohr, totally exhausted, also succumbed to the cold.

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• Photo 1: 4 Mei Comité Bergen NH
• Photo 2: Arjo Eijgelsheim
• - Flying Officer Josef Mohr | War Casualty Details 2619895 | CWGC
  - Josef Mohr | CWGC Stories
  - Josef Mohr | Awards | VALKA
  - Josef Mohr | Find A Grave
  

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