Hans Asmussen Green

FS Hans Asmussen Green (R.149218) was killed in action on 23 September 1943, when his Lancaster was shot down by a German night fighter. Green was born in Denmark, but emigrated to Canada in 1930, where he was naturalised in 1935. He enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force in December 1941.

Hans Asmussen Green was born on 27 March 1911 in Agerskov, the son of police detective Bertel Andresen Green and Bodil Green (née Asmussen).^[1] He was educated in Agerskov (1917-24) and in Hvidovre outside Copenhagen (1924-26).^[2]

He worked as farm labour in Nykøbing Falster in 1929-30, before emigrating to Canada in February 1930.^[3] His brother John had settled in Manitoba in 1929.^[4] Green worked as a farm labour in Manitoba (Homewood and Carman) for eleven years.^[5] He was naturalised as Canadian (133326 A) on 12 October 1935.^[6]

Royal Canadian Air Force

Green volunteered for the Royal Canadian Air Force in late 1941 taking the oath of allegiance to the King on 12 December 1941. At an interview prior to enlistment in October 1941, the interviewing officer considered him to be a

Good clean type of Danish chap, should make A1 aircrew.^[7]

He doubted that he would be suitable for a commission and best fitted for wireless operator air gunner.

Following training in Canada, Green was transferred to the United Kingdom in May 1943. He was posted to 14 OTU at RAF Cottesmore. He was part of course no. 67 from 25 May to 6 July 1943, and he was thought to have “made good progress, keen, practical work good”, even if he was not considered to be suitable for commission. At the end of the course, the crew was posted to 1654 Conversion Unit.^[8]

467 (RAAF) Squadron

This squadron was formed at RAF Scampton on 7 November 1942. It was intended to be an Australian squadron under Article XV of the Empire Air Training Scheme according to which each country’s aircrew would serve in distinct national squadrons once they arrived in Britain. However the replacement of the original establishment was a gradual proces and it was not until towards the end of the war that The Australian character was dominant.^[9] Only two members of Green’s crew were Australian; the captain FS Andrew Long (AUS.413396) and the navigator FS Oswald John Lumsden (AUS.413779).

Green flew his first operation on the night of 30/31 August 1943, when fourteen aircraft from the squadron took off to bomb Munchen Gladbach. FS Long and FS Lumsden had participated in the raid on Berlin on the night of 23/24 August 1943 as 2nd pilot and 2nd navigator in other crews to get the experience before being in charge themselves. Green’s crew was airborne in Lancaster III JB121 at 2356 hrs in a clear and cloudless night. They dropped their load—a 4,000 lb HC bomb, 96 x 30 lb and 1580 x 4 lb incendiaries—on the centre of the green target indicators at 0231 hrs. Fires developed on the ground from the bombing, but they were rather scattered. They experienced moderate flak over the target, but saw no enemy aircraft. They returned to base at 0455 hrs.^[10]

Bomber Command launched three major attacks on Berlin from 23–24 August to 3–4 September 1943, The results from these raids were disappointing especially taking into consideration the heavy losses. After the third raid, therefore, it was decided not to carry out further attacks on Berlin for two months. Several Danes took part in the attacks: Andrew Christian Sondergaard and Christian Marinus Nielsen in 405 Sqn, and Niels Erik Westergaard in 619 Sqn.^[11]

Green participated in two of these attacks. On the night of 31 August/1 September 1943, more than 700 aircraft took off to attack Berlin. Fourteen aircraft from 467 Sqn participated. Green was in for a long night in his turret. The Lancaster III (ED606) took off at 2027 hrs and returned at 0351 hrs. In contrast to Green’s first sortie, it was a cloudy night, and while the bombing seemed concentrated and they saw a number of fires burning, the results were not a good as in the raid on 23/24 August.

A week later, on the night of 3/4 September, the target was Berlin again. Fifteen Lancasters from 467 Sqn were part of the force headed for the German capital on this night. The route to the target was covered by cloud and over Sweden they were met by flak. They bombed a little before midnight, and returned home. Berlin was defended by flak as well as fighters covering the bomb run guided by searchlight. They returned to base at 0413 hrs after more than 8 hours of flying.^[12]

Following three successful sorties, the crew ran out of luck.

Last sortie—to Mannheim

Green’s crew took off in Lancaster III PO-Y (EE135) from RAF Bottesford on 1901 hrs on 23 September 1943 to bomb Mannheim in Germany. The aircraft—captained by Plt Off Arthur Long (RAAF, 413396)—failed to return and nothing was heard of it after take off.

The aircraft fell victim of a German night fighter. Two pilots claimed to have shot down the Lancaster; Off. Kurt Grieneisen from 5./JG300 claimed to have hit the aircraft at 23.20 at an altitude of 5,900 m over Mannheim and Oblt. Martin Becker Stab I./NJG6 claimed it one minute later north of Speyer at an altitude of 5,000 m. It was coned by searchlights at this point.^[9]

After the war Flt Lt W. Kubiak of 3 Missing Research and Enquiry Unit found

That on the 24th September 1943 at approximately 2400 hrs they had sighter a burning aircraft flying towards the town of Speyer at a good height. Aircraft went into a dive and crashed at Speyer Green (M.R. R 5381). Mr. Ehringer [cemetery keeper] had visited the crash on the following morning and had seen two dead bodies lying about 30 meters from the wreckage. He identified both by identity discs, which they had on their possession. One Sgt Francis and the other Sgt Green. They were later placed into two separate coffins by cemetery authorities and were delivered to Altlussheim cemetery for burial that day. Two days later (27th) the Wehrmacht arrived and removed the wreckage. Remains of five bodies were also removed and placed into two separate coffins and delivered to Altlussheim for burial.^[10]

The crew was later exhumed and moved to Bad Tolz (Durnbach) British Military Cemetery.

Green was awarded the 1939-45 Star, the Aircrew Europe Star, the War Medal and the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal. After the war the War Memorial Medal was presented to his mother.^[11]

Endnotes

[1] DNA: Paris register, Agerskov sogn.

[2] LAC: R112/30650 R147218 Green, Hans Asmussen.

[3] Ancestry: Canadian Passenger Lists, 1865-1935.

[4] Ancestry: Canadian Passenger Lists, 1865-1935.

[5] LAC: R112/30650 R147218 Green, Hans Asmussen.

[6] Canadian Gazette (certificate number 132970 A).

[7] LAC: R112/30650 R147218 Green, Hans Asmussen.

[8] LAC: R112/30650 R147218 Green, Hans Asmussen.

[9] Empire Air Training Scheme, https://www.awm.gov.au/articles/encyclopedia/raaf/eats (accessed on 9 July 2020).

[10] NA: AIR 27/1930.

[11] Plannthin, M. (2017). Britain’s Victory, Denmark’s Freedom: Danish Volunteers in Allied Air Forces During the Second World War, p. 84.

[12] NA: AIR 27/1930.

[13] Boiten, Theo (2008). The Nachtjagd war diaries: an operational history of the German night fighter force in the West.

[14] LAC: R112/30650 R147218 Green, Hans Asmussen.

[15] Hejmdal, 20 December 1945.