Jacob t'Hart DFC and bar RAFVR and crew – 103 Squadron – 1943/44
I had noted from the 103 ORB that a pilot named J Hart had served with 103 during the Battle of Berlin and had been transferred with his crew to 156 Pathfinder Squadron in April 1944. Hart is a common enough English name and I never suspected he was foreign. However in the May 2020 issue of Flypast there was an article by Graham Pitchfork about Dutch airmen in the RAF which was brought to my attention by John Jones. In this article Mr Pitchfork mentions J Hart who is in fact Jacob t'Hart who was Dutch which was a surprise to me. t'Hart is the only Dutch national to have served with 103 Squadron as far as I am aware. Apparently t'Hart is a Dutch surname meaning “the heart”
At the start of WW2 Jacob t'Hart was studying at Cambridge University. He enlisted in the RAF, completed his pilot training in Canada. The crew were formed at 30 OTU Hixon and then posted to 1656 Heavy Conversion Unit at Lindholme. On the 18th November 1943 t’hart and his crew were posted to 103 Squadron at RAF Elsham Wolds.
During the hard winter of 43/44 he completed 24 operations of which 11 were to Berlin. During one of these the target was obscured by cloud and on the return flight his aircraft was badly damaged by a night fighter. However he managed to return to base and made a safe landing.
t'Hart flew his first operation as second dicky ( co-pilot ) with W/O E T Townsend and crew on the 22/23rd November 1943 to Berlin in JB555. Sgt Bridges also flew 2 operations as a spare bod with F/S Grigg and crew at the end of November - both to Berlin
He then flew with following operations with his own crew :-
Crew
Sgt E J Kilminster
Sgt D C Jones
P/O W F Langston
Sgt W B Dalgleish
Sgt L A Bridges
Sgt G H Seldon
Jacob t’Hart on the left with Wireless Operator Sgt L A Bridges 4th from left in the middle
03-Dec-43 – Leipzig- Lancaster – JB487 – P/O J Hart
16-Dec-43 – Berlin - Lancaster – JB746 – P/O J Hart
23-Dec-43 – Berlin – Lancaster – JB746 – P/O J Hart
29-Dec-43 – Berlin – Lancaster – JB746 – P/O J Hart
01-Jan-44 – Berlin – Lancaster – JB746 – P/O J Hart
02-Jan-44 – Berlin – Lancaster – JB746 – P/O J Hart - Landed at Hunsdon owing to bad weather at base
05-Jan-44 – Stettin – Lancaster – JB746 – P/O J Hart
20-Jan-44 – Berlin – Lancaster – JB746 – F/O J Hart
21-Jan-44 – Magdeburg – Lancaster – JB746 – F/O J Hart
27-Jan-44 – Berlin – Lancaster – JB746 – F/O J Hart
28-Jan-44 – Berlin – Lancaster – JB746 – F/O J Hart
30-Jan-44 – Berlin – Lancaster – JB746 – F/O J Hart
15-Feb-44 – Berlin – Lancaster – JB746 – F/L J Hart
19-Feb-44 – Leipzig – Lancaster – JB746 – F/L J Hart
20-Feb-44 – Stuttgart – Lancaster – JB746 – F/L J Hart
15-Mar-44 – Stuttgart – Lancaster – JB746 – F/L J Hart
18-Mar-44 – Frankfurt – Lancaster – JB746 – F/L J Hart
22-Mar-44 – Frankfurt – Lancaster – JB746 – F/L J Hart
24-Mar-44 – Berlin – Lancaster – JB746 – F/L J Hart
26-Mar-44 – Essen – Lancaster – JB746 – F/L J Hart
30-Mar-44 – Nuremberg - Lancaster JB746 – F/L J Hart
09-Apr-44 - Gdynia Bay - Mine laying - Lancaster JB746 – F/L J Hart
11-Apr-44 – Aachen – Lancaster – JB746 – F/L J Hart
On the 16th April 1944 this crew were posted to 156 Pathfinder Squadron in which t’Hart served with considerable distinction becoming a Master Bomber.
The crew were transferred to the PFF Navigation Training Unit at RAF Warboys on the 18th April 1944 and then to 156 Squadron on the 27th April 1944
t'Hart was awarded a well earned DFC gazetted 3rd June 1944 and was granted a bar to his DFC which was gazetted on the 23rd February 1945. He was one of only two Dutchmen to receive a bar to his DFC.
Notable amongst the t’Hart crew ops with 156 Squadron was their first on the 11/12th May 1944 to Hasselt during which they were badly shot up by a fighter and both gunners baled out. t’Hart made an emergency landing at Woodbridge.
Post war he emigrated to New Zealand. I did note he was mentioned in the New Zealand Gazette as having an extended commission in the Reserve of Air Force Officers as late as 1976. I know nothing more about him and would welcome any background info and photos of him and his crew.
See also - Memoirs of F/L Jacob t'Hart DFC and bar RAFVR 103 Squadron / 156 Squadron – 1943 / 44
Photos of F/L Jacob t'Hart DFC and bar
Item compiled by David Fell with thanks to John Jones and acknowledgement to Flypast magazine - Moments of Truth - Dutch Airmen and the author, Graham Pitchfork. Also Sharon Tatton for the photo and copy of her father’s log book
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