Eric Carpenter was the Oboe Deputy Leader in Robert Palmer’s lead formation on the Cologne operation of 23 December 1944. Both the Palmer and Carpenter aircraft were shot down very quickly at the commencement of the bombing runs, with heavy loss of life.

In a note, sent 2 November 2023, Margaret Carpenter, daughter of Eric Carpenter, wrote:

Family oral history had speculated that [Eric] was ahead of the Lancaster piloted by Robert Palmer. In my own research of that mission I was given the web reference http://www.luftwaffe.cz/hackl.html which has the record of Hackl’s “victories”.

On Dec 23 at 12.54 Hackl shot down the Lancaster and at 12:56 records the Mosquito. I have always thought this indicates Hackl came in from behind, hit the the Lancaster and exposed the Mosquito in front of it, which he also shot down.

Eric and his navigator, Flying Officer William Thraves Lambert, DFM, were killed.

The loss of the Carpenter aircraft and that of the formation leader, Palmer, was witnessed by other crews and the details were given to intelligence officers after the return to Little Staughton. The 109 Squadron ORB records the distressing details of the destruction of Eric and William’s Mosquito.

Eric and William were initially buried at Juchem Civil Cemetery, but were reburied at Rheinberg in 1947.

Photograph of Eric Carpenter courtesy of Margaret Carpenter