Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve from Bideford, Devon, he was the air gunner for Halifax Bomber LW 430 of 640 Squadron which took off from RAF Leconfield on March 24, 1944, as part of a 1,000 bomber raid on Berlin. The crew completed its bombing mission and was on its way home when high winds blew it off course. It was intercepted by a Messerschmitt and shot down, one of 72 craft lost that night. The bomber clipped trees before crashing in flames in a field in Torgau, south of Berlin, killing all on board. Two of the crew, thrown clear of the wreck, were buried immediately by locals at Annaburg Churchyard. The crew was listed as missing in action until the wreck of their aircraft was discovered in 2003 by a German team from the Arbeitsgruppe Vermisstenforschung (Missing Persons Research Group). A funeral service was held in St George's Church, Berlin and the remaining five crewmen were buried with full military honors in the same coffin in the Berlin Military Cemetery on September 1, 2005 attended by some 25 family members. A memorial plaque was laid at the crash site in Torgau.
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve from Bideford, Devon, he was the air gunner for Halifax Bomber LW 430 of 640 Squadron which took off from RAF Leconfield on March 24, 1944, as part of a 1,000 bomber raid on Berlin. The crew completed its bombing mission and was on its way home when high winds blew it off course. It was intercepted by a Messerschmitt and shot down, one of 72 craft lost that night. The bomber clipped trees before crashing in flames in a field in Torgau, south of Berlin, killing all on board. Two of the crew, thrown clear of the wreck, were buried immediately by locals at Annaburg Churchyard. The crew was listed as missing in action until the wreck of their aircraft was discovered in 2003 by a German team from the Arbeitsgruppe Vermisstenforschung (Missing Persons Research Group). A funeral service was held in St George's Church, Berlin and the remaining five crewmen were buried with full military honors in the same coffin in the Berlin Military Cemetery on September 1, 2005 attended by some 25 family members. A memorial plaque was laid at the crash site in Torgau.
Bio by: Iola
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