Post by nick on Jul 20, 2008 10:53:14 GMT 1
I am researching the loss of a Halifax bomber during WW2.
The details I have listed below.
Halifax V coded NA-H LK635 of 428 Squadron RCAF (6 Group bomber command) based at Middleton St George. This aircraft took off at 18.28 on the night of 22 September 1943 to bomb Hanover Germany.
This is the last that is officially heard of this plane and its crew. It was reported as lost without trace and its crew are commemorated on the Runneymede Memorial. During my research 4 crew members graves have been found buried in Germany but they are shown as "Unknown". The 4 graves are shown with the date 22 September 1943. These 4 graves are the only ones with that date in the area and could be serious possibilities for the crew of LK635. It could also be possible to locate the aircrafts final resting place but it has been full of pitfalls and the lack of information on the British & Canadian crew has hampered my research.
The crew were:
F/O H.E.McRae RCAF J/20195 KIA (Pilot) (8 Ops) of Huxley Alberta Canada
Sgt W.E.thingyson RCAF R/156913 KIA (6 Ops) of Toronto Ontario Canada
Sgt E.G.Miller RCAF R/183626 KIA (6 Ops) of Mitchell Ontario Canada
Sgt Donald Ernest Jeffery RAFVR 1862968 KIA (6 Ops) of Beckenham Kent
Sgt Arthur Reginald Bohn RAFVR 1415741 KIA (6 Ops) of Kennington London
Sgt J.Wright RAFVR 1590868 KIA (6 Ops) (my relative) of Hull East Yorkshire
Sgt L Cotton RAFVR 1516171 KIA son of Leonard & Nellie Cotton, Sheffield.
Donald Ernest Jeffrey was the Flght Engineer and had previously flown 6 Operations before being lost. He named his father as his next of Kin. The address of the family home was 267 Clockhouse Road Beckenham Kent.
GRO Births SEP Qtr 1895
JEFFERY Ernest Charles G
St.Olave 1d 216
GRO Births JUN Qtr 1900
STEVENS Hilda Olive A
Watford 3a 710
GRO Marriages SEP Qtr 1921
JEFFERY Ernest C.G.
STEVENS Hilda O.A.
Watford 3a 2220
These above could be the GRO entries for Donalds parents, thought this may jog someones memory.
Has or are there any researchers in your area doing the JEFFREY family tree and have this man in there family?
Or has anyone come across him during their research?
Could anyone point me in the right direction which would enable my research to progress? if newspapers could be used which ones? are there any other message boards for Beckenham that may have a more diverse readership?
It has now been 65 long years since these men were lost, many of the families have moved away or even died out. Links to the name may have been forgotten especially if only daughters carried the name on. But these men lived with a time frame that is part of living memory and someone may have the vital little piece of info that tracks down the family. I have made contact with researchers in Germany and they are trying to track down the information that may be available from German archives. An article is to be placed in German newspapers asking for eyewitnesses from that night, which in the past has come up with alsorts of gems.
The end result will I hope be a recognition that the crew are buried in Hanover and their final story can be told. Contacting family members is> twofold, involvement in the research and if all goes well a ceremony for the crew.
Regards
Nick
The details I have listed below.
Halifax V coded NA-H LK635 of 428 Squadron RCAF (6 Group bomber command) based at Middleton St George. This aircraft took off at 18.28 on the night of 22 September 1943 to bomb Hanover Germany.
This is the last that is officially heard of this plane and its crew. It was reported as lost without trace and its crew are commemorated on the Runneymede Memorial. During my research 4 crew members graves have been found buried in Germany but they are shown as "Unknown". The 4 graves are shown with the date 22 September 1943. These 4 graves are the only ones with that date in the area and could be serious possibilities for the crew of LK635. It could also be possible to locate the aircrafts final resting place but it has been full of pitfalls and the lack of information on the British & Canadian crew has hampered my research.
The crew were:
F/O H.E.McRae RCAF J/20195 KIA (Pilot) (8 Ops) of Huxley Alberta Canada
Sgt W.E.thingyson RCAF R/156913 KIA (6 Ops) of Toronto Ontario Canada
Sgt E.G.Miller RCAF R/183626 KIA (6 Ops) of Mitchell Ontario Canada
Sgt Donald Ernest Jeffery RAFVR 1862968 KIA (6 Ops) of Beckenham Kent
Sgt Arthur Reginald Bohn RAFVR 1415741 KIA (6 Ops) of Kennington London
Sgt J.Wright RAFVR 1590868 KIA (6 Ops) (my relative) of Hull East Yorkshire
Sgt L Cotton RAFVR 1516171 KIA son of Leonard & Nellie Cotton, Sheffield.
Donald Ernest Jeffrey was the Flght Engineer and had previously flown 6 Operations before being lost. He named his father as his next of Kin. The address of the family home was 267 Clockhouse Road Beckenham Kent.
GRO Births SEP Qtr 1895
JEFFERY Ernest Charles G
St.Olave 1d 216
GRO Births JUN Qtr 1900
STEVENS Hilda Olive A
Watford 3a 710
GRO Marriages SEP Qtr 1921
JEFFERY Ernest C.G.
STEVENS Hilda O.A.
Watford 3a 2220
These above could be the GRO entries for Donalds parents, thought this may jog someones memory.
Has or are there any researchers in your area doing the JEFFREY family tree and have this man in there family?
Or has anyone come across him during their research?
Could anyone point me in the right direction which would enable my research to progress? if newspapers could be used which ones? are there any other message boards for Beckenham that may have a more diverse readership?
It has now been 65 long years since these men were lost, many of the families have moved away or even died out. Links to the name may have been forgotten especially if only daughters carried the name on. But these men lived with a time frame that is part of living memory and someone may have the vital little piece of info that tracks down the family. I have made contact with researchers in Germany and they are trying to track down the information that may be available from German archives. An article is to be placed in German newspapers asking for eyewitnesses from that night, which in the past has come up with alsorts of gems.
The end result will I hope be a recognition that the crew are buried in Hanover and their final story can be told. Contacting family members is> twofold, involvement in the research and if all goes well a ceremony for the crew.
Regards
Nick