Date: 13th/14th July 1943.
Unit: No. 35 Squadron.
Type: Halifax II.
Serial: HR819.
Code: TL-K.
Base: Graveley.
Location: Leuth, Germany.
Pilot: F/S Edward Wright Saywell RNZAF Aged 25. (Missing)
Fl/ Eng: Sgt Joseph Marsh Aged 23. (Missing)
Nav: Sgt Ernie Raymond Moore Aged 30. (Missing)
Air/Bmr: Sgt Frank William Whittaker Aged 20. (Missing)
W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt Ronald W. Wisson. (P.O.W.)
Air/Gnr: Sgt Stuart Fred (Ginger) Hughes. (Missing)
Air/Gnr: Sgt Frank Frederick Ward Aged 21. (Missing)
REASON FOR LOSS:
35 squadron Halifax II in flight.
Aircraft took-off from R.A.F. Graveley airfield at 23:34 hrs, to attack the German City of Aachen. The Halifax was intercepted at around 01.39 hrs by a Me110 piloted by Hans Dieter Frank, the attack on HR819 took place at around 15,400ft, the aircraft crashing to the ground north of the town of Leuth.
Pilot F/S Edward Wright Saywell RNZAF Aged 25, and right his cap badge recovered from the crash site.
The crash site was located in 2019 by Joop Hendrix, Sjaak de Veth, Peter Grubben and his nephew, Peter Grubben, numerous items were found during the investigation, perhaps the most poignant the pilots Royal New Zealand Air Force cap badge.
View of the crash site of HR819.
Photo taken by a 542 Squadron recon Spitfire on the 14th July 1943, clearly showing the crash site.
Other items recovered include this 1931 Florin and the remains of an Oxygen instrument.
Burial Details:
Those killed have no known graves and all are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
Flight Sergeant 415372 Edward Wright Saywell R.N.Z.A.F. Age 25. Runnymede Memorial Panel 199. Son of Raymond and Margaret Maud Saywell, of New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand.
Sergeant 1080667 Joseph Marsh R.A.F.V.R. Age 23. Runnymede Memorial Panel 158. Son of Joseph William and Ellen Marsh, of Upholland, Lancashire.
Sergeant 1379660 Ernest Raymond Moore R.A.F.V.R. Age 30. Runnymede Memorial Panel 159. Son of Ernest John and Dorothy Amy Moore; husband of Jessie Louisa Moore, of Enfield, Middlesex.
Flight Sergeant 1231515 Frank William Whittaker R.A.F.V.R. Age 20. Runnymede Memorial Panel 139. Son of William and Mabel Elizabeth Whittaker, of Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Lancashire.
Sergeant 1021591 Stuart Fred Hughes R.A.F.V.R. Runnymede Memorial Panel 154.
Sergeant 1321748 Frank Frederick Ward R.A,F.V.R. Age 21. Runnymede Memorial Panel 168. Son of Ernest C. and Bessie Ward, of Hornchurch, Essex.
Remembrance page construction by David King, research by Alexander King, with special thanks to Joop Hendrix, Sjaak de Veth, Peter Grubben and his nephew also Peter Grubben.