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26 O.T.U. Cenotaph

Remembrance Day Is Everyday

30th/31st May 1942. Op= Koln Wellington Ic W5704 -S

F/O W R H Whitting R.A.F (Killed)

Sgt J H G Garrick R.A.F. (Killed)

Sgt J M Hall R.N.Z.A.F. (Killed)

Sgt R C Williams R.A.F. (Killed)

Sgt A N Young R.N.Z.A.F. (Killed)

Took-off 2345 from RAF Graveley. Shot down circa 0130 by, it is thought, Hptm Werner Streib, I./NJG1 and crashing at Middelberg (Noord Brabant), 16 Km West of Eindhoven, Holland, where all are buried in the Woensel General Cemetery. Both R.N.Z.A.F. crew members had been attached from 27 O.T.U.

Left: Allen Norman Young R.N.Z.A.F. Right: James Milton Hall R.N.Z.A.F. two of the five crew lost on Wellington Ic W5704 - S.

30th/31st May 1942. Op= Koln Wellington Ic DV707 -D

F/S E J Ford DFM R.A.F. (Killed)

P/O D C August R.A.F. (Killed)

W/O D W Caswell R.A.F. (POW)

F/S F F Barker DFM R.A.F. (Killed)

F/S J Thompson R.A.F. (Killed)

Took-off 2315hrs from Graveley. Thought to have fallen victim to Lt Niklas, 6/NJG1, crashing in the vicinity of Venlo (Limburg) Holland, where those that died have been interned at Jonkerbos War Cemetery. F/S Ford and F/S Barker gained their DFM's on the 24th of October and 2nd of September 1941 respectively, while serving with 9 Squadron in the case of the former and 103 Squadron for the latter. W/O Caswell was taken into captivity with quite severe burns and wounds caused by cannon shell splinters.

The graves of the four airmen killed on Wellington Ic DV707 -D Buried at Jonkerbos War Cemetery Holland. (Grave photos curtesy of Des Pilippet and Michel Beckers).

30th/31st May 1942. Op= Koln Wellington Ic DV740 EU-O

W/O F G Hillyer R.A.F. (POW)

Sgt D H Fletcher R.A.F. (Killed)

P/O A C White R.A.F. (Killed)

Sgt D S B Vincent R.A.F. (Killed)

Sgt H L Smith R.A.F. (Killed)

Took-off at 2305hrs from Graveley. May have fallen victim to the guns of Oblt Patuschka, 4/NJG2, crashing at Alem in the Province of Gelderland, 14 km West-North-West of Oss (Noord Brabant), Holland. Those who died are buried in Uden War Cemetery.

The graves of P/O A C White, Sgt H L Smith, Sgt D H Fletcher and Sgt D S B Vincent at Uden War Cemetery.

30th/31st May 1942. Op= Koln Wellington Ic DV709 -F

Sgt J J Dixson R.A.F. (Killed)

Sgt Scroggie R.C.A.F. (Inj)

Sgt Green R.A.F. (Inj)

Sgt Broadhurst R.A.F. (Inj)

Sgt B B Camlin R.A.F. (Killed)

Took-off 0019hrs from Graveley. Crashed 0435hrs while making an emergency landing in a field near Soham Flower Mill, some thirteen miles North East of Cambridge, Sgt Dickson and Sgt Camlin where buried in Beck Row St John Churchyard at Mildenhall, while those who were extracted alive, from the overturned bomber were taken to R.A.F. Hospital Ely.

31.05.1942

Formed on 15th January 1942 at Wing Buckinghamshire, 26 O.T.U. had enjoyed a remarkable good run of fortune until this particular night. Akin to all the training establishments, 26 O.T.U. had fielded a mixture of screened and all pupil crews, mustering twenty in total. On this night 30th/31st the unit suffer its first losses when four of its Wellington aircraft failed to return, with 15 airmen killed, 3 injured and 2 interned as Prisoners Of War.


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