He was a Sergeant/Flight Engineer with the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 115 Sqdn. Service No:1717615
He was 20 and the son of Benjamin George Arthur and Winifred Emma Clark of East Barnet.
At 7.15am on 18 July 1944 a Handley Page Halifax Mk.111 bomber belonging to 115 Squadron RAF attempted to land, crashed through the trees over Eagles Nest House, in a wood on top of Birkitt Hill,bounced on a field and slammed into West End Farm House killing the crew as well as the farmer's wife and two daughters (one of whom was Private Elsie Handley, home on leave from the Auxiliary Territorial Service.)The farmer, George Handley, and his sons were milking in the cow sheds and escaped.The aircraft LM616 (KO J) had left its base at RAF Witchford near Ely at 04:20 hrs to support Allied ground forces taking part in Operation Goodwood during the Normandy campaign. [Emieville area.]
The Royal Air Force and United States Army Air Forces objective was to bomb units of the 16th Luftwaffe Field Division and the 21st Panzer Division which were located around the Manneville area in France. LM616 received severe damage during the raid, in which its controls and navigation aids were shot up. The aircraft had descended through low cloud only to see the high escarpment of the Chiltern Hills at Offley loom into view too late for the crew to take immediate action.
CREW OF THE HALIFAX WHO PERISHED
Flying Officer THOMAS RICHARDSON
Wireless Operator/Mechanic
Service No:157884
Age:23
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 115 Sqdn.
Grave Reference: Row G. Grave 3.
NEW SEAHAM (CHRIST CHURCH) CHURCHYARD
Son of John and Susan Richardson. of Seaton.
Sergeant/Air Gunner ISAAC MORRIS
Service No:1544587
Age:21
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 115 Sqdn.
Grave Reference:New ground. Joint grave 554.
STAVELEY (ST. JAMES) CHURCHYARD
Son of Joseph and Jessie Morris, of Staveley.
Pilot Officer/Pilot SYDNEY ALBERT LETTS
Service No:173763
Age:31
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 115 Sqdn.
Grave 13769.
CAMBRIDGE CITY CEMETERY
Son of Sydney and Mabel Letts, of Leicester; husband of Dorothy Letts, of Leicester.
Sergeant/Navigator KEITH JOHN SMITH
Service No:1603697
Age:21
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 115 Sqdn.
Grave 13969.
CAMBRIDGE CITY CEMETERY
Son of Frank John Leage Smith and Gwendolin Grace Smith, of Purley, Surrey.
Sergeant EARL DOUGLAS WHITE
Service No:R/200964
Age:21
Royal Canadian Air Force 115 (R.A.F.) Sqdn
Grave Reference:52. F. 8.
BROOKWOOD MILITARY CEMETERY
Son of Menno Peter and Rose Rebecca White of Fort Erie North, Ontario, Canada.
Pilot Officer/Air Bomber WILLIAM JOHN KENNEDY
Service No:J/88743
Age:28
Royal Canadian Air Force 115 (R.A.F.) Sqdn.
Grave Reference:52. F. 7.
BROOKWOOD MILITARY CEMETERY
Son of William Dugald and Mary Ann Kennedy of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
He was 20 and the son of Benjamin George Arthur and Winifred Emma Clark of East Barnet.
At 7.15am on 18 July 1944 a Handley Page Halifax Mk.111 bomber belonging to 115 Squadron RAF attempted to land, crashed through the trees over Eagles Nest House, in a wood on top of Birkitt Hill,bounced on a field and slammed into West End Farm House killing the crew as well as the farmer's wife and two daughters (one of whom was Private Elsie Handley, home on leave from the Auxiliary Territorial Service.)The farmer, George Handley, and his sons were milking in the cow sheds and escaped.The aircraft LM616 (KO J) had left its base at RAF Witchford near Ely at 04:20 hrs to support Allied ground forces taking part in Operation Goodwood during the Normandy campaign. [Emieville area.]
The Royal Air Force and United States Army Air Forces objective was to bomb units of the 16th Luftwaffe Field Division and the 21st Panzer Division which were located around the Manneville area in France. LM616 received severe damage during the raid, in which its controls and navigation aids were shot up. The aircraft had descended through low cloud only to see the high escarpment of the Chiltern Hills at Offley loom into view too late for the crew to take immediate action.
CREW OF THE HALIFAX WHO PERISHED
Flying Officer THOMAS RICHARDSON
Wireless Operator/Mechanic
Service No:157884
Age:23
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 115 Sqdn.
Grave Reference: Row G. Grave 3.
NEW SEAHAM (CHRIST CHURCH) CHURCHYARD
Son of John and Susan Richardson. of Seaton.
Sergeant/Air Gunner ISAAC MORRIS
Service No:1544587
Age:21
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 115 Sqdn.
Grave Reference:New ground. Joint grave 554.
STAVELEY (ST. JAMES) CHURCHYARD
Son of Joseph and Jessie Morris, of Staveley.
Pilot Officer/Pilot SYDNEY ALBERT LETTS
Service No:173763
Age:31
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 115 Sqdn.
Grave 13769.
CAMBRIDGE CITY CEMETERY
Son of Sydney and Mabel Letts, of Leicester; husband of Dorothy Letts, of Leicester.
Sergeant/Navigator KEITH JOHN SMITH
Service No:1603697
Age:21
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 115 Sqdn.
Grave 13969.
CAMBRIDGE CITY CEMETERY
Son of Frank John Leage Smith and Gwendolin Grace Smith, of Purley, Surrey.
Sergeant EARL DOUGLAS WHITE
Service No:R/200964
Age:21
Royal Canadian Air Force 115 (R.A.F.) Sqdn
Grave Reference:52. F. 8.
BROOKWOOD MILITARY CEMETERY
Son of Menno Peter and Rose Rebecca White of Fort Erie North, Ontario, Canada.
Pilot Officer/Air Bomber WILLIAM JOHN KENNEDY
Service No:J/88743
Age:28
Royal Canadian Air Force 115 (R.A.F.) Sqdn.
Grave Reference:52. F. 7.
BROOKWOOD MILITARY CEMETERY
Son of William Dugald and Mary Ann Kennedy of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
He was a Sergeant/Flight Engineer with the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 115 Sqdn. Service No:1717615
He was 20 and the son of Benjamin George Arthur and Winifred Emma Clark of East Barnet.
At 7.15am on 18 July 1944 a Handley Page Halifax Mk.111 bomber belonging to 115 Squadron RAF attempted to land, crashed through the trees over Eagles Nest House, in a wood on top of Birkitt Hill,bounced on a field and slammed into West End Farm House killing the crew as well as the farmer's wife and two daughters (one of whom was Private Elsie Handley, home on leave from the Auxiliary Territorial Service.)The farmer, George Handley, and his sons were milking in the cow sheds and escaped.The aircraft LM616 (KO J) had left its base at RAF Witchford near Ely at 04:20 hrs to support Allied ground forces taking part in Operation Goodwood during the Normandy campaign. [Emieville area.]
The Royal Air Force and United States Army Air Forces objective was to bomb units of the 16th Luftwaffe Field Division and the 21st Panzer Division which were located around the Manneville area in France. LM616 received severe damage during the raid, in which its controls and navigation aids were shot up. The aircraft had descended through low cloud only to see the high escarpment of the Chiltern Hills at Offley loom into view too late for the crew to take immediate action.
CREW OF THE HALIFAX WHO PERISHED
Flying Officer THOMAS RICHARDSON
Wireless Operator/Mechanic
Service No:157884
Age:23
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 115 Sqdn.
Grave Reference: Row G. Grave 3.
NEW SEAHAM (CHRIST CHURCH) CHURCHYARD
Son of John and Susan Richardson. of Seaton.
Sergeant/Air Gunner ISAAC MORRIS
Service No:1544587
Age:21
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 115 Sqdn.
Grave Reference:New ground. Joint grave 554.
STAVELEY (ST. JAMES) CHURCHYARD
Son of Joseph and Jessie Morris, of Staveley.
Pilot Officer/Pilot SYDNEY ALBERT LETTS
Service No:173763
Age:31
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 115 Sqdn.
Grave 13769.
CAMBRIDGE CITY CEMETERY
Son of Sydney and Mabel Letts, of Leicester; husband of Dorothy Letts, of Leicester.
Sergeant/Navigator KEITH JOHN SMITH
Service No:1603697
Age:21
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 115 Sqdn.
Grave 13969.
CAMBRIDGE CITY CEMETERY
Son of Frank John Leage Smith and Gwendolin Grace Smith, of Purley, Surrey.
Sergeant EARL DOUGLAS WHITE
Service No:R/200964
Age:21
Royal Canadian Air Force 115 (R.A.F.) Sqdn
Grave Reference:52. F. 8.
BROOKWOOD MILITARY CEMETERY
Son of Menno Peter and Rose Rebecca White of Fort Erie North, Ontario, Canada.
Pilot Officer/Air Bomber WILLIAM JOHN KENNEDY
Service No:J/88743
Age:28
Royal Canadian Air Force 115 (R.A.F.) Sqdn.
Grave Reference:52. F. 7.
BROOKWOOD MILITARY CEMETERY
Son of William Dugald and Mary Ann Kennedy of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
He was 20 and the son of Benjamin George Arthur and Winifred Emma Clark of East Barnet.
At 7.15am on 18 July 1944 a Handley Page Halifax Mk.111 bomber belonging to 115 Squadron RAF attempted to land, crashed through the trees over Eagles Nest House, in a wood on top of Birkitt Hill,bounced on a field and slammed into West End Farm House killing the crew as well as the farmer's wife and two daughters (one of whom was Private Elsie Handley, home on leave from the Auxiliary Territorial Service.)The farmer, George Handley, and his sons were milking in the cow sheds and escaped.The aircraft LM616 (KO J) had left its base at RAF Witchford near Ely at 04:20 hrs to support Allied ground forces taking part in Operation Goodwood during the Normandy campaign. [Emieville area.]
The Royal Air Force and United States Army Air Forces objective was to bomb units of the 16th Luftwaffe Field Division and the 21st Panzer Division which were located around the Manneville area in France. LM616 received severe damage during the raid, in which its controls and navigation aids were shot up. The aircraft had descended through low cloud only to see the high escarpment of the Chiltern Hills at Offley loom into view too late for the crew to take immediate action.
CREW OF THE HALIFAX WHO PERISHED
Flying Officer THOMAS RICHARDSON
Wireless Operator/Mechanic
Service No:157884
Age:23
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 115 Sqdn.
Grave Reference: Row G. Grave 3.
NEW SEAHAM (CHRIST CHURCH) CHURCHYARD
Son of John and Susan Richardson. of Seaton.
Sergeant/Air Gunner ISAAC MORRIS
Service No:1544587
Age:21
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 115 Sqdn.
Grave Reference:New ground. Joint grave 554.
STAVELEY (ST. JAMES) CHURCHYARD
Son of Joseph and Jessie Morris, of Staveley.
Pilot Officer/Pilot SYDNEY ALBERT LETTS
Service No:173763
Age:31
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 115 Sqdn.
Grave 13769.
CAMBRIDGE CITY CEMETERY
Son of Sydney and Mabel Letts, of Leicester; husband of Dorothy Letts, of Leicester.
Sergeant/Navigator KEITH JOHN SMITH
Service No:1603697
Age:21
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 115 Sqdn.
Grave 13969.
CAMBRIDGE CITY CEMETERY
Son of Frank John Leage Smith and Gwendolin Grace Smith, of Purley, Surrey.
Sergeant EARL DOUGLAS WHITE
Service No:R/200964
Age:21
Royal Canadian Air Force 115 (R.A.F.) Sqdn
Grave Reference:52. F. 8.
BROOKWOOD MILITARY CEMETERY
Son of Menno Peter and Rose Rebecca White of Fort Erie North, Ontario, Canada.
Pilot Officer/Air Bomber WILLIAM JOHN KENNEDY
Service No:J/88743
Age:28
Royal Canadian Air Force 115 (R.A.F.) Sqdn.
Grave Reference:52. F. 7.
BROOKWOOD MILITARY CEMETERY
Son of William Dugald and Mary Ann Kennedy of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
Inscription
1717615 Sergeant
D. C. Clark
Flight Engineer
Royal Air Force
18th July 1944 Age 20
(Cross)
Greater love
Hath no man than this,
That a man lay down
His life for his friends.
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