Operation: Operational Patrol

Date: 30/31st October 1940 (Wednesday/Thursday)

Unit: No. 101 Squadron 2 Group (motto: Mens agitat molem - 'Mind over matter')

Type: Blenheim IV

Serial: T2246

Code: SR-?

Base: RAF West Raynham, Norfolk

Location: Dunster Wood, near Coleby

Pilot: P/O. Jack Milton Cave 43700 RAF Age 21. Killed

Obs: Sgt. John Gregson Hitchen 937501 RAFVR Age 21. Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Clifford John Gooderick 751954 RAFVR Age 22. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off at 17:10 hrs on an operational patrol to bomb a target in North Western Germany. It seems that they had bombed their target but during their return trip in poor visibility they crashed at around 23:00 hrs in a wood near Coleby. All three crew members were killed.

The brother of the pilot 26 year old, Fl/Lt. Verner Grenville Cave NZ/415059 RNZAF was also killed later in the war, on the 31st March 1945. Flying Liberator IV PK225 with 37 Squadron on a bombing operation on the railway yards at Graz in Austria. Shot down by a Ju88 nightfighter over Yugoslavia - 4 crew members baled out and evaded capture, the pilot with 4 other crew were killed and buried at Belgrade War Cemetery.

Burial details:

P/O. Jack Milton Cave. Waddington Churchyard (St. Michael) Son of Milton Knight Cave and Stella May Cave, of Whakatane, Auckland, New Zealand. Grave inscription reads: "Loved Son Of M.K. & S.M. Cave Whakatane, N.Z. His Brother Vernon, Flt/Lt. Is Buried In Yugo-Slavia". 273 Flying hours logged and having completed 15 operational sorties.

Sgt. John Gregson Hitchen. Halifax Churchyard (All Saints). Section 5. 103A. Son of Irvine and Lily Hitchen, of Halifax, Yorkshire, England.

Sgt. Clifford John Gooderick. Hessle Cemetery. Comp. 49. Plot 14. Grave 2. Son of Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Gooderick, of Hessle, Yorkshire, England.

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this pilot with thanks to the research by Errol Martyn and his publications: “For Your Tomorrow Vols. 1-3”, Auckland War Memorial Museum, Weekly News of New Zealand, grave photograph courtesy Annie Newcombe, other sources as quoted below: