Operation: Anti-Shipping Patrol

Date: 5th July 1943

Unit: No. 10 OTU (Operational Training Unit)

Type: Whitley V

Serial: BD359 (1)

Code: JL-X (1)

Base: St Eval, Cornwall.

Location: Bay of Biscay.

Pilot 1: Fl/Sgt. Kenneth Roy Clarke 413362 RAAF Age 20. Killed

Pilot 2 (Inst): F/O. James Frederick Newman 131000 RAF Age 21. Killed

Nav: Sgt. Norman Allen 1543290 RAFVR Age 19. Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Henry John James Neve 1335481 RAFVR Age 20. Killed

Air/Gnr: Sgt. Eric William White 1610619 RAFVR Age 21. Killed

Air/Gnr: Sgt. Lorne Glen Stewart R/163697 RCAF Age 20. Killed (2)

Reason For Loss:

Took off at 08.56 hrs from St Eval for anti-shipping patrol over the Bay of Biscay. Had been scheduled to return at 17.40 hrs. but nothing was heard from the aircraft.

No further information - we welcome any details that you may have.

Left: Sgt. Lorne Stewart (courtesy Mike Harrison) Right: Memorial at St. Eval, Cornwall.

(1) There are many conflicting reports regarding these codes/numbers, we are not convinced that we have the correct version.

(2) His brother, 22 year old F/O. Walter Ferguson Stewart, was also tragically lost just 9 days later, Halifax DK228 OF 428 Squadron (also on our website)

Plouguerneau Communal Cemetery (archives)

Burial details:

Fl/Sgt. Kenneth Roy Clarke. Plouguerneau Communal Cemetery. Plot 2. Row 13. Grave 11. Son of Eric Roy and Doreen Thelma Clarke, of Fairfield, New South Wales, Australia.

F/O. James Frederick Newman. Plouguerneau Communal Cemetery. Plot 2. Row 13. Grave 7. Son of Frederick Henry and Florence Ada Newman, of Wembley Park, Middlesex, England.

Sgt. Norman Allen. Plouguerneau Communal Cemetery. Plot 2. Row 13. Grave 8. Son of Norman and Eleanor Allen, of Whitley Bay, Northumberland, England.

Sgt. Henry John James Neve. Plouguerneau Communal Cemetery. Plot 2. Row 13. Grave 6. Son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Neve, of Smarden, Kent, England.

Sgt. Eric William White. Runnymede Memorial Panel 169. Son of William C. and Lilian M. White, of Grays, Essex, England.

Sgt. Lorne Glen Stewart. Plouguerneau Communal Cemetery. Plot 2. Row 13. Grave 12. Son of Alex and Margaret (Peggy) Stewart of Oxbow, Saskatchewan, Canada.

Researched for Erin McMillen, niece of Sgt. Stewart and for all the other crew relatives.