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Archive Report: Allied Forces

Compiled from official National Archive and Service sources, contemporary press reports, personal logbooks, diaries and correspondence, reference books, other sources, and interviews.
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44 squadron badge
02/03.02.1943 No 44 Squadron Lancaster I W4819 KM-G Sgt. Hordon

Operation: Köln

Date: 2/3rd February 1943 (Tuesday/Wednesday)

Unit: No. 44 Squadron

Type: Lancaster I

Serial: W4819

Code: KM-G

Base: RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire.

Location: Luyksgestel Noord Brabant

Pilot: Sgt. Ronald Hordon 1379644 RAFVR Age 22. Killed

Fl/Eng: Sgt. Ian Craig Traill M.i.D. 986255 RAFVR Age 20. Killed

Nav: Sgt. Phillip Bernard Copp 13770415 RAFVR Age 20. Killed

Air/Bmr: Sgt. Lisle Cox 1030470 RAFVR Age ? Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Edward Charles Lawrence R/9329021 RCAF Age 21. Killed

Air/Gnr: Sgt. Frank Checketts 948084 RAFVR Age 26. Killed

Air/Gnr: Sgt. Edward George Harrold 1225093 RAFVR Age ? Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Took off at 18:18 hrs. RAF Waddington. Taking part in a 161 aircraft force to bomb Köln.

Collided with Halifax II W7882 DY-P piloted by Flight Sergeant Ross Thomson of 102 Squadron Halifax coming down at 21:00 hrs. at Luyksgestel (Noord Brabant), some 20 km south south west of Eindhoven. 

It is thought that probable one, or even both, had been hit by flak. (Flak units claimed both of these aircraft as destroyed). The Halifax of 102 squadron crashed at Hamont. All 14 crew members of both aircraft were killed.

Above crash site or rather area of debris found for the two aircraft (courtesy Adrian Zantvoort)

Sgt. Ronald Hordon and his grave at Einhoven (courtesy Sylvia Pigg - Niece)

   

   

Graves of the crew (courtesy Fred Munckhof via Michel Beckers)

Burial details:

Sgt. Ronald Hordon. Eindhoven (Woensel) General Cemetery. Plot JJB.G.17. Son of John William and Zillah Hordon of Wardley, Co. Durham. The eldest of five children, 3 brothers, John Desmond, Kenneth, Leslie and a sister, Vera. Before enlisting he worked in the office of a quilting factory. 

Sgt. Ian Craig Traill M.i.D. Eindhoven (Woensel) General Cemetery. Plot JJB.G.12. Son of John and Esther Traill and husband of Nancy Traill of Balham, London.

Sgt. Phillip Bernard Copp. Eindhoven (Woensel) General Cemetery. Plot JJB.G.16. Son of James Rooke and Simone Copp of Kensington, London.

Sgt. Lisle Cox. Eindhoven (Woensel) General Cemetery. Plot JJB.G.7. No further details as yet.

Sgt. Edward Charles Lawrence. Eindhoven (Woensel) General Cemetery. Plot JJB.G.15. Son of Edward Thomas and Martha Elsie Lawrence of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Sgt. Frank Checketts. Eindhoven (Woensel) General Cemetery. Plot JJB.G.18. Son of Eber and Ada Mary Checketts of Pershore, Worcestershire and husband of Dolores Checketts of Pershore, Worcestershire. Sergeant Checketts is also remembered on the roll of honour at the Abbey Memorial, Pershore, Worcestershire.

Sgt. Edward George Harrold. Eindhoven (Woensel) General Cemetery. Plot JJB.G.9. No further details as yet.

Researched by Linda Ibrom for relatives of this crew. Photo of Sgt. Ronald Hordon courtesy of Sylvia Pigg. (Niece). Further details of Sgt. Horden added - courtesy Colleen Hordon-Clark Her father was Leslie Hordon. For the grave photographs, Fred Munckhof via Michel Beckers. Crash site photo Adrian Zantvoort. With thanks to further information supplied by Dr. Theo E.W. Boiten - "Nightfighter War Diaries Vol. 1".

KTY 08.11.2015 Details amended for Sgt. Hordon

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Acknowledgements
Sources used by us in compiling Archive Reports include: Bill Chorley - 'Bomber Command Losses Vols. 1-9, plus ongoing revisions', Dr. Theo E.W. Boiten and Mr. Roderick J. Mackenzie - 'Nightfighter War Diaries Vols. 1 and 2', Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt - 'Bomber Command War Diaries', Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Tom Kracker - Kracker Luftwaffe Archives, Michel Beckers, Major Fred Paradie (RCAF) and MWO François Dutil (RCAF) - Paradie Archive (on this site), Jean Schadskaje, Major Jack O'Connor USAF (Retd.), Robert Gretzyngier, Wojtek Matusiak, Waldemar Wójcik and Józef Zieliński - 'Ku Czci Połeglyçh Lotnikow 1939-1945', Archiwum - Polish Air Force Archive (on this site), Anna Krzystek, Tadeusz Krzystek - 'Polskie Siły Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii', Franek Grabowski, Norman L.R. Franks 'Fighter Command Losses', Stan D. Bishop, John A. Hey MBE, Gerrie Franken and Maco Cillessen - Losses of the US 8th and 9th Air Forces, Vols 1-6, Dr. Theo E.W. Boiton - Nachtjagd Combat Archives, Vols 1-13. Aircrew Remembered Databases and our own archives. We are grateful for the support and encouragement of CWGC, UK Imperial War Museum, Australian War Memorial, Australian National Archives, New Zealand National Archives, UK National Archives and Fold3 and countless dedicated friends and researchers across the world.
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