Operation: Night Intruder

Date: 18th/19th September 1944 (Monday/Tuesday)

Unit No: 23 Squadron, 100 Group, Bomber Command

Type: Mosquito FBVI

Serial: PZ177

Code: YP:A

Base: RAF Little Snoring, Fakenham, Norfolk

Location: About 3¾ miles (6 km) South of Gütersloh, Germany

Pilot: Fg Off. Kenneth Eastwood 136429 RAFVR Age 21. KiA (1)

Nav: Flt Lt. Griffith Gilbert Rogers 121119 RAFVR Age 34. KiA (2)

Above left to right: Fg Off. Kenneth Eastwood (courtesy Audrey Baker via Linda Ibrom); Flt Lt. Griffith Rogers (courtesy Susan Butt via Linda Ibrom)

REASON FOR LOSS:

PZ177 took-off at 20:42 hrs from RAF Little Snoring in Norfolk on a Night Intruder operation in the Gütersloh area in Germany. PZ177 was one (1) of five (5) Mosquitos from the squadron detailed on similar operations over Germany.

Research carried out by David Eastwood has found that Fg Off. Eastwood and Flt. Rogers were standing in for Fg Off. George Edward Stewart DFC, J24403 RCAF and Fg Off. Joseph Rudolphe Paul Beaudet DFC, J24277 RCAF.

On the 17th September whilst taking off for a flight test aboard Mosquito FBVI, PZ180 YP:O, suffered a burst starboard tyre and on touch down the undercarriage collapsed. Fg Off. Stewart suffered a few scratches but his passenger, AC Barratt, a new arrival at the squadron and awaiting aircrew training suffered a fractured leg and other minor injuries.

His research has determined that PZ177 had attacked the Gütersloh airfield causing some damage on a first pass. Whilst commencing a second pass the aircraft was hit by light Flak from the airfield defences. PZ177 crashed onto the Reich Autobahn, some 3¾ miles (6 km) South of Gütersloh at 23:30 hrs.

Above: Memorial erected at the site of the crash with permission of the land owner (Courtesy of David Eastwood)

(1) Kenneth Eastwood attended Birkenhead Public School, joining Sloman’s House, twice being commended as best boxer in his class. He left school in July 1939 to join the Clan Shipping Line before volunteering for the RAF.

Above: Fg Off. Kenneth Eastwood (Courtesy of David Eastwood)

(2) Griffith Gilbert Rogers met Marjorie Pilton at a dance in 1929 and after a long engagement they married in 1934. They had a daughter, Fleurette Elizabeth and lived in Stanford le Hope, Essex. Known as ‘Griff’ he was an avid reader and attended East Ham Polytechnic where he was studying to become a chartered secretary.

On the 1st of July 1940 he enlisted in the RAFVR as 1255177 Aircraftman Second-Class (AC2) as an observer. He was sent to commence his training at the Bombing and Gunnery School at Mount Hope in Canada from the 20th May 1941 to the 7th December 1941, staying with the Santes family who had connections to Firestone Tyres. On the 10th November 1941 he qualified as an Observer.

Burial details:

Above left to right: Grave markers for Fg Off. Kenneth Eastwood, Flt Lt. Griffith G. Rogers (Courtesy of David Eastwood)

Fg Off. Kenneth Eastwood. Hanover War Cemetery, Joint grave 12E.1-2. Grave Inscription: “"PEACE, PERFECT PEACE" WE, HIS LOVED ONES, MOURN FOR OUR BELOVED SON”. Born on the 20th June 1922 in Birkenhead, Cheshire. Son of Harry and Margaret (née Grosart) Eastwood and brother of Audrey Eastwood of Upton, Cheshire, England.

Flt Lt. Griffith Gilbert Rogers. Hanover War Cemetery, Joint grave 12E.1-2. Grave Inscription: “LOVED AND REMEMBERED. MARJORIE AND FLEUR”. Born in the 4th Qtr of 1909 East Ham, Essex. Son of James and Elizabeth Rogers and brother of George, May, Rose and Olwen of East Ham. Husband to Marjorie (née Pilton) of Stanford Le Hope, Essex England.

Researched by Aircrew Remembered, researcher and specialist genealogist Linda Ibrom for relatives of this crew. Special thanks to Audrey Baker (nee Eastwood) sister of Fg Off. Eastwood for the uniformed photo and family information and to Susan Butt, granddaughter of Flt Lt. Rogers for the personal information and wonderful photographs of her grandfather. Also to Ken Baker for identification in squadron photo of Fg Off. Kenneth Eastwood (Aug 2017). Thanks to David Eastwood, who has adopted the grave of the two airmen, for his research and images with other updates by Aircrew Remembered (Apr 2026).

Other sources listed below:

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