Operation: Reconnaissance
Date: 07/08th February 1945 (Wednesday/Thursday)
Unit: No. 69 Squadron (2nd Tactical Air Force, 34 Wing)
Type: Wellington XIII
Serial: NC573
Code: Z
Base: RAF B58 Melsbroeck
Location: Berg, Belgium
Pilot: F/O. Walter Ross Tinker DFC. NZ/422078 RNZAF Age 25. Killed
Nav: P/O. Wilfred Walker 56412 RAFVR Age ? Killed
Air/Bmr: Fl/Sgt. Joseph Thompson 1515590 RAFVR Age 23. Killed
Air/Gnr: Sgt. William Fowler 2225878 RAFVR Age 19. Killed
Air/Gnr: Fl/Sgt. L. Williams RAFVR Seriously injured - survived
REASON FOR LOSS:
On homeward bound trip - Hit by Allied anti-aircraft fire at 00:21 hrs and crashed some 5 minutes later at Berg, 4 miles east of the B.58 Landing Ground.
We have no further details on Fl/Sgt. Williams - are you a relative who can assist us further perhaps?
Burial details:
F/O. Walteer Ross Tinker DFC. Brussels Town Centre Cemetery. Grave: X.28.22. Son of Walter David Tinker and of Olive Rosa Tinker (née Bates), of Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand. 576 Flying hours logged and on his 31st operational sortie.
Left: Grave of F/O. Tinker as taken by our friend and researcher Brian Ramsey - August 2018 - high resolution image available free courtesy of Brian .
P/O. Wilfred Walker. Brussels Town Centre Cemetery. Grave: X.28.23. No further information - are you able to assist?
Fl/Sgt. Joseph Thompson. Brussels Town Centre Cemetery. Grave: X.28.11. Son of Thomas William and J. Thompson and husband of Annice Thompson. Grave inscription reads: "Remembrance Is The Golden Chain That Binds Us Till We Meet Again".
Sgt. William Fowler. Brussels Town Centre Cemetery. Grave: X.28.24. Son of Richard and Rose Lydia Fowler, of Holme Slack. Preston, Lancashire, England. Grave inscription reads: "Blessed Are The Pure In Heart".
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, Brian Ramsey from New Zealand, other sources as quoted below:
KTY 10.08.2018
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember
them. - Laurence
Binyon
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Last Modified: 06 April 2021, 14:43