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, the sole survivor - 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. Born on the 10th November 1919 at Christchurch. Worked as a warehouseman for John Burns an Company Limited prior to service. Served 4 years in the territorial army. Enlisted on the 19th March 1942 at Rongotal. Trained at No. 2 Elementary Flying Training School joining on the 13th October 1943 then to No. 2 Service Flying Training School joining on the 02nd January 1943. Awarded his pilots badge on the 15th March 1943 and promoted to sergeant on the 06th May 1943. Embarked for England on the 29th Mat 1943. After further training with 83 Operational Training Unit which he joined on the 29th February 1943 received his commission on the 06th May 1944. Joined 69 squadron on the 24th May 1944. Son of Walter David Tinker and of Olive Rosa Tinker (Nee Bates), of Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand. Awarded the DFC on the 21st February 1945. A total of 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 (died 12th October 1948) and Jane Ann Thompson (died 15th September 1988) and husband of Jane Annice Thompson. Grave inscription reads: "Remembrance Is The Golden Chain That Binds Us Till We Meet Again". A total of 31 operational sorties.

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, NZ Wargraves Project, Ross Tinker, Brian Ramsey from New Zealand, other sources as quoted below: