Operation: Gardening (see Gardening map)
Date: 26/27th August 1944
Unit: No. 44 Squadron
Type: Lancaster III
Serial: NE138
Code: KM-Z
Base: RAF Dunholme Lodge
Location: Not known
Pilot: Sq/Ldr. J.E. White 66581 RAF PoW No further details available
Fl/Eng: Sgt. Arthur John Rickeard 1863568 RAFVR Age 20. Missing - believed killed
Nav: P/O. Roy Cyril Morgan Jones 179429 RAFVR Age 21. Missing - believed killed
Air/Bmr: Fl/Sgt. Tom Edward Jenkins 1585758 RAFVR Age 31. Missing - believed killed
W/Op/Air/Gnr: P/O. Leonard Frederick Arthur Marston 157900 RAFVR Age 22. Missing - believed killed
Air/Gnr: Fl/Sgt. Walter McGregor Halliday Burnett 1550824 RAFVR Age 28. Missing - believed killed
Air/Gnr: Fl/Sgt. Douglas Haig Watts 815235 RAFVR Age 25. Missing - believed killed
REASON FOR LOSS:
41 Lancasters leaving on Gardening operations to Konigsberg, Danzig and Gydnia - Lancaster NE138 to drop its mines in the Gulf of Danzig area departing RAF Dunholme Lodge at 20:24hrs.
This made a return journey of some 1,790 miles - the maximum range of the Lancaster. 166 Squadron, also on mine laying operations, lost two aircraft over Denmark as a result of Luftwaffe night fighters but no claims were made for this aircraft - listed as lost without trace! The aircraft had flown just a total of 261 hours.
Burial details:
Sgt. Arthur John Rickeard. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 237. Son of Reginald Sim and Dorothy Gladys Burnett of Worthing, Sussex, England.
P/O. Roy Cyril Morgan Jones. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 211. Son of Albert Lewis Howe jones and Florence Agnes Jones.
Fl/Sgt. Tom Edward Jenkins. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 219. Son of Evan and Sarah Ann Jenkins of Brixton, London, England.
P/O. Leonard Frederick Arthur Marston. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 208. Son of Walter George and Florence maud Marston of South Benfleet, Essex, England.
Fl/Sgt. Walter McGregor Halliday Burnett. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 216. Son of William and Catherine (née Halliday) Burnett and husband of Margaret Burnett of Edinburgh, Scotland.
Fl/Sgt. Douglas Haig Watts. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 223. Son of Samuel Alfred and Mary Ann Watts of Radford, Nottinghamshire, England.
Researched for Aircrew Remembered by Linda Ibrom - May 2017 and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to Thelma Leitch (niece) of Flight Sergeant Burnett.
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember
them. - Laurence
Binyon
All site material (except as noted elsewhere) is owned or managed
by Aircrew Remembered and should not be used without prior
permission.
© Aircrew Remembered 2012 - 2021
Last Modified: 22 May 2017, 18:10