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Operation: Gardening
Date: 09/10th September 1942 (Wednesday/Thursday)
Unit: No. 207 Squadron
Type: Lancaster I
Serial: R5628
Code: EM-Q
Base: RAF Bottesford, Lincolnshire.
Location: North Sea 10 K.M. South West Thyboron, Denmark
Pilot: Fl/Sgt. Harold Bjorn Einarson R/87296 RCAF Age 19. Missing (1)
Fl/Eng: Sgt. Francis Raymond Carter 1166938 RAFVR Age 22. Killed
Obs: Sgt. Alistair Mackenzie Cockie 656606 RAFVR Age 24. Killed
Air/Bmr: Sgt. George Herbert Arthur Birch 1388177 RAFVR Age 21. Missing
W/Op/Air/Gnr: P/O. Donald Wingrove Ross J/9288 RCAF Age 19. Killed
Air/Gnr: Sgt. Arthur Frederick Charles Kensett 1358378 RAFVR Age 27. Missing
Air/Gnr: Sgt. Norman Frederick Smethurst 656871 RAF Age 20. Missing
REASON FOR LOSS:
Taking off from RAF Bottesford, Lincolnshire on a 'Gardening' Operation in the 'Silverthorn' area. 34 aircraft were sent on various mining operations this night.
Above left: Sgt. Alistair Mackenzie Cockie (courtesy Pete Jeaner via Michel Beckers) Right: Fl/Sgt. Harold Bjorn Einarson
207 Squadron mechanics working on Lancasters
(1) Fl/Sgt. Einarson's parents tragically also lost his twin brother, Fl/Lt Johann Walter Einarson DFM. DFC. was killed on the 25th February 1944.
(2) Uffz. Fritz Hobusch went on to claim a total of 5 abschüsse before he went missing on the 15th July, 1943 in the Mediterranean sea.
Fl/Sgt. Harold Bjorn Einarson. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 103. Son of Haraldur Bjorn and Elin (nee Jackson) Einarson of Wynyard, Saskatchewan, Canada.
Sgt. Francis Raymond Carter. Lemvig Cemetery, Denmark. Grave 723. Son of Stephen and Louisa Leeding Carter, of Petworth, Sussex, England.
Sgt. Alistair Mackenzie Cockie. Lemvig Cemetery, Denmark. Grave 730. Son of Alexander and Matilda Cockie, of Aberdeen, husband of Elizabeth Cockie, of Aberdeen, Scotland.
Sgt. George Herbert Arthur Birch. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 78. Son of George Albert Birch, and of Evelyn Maud Birch, of Ashford, Middlesex, England.
P/O. Donald Wingrove Ross. Lemvig Cemetery, Denmark. Grave 731. Son of David McIvor Ross and Viola Grace Ross (nee Wingrove), of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Sgt. Arthur Frederick Charles Kensett. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 87. Son of Arthur David and Elizabeth Emily Kensett, of Brighton, Sussex, husband of Elsie Gladys Kensett, of Brighton, England.
Sgt. Norman Frederick Smethurst. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 93. Son of Frederick Ernest and Minnie Smethurst, of Benton, Northumberland, England.
Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to Bill Chorley - 'Bomber Command Losses’. ‘Parade Archive’. Dr. Theo E.W. Boiten and Mr. Roderick J. Mackenzie - 'Nightfighter War Diaries Vol's. 1 and 2', Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt - 'Bomber Command War Diaries', Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Tom Kracker - 'Kracker Luftwaffe Archives'. Aircrew Remembered own Archives.
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember
them. - Laurence
Binyon
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Last Modified: 28 December 2014, 22:44