AR banner
Search Tips Advanced Search
Back to Top

• Kracker Archive
• Allied Losses
• Archiwum Polish
• Paradie Canadian
• RCAF
• RAAF
• RNZAF
• USA
• Searchable Lists

Info LogoAdd to or correct this story with a few clicks.
Archive Report: Allied Forces

Compiled from official National Archive and Service sources, contemporary press reports, personal logbooks, diaries and correspondence, reference books, other sources, and interviews.
Check our Research databases: Database List

.

We seek additional information and photographs. Please contact us via the Helpdesk.

206 Squadron Crest
13.10.1945 No. 206 Squadron Liberator VI KL595 Fl/Lt. Peter Green

Operation: Troop Movement

Date: 13th October 1945 (Saturday)

Unit: No 206 Squadron

Type: Liberator VI

Serial: KL595

Code: LB-30-A ?

Base: RAF Oakington

Location: B.58 Airfield, Melsbroek, Belgium

Pilot: Fl/Lt. Peter Green 132597 RAFVR Age 26. Killed

Pilot: F/O. John Dolphin Freckleton 154708 RAFVR Age 22. Killed

Fl/Eng: Fl/Sgt. Dennis George Nightall 1869611 RAFVR Age 20. Killed

Nav: F/O. Bernard Connor 153904 RAFVR Age 23. Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: F/O. Harry Thomas Walter Alderton 196153 RAFVR Age 33. Killed

Passengers:

Sq/Ldr. Richard Charles Rivaz DFC. 78999 206 Squadron RAF Age 37. Killed (1)
Dvr. Rowland George Ashton T/14675656 RASC Attached 223 Field Ambulance RAMC Age 20. Killed
Dvr. William George Bayfeild T/14542657 RASC Attached RAMC Age 33 Killed
Dvr. George Henry Bowyer T/14524657 RASC Attached RAMC Age 34. Killed
Dvr. Leslie John Brannon T/14754143 RASC Attached RAMC Age ?. Killed
L/Cpl. Frederick John Edwin Cooper T/203154. RASC Attached 163 Field Ambulance RAMC Age 34. Killed
Cpt. Philip Brian Crosby 211452 Army Dental Corps. Age 26. Killed
Dvr. Sydney Crouch T/14696052 RASC Attached RAMC Age 20. Killed
Pte. Cecil Henry Ellis 14618394 attached 163 Field Ambulance RAMC Age 42. Killed
Pte. Eric Joshua Ellis 14591379 attached 163 Field Ambulance RAMC Age 20. Killed
Pte. James Etheridge 14507981 attached 163 Field Ambulance RAMC Age 36. Killed
Pte. Cyril James Evans 14376873 attached 163 Field Ambulance RAMC Age 35. Killed
Pte. Richard Evans 14300336 attached 163 Field Ambulance RAMC Age 21. Killed
Pte. Bernard Fannon 14366866 attached 163 Field Ambulance RAMC Age 21. Killed
Pte. Thomas Fleming 14333396 attached 163 Field Ambulance RAMC Age 21. Killed
Pte. Thomas Henry Forsyth 14637389 attached 163 Field Ambulance RAMC Age 24. Killed
Dvr. Albert Garner T/14404917 RASC Attached 223 Field Ambulance RAMC Age 33. Killed
Dvr. George Gibson T/14710540 RASC Attached RAMC Age 33. Killed
Dvr. Albert Edward Hubble T/14431383 RASC Attached 223 Field Ambulance RAMC Age 20. Killed
Dvr. William James Keeley T/14253682 RASC Attached 223 Field Ambulance RAMC Age 22. Killed
Dvr. Kenneth Mann T/14583298 RASC Attached RAMC Age 20. Killed
Dvr. Derick Moore T/14371881 RASC Attached 223 Field Ambulance RAMC Age 21. Killed
Dvr. Charles Mark Old T/10630390 RASC Attached RAMC Age 25. Killed
Cpl. Reginald Walter Pluck 7536802 Army Dental Cops. Age 28. Killed
Dvr. Reginald Pritchard T/10669595 RASC Attached RAMC Age 29. Killed
Pte. Geoffrey Jack Withers 1075934 Army Catering Corp. Attached RASC Age 25. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

This aircraft was tasked with transporting troops back to the UK from Belgium. It took off at night with 5 crew and 26 passengers on board. The pilot made an attempt to get the aircraft off the ground before flying speed had been reached, but failed and sank whilst crossing a hollow at the end of the runway and crashed, bursting into flames. A total of 31 people on board lost their lives. (2)


(1) Sq/Ldr Rivaz had already published a book in 1943 entitled "Tail Gunner" describing his experiences with 35 and 102 Squadrons and was researching for another book on RAF Transport Command when he was killed.

Tail Gunner 128 pages ISBN No: 978-0750913270 Published by Sutton Publishing Ltd - New edition edition (28 Nov 1996)

In late 1941 the then Flight Lieutenant Rivaz was awarded the DFC for his part in the bombing of the battleship Scharnhorst in Brest harbour.

(2) Reason for loss - Accident card: Raises a number of issues. It suggests that pilots who are involved with repatriation flights should have special training for operational flights with a full load. Any extra crew not directly involved with the flight should not be permitted on the flight deck. That the runways used for this type of aircraft should be over 2000 yards long and, that the loading of freight should be reviewed when using Liberators. Other issue suggested that the aircraft might have been over weight or incorrectly trimmed.

Burial details:

F/Lt. Peter Green. Brussels Town Cemetery, Belgium. Grave X.32.16. Son of James McGregor Green and Ann Brown Green of Lochgelly, Fife, Scotland.

F/O. John Dolphin Freckleton. Brussels Town Cemetery, Belgium. Grave X.32.17. Son of John Arthur and Florence Mary Freckleton of Sparkbrook, Birmingham, England.

Fl/Sgt. Dennis George Nightall. Brussels Town Cemetery, Belgium. Grave X.32.20 Son of Alfred George and Louise Vera Nightall of Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England.

F/O. Bernard Connor. Brussels Town Cemetery, Belgium. Grave X.32.18. Son of Bernard and Gladys Conner, husband of Robertha Conner of Kirkintilloch, Dunbartonshire, Scotland.

F/O. Harry Thomas Walter Alderton. Brussels Town Cemetery, Belgium. Grave X.32.19. Son of Harry and Ethel Alderton, husband of Eva Doris Alderton of Polegate, Sussex, England.

Sq/Ldr. Richard Charles Rivaz. Brussels Town Cemetery, Belgium. Grave X.32.15. Son of Cecil Arhtur Glencairn and Edith Rivaz, stepson of Evelyn Rivaz of Hove, Sussex, England.

Dvr. Rowland George Ashton. Brussels Town Cemetery, Belgium. Grave X.28.54. Son of Frank and Maud Eliza Ashton of March, Cambridgeshire, England.

Dvr. William George Bayfeild. Brussels Town Cemetery, Belgium. Grave X.28.49. No further details as yet - are you able to assist?

Dvr. George Henry Bowyer. Brussels Town Cemetery, Belgium. Grave X.28.33. Son of Fred and Alice Bowyer of Coventry, husband of Doris Bowyer of Coventry, Warwickshire, England.

Dvr. Leslie John Brannon. Brussels Town Cemetery, Belgium. Grave X.28.51. No further details as yet - are you able to assist?

L/Cpl. Frederick John Edwin Cooper. Brussels Town Cemetery, Belgium. Grave X.28.40. Son of Fred and Annie Gertrude Cooper of Wilton, Wiltshire, husband of Rebecca Lily Cooper of Wilton, Wiltshire, England.

Cpt. Philip Brian Crosby. Brussels Town Cemetery, Belgium. Grave X.28.39. Son of Berkley Cecil and Bessie May Crosby, husband of Mary Cosby of Oswestry, Shopshire, England.

Dvr. Sydney Crouch. Brussels Town Cemetery, Belgium. Grave X.28.30. Son of Frederick and Emma Crouch of Elham, Kent, England.

Pte. Cecil Henry Ellis. Brussels Town Cemetery, Belgium. Grave X.28.47. No further details as yet - are you able to assist?

Pte. Eric Joshua Ellis. Brussels Town Cemetery, Belgium. Grave X.28.48. Son of Agnes Mary Ellis of Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire, England.

Pte. James Etheridge. Brussels Town Cemetery, Belgium. Grave X.28.42. No further details as yet - are you able to assist?

Pte. Cyril James Evans. Brussels Town Cemetery, Belgium. Grave X.28.46. Son of David and Lilian Evans of Winson Green, Birmingham, West Midlands, England.

Pte. Richard Evans. Brussels Town Cemetery. Belgium. Grave X.28.45. No further details as yet - are you able to assist?

Pte. Bernard Fannon. Brussels Town Cemetery, Belgium. Grave X.28.36. No further details as yet - are you able to assist?

Pte. Thomas Fleming. Brussels Town Cemetery, Belgium. Grave X.28.36. Son of David and Margaret Fleming of Strathaven, Lanarkshire, Scotland.

Pte. Thomas Henry Forsyth. Brussels Town Cemetery, Belgium. Grave X.28.37. Son of David H and Mary E Forsyth of Hull, Yorkshire, England.

Dvr. Albert Garner. Brussels Town Cemetery, Belgium. Grave X.28.43. Son of George Henry and Hannah Garner of Clayton, Manchester, England.

Dvr. George Gibson. Brussels Town Cemetery, Belgium. Grave X.28.50. Son of Philip and Jessie Gibson of Newcastle-on-Tyne, England.

Dvr. Albert Edward Hubble. Brussels Town Cemetery, Belgium. Grave X.28.44. Son of Thomas Henry and Daisy Florance Hubble of East Acton, London, England.

Dvr. William James Keeley. Brussels Town Cemetery, Belgium. Grave X.28.41. Son of Charles Arthur and Dorothy Violet Keeley of Walworth, London, England.

Dvr. Kenneth Mann. Brussels Town Cemetery, Belgium. Grave X.28.34. Son of John and Alice Mann of Rochdale, Lancashire, England.

Dvr. Derick Moore. Brussels Town Cemetery, Belgium. Grave X.28.52. Son of Edward and Edith Moore of Derby, Derbyshire, England.

Dvr. Charles Mark Old. Brussels Town Cemetery, Belgium. Grave X.28.32. Son of Edwin and Emily Old of Yeovil, Somerset, husband of Olive Fanny Old of Preston Plucknett, Yeovil, England.

Cpl. Reginald Walter Pluck. Brussels Town Cemetery, Belgium. Grave X.28.38. Son of Herbert John and Florence Pluck, husband of Enid Frances Pluck of Shepreth, Hertfordshire, England.

Dvr. Reginald Pritchard. Brussels Town Cemetery, Belgium. Grave X.28.35. Son of Herbert Archibald and Mary Elisabeth Pritchard of Coventry, Warwickshire, England.

Pte. Geoffrey Jack Withers. Brussels Town Cemetery, Belgium. Grave X.28. 53. Son of Thomas and Rosena Withers, husband of Vera Jean Withers of Harringay, Middlesex, England.

Researched by webmaster for relatives of the crew and passengers. Sources as quoted below.

Pages of Outstanding Interest
History Airborne Forces •  Soviet Night Witches •  Bomber Command Memories •  Abbreviations •  Gardening Codenames
CWGC: Your Relative's Grave Explained •  USA Flygirls •  Axis Awards Descriptions •  'Lack Of Moral Fibre'
Concept of Colonial Discrimination  •  Unauthorised First Long Range Mustang Attack
RAAF Bomb Aimer Evades with Maquis •  SOE Heroine Nancy Wake •  Fane: Motor Racing PRU Legend
Acknowledgements
Sources used by us in compiling Archive Reports include: Bill Chorley - 'Bomber Command Losses Vols. 1-9, plus ongoing revisions', Dr. Theo E.W. Boiten and Mr. Roderick J. Mackenzie - 'Nightfighter War Diaries Vols. 1 and 2', Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt - 'Bomber Command War Diaries', Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Tom Kracker - Kracker Luftwaffe Archives, Michel Beckers, Major Fred Paradie (RCAF) and MWO François Dutil (RCAF) - Paradie Archive (on this site), Jean Schadskaje, Major Jack O'Connor USAF (Retd.), Robert Gretzyngier, Wojtek Matusiak, Waldemar Wójcik and Józef Zieliński - 'Ku Czci Połeglyçh Lotnikow 1939-1945', Archiwum - Polish Air Force Archive (on this site), Anna Krzystek, Tadeusz Krzystek - 'Polskie Siły Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii', Franek Grabowski, Norman L.R. Franks 'Fighter Command Losses', Stan D. Bishop, John A. Hey MBE, Gerrie Franken and Maco Cillessen - Losses of the US 8th and 9th Air Forces, Vols 1-6, Dr. Theo E.W. Boiton - Nachtjagd Combat Archives, Vols 1-13. Aircrew Remembered Databases and our own archives. We are grateful for the support and encouragement of CWGC, UK Imperial War Museum, Australian War Memorial, Australian National Archives, New Zealand National Archives, UK National Archives and Fold3 and countless dedicated friends and researchers across the world.
Click any image to enlarge it

Click to add your info via ticket on Helpdesk •Click to let us know via ticket on Helpdesk• Click to explore the entire site
If you would like to comment on this page, please do so via our Helpdesk. Use the Submit a Ticket option to send your comments. After review, our Editors will publish your comment below with your first name, but not your email address.

A word from the Editor: your contribution is important. We welcome your comments and information. Thanks in advance.

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 - 2024
Last Modified: 05 April 2021, 15:33

Monitor Additions/Changes?Click to be informed of changes to this page. Create account for first monitor only, thereafter very fast. Click to close without creating monitor