Operation: Aachen, Germany

Date: 5th October 1942 (Monday)

Unit: No. 218 Squadron

Type: Short Stirling I

Serial: BF322

Code: HA-F

Base: RAF Downham Market, Norfolk

Location: Icklingham Marshes, near Barton Mills, Suffolk

Pilot: Fl/Sgt. Philip Louis Hall. 1182395. RAFVR Age 22. Killed

Fl/Eng: Sgt. Arthur Green. 653953. RAF Age 22. Killed

Obs: Sgt. Leo Henry Hawkins. 1187280. RAFVR Age 27. Killed

Air/Bmr: P/O. Robert Whyte. 120666. RAFVR Age 26. Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Henry Arthur Douglas Pocock. 1310474. RAFVR Age 23. Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Mack William Watterworth. R/68126. RCAF Age 21. Killed

Air/Gnr: Sgt. Joseph George Wilfred Beauregard. R/108447. RCAF Age 19. Killed

Sgt. Mack William Watterworth. R/68126. RCAF Age 21. Killed

If you have any further information on the loss of this aircraft, crew, their relatives and friends than please contact us via the "add info" button at the top of this page

REASON FOR LOSS:

Short Stirling BF322 took off from RAF Downham Market at 19:26hrs for an operation on Aachen, one of the 257 aircraft that took off on this operation. The weather was very poor with local thunderstorms at the time of take off.

Stirling BF322 may have been damaged due to the severe thunderstorms and crashed at 19.45hrs on Icklingham Marshes near Barton Mills, Suffolk 11 miles SW of Thetford, Norfolk.

Sgt. Arthur Green, Sgt. Henry Arthur Douglas Pocock, Sgt. Mack William Watterworth and Sgt. Joseph George Wilfred Beauregard (courtesy of Aircrew Remembered, any relative who would like a higher definition of these please contact us)

P/O. Robert Whyte. (courtesy Scottish War Graves Project) Fl/Sgt Philip Louis Hall, Southgate Cemetery (courtesy of CWGC) Sgt. Leo Henry Hawkins (courtesy of Aircrew Remembered)

Burial details:

Fl/Sgt. Philip Louis Hall. Southgate Cemetery, Middlesex. Grave Ref: Row V. Old Part. Grave 356. Son of James and Daisy Hall of Southgate, England.

Sgt. Arthur Green. Beck Row (St. John) Churchyard, Suffolk. Grave Ref: Row C. Grave 5. Son of Edward and Margaret Elizabeth Green of Askern, Yorkshire, England. Grave inscription: 'Memories Keep Him Ever Near Us'.

Sgt. Leo Henry Hawkins. Rowner (St. Mary) Churchyard, Gosport, Hampshire. Grave Ref: N. W. corner of churchyard. No further information as yet.

P/O. Robert Whyte. Dalziel (Airbles) Cemetery, Lanarkshire. Grave Ref: Sec. G. Grave 940. Son of Robert and Margaret Whyte. No further information as yet.

Sgt. Henry Arthur Douglas Pocock. Beck Row (St. John) Churchyard, Suffolk. Grave Ref: Row C. Grave 4. Son of Percy and Madge Pocock of Peckham, London, England.

Sgt. Mack William Watterworth. Beck Row (St. John) Churchyard, Suffolk. Grave Ref: Row C. Grave 3. Son of John Cyrus Watterworth and Isabelle Watterworth of West Lorne, Ontario, Canada. Grave inscription: 'He Died That We Might Live'.

Sgt. Joseph George Wilfred Beauregard. Beck Row (St. John) Churchyard, Suffolk. Grave Ref: Row C. Grave 6. Son of Wilfrid and Albina Beauregard of St. Hyacinthe, Province of Quebec, Canada.

Researched by: Kate Tame for Aircrew Remembered and for all the relatives and friends of the crew

Acknowledgements: With special thanks to Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt - Bomber Command War Diaries 1939-1945, W. R. Chorley - Bomber Command Losses 1942, Veterans Affairs Canada, Aircrew Remembered archives, Scottish War Graves Project, Imperial War Museum.