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Operation: Gardening
Date: 23/24th July 1944 (Sunday/Monday)
Unit: No. 630 Squadron
Type: Lancaster III
Serial: PB211
Code: LE-H
Base: RAF East Kirkby, Lincolnshire
Location: North Sea
Pilot: F/O. Ronald Thomas Hayes 175961 RAFVR Age 21. Missing - believed killed
Fl/Eng: Sgt. William Wallace 1824662 RAFVR Age 20. Missing - believed killed
Nav: Fl/Sgt. W. Goodhew RCAF - Survived - No further details
Air/Bmr: Fl/Sgt. James Francis Joseph Murray 1560136 RAFVR Age 22. Missing - believed killed
W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. John Alfred Helliwell 1549598 RAFVR Age 22. Missing - believed killed
Air/Gnr: P/O. Walter Stead 183425 RAFVR Age ? Missing - believed killed
Air/Gnr: Sgt. B.N. Garves RAFVR - Survived - No further details
REASON FOR LOSS:
We have very little information regarding this loss. The crew took off from RAF East Kirkby in Lincolnshire at 22:44 hrs along with 5 others on a Gardening operation to lay mines in the Kiel area.
On the outbound trip the aircraft ditched in the North Sea approximately 36 miles North East of Cromer on the Norfolk coast.
HMS Coursor, a coastal Minesweeper picked up two of the surviving crew but not before they had spent several hours in the North Sea.
A memorial to ex-employees of Robert Jenkins in Rotherham is due to be unveiled at St. Pauls Church - local to the Jenkins works which is due for demolition. The dedication service is to be held on the 25th November 2017 - Sgt. John Alfred Helliwell is one of those named.
Burial details:
F/O. Ronald Thomas Hayes. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 206. Son of James Thomas Hayes and May Hayes, of Leigh-on-Sea, Essex.
Sgt. William Wallace. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 239. Son of William Wallace, and of Helen Wallace, of Bo'ness, West Lothian Scotland.
Fl/Sgt. James Francis Joseph Murray. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 220. Son of James and Margaret Murray, of Langside, Glasgow, Scotland.
Sgt. John Alfred Helliwell. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 231. Son of Gordon William and Minnie Helliwell (née Goodrum), of Wickersley, Yorkshire, England.
P/O. Walter Stead. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 212. No further details - are you able to assist?
A memorial to ex-employees of Robert Jenkins in Rotherham is due to be unveiled at St. Pauls Church - local to the Jenkins works which is due for demolition. The dedication service is to be held on the 25th November 2017 - Sgt. John Alfred Helliwell is one of those named.
With thanks to Leslie Leng for bringing this loss to our attention. Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to sources indicated below.
KTY - 09.11.2017
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember
them. - Laurence
Binyon
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