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Operation: Cologne
Date: 15/16 October 1942 (Thursday/Friday)
Unit: No.419 RCAF (Moose) Squadron
Type: Vickers Wellington III
Serial: BK270
Code: ?
Base: Croft, Yorkshire.
Location: Gerkerath, N. Rheindalen, Germany
Pilot: F/Sgt. John Percy Jolley, R/94638 RCAF Age 21 Killed (1)
Nav: F/O Leslie Rowland Scourfield J/9782 RCAF Age 27 Killed
W.Op/AG: Sgt. Vincent Ormerod Noonan AUS/406508 RAAF Age 25 Killed
Bmr: F/Sgt. Henry Arthur Grover R/84083 RCAF Age 21 Killed
Air/Gnr: Sgt. Patrick James Anderton, 534829 RAF Age 23 Killed
(1) Jolley Lake in Saskatchewan is named after F/Sgt. Jolley
REASON FOR LOSS
Captain Jolley and crew took off from Croft at 18:56 hours as part of a combined force of 289 aircraft. Only minor damage to the target was sustatined due to inaccurate wind forcasting affecting marking of the target area. A large decoy fire had also been set which received the majority of the bombs dropped.
On their return from the raid, the attacking force were met by patrolling night fighters who succeeded in bringing down 18 of the bombers and damaging four others.
One of the first to be brought down at 22.05 hours was the Wellington of Captain Jolley a victim of night fighter ace Oblt. Hans-Dieter Frank who went on to claim a Lancaster of 106 Squadron and a Stirling of 214 Squadron later that night.
Oblt. Frank and his radio operator, Ofw. Erich Gotter, were both killed on the night of 27/28 September, 1943 when their Heinkel 219 night fighter was involved in a mid air collision with a Messerschmitt Bf110. At the time of his death Oblt. Frank had 55 confirmed victories. (see Kracker Luftwaffe Archive on this site)
Oblt. Frank
Burial Details:
F/Sgt. John Percy Jolley. Runnymede Memorial Panel 104. Son of Sqdn Ldr. John Jolley RCAF and Lily Mary Jolley of Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.
Further details: F/Sgt. Jolley was in his second year at St. Johns College, University of Manitoba when he enlisted in March 1941. After completing his training at No. 2 ITS Regina, he qualified for pilot training and was sent to No.6 EFTS Prince Albert and then to No.4 SFTS Saskatoon. Arriving in Great Britain in January, 1942 he was posted to No.15 Advanced Flying Unit and from there to 22 Operational Training Unit (OTU) and 10 Heavy Conversion (HCU) before joining 419 Squadron on September 8, 1942. F/Sgt. Jolleys’ father was an ordained minister and served as a RCAF Chaplain during the war.
Further details: P/O Scourfield's father James, emigrated from Bristol , England and married Nellie in August 1914. A year later, James enlisted in the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force and was killed in the trenches at Zillibeke, Belgium on the 5 June, 1916. He is remembered on the Meningate Memorial. Sadly, Nellie was to lose her only child Leslie in 1942. She never remarried and is buried in the Union United Church Cemetery, Union, Ontario.
Sgt. Patrick James Anderton, Rheinberg War Cemetery Grave 2.B.22. Son of James and Annie Anderton of Preston, Lancashire. No further details.
Researched and written for Aircrew Remembered by Colin Bamford and dedicated to the families of the crew of Wellington BK670.
CHB 24.01.2016
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Binyon
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Last Modified: 24 February 2023, 19:32