Archive Report: Allied Forces

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14/15.07.1944 No. 576 Squadron Lancaster III ND994 UL-F2 F/O. Raymond Linklater

Operation: Revigny

Date: 14/15th July 1944 (Friday/Saturday)

Unit: No. 576 Squadron

Type: Lancaster III

Serial: ND994

Code: UL-F2

Base: RAF Elsham Wolds

Location: 5 miles North East Celles-sur-Ource, France.

Pilot: F/O. Raymond Edwin Linklater J/25837 RCAF Age 24. Killed (1)

Fl/Eng: Sgt. John Wellington Gordon Pringle 2211889 RAFVR Age 27. Killed

Nav: Sgt. Stanley Kozlowski R/180195 RCAF Age 27. Killed

Air/Bmr: F/O. Donald McKenzie Mackintosh J/29691 RCAF Age 24. Killed (2)

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. William “Billy” Walker Beattie 1532959 RAFVR Age 20. Killed

Air/Gnr: Sgt. George Robert Sims R/208935 RCAF Age 34. Killed

Air/Gnr: Fl/Sgt. William John McCollum R/118907 RCAF Age 21. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

At 21:16 ND994 left Elsham Wolds to attack the railway yards at Revigny. While on the homeward journey they were shot down by a night-fighter, the tail section of the Lancaster falling at 02:24 hours at Loches-sur-Ource (Aube), 3 km NW of Essoyes, France.

The main part of the Lancaster crashed into a cornfield several hundred yards away, followed by two large explosions.Fl/Sgt. McCollum was found dead near the tail section with the rest of the crew in the vicinity of the main wreckage.

The crew were buried by local villagers at a large service attended by local people and dignitaries who lined the streets of the village in their honour. The crew rest in the Communal Cemetery at Loches-sur-Ource, details shown below.

Left: Oblt. Ernst-Georg Drünkler (Kracker Archive)

Oblt. Ernst-Georg Drünkler (3) from 1,/NJG5 intercepted this Lancaster some 5 km north east of Celles-sur-Ource at 1,300 mtrs. Time reported of action is recorded as 02:17 hrs.The crew’s first operation was on the 2nd July 1944, a daylight operation to Domleger to bomb the V1 launching site. They were to fly a further four operations together before their final one.

(3) This was the 19th abschüsse by the Luftwaffe ace Oblt. Ernst-Georg Drünkler. At war end his total had risen to 45 claims. He died on the 12th March 1997. See Kracker Archive on this site.

Family photo: L - R: Beatrice Linklater, Raymond Linklater, Helen Linklater, Magnus Linklater

F/O. Donald McKenzie Mackintosh with his mother, left and his wife, Linda Jane.

Above and below the funeral for the crew of ND994

Burial details:

F/O. Raymond Edwin Linklater. Loches-sur-Ource Communal Cemetery, Aube, France. Row 3. Grave 3. Further information: (family history shown at foot of this remembrance page) Son of Magnus and Beatrice Helen (nee Prentice), brother of Margaret Helen. Born 6th November 1920 at Burnham (Swift Current), Saskatchewan, Canada.

Sgt. John Wellington Gordon Pringle. Loches-sur-Ource Communal Cemetery, Aube, France. Row 1. Coll. Grave 6-7. Further information: Son of Russell and Alice Maud Pringle and husband of Barbara Pringle of Hightown, Lancashire, England.

Sgt. Stanley Kozlowski. Loches-sur-Ource Communal Cemetery, Aube, France. Row 3. Grave 2. Further information: Son of Joseph and Victoria (nee Niznik) Kozlowski of 606 Northern Aveneue, Fort William, Ontario. Born January 18th 1917 in Manitoba to Polish parents, Sgt. Kozlowski officially changed his name from Stanislaus Koslowski to Stanley John Koslowski on enlisting in the RCAF.

F/O. Donald. McKenzie Mackintosh. Loches-sur-Ource Communal Cemetery, Aube, France. Row 1. Coll. Grave 6-7. Further information: Don was member of the RCAF band. The son of the Rev. William Mackintosh and Lillian Jane (nee Clark) brother of William Douglas (1918-2008) and Robert Clark (1921-2001), husband of Linda Jane (Delafield) Mackintosh of Dundalk, Ontario, Canada.

(2) Please note the spelling of F/O. Mackintosh - not as the CWGC has it listed - Macintosh.

Sgt. William “Billy” Walker Beattie. Loches-sur-Ource Communal Cemetery, Aube, France. Row 1. Coll. Grave 6-7. Further information: Son of William Storey and Elizabeth Jane Beattie and brother of Robert Walker Beattie (1930-1989) of Hylton, Co. Durham, England. Sgt. Beattie’s parents visited Loches several times during the 1950’s and in 2004, his nephew David William Beattie and his wife Suzanne with their sons Thomas and James made a special trip to visit the crash site, Billy and the crews graves.

Sgt. George Robert Sims. Loches-sur-Ource Communal Cemetery, Aube, France. Row 1. Coll. Grave 6-7. Further information: Of Charlottetown, Kensington, Prince Edward Island, Canada. No further next of kin details as yet.

Fl/Sgt. William John McCollum. Loches-sur-Ource Communal Cemetery, Aube, France. Row 3. Grave 4. Further information: Son of John and Elsie McCollum and brother of Robert McCollum of Grenadier Road, Toronto, Canada. William McCollum was educated at Parkdale Collegiate and De La Salle (Oaklands) college where he is remembered on a memorial plaque and also on the memorial plaque to former students of Western Technical College, Toronto.

(1) Linklater Bay on Charcoal Lake, Sakatchewan is named after F/O. Linklater

Researched by Aircrew Remembered, researcher and specialist genealogist Linda Ibrom for relatives of this crew. With thanks to Graeme Beattie nephew of Sgt. Beattie and his family for photographs and information, also to Michael McCollum. Colin Bamford, our Canadian researcher for his further research. Karla Yvette Trumble Linklater, cousin of F/O. Raymond Linklater. For Luftwaffe information thanks to Dr. Theo E.W. Boiton and Mr. Roderick J. Mackenzie - "Nightfighter War Diaries Vol. 2".

Above: The crew graves and below British Army Veteran, Dave Pugh. Dave visits the grave with his family, twice a year to pay his respects and tends the grave. He has also written a poem dedicated to the crew. (seen left at the grave below)This can be read in full within our poetry section.

History of Magnus Linklater

My father was born on January 4, 1886. He would have been 100 yrs. old this year. (written 1986) He was the oldest son of Thomas Kirkness Linklater and Verina Perdue. He was born in East Wawanosh Township, Huron County, Ontario, later known as Wingham Ontario. He was named for his Grandfather and Uncle Magnus.

The family travelled between Wingham, where the Linklaters lived and Nesbitt, Manitoba, where the Purdues lived. On one of these trips his sister Anna was born, on the train on March 16, 1892. The children all were able to know both families. Mack always said he went to school to play football and fight. He love to go with his Dad into the bush and bring home bush wood for the fire.

In 1905 Grandpa and Mack at 19 years old, came up to Saskatchewan and took up three homesteads. Grandpa and Mack brought a train car of settlers effects in 1906. Unloaded at Waldeck, built a house and barn, dug a well, put in hay and wood and a fence. They also broke 50 acres. In the spring of 1907 they all moved to Saskatchewan. I guess there was quite a family for quite a few years at Grandpa and Grandma Linklaters.

Mack soon built a shack on his farm and moved over there. On June 19, 1918 Mack married a teacher from Waldeck, Sask. Her name was Beatrice Helen Prentice, bringing her back to a brand new home. Hard wood floors, furnace in the basement, cistern and pump at the kitchen sink. Reservoir on the kitchen stove. Very modern for those times.

In August, 1919, they had a "premie" girl about 3 lbs. named Margaret Helen. Wrapped in cotton batton for quite awhile. Raymond Edwin came along in November, 1920.

In the early years he put in the crops with horses and implements. He was will known throughout the years as a great horseman, he broke the colts when they became old enough. Mack belonged to the Church Board and sang bass in the choir.

In 1924 they made a trip to Vancouver and Cawston. This was around Christmas time and they visited Uncle John Perdue and the Prentices. In the fall of 1929 Mock moved the family to British Columbia. In and around Kitsilano Beach. We moved to Oregon in 1930. Mack worked in the mill down there. He went back to Saskatchewan in the next 2 falls to help with the harvesting. He made a trip to the Peace River as well.

In the spring of 1932, the family moved back to Saskatchewan and farming. My mother also had a big gardens. During the 1930's they had Saturday afternoon picnics at the Cut Bank School Yard. When Mack played softball he played 3rd base. Those years were pretty lean and the picnics seemed to make a nice break. During the winters there usually was a dance every other Friday, at the school house. Mack and Bea shared the violin and piano playing with Uncle John and Aunt Katie. Mack soon became the floor manager and didn't play anymore.

Mack loaded the first carload of wheat over the platform at Burnham siding about 1932. Mack had to make quite an adjustment from driving his horses to driving a John Deer tractor. This was about 1939 or 40. Raymond went overseas in 1942. In the fall of 1943 the harvest was not too bad and the only help he had was me. We did a good job. They celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary in June 1943.

In July, 1944 Raymond was killed in WW II.

In October, 1945 Mack and Bee moved to British Columbia to live. Mack took to gardening, and had lots of vegetables and fruit trees. Also a grape arbor. He also built houses. One on the property at the back of King George Hwy. In October, 1947, George and I moved to British Columbia.

Mack enjoyed his grandchildren, he and Grandma used to take Bill and Maxine to the show Saturday evening in Whalley. He used to enjoy telling the children long winded stories at their bed-time. In 1957 they moved into his new house he had built on 108th Ave. in Surrey.

They celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary in June, 1958. He was an ardent reader and loved to talk with people on almost any subject. He had a keen sense of humour. He enjoyed playing Eucre.

Mack passed away suddenly on January 4, 1959 at the age of 73.

This History of Magnus Linklater was written by his daughter "Margaret Helen "Linklater" Murdock (Helen) for the 1986 Linklater Family Reunion in Burnham, Saskatchewan, Canada

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

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