Operation: Dusseldorf

Date: 15/16th August 1942 (Saturday/Sunday)

Unit: No. 156 Squadron (PFF) 3 Group (Motto: 'We light the way')

Type: Wellington III

Serial: DF666

Code: GT-?

Base: RAF Warboys, Huntingdonshire

Location: Rozendaal, Netherlands

Pilot: Fl/Sgt. Cyril Charles Newlove NZ/41994 RNZAF Age 23. Killed

Obs: Sgt. William George Bate 1031696 RAFVR Age 29. Killed

Air/Bmr: Sgt. Frederick Cyril Graham Tate 1450668 RAFVR Age 20. Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Thomas Barker 1310625 RAFVR Age 29. Killed

Air/Gnr: Sgt. John Herbert Westgate BEM. 540813 RAFVR Age 23. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off at 00:45 hrs joining 130 aircraft detailed to attack Dusseldorf.

Intercepted and shot down by who was to become the highest scoring Luftwaffe night fighter pilot Oblt. Manfred Meurer. Flying a Bf110 with Stab III/NJGI he climbed his fourth victim at 04:17 hrs.

(1) Hptm. Meurer was killed on the 21/22nd January 1944 flying a He219 in a collision with a Lancaster. (See Kracker Archive on this website for further details)

Burial details:

Fl/Sgt. Cyril Charles Newlove. Rozendaal Private Cemetery. Grave 666. Son of Herbert Francis and Essie Lavina Newlove, of Motupipi, Nelson, New Zealand and husband of Laura Ola Vera Newlove, of Nelson. Also remembered at his hometown of Takaka, Nelson District, New Zealand on the Takaka War Memorial (1939-1945). 316 Flying hours logged and had completed 6 operational sorties.

Sgt. William George Bate. Rozendaal Private Cemetery. Grave 664. Son of John and Blanche Sloane Bate, of Dudley, Worcestershire and nephew of Mrs. E.E. Clayton, of Dudley. Grave inscription reads: 'In The Garden Of Happy Memories It Is Always Summer'.

Sgt. Frederick Cyril Graham Tate. Rozendaal Private Cemetery. Grave 663. Son of Walter L. and Annie Tate, of Horsforth, Yorkshire, England. Grave inscription reads: 'Proud Memories Of A Very Dearly Loved Only Son'.

Sgt. Thomas Barker. Rozendaal Private Cemetery. Grave 665. Son of Joseph and Jane Barker and husband of Nora Barker, of Blyth, Northumberland, England. Grave inscription reads: 'Dearly Loved Husband Of Nora Barker, Blyth, England. "Ever Remembered'.

Sgt. John Herbert Westgate BEM. Rozendaal Private Cemetery. Grave 667. Son of Jesse and Emily Westgate, of Market Stainton, Lincolnshire, England. Grave inscription reads: 'A Race Well Run, A Crown Well Won, Peace At Last'.

Researched by Jenifer Lemaire and dedicated to the relatives of this pilot with thanks to photo of pilot courtesy 'Air Force Museum of New Zealand' via Jenifer Lemaire. Grave photographs courtesy Wouter van Dijken also the research by Errol Martyn and his publications: “For Your Tomorrow Vols. 1-3”, Auckland War Memorial Museum, Weekly News of New Zealand, other sources as quoted below:

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