Operation: Essen

Date: 06/07th April 1942 (Monday/Tuesday)

Unit: No. 61 Squadron

Type: Manchester I

Serial: L7470

Code: QR-?

Base: RAF Woolfox Lodge

Location: Piringen, Belgium

Pilot: Fl/Sgt. Eric William Noble 754635 RAFVR Age 21. Killed

Pilot: Sgt. Lloyd John Holmes Lincoln NZ/41341 RNZAF Age 26. Killed (1)

Nav: Sgt. Robert Eastwood Newton 1150596 RAFVR Age 21. Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Kenneth Leyshon 977837 RAFVR Age 21. Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Donavan Peter George Kent 1250215 RAFVR Age 22. Killed

Air/Gnr: Sgt. Neville James Patton 1378828 RAFVR Age 28. killed

Air/Gnr: Sgt. George Henry Walker 936065 RAFVR Age 26. killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off at 00:35 hrs from RAF Woolfox Lodge in Rutland to attack Essen.

Some 157 aircraft from Bomber Command all headed for the city. The weather was atrocious with very severe icing and storms en route. Only around a third of the bombers managed to reach the target and bomb - 5 of the number were lost.

Manchester L7470 was attacked and shot down by Oblt. Eckart-Wilhelm von Bonin of Stab II./NJG1 with the aircraft crashing at 02:38 hrs - all the crew were killed.

This was his 4th claim of the war. By the end of the war from which he survived, he had a total of 39 claims - died on the 11th January 1992. (Information from the Kracker Archives on this website)

Left: Oblt. Eckart-Wilhelm von Bonin (Kracker Archives)

(1) The brother of Sgt. Lloyd Lincoln was also lost. Serving in the same Squadron, lost on the 03rd June 1942, Lancaster I R5613 also on an operation to the same target.

Stan and Lloyd Lincoln, with their brothers and sisters - taken at the family home in Mt. Alberta, Auckland on the day they left New Zealand.

Burial details:

Fl/Sgt. Eric William Noble. Heverlee War Cemetery. Coll. grave 3.E.8-13. Son of Gertrude Ruth Noble, of Norwich, Norfolk, England. Grave inscription reads: "Into Thy Hands, O God I Commend His Spirit Sorrowfully Remembered. Mother".

Sgt. Lloyd john Holmes Lincoln. Heverlee War Cemetery. Coll. grave 3.E.7. Son of Frank Lincoln and of Eileen Lincoln (nee Cronin), of Mount Albert, Auckland, New Zealand. A total of 240 flying hours logged and on his 3rd operational sortie.

Sgt. Robert Eastwood Newton. Heverlee War Cemetery. Grave 3.E.7. Son of John and Ethel G. Newton, of Earlsdon, Coventry, England. Grave inscription reads: "Cheerfully Smiling Always Content Loved And Respected Wherever He Went".

Sgt. Kenneth Leyshon. Heverlee War Cemetery. Coll. grave 3.E.8-13. Son of Sidney and Lucy Annetta Leyshon, of Swansea, Wales. Grave inscription reads: "Semper Idem".

Sgt. Donavan Peter George Kent. Heverlee War Cemetery. Coll. grave 3.E.8-13. Son of George Henry and Elizabeth Agnes Kent, of Easton Park, Dunmow, Essex, England. Grave inscription reads: "In Loving Memory Of Our Dear Son. Rest In Peace".

Sgt. Neville James Patton. Heverlee War Cemetery. Coll. grave 3.E.8-13. Son of James and Margaret Patton; husband of Isabelle Patton, of Walker-Dene, Newcastle-on-Tyne, England. Grave inscription reads: "They Flew Into The Dark Night Skies Theirs The Sacrifice Ours The Prize".

Sgt. George Henry Walker. Heverlee War Cemetery. Coll. grave 3.E.8-13. Son of Joseph Thomas Walker and Annie Walker; husband of Audrey May Walker, of Brixton, London, England. Grave inscription reads: "Memories Remain, Sorrows Fade And Grief Grows Old".

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this pilot with thanks to the research by Errol Martyn and his publications: “For Your Tomorrow Vols. 1-3”, Auckland War Memorial Museum, Weekly News of New Zealand, with thanks also to Brian Ramsey and Helen Davy (Helen is a relative of Sgt. Lloyd john Holmes Lincoln) other sources as quoted below:

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember them. - Laurence Binyon
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