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Archive Report: Allied Forces

Compiled from official National Archive and Service sources, contemporary press reports, personal logbooks, diaries and correspondence, reference books, other sources, and interviews.
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50 squadron crest
22/23.01.1942 No. 50 Squadron Hampden I AT142 P/O. Peace

Operation: Münster

Date: 22/23rd January 1942 (Thursday/Friday)

Unit: No. 50 Squadron

Type: Hampden I

Serial: AT142

Code: VN-?

Base: RAF Skellingthorpe, Lincolnshire (Skelly)

Location: Exton, Oakham

Pilot: P/O. David Brian Peace 89609 RAFVR Age 22. Killed

Pilot 2: Sgt. John Wilson Adey 934201 RAFVR Age 19. Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Francis Haydn Brooke 942640 RAFVR Age 21. Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Archibald Donald Jory 932941 RAFVR Age ? Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Very few details are available regarding this loss. 47 aircraft took part in the bombing of Munster - the first raid on inland Germany since 27/28th December 1941. Crews reported large fires in the railway station area - however the only report from Munster is that 5 people were killed.

We do know that AT142 took off from Skellingthorpe for this operation and crashed on the return trip at 22.20 hrs at Exton (4) which is 4 miles East North East of Oakham, Rutland whilst trying to land at Cottesmore. All crew killed and bodies returned to various cemeteries.

This crew is believed to have earlier taken part in bombing a seaplane base at Hornum on the island of Sylt in March 1940, it then attacked many other targets including Berlin. In December 1940 it took part in the bombing of Mannheim and in December 1941 operating from a base in Northern Scotland it bombed a gun battery and dropped smoke bombs on the island of Vaagso (German occupied Norway) in preparation for the landing of troops.

Burial details:

P/O. David Brian Peace. Cottesmore (St. Nicholas) Churchyard Ext. Compt. 7. Grave 42. Born in Bridlington in the June 1919 Qtr, the son of Walter and Phyllis (née Henshall) Peace.

Sgt. John Wilson Adey. South Ealing Cemetery. Sec K. Row H. Grave 6. Son of William Stanley and Grace Annie Adey (nee Kay), of Ealing, England. Born 29th June 1922 at 19 Boileau Road Ealing.

Sgt. Francis Haydn Brooke. Hepworth Methodist Chapelyard. Sec B. Grave 219. Son of Francis and Helena Brooke, of New Mill, Huddersfield, England.

Sgt. Archibald Donald Jory. Camborne (St Martin) Churchyard. Block E. Grave 37. Next of Kin details currently not available.

Researched for Nigel Brooke and relatives of all the crew. With thanks to Dave Champion for additional details - July 2018.


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Acknowledgements
Sources used by us in compiling Archive Reports include: Bill Chorley - 'Bomber Command Losses Vols. 1-9, plus ongoing revisions', Dr. Theo E.W. Boiten and Mr. Roderick J. Mackenzie - 'Nightfighter War Diaries Vols. 1 and 2', Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt - 'Bomber Command War Diaries', Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Tom Kracker - Kracker Luftwaffe Archives, Michel Beckers, Major Fred Paradie (RCAF) and Captain François Dutil (RCAF) - Paradie Archive (on this site), Jean Schadskaje, Major Jack O'Connor USAF (Retd.), Robert Gretzyngier, Wojtek Matusiak, Waldemar Wójcik and Józef Zieliński - 'Ku Czci Połeglyçh Lotnikow 1939-1945', Andrew Mielnik: Archiwum - Polish Air Force Archive (on this site), Anna Krzystek, Tadeusz Krzystek - 'Polskie Siły Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii', Franek Grabowski, Polish graves: https://niebieskaeskadra.pl/, PoW Museum Żagań, Norman L.R. Franks 'Fighter Command Losses', Stan D. Bishop, John A. Hey MBE, Gerrie Franken and Maco Cillessen - Losses of the US 8th and 9th Air Forces, Vols 1-6, Dr. Theo E.W. Boiton - Nachtjagd Combat Archives, Vols 1-13. Aircrew Remembered Databases and our own archives. We are grateful for the support and encouragement of CWGC, UK Imperial War Museum, Australian War Memorial, Australian National Archives, New Zealand National Archives, UK National Archives and Fold3 and countless dedicated friends and researchers across the world.
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