Operation: Laval

Date: 09/10th June 1944 (Friday/Saturday)

Unit: No. 10 Squadron

Type: Halifax III

Serial: MZ684

Code: ZA-B

Base: RAF Melbourne, Yorkshire

Location: Entrammes, France

Pilot: F/O. Willem Jacob van Stockum 144600 RAFVR Age 33. Killed

Fl/Eng: F/O. John Ellyatt 51911 RAF Age 27. Killed

Nav: F/O. Gilbert Daniel 151788 RAF Age 22. Killed

Air/Bmr: F/O. Robert Keith Marshall 151917 RAFVR Age 30. Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Alfred Charles Perkins 1461925 RAFVR Age 22. Killed

Air/Gnr: P/O. Fred Beales J/89951 RCAF Age 20. Killed

Air/Gnr: Sgt. Albert Mason 2211801 RAFVR Age ? Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off at 00:30 hrs to bomb the airfields at Laval. Understood to have been hit by anti-aircraft fire and crashed at Entrammes in France.

Also lost from the Squadron:

Halifax III MZ532 ZA-Z Flown by 27 year old, P/O. Thomas Whyndam Henderson (shown left) AUS/415981 RAAF killed with all 6 other crew members.

Rear: F/O. Robert Keith Marshall, Sgt. Albert Mason, F/O. Gilbert Daniel, P/O. Fred Beales. Front: Sgt. Alfred Charles Perkins, F/O. Willem Jacob van Stockum, F/O. John Ellyatt.

The publication “Time Bomber” written by Dr. Robert Wack is fictional but contains a great of factual information about the pilot, F/O. Willem Jacob van Stockum. Memorial erected to the crew and unveiled on the 10th June 2011.

Burial details:

F/O. Willem Jacob van Stockum. Laval Communal Cemetery (Valfleury) E. Sub-Sec. D. Row 1. Grave 42944. Son of Col. A. J. van Stockum, formerly of the Royal Netherlands Navy, and Olga E. van Stockum. B.A. and Large Gold Medallist (Trinity College, Dublin), M.A. (Toronto), Ph.D. (Edin.). Of Holland.

F/O. John Ellyatt. Laval Communal Cemetery (Valfleury) E. Sub-Sec. D. Row 1. Grave 42943. Son of George William and Ellen Ellyatt and husband of Nancy Ellyatt, of West Hartlepool, Co. Durham, England. Grave inscription: “His Duty Nobly Done.”

F/O. Gilbert Daniel. Laval Communal Cemetery (Valfleury) E. Sub-Sec. D. Row 1. Grave 42947. Son of John Daniel and of Emily Lawson Daniel (nee Mann), of Seaton Carew, West Hartlepool, Co. Durham, England.

F/O. Robert Keith Marshall. Laval Communal Cemetery (Valfleury) E. Sub-Sec. D. Row 1. Grave 42949. Son of Peter and Helene Marshall and husband of Margaret Marshall (née Cumming), of Kinross. M.A. Hons. (Glasgow). Assistant Principal (Administrative), Ministry of Labour.

Sgt. Alfred Charles Perkins. Laval Communal Cemetery (Valfleury) E. Sub-Sec. D. Row 1. Joint grave 42945-42946. Son of Charles and Emma Perkins and husband of Joan Mary Perkins, of Tottenham, Middlesex. Grave inscription: “Gone Today, Together Some Day, Memories Of You Will Always Stay. Joan, Mum, Dad.”

P/O. Fred Beales. Laval Communal Cemetery (Valfleury) E. Sub-Sec. D. Row 1. Joint grave 42945-42946. Son of Fred and Lily Beales, of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada and husband of Ethel Joyce Beales, of Hamilton. Grave inscription: “And While He Lies In Peaceful Sleep His Memory We Shall Always Keep.”

Sgt. Albert Mason. Laval Communal Cemetery (Valfleury) E. Sub-Sec. D. Row 1. Grave 42948. No further details - are you able to assist?

With thanks to John Tepper Martin for information and photographs - January 2017. Also to sources as shown below.

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