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Operation: Düsseldord
Date: 31st/01st August 1942 (Friday/Saturday)
Unit: No. 16 Operational Training Unit. 92 Group
Type: Wellington IC
Serial: DV736
Code: F2
Base: RAF Upper Heyford, Oxfordshire
Location: Dilsen-Stokkem, Belgium
Pilot: Fl/Sgt. Edgar Henry Vickers AUS/403153 RAAF Age 23. Killed
Pilot: Fl/Sgt. Rodney David Gibson R/68762 RCAF Age 23. Killed
Obs: Fl/Sgt. Thomas James Armstrong R/77407 RCAF Age 24. Killed
Air/Bmr: Sgt. Norman Alfred Long 656328 RAF Age 29. Killed
W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Francis Perrie George Moore NZ/404085 RNZAF Age 24. Killed
Air/Gnr: Sgt. George Redhead 940304 RAFVR Age 22. Killed
REASON FOR LOSS:
Taking off at 23:39 hrs with a bomb load of 24 x 30 lb. and 270 4 lb. incendiary bombs. 630 aircraft taking part in this operation - 31 were lost!
Intercepted at 01:45 hrs by Hptm. Siegfried Wandam of 3./NJG1 with the Wellington crashing at 02:15 hrs at Dilsen-Stokkem - all the crew were killed.
Left: Hptm. Siegfried Wandam
This was the 4th claim by Wandam who went on to claim a total of 10 before he was killed on the 04th July 1943. (information courtesy of the Kracker Archive on this website.
Burial details:
Crew initially buried at Brustern near Sint Truiden but reinterred after the end of the war.
Fl/Sgt. Edgar Henry Vickers. Heverlee War Cemetery. Grave 3.B.10. Born on the 12th September 1918 at Singleton, the son of Arthur Edgar and Emily Morison Vickers, of Big Ridge, Singleton, New South Wales, Australia. Prior to service worked as a dairy farmer. Enlisted on the 09th December 1940. Grave inscription: "He Died For Freedom. Ever Remembered At Home".
Fl/Sgt. Rodney David Gibson. Heverlee War Cemetery. Grave 3.B.11. Son of Thomas E. and Helen Gibson, of Kenora Ontario, Canada. Enlisted in November 1940. Grave inscription: "Do Unto Others As You Would Have Them Do Unto You".
Fl/Sgt. Thomas James Armstrong. Heverlee War Cemetery. Grave 3.B.8. Son of W. Fredrick and Barbara I. Armstrong and husband of Mary Vivian Armstrong, of Nevada Valley, Inverness Co., Nova Scotia, Canada. Grave inscription: "Eternal Rest Give Unto Him, O Lord; And Let Perpetual Light Shine Upon Him".
Sgt. Norman Alfred Long. Heverlee War Cemetery. Grave 3.B.9. Son of Charles and Florence Madeline Long and husband of Rachel Long, of Fulham, London, England. Grave inscription: "Greater Love Hath No Man Than This".
Sgt. Francis Perrie George Moore. Heverlee War Cemetery. Grave 3.B.6. Born on the 12th January 1918 at Waverley, the son of Alfred and Abigail Olive Moore, of Tangarakau, Taranaki, New Zealand. Prior to service worked as a platelayer/motor driver. A total of 73 flying hours logged and on his 02nd operational sortie.
Air/Gnr: Sgt. George Redhead. Heverlee War Cemetery. Grave 3.B.7. Son of William Henry George and Ruth Redhead, of Kennington, Kent, England. Grave inscription: Tell England, Ye Who Pass This Monument, We Died For Her And Here We Rest Content"
Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this pilot with thanks to Jenifer Lemaire and to the research by Errol Martyn and his publications: “For Your Tomorrow Vols. 1-3”, Auckland Library Heritage Collection, Weekly News of New Zealand, other sources as quoted below:
KTY 25.10.2019
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember
them. - Laurence
Binyon
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Last Modified: 20 March 2021, 16:47