LEST WE FORGET
Air Operations (No. 455 Squadron Hampden I aircraft AE243), Belgium, 8 November 1941
Hampden AE243 took off from RAF Swinderby at 1830 hours on the night of 7/8th November 1941 to carry out a Rover patrol towards Cologne, Germany. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take off and it did not return to base. Four aircraft from the Squadron took part in the mission and two of these including AE243 failed to return. Post war it was established that all the crew had been killed and they are buried in the Heverlee War Cemetery, Belgium.
The crew members of AE243 were:
Sergeant Maurice Albert Jenkins (1255580) (RAFVR) (Pilot)
Sergeant George Albert McGarvey (969452) (RAFVR) (Air Gunner)
Flight Sergeant Keith Morris (553926) (RAF) (Wireless Operator Air Gunner)
Sergeant Donald Reginald Rawlings (1251662) (RAFVR) Navigator)
No. 455 Squadron lost Hampden P1201 (Pilot Officer James Anthony Cathcart Gordon (400367) (O36204) (Pilot)) on 8 November 1941.
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records (RAAF Casualty Information compiled by Alan Storr (409804))
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Bibliography:
Gordon, I. (Ian) Strike and Strike Again: 455 Squadron 1944-5, Banner Books Belconnen ACT 2616, 1995
Lawson, John Horwood Wightman (251634) The Story of No. 455 Squadron (RAAF), Wilke and Company, Melbourne VIC, 1951