Date: 25/26th June 1943
Unit: No. 9 Squadron
Type: Lancaster III
Serial: ED831
Coded: WS-H
Location: Noord Holland
Pilot: S/Ldr. Alan Murray Hobbs D.F.C. 40230 R.N.Z.A.F. Age; 25, Killed
Nav/Bmr: F/O. John Hamilton Sams 106546 R.A.F.V.R. Age; 27, Killed
Fl/Eng: Sgt. Fred William Sanderson 573844 R.A.F. Age; 30, Killed
Nav/Bmr: P/O. Kenneth George Mott 148375 R.A.F.V.R. Age; 20, Killed
Air/Bmr: Sgt. Charles Parnell King 1383417 R.A.F.V.R. Killed
W/Op/Air/ Gnr: Sgt. Edwin Charles Bishop 1200299 R.A.F.V.R. Age; 30, Killed
Air/Gnr: Sgt. Walter Clive Rowlands 1575968 R.A.F.V.R. Age; 20, Killed
Air/Gnr: Fl/Sgt. William Slater 1575183 R.A.F.V.R. Age; 21, Killed
REASON FOR LOSS:
Took off from Bardney, Lincolnshire at 22.30 hrs part of a large raid of 473 RAF Aircraft to attack Gelsenkirchen in the Ruhr. Weather was cloudy and no moon until about 03.00hrs. Shot down at 02.09 hrs around 16.000 ft and the aircraft came down at Ijsselmeer, 20 km East South East of Edam, Holland. Sgt. Sams had only reported to the squadron that afternoon from 1660 O.T.U. and was his first flight with them
The German who claimed the kill was a night fighter ace who also on this same raid, shot down a Stirling from 218 squadron (EF430, HA-W - all the crew survived as P.O.W.'s) and a Halifax II, this one from 51 squadron (HR731, MH-C - all the crew killed). Hptm. August Geiger (49 kills) was later shot down by W/Cmr Bob Braham from 141 Beaufighter squadron after a fierce dogfight on September 29th 1943.
S/Ldr. Alan Murray Hobbs D.F.C. and his crew of ED831 just a few days before they were all lost.
Hptm. August Geiger on the right with Hptm. Lutje
Above left: Amersfoort (Oud Leusden) General Cemetery, right: Harderwijk General Cemetery
Left above: Alan Murray Hobbs D.F.C. above middle: Amsterdam New Eastern Cemetery, above right: William Slater grave
Burial Details:
Alan Murray Hobbs D.F.C. Amsterdam New Eastern Cemetery. Plot 69. Row B. Coll grave15.
Son of Alan Edgar and Greta Hobbs, of Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand.
John Hamilton Sams Amsterdam New Eastern Cemetery. Plot 69. Row B. Coll grave15.
Son of Henry Hamilton and of Ivy Maud Sams, of Leatherhead, Surrey. B.A. (Oxon.)
Fred William Sanderson Amsterdam New Eastern Cemetery. Plot 69. Row B. Coll grave17.
Son of Fred Sanderson, and of Hilda Elizabeth Sanderson, of Ryelands, Lancashire.
Kenneth George Mott Schellinkhout Protestant Churchyard. Grave 26
Son of Frederick George and Florence Jessie Mott, of Earlsfield, London.
Charles Parnell King Harderwijk General Cemetery. British Plot 2. Grave 4.
No further details known.
Edwin Charles Bishop Amsterdam New Eastern Cemetery. Plot 69. Row B. Coll grave15.
Son of William George and Annie Rosa Bishop; husband of Ivy Kate Bishop, of Kingsworthy, Hampshire.
Walter Clive Rowlands Amsterdam New Eastern Cemetery. Plot 69. Row B. Coll grave17.
Son of John Wilfred and Emilia Rowlands, of Newtown, Montgomeryshire.
William Slater Amersfoort (Oud Leusden) General Cemetery. Plot 13, Row 8. Grave 16.
Son of Adam and Sarah Elizebeth Slater; husband of Beatrice Slater, of West Hallam, Derbyshire.
Further information supplied by Mike Harrison. With thanks to the following: Bill Chorley - "Bomber Command Losses Vol 3", Theo Boiten - "German Nightfighter War Diaries Vol 2", Martin Middlebrook "Bomber Command War Diaries". The C.W.G.C.
