Date: 28/29th June 1943
Unit: No. 619 Squadron
Type: Lancaster Mk III
Serial: ED979
Code: PG-?
Base: Woodhall Spa. Lincolnshire.
Location: Aalst-Waalre, just south of Eindhoven, Holland
Pilot: Fl/Sgt. Terence Peter Murphy 1246721 R.A.F. Age 23. Killed Nav: F/O. Eric Harper 134213 R.A.F.V.R. Age 35. Killed
Flt. Eng: Sgt. Jack Adsetts 531481 R.A.F. Killed
Air/Bmr: F/O. Alexander Mackay 131976 R.A.F.V.R. Age 29. Killed
W.Op./Air/Gnr: Sgt. Norman Evan Rivers 1330344 R.A.F.V.R. Killed
Air/Gnr: Sgt. Raymond Archibald Grace 614065 R.A.F. Age 23. Killed
Air/Gnr: Flt.Sgt. John Harvey William Walker R/64856 R.C.A.F. Age 22. Killed
We would like to place an appeal on behalf of Raimondo Bogaars for further information and or photographs. Raimondo is hoping to place a memorial at the crash site in the future. Please contact us and your information will be forwarded.
REASON FOR LOSS:
Took off at 2258 hrs R.A.F. Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire. 608 aircraft took part (267 Lancaster's, 169 Halifax's, 85 Wellington's, 75 Stirling's and 12 Mosquitoes). The raid took place with a cloud covered Cologne but even with that and the fact that only 6 Mosquitoes dropped their markers, the raid was devastating to Cologne.
4,377 people were killed on the ground, 10,000 were injured and another 230,000 were forced to leave their damaged homes. The R.A.F. lost 25 aircraft. 157 Aircrew were killed and another 19 made P.O.W.
Lancaster ED979 was shot down by Maj Günter Radusch, night fighter ace of Stab II NJG3 over Waaire, 7 KM South Eindhoven at a height of 6,200 mtrs at 02.24 hrs. Maj Günter Radusch survived the war with 66 kills. No further information available on him.
Above Left to right: F/O. Mackay, Flt.Sgt. Walker, Sgt. Rivers (Courtesy R. Bogaars and A.R.S. Archives)
F/O. Alexander Mackay front row - 3rd from left during training - awaiting further details. (Courtesy Andy Mackay)
Maj Günter Radusch
(Courtesy R. Bogaars)
Burial details:
Flt.Sgt. Terence Peter Murphy. Einhoven (Woensel) General Cemetery Plot EE. Grave 45.
Son of Daniel and Edith Clyne Murphy, of Canley, Coventry, England.
F/O. Eric Harper. Einhoven (Woensel) General Cemetery Plot EE. Grave 42.
Son of William and Sarah Harper, of Bolton, Lancashire, England.
Sgt. Raymond Archibald Grace. Einhoven (Woensel) General Cemetery Plot EE. Grave 41.
Son of Walter A.B. and Adah Emily Grace, of Leicester, England.
Flt.Sgt. John Harvey William Walker. Groesbeek Canadian war cemetery XV.F.4.
Son of John James Walker and Pearl Walker, of Sunny Brae, New Brunswick, Canada.
F/O. Alexander Mackay. Einhoven (Woensel) General Cemetery Plot EE. Grave 40
Son of Adam Sinclair Mackay and Jane Mackay, of Thurso, Caithnesshire, Scotland.
Sgt. Jack Adsetts. Einhoven (Woensel) General Cemetery Plot EE. Grave 39
No further information available as yet.
Sgt. Norman Evan Rivers. Einhoven (Woensel) General Cemetery Plot EE. Grave 43
Son of A.G. and Florence Rivers, of Hadleigh, Essex, England
