(1) Zayets Creek which flows north west into the Mukutawa River in Manitoba is named after Sgt. Zayets
(2) Stewart Channel in Saskatchewan is named after F/O Stewart

REASON FOR LOSS:

Took off from Middleton St. George at 23.38 hrs to attack the German town of Aachen with devastating results. Over 1000 people on the ground were either killed or injured and many cultural buildings destroyed including the cathedral and the town theatre. Over 16,000 flats or apartments were destroyed - following this raid over 18,000 people fled the town.
The German night fighter force were extremely active enjoying very good visibility, the result being 20 aircraft shot down (15 Halifax's, 2 Lancaster's, 2 Wellington's and 1 Stirling) The number of casualties from the allied losses was 93 killed, 8 known injured, 39 P.O.W.'s and 8 evading capture.

Fl/Lt. William George Weeks (Courtesy Mike Harrison)

  
Above left: F/O. Walter Ferguson Stewart (A.R.Society Archives) Right: W/O II James Richard Goodfellow

Halifax DK228 NA-D was one of three 428 Squadron aircraft lost on this night. Shot down by German night fighter ace Oblt, Willhelm Herget (3) of Stab1./NJG4 who engaged at 6,000 mtrs at 02.40 hrs over Mesnil-St-Blaize, Belgium with the loss of all crew. Also lost from 428 Squadron was Halifax ED209 NA-C flown by F/O Ross R.C.A.F. shot down by flak over the target area (all this crew survived - 5 being made P.O.W and 2 evaded capture with the assistance of the Comet line. Halifax DK257 NA-Q flown by Fl/Lt. Morgan R.C.A.F. was shot down by another German night fighter pilot Ofw. Richard Launer from 10./NJG4 at 02.0 hrs over North Genderen. The two Air gunners were killed but the remaining 5 survived - 4 made P.O.W.'s and 1 evadIng capture.

(2) The brother of F/O. Walter Stewart was killed only a few days previously which, when they received the news of this loss as well, must have devastated his family. Sgt. Lorne Glen Stewart (Air/Gnr) was killed on an anti-shipping patrol over the Bay of Biscay whilst with 10 O.T.U. We hope to add to these details when we hear further from the relatives.

Oblt, Willhelm Herget (A.R.Society Archives)

(3) The "Ace" Oblt, Willhelm Herget survived the war (no further details - 72 to his credit) after being shot down during a transit flight by U.S. anti aircraft fire on the 2nd May 1945. At the time he was in a squadron flying the new jet - the Me 262

Crash site of Halifax DK228 (Courtesy Mike Harrison)

  
Florennes Communal Cemetery (C.W.G.C.)

Burial details:

Fl/Lt. William George Weeks. Florennes Communal Cemetery Row 4. Grave 48.
Son of Charles Dufferin Weeks and Cora Weeks, of Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada; husband of Elsie Louise Weeks, of Medicine Hat.
Sgt. Stephen Zayets. Florennes Communal Cemetery Row 4. Grave 51.
Son of Alexander and Maria Zayets of Winnipeg, Manitoba.
F/O. Walter Ferguson Stewart. Florennes Communal Cemetery Row 4. Grave 53.
Son of Alex and Margaret (Peggy) Stewart of Oxbow, Saskatchewan, Canada.
W/O II James Richard Goodfellow. Florennes Communal Cemetery Row 4. Grave 54.
Son of Victor P. and Sally L. Goodfellow, of London, Ontario, Canada.
Sgt. Archibald Douglas Dawson. Florennes Communal Cemetery Row 4. Grave 50.
Son of Archibald Douglas Dawson and Beryl May Dawson, of Battersea, London.
F/O. Harold Bramley Ward. Florennes Communal Cemetery Row 4. Grave 49.
Son of Alfred Harold Ward and of Winifred Ward (nee Bramley), husband of Ida Orbell Ward, of Helensburgh, Dunbartonshire.
Researched by: Kelvin T. Youngs / David King (A.R. Society) For Erin McMillen, niece of F/O. Walter Stewart and for all the relatives of the crew.
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.

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