Please take time to remember the crew of W4270 who were tragically killed in a training crash 71 years ago today. We shall Remember them!
The pilot of Lancaster W4270 which crashed 71 years ago today with the loss of all lives, WO11 Thomas Herbert Warne RCAF from Saskatchewan Canada. He is buried in Newark Cemetery, the photo is of his funeral by kind permission of the Warne/Boe family….We will remember them.
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Flight Engineer George Arthur Hitchon (Ginge) killed 71 years ago today on a training flight on Lancaster W4270 at Staunton-in-the Vale
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Lancaster W4270’s Navigator Robert John Preece (Jack) , lost 71 years ago today
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James Milton Whitehead, Lancaster W4270’s bomb aimer, his lovely sister Sylvia sent snowdrops from her garden in Scotland to be planted around the memorial by her family, a little bit of home.
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Wireless Operator for Lancaster W4270 was Thomas Newton. His sister Hazel was the last relative to trace, after 13 years we tried one last time and her niece spotted our request in the local paper. She was only a month old when the accident happened and was so pleased to hear his story!
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Edward Loverock was Air Gunner on Lancaster W4270, from Matlock in Derbyshire, worked in the Post office before joining up and had a wonderful singing voice! He was the last person to join the crew.
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And finally Sgt John Coaker, also Air Gunner on Lancaster W4270, shown here as a boy having fun then along with his fellow crew members, who sadly perished 71 years ago today, may they all RIP
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71 years ago today a Bomber Command training flight took off from RAF Syerston, sadly it never returned. Annie Hogg’s Granddad witnessed the crash and it remained with him for the rest of his life. We promised him we would do all we could to keep their memory alive…..hear their story
By: BlueNoser352 - 26th February 2014 at 19:55
Remembering it now what its all about….prayers for these men and their memory ! A salute from :
BlueNoser352
By: TwinOtter23 - 26th February 2014 at 19:32
Your wish is now on the ‘list’ jr, it may be Easter time before we’re in the city next but I’ll make sure that we get the photographs.
The ‘artistic & text differences’ have hopefully been resolved and I’ve just emailed off the latest alts to County Hall – this now includes mention of the Staunton interpretation panel, as prompted by your post above! 😮 After all it is all funded by the same grant stream!!
This time round the booklet will just feature memorials and it has made 36 pages!
By: Arabella-Cox - 26th February 2014 at 13:45
Great link JR, thank you for posting it!
Regards
Simon
By: jack russell - 26th February 2014 at 12:13
Yes, thank you for that information Simon. We only have an external view of St Lukes on file, so a photo of the memorials would be wonderful if possible T/O, thank you!
Here’s the story of how we found his sister…. http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/history/war/wwtwo/8337978.War_hero_brother_I_never_had_the_chance_to_meet/
By: TwinOtter23 - 26th February 2014 at 10:12
Thanks for the ‘heads-up’ Simon, very interesting.
jr – if you do not have a picture of these memorials I can try to take some for you when I next visit our youngest son at university (Grey College, Durham); just let me know.
By: Arabella-Cox - 26th February 2014 at 10:01
Sgt Thomas Raine Newton is also commemorated on Durham Town Hall’s memorial plaque:
http://www.newmp.org.uk/detail.php?contentId=7051
and also on the memorial plaque that was once in the Memorial Hall in Ushaw Moor, and is now at St Luke’s Church:
http://www.newmp.org.uk/detail.php?contentId=7051
Regards
Simon
By: Andy in Beds - 25th February 2014 at 20:15
Thank you. A very fitting tribute.
By: jack russell - 25th February 2014 at 20:15
Good, that sounds very positive. Pleased to hear that as well, with three shires bush being on the corner of the airfield I’ve never been quite sure! You should have asked, I’d have taken you there, ‘up the track and turn around’ seems to be the best advice for that one!
By: TwinOtter23 - 25th February 2014 at 20:11
The printing isn’t in doubt it’s just a few ‘artistic differences’ that need to be ironed out!
I’m pleased to report that RAF Bottesford has been annexed into SKDC; also the other week I finally managed to find and photograph the 467 Squadron Lancaster memorial stone at Long Bennington c/w its ‘winter-wrap’!
By: jack russell - 25th February 2014 at 19:34
Really hope they will go to reprint, I still get asked for copies, it’s such a valuable way of promoting Aviation heritage in Nottinghamshire, the pub used to run out as soon as they got some in!
Excellent, was a pleasure to research that one, I’d heard so many stories over the years, including the fact that there was a whole aircraft in the reservoir, nice to find the official line. Been helping out on a couple of other projects as well, finding my way around the information better and quicker now!
By: TwinOtter23 - 25th February 2014 at 18:55
jr – your interpretation board photograph c/w LIS sign-off has reminded me that I have meeting at County Hall tomorrow with regard to the updated memorials booklet, which of course features Staunton-in-the-Vale.
Fingers crossed that a few last minute issues are resolved tomorrow and that it will soon be back in print!!
Earlier today I also completed a write-up on the Knipton crash, this utilised some of your information – so thank you for that assistance. 🙂
By: Peter - 25th February 2014 at 15:59
Thanks for adding this. The new board looks terrific!
By: jack russell - 25th February 2014 at 15:34
The interpretation board at the Memorial now gives visitors a more detailed account of what happened.
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By: CeBro - 19th February 2014 at 14:58
Just one story of very very many.
Let’s keep remembering them.
Cees
By: jack russell - 19th February 2014 at 14:26
Thank you T/O, I hear the Scottish ones sent by Milton Whitehead’s sister are really flourishing this year! Glad you like it Bombgone, like a lot of things it happened by accident, but we’ve found it really useful to spread the word about this young crew!
By: Bombgone - 19th February 2014 at 14:13
Very nice Video. Thank you for posting.
By: TwinOtter23 - 19th February 2014 at 13:39
I passed Staunton on Sunday afternoon on my way back from visits to Barkston Heath, Caythorpe and Fulbeck; and I ‘had a quick word’ to the crew – the snowdrops in the hedgerows looked really good this year! 🙂
By: jack russell - 19th February 2014 at 13:29
Thank you for mentioning this Peter! Here’s a photo of the exhibition boards we have used to tell their story.
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February 18, 2014 at 3:12 pm