In my possession is a War Office folder with a photograph of the temporary wooden marker and grave reference for my great-uncle who was killed in France in 1916, it enabled my brother and I to visit his grave eighty years later. We always go to visit his grave when we are nearby, having also visited French, German and American war cemeteries I think the CWGC ones have a particular solemn beauty. It long been my opinion that those politicians with responsibility for decisions on war and peace should be made to walk slowly around Tyne Cot, Étaples, Bayeux, Thiepval etc. reading the names.
As an addendum to P/O Brooks story: the other three crew (all RCAF) who died in the loss of LL862-SR-K are buried across the border in Belgium in the Adegem Canadian War Cemetery. P/O E E Boyle RCAF (J/91059) - AG, P/O G T Douglas RCAF (J/94225) - AG, P/O E Ianuziello RCAF (J/91057) - Nav. The others buried in Cambrai are P/O J E M Nixon RCAF (J/91096) - WOp/AG and Sgt I H M Reid RAFVR (1293545) - Flt Eng. (Sgt Ianuziello, WO2 Nixon, Sgt Boyle and Sgt Douglas were all posthumously commissioned with effect from 19 July 1944)
From what I have read the 600 lb ABC package was installed at the rear of bomb bay and the operator sat in the area of the rest bunk under the mid-upper turret and the bomb load was reduced by 1000 lbs. This appears to make sense as this would be close to the CofG. The Germans were aware of ABC and tried ineffective countermeasures. The transmissions increased the vulnerability of the aircraft and account for 101 having the highest casualty rate of any RAF squadron in WW2.
Last edited by SLXOwft; 27th Jan 2024 at 12:09.
Reason: roles etc