Schoonebeek (Oud Schoonebeek) General Cemetery

Historical Information (Source: CWGC)

There are now  24, 1939-1945 war casualties commemorated in this site.  The graves are immediately south of the entrance.


On Monday, May 24, 1943, Lancaster MK III W4984 AR-J from RAAF 460sqn departs from RAF Binbrook for a raid on Dortmund with a massive formation of no less than 826 bombers, the largest attack on the Ruhr area up to that point.

On the way to Dortmund the aircraft is set on fire by a German night fighter, flown by Oberleutnant August Geiger. The pilot loses control of the aircraft, on which it crashes. Five crew members managed to leave the burning plane in time, but four of the parachutes were unusable due to the fire and the users did not survive their jump.  Of the seven-man crew, only Flt.Sgt Clarence K.D. Goldthorpe survived the crash, he was taken prisoner of war.


Flight Sergeant BIFFEN, JACK STANLEY - Service Number 411839

Died 24/05/1943 - Aged 21 - Royal Australian Air Force

Son of Alfred Stanley and Henrietta Biffen, of Rose Bay, New South Wales, Australia.

"THE PATH OF DUTY IS THE WAY TO GLORY "THY WILL BE DONE"

 

NAA Item Number 5523900 Biffen
PDF – 8,7 MB

Flight Sergeant DAVIS, BERESFORD MILTON TROY - Service Number 405966

Died 24/05/1943 - Aged 20 - Royal Australian Air Force

Son of Harry Michael and Jessie Venus Davis, of Sandgate, Queensland, Australia.

"DEARER TO OUR MEMORY THAN WORDS CAN TELL" MOTHER"

 


Flight Sergeant DYCE, KENNETH DOUGLAS - Service Number 412411

Died 24/05/1943 - Aged 21 - Royal Australian Air Force

Son of Colin Stuart Dyce and Alice Elizabeth Dyce, of Coolamon, New South Wales, Australia.

"GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS..." ST.JOHN,XV.13"

 

NAA Item Number 5540929 Dyce
PDF – 11,9 MB

Flight Sergeant (Air Gunner) RALPH, FREDERICK WILSON - Service Number R/152317

Died 24/05/1943

460 (R.A.A.F.) Sqdn Royal Canadian Air Force


Sergeant (Flight Engineer) ROWLANDS, ERIC - Service Number 1040539

Died 24/05/1943

460 (R.A.A.F.) Sqdn Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve


Flight Sergeant WRIGHT, CHARLES SINCLAIR  - Service Number 421066

Died 24/05/1943 - Aged 25 - Royal Australian Air Force

Son of Herbert John and Margaret Beatrice Lilian Wright, of Lismore, New South Wales, Australia.

"HIS DUTY NOBLY DONE. LOVED IN LIFE, HONOURED IN DEATH"

 

NAA Item Number 5548644 Wright
PDF – 12,8 MB

Served with

  • United Kingdom (13)
  • Canadian (7)
  • Australian (4)

Served in

  • Air Force (24)