102 (Ceylon) Squadron
Tentate et perficite (Attempt and Achieve)
Squadron Leader John Bernard Flowerdew
HR667 DY-U took off on the 05/05/1943 for Dortmund
Sqn Ldr John Bernard Flowerdew - Pilot - (C.W.G.C.)
P/O Donald Edward Grant - Nav - Aged 24 - (C.W.G.C.)
F/S Peter Edward Tiller - F/E - (C.W.G.C.)
Sgt John George Stanley Dutton - WOp - Aged 23 - (C.W.G.C.)
Sgt George Rose - A/G - C.W.G.C.)
F/S Kenneth Howard Buck - (R.C.A.F.) - A/G - Aged 20 - (C.W.G.C.)
P/O Harold George Raymond Chiverton - B/A - Aged 21 - (C.W.G.C.)
Mouse over the photo's and if you see a + sign in a circle you can hit it and the photograph will enlarge
A man by the name of Reinder Postma has helped us to make up the most amazing page for this crew. From an email I received from Reinder the Following;
"Beneath you will find the link to the village of Westergeest, this is where the halifax crashed and Buck and Rose are buried:
There are pictures from our remembrance day, May 4th, each year school children taken flowers to the graves and the last post has been played, words are spoke by the chairman of local interest. Westergeest is 1 mile west from the village if Oudwoude where I live.
The next site is from the Historical branch from Nord - east Friesland and located in Dokkum, I'm a member of this branch and you can see at this link my book that was published in 2010 about our Muncipality in world war II, the first copy was given to the local Mayor, (with the silver chain), I'm next to him. The story of the halifax was published in the book: DE OORLOG EEN GEZICHT GEGEVEN "
When the Halifax crashed, the bodies of two, Sgt George Rose and F/S Kenneth Howard Buck were found.
The graves in front of the two crew members are of 6 airmen who died in the crash of a Wellington, on the 12 / 13 Oct 1941 - just 70 years ago.
The plane was heavily loaded and it was seen on fire. There was a heavy explosion in the air, a wing was found on the north side of Westergeest, a wheel smashed through the the roof of a garage and the last part crashed in the meadows.
Rose and Buck were the rear and upper gunners, the othercrew members were in the front of the aircraft. The engines disappeared in the meadow and were later taken away, after war.
The Photo shows a memorial the crew who were not found and have no known grave.
Below I have placed several photo's sent to me by Reinder of various Remembrance Day services over the years.
Our final thanks go to the families of these airmen who have allowed us to use their photo's.