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"
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"
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"
Served with
- United Kingdom (13)
- Canadian (7)
- Australian (4)
Served in
- Air Force (24)
