The Wartime Memories Project - The Second War

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208008 Sgt. Eric White RAF Bomber Command 426 Squadron from:Valence, Sutton, Kent (d.13th May 1944) Eric White 653213 was my father's great uncle and Dad asked me to try and find out as much as I could about him as he was never told. I was able to find out that he was the Flight Engineer of Sqdn 426 Bomber Command. He flew in a Halifax mark 111 serial NA510. Others on board were Sqdn leader I M McRobie Flying officer G W Bedford WO 2nd class M A Brazey WO 2nd class C A McLeod Flight sgt A H Hammond Flight sgt Bremrose They took of from RCAF air base Linton-on-Ouse in North Yorkshire heading towards their target Cambrai, France. The Aircraft caught on fire and crashed near Villers-Les-Cagnicourt in Pas-De Calais on 13th June 1944. I believe once they knew they were in trouble they decided to evacuate the plane but Eric White and I M McRobie stayed on board to keep the plane level. It eventually crashed killing both on impact the locals found the body of Eric but McRobie was never found. A H Hammond, C A McLeod and Bremrose all managed to evade with the help of the locals but Bedford and Brazey were taken prisoner. The locals buried Eric White in Cagnicourt and every year hold a ceremony over his grave. T. Rayner Add to this record.  Additional Information: I am the youngest nephew of Eric and have visited every year since I located where the gravestone and crash site is. The locals admire and respect his bravery for going down with the plane to save it crash landing in the village where this would have caused many fatalities. I met a guy called Sammiere who was 4 yrs old at the time hes now in his 70s. he, with the help of a translator told me he was the first on the scene to see Eric hanging out the cockpit trapped and burning alive. Eric beckoned to him to get aid,with this he motioned a cutting action on his hip as much to say my legs trapped get someone to cut it free.very heroic may I add.he holds the union jack every year to commemorate Eric who is the only ww2 serviceman to be in the actual community burial ground. Every year I pay my respects and join the locals in a small party, I also donated a book written abt Eric to the local town hall/museum and pictures of Eric standing proud in his uniform these can be seen in cagnicourt town hall. andy Reply Related Content: No. 425(Alouette) Squadron Royal Canadian Air Force RAF Linton on Ouse Can you help us to add to our records? Add a record to our website. The names and stories on this website have been submitted by their relatives and friends. If your relations are not listed please add their names so that others can read about them Did you or your relatives live through the Second World War? Do you have any photos, newspaper clippings, postcards or letters from that period? Have you researched the names on your local or war memorial? Were you or your relative evacuated? Did an air raid affect your area? If so please let us know. Help us to build a database of information on those who served both at home and abroad so that future generations may learn of their sacrifice. Contact us. Celebrate your own Family History Celebrate by honouring members of your family who served in the Secomd World War both in the forces and at home. We love to hear about the soldiers, but also remember the many who served in support roles, nurses, doctors, land army, muntions workers etc. Please use our Family History resources to find out more about your relatives. Then please send in a short article, with a photo if possible, so that they can be remembered on these pages.

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