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245489 P/O. Ian Milne Hossack Royal Air Force 144 Squadron from:Otford, Kent (d.12th July 1940) On the 11th/12th of July 1940 the first big bombing raid on a German mainland town took place. British Aircraft comprising of 19 Hampdens from the 49, 61 and 144 Squadrons together with 18 Whitleys from the 51, 58, 77 and 102 Squadrons. Their mission to bomb road and rail targets in Munchengladbach. 2 Hampdens and 1 Whitley were lost, 4 crewmen killed.
On 11th July 1940, the 144 Squadron was ordered to bomb targets in Munchengladbach. The squadron was equipped with the twin-engine Handley Page Hampden bombers. Their aircraft departed from Helmswell in Lincolnshire. One of the aircraft was the Hampden P4366 with Pilot Officer Ian M. Hossack as the pilot. After a safe crossing over the North Sea and the Netherlands, they flew on their way to their target. Over Venlo, unaware of the German night fighter who was on their heels, suddenly shots rattled through the night. Light trails flashed in the dark and bullets ripped up the narrow hull of the Hampden. A fire could not be extinguished and Hossack was no longer able to steer the aircraft properly due to the fire. After a steep dive, the lives of all 4 crewmen ended on the Steegbergheide in the neighborhood of Evertsoord Sevenumat at about 1.50 am on 12th July. Because the aircraft ended up in a large heather field, the damage to the environment was small. A day later, German soldiers, by order of the burial officer of the Luftwaffe from Eindhoven, gathered the dead bodies and brought them to Ehrenfriedhof Venlo, where they were buried the same day. In April 1947 the bodies were transferred to Jonkerbos War Cemetery in Nijmegen. Staff of the Lufwaffebase Eindhoven, which in the meantime was also used by the Germans, took over the surveillance. The team did find unexploded bombs between the wreckage. These were made harmless a day later. The Crew of Hampden P4366 were: - Pilot Officer Ian Milne Hossack from Otford, Kent. 33568. Age 19. Son of James Davidson Hossack and Eileen Inze Hossack, buried Jonkerbos Nijmegen.
- Sergeant Air Observer Eric Basil Hartley France from Isle of Sheppey, Kent. 580739. Age 24. buried Jonkerbos Nijmegen
- Sergeant Wireless Operator/Air Gunner Edward Dennis Leamy, from Canterbury, Kent.569067. Age 20. Son of Michael Edward Leamy of Bradford Yorkshire and Annie Louise Croucher of Frittenden Kent, buried Jonkerbos Nijmegen.
- Sergeant Wireless Operator/Air Gunner Clarence Rose Swallownest, from South Yorkshire. 631369. Age 20, buried Jonkerbos Nijmegen.
Source: Book Mayday Mayday Hub Groeneveld.
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