11/12 May 1944

Lancaster Mk III - ND923 KO-C

T/O Witchford 2303 - Target Leuven, Belgium.
Shot down by Oblt Herman Greiner II.NJG1 and
crashed 0027 hrs at Wilsele, Belgium.

Source: 115 Squadron Roll of Honour by D. Bruce, W. R. Chorley, J. G. J. de Haan.

105 Lancasters and 5 Mosquitos of Nos 3 and 8 Groups attacked the railway yards at Louvain/Leuven
but the main weight of the bombing hit the railway workshops and nearby storage buildings.

4 Lancasters lost.

Source: nationalarchives.gov.uk - Bomber Command - Campaign Diary May 1944. - photo: Book, doelwit Leuven, uitgeverij De Krijger.

ORB. 11th May, 1944.
5 aircraft (1 from 'A' Flight, 2 from 'B' Flight and 2 from 'C' Flight)
were detailed to attack LOUVAIN/LEUVEN and took off between 22.55 hours & 23.03 hours.
1 aircraft C.ND.926 (Captain S/L. J. R. GRANT) failed to return from operations and no news was received from it.
1 aircraft H.LL.864 (Captain Sgt. THORNTON, J.) was forced to abandon the sortie due to forward escape hatch
being blown away, & returned to base early after jettisoning part of his bomb load & bringing back the remainder.
The other 3 aircraft identified the target by means of indicator markers on which they dropped their bombs from heights
ranging between 8,000 feet & 9000 feet.
Many explosions were seen & the attack was considered very successful.
Photographs were attempted.
1 of the latter aircraft (A/C. W.HK.548 - Captain F/O. C. McBRIDE) was forced to land away from base owing
to its starboard outer engine seizing up.

01.27. 1 aircraft landed at R.A.F. Station WOODBRIDGE.
01.28. 3 aircraft had returned safely to base after operations.

115 SquadronLancaster

Grant John RitchieGrant John Ritchie Grant John Ritchie - FE.
Captain of a/c.

Squadron Leader - Service No 40220 - Canadian -
Mentioned in Despatches. The London Gazette.

Age: 29 - °13 January 1915 Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

RAFVR

Son of Colonel C. R. Grant and Beatrice L. Grant.
Husband of Ellena Vivienne Grant, of Oxford.

Wilsele Churchyard - grave B.5

Source: CWGC - Photo Canadian Virtual War Memorial -
Find a grave
by Marcel Rosvelds.

Lancaster ND923Jennings Herbert Maxwell Jennings Herbert Maxwell - Pilot

F/S - Service No 1579944

Age: 23

RAFVR

Son of Herbert and Maisie F. Jennings.
Husband of Doreen Jennings, of Alvaston, Derby.

Wilsele Churchyard - grave B.15

Source: CWGC - Photo: Find a grave by Marcel Rosvelds.

Lancaster ND923Clarke Ralph William Clarke Ralph William - Fe

F/S - Service No 1380159

Age: 22

RAFVR

Son of Harry Ralph and Lottie Clarke,
of South Lambeth, London.

Wilsele Churchyard - grave B.10

Source: CWGC - Photo: Find a grave by Marcel Rosvelds.

Waller StanleyWaller Stanley Waller Stanley - Nav

P/O - Service No 173892

Age: 21

RAFVR

Son of Jack and Minnie Waller.
Husband of Margaret Mary Waller,
of Hucknall, Nottinghamshire.

Wilsele Churchyard - grave B.12

Source: CWGC - Photo: via Elisabeth Brown -
Find a graveby Marcel Rosvelds.

Parry William GraingerParry William Grainger Parry William Grainger - WOP

Sgt - Service No 1086157

Age: 32 - °20 August 1911, Bolsover, Derbyshire.*

RAFVR - inlisted 15 January 1941.

Son of John (Jack) Parry and Isabel Carr.
Husband of Mrs Jane Parry
of Platts Common near Barnsley, Yorkshire.*

Source: CWGC - Wilsele Churchyard - grave B.8
* Photo and info via Gillian Appleton - Find a grave Marcel Rosvelds.

Rodgerson JackRodgerson Jack Rodgerson Jack - BA

P/O - Service No 173506

Age: 21

RAFVR

Son of Reginald and Edith Rodgerson,
of Bramley, Leeds, Yorkshire.

Wilsele Churchyard - grave B.6

Source: CWGC - Photo via D. Tyers - Find a grave by Marcel Rosvelds.

Lancaster ND923Tabner Eric Edward Tabner Eric Edward - MUG

Sgt - Service No 1624500

Age: 20

RAFVR

Son of Albert Edward Tabner and of Sarah Ellen Sheward.

Wilsele Churchyard - grave B.1

Source: CWGC - Photo: Find a grave by Marcel Rosvelds.

Koss C Koss Charles R "Carl" - RG

T/Sgt - Service No

Age: °1920

USA Air Force

Son of Peter and Nellie Kossowski.*

Wilsele Churchyard - The body was taken to his home for reburial and rest now at
Saint Joseph Cemetery River Grove, Cook County , Illinois, USA.*

Source photo Find a Grave by Mary Arvidson, and info: via John Jones*.