Letwell - Gildingwells Road
Additional Details
Anthony John William Matthews (235268)
Royal Engineers
5 December 1942, aged 24
Died in North Africa
Bone War Cemetery, Annaba
John Douglas Whitehead (1057167)
Royal Air Force - 103 Sqdn.
5 September 1942, aged 22
Halifax aircraft lost on a mission to Germany
Leeuwarderadeel (Jelsum) Protestant Churchyard
Royal Engineers
5 December 1942, aged 24
Died in North Africa
Bone War Cemetery, Annaba
John Douglas Whitehead (1057167)
Royal Air Force - 103 Sqdn.
5 September 1942, aged 22
Halifax aircraft lost on a mission to Germany
Leeuwarderadeel (Jelsum) Protestant Churchyard
Anthony John William Matthews - 235268
Anthony John William Matthews was born in Lichfield, Staffordshire in 1918 and is recorded as living in Nottinghamshire. He was the son of the steel magnet Sir Ronald and Lady Matthews who purchased Aston Hall when it was sold in 1928. Sir Ronald was also the chairman of LNER. Anthony attended Cheam School, Surrey between 1927 and 1931.
Lieutenant Anthony J W Matthews’ service number indicates he initially served with the Royal Army Service Corps before being in the Royal Engineers, he died on 5 December 1942. He is buried in the Bone War Cemetery, Annaba, Algeria. Allied troops had landed in Algeria in November 1942, and Bone was a supply port.
Lieutenant Anthony J W Matthews’ service number indicates he initially served with the Royal Army Service Corps before being in the Royal Engineers, he died on 5 December 1942. He is buried in the Bone War Cemetery, Annaba, Algeria. Allied troops had landed in Algeria in November 1942, and Bone was a supply port.
John Douglas Whitehead - 1057167
John Douglas Whitehead was born on 12 August 1920, the third and youngest child of farmer Douglas Whitehead and Nellie Argyle (nee Walters). His birth was registered in Worksop, and he was baptised on 9 September 1920 within the Parish of South Anston. John's family, he had an elder sister and brother, lived at North Cottage, Letwell.
John was a Wireless Operator/Air Gunner flying with 103 Squadron based at RAF Elsham Wolds, Lincolnshire. On the night of 4/5 September 1942 John Whitehead was part of a seven man crew of a Handley Page Halifax heavy bomber sent on a mission to Bremen, one of 251 aircraft dispatched. Airborne at 00:01 on 5 September 1942 from Elsham Wolds in Halifax Mk.II serial number W1220. The aircraft was shot down by Oblt. Egmont zur Lippe-Weissenfeld of 5./NJG 2 in a night-fighter and crashed at 03:39 in Jelsum, Friesland, Netherlands. Eleven other aircraft failed to return from this mission. All seven members of the crew, including four from the Royal Australian Air Force, were killed in the crash. Sgt John Douglas Whitehead was 22 years old, and is now buried in Leeuwarderadeel (Jelsum) Protestant Churchyard, Netherlands. His
grave is inscribed with the words, ‘God be with you till we meet again, your dearest mother’.
John was a Wireless Operator/Air Gunner flying with 103 Squadron based at RAF Elsham Wolds, Lincolnshire. On the night of 4/5 September 1942 John Whitehead was part of a seven man crew of a Handley Page Halifax heavy bomber sent on a mission to Bremen, one of 251 aircraft dispatched. Airborne at 00:01 on 5 September 1942 from Elsham Wolds in Halifax Mk.II serial number W1220. The aircraft was shot down by Oblt. Egmont zur Lippe-Weissenfeld of 5./NJG 2 in a night-fighter and crashed at 03:39 in Jelsum, Friesland, Netherlands. Eleven other aircraft failed to return from this mission. All seven members of the crew, including four from the Royal Australian Air Force, were killed in the crash. Sgt John Douglas Whitehead was 22 years old, and is now buried in Leeuwarderadeel (Jelsum) Protestant Churchyard, Netherlands. His
grave is inscribed with the words, ‘God be with you till we meet again, your dearest mother’.