Eastwood Mission Church - Fitzwilliam Road
WILLIAM DOWNS
RALPH EDEN RAYMOND EKE DEREK Wm HUNTER NORMAN PARKER |
Additional Information
William Downs (339715)
Royal Air Force
18 October 1944, aged 33
Died on active service in Yorkshire
Rotherham (Moorgate) Cemetery
Ralph Eden (14458871)
General Service Corps
25 March 1945, aged 17
Died in hospital in Glasgow
Rotherham (Moorgate) Cemetery
Raymond Eke (1594944)
Royal Air Force - 61 Sqdn.
22 November 1944, aged 19
Lancaster aircraft lost without trace on a mission to Norway
Runnymede Memorial
Derek William Hunter (14289164)
King's Own Scottish Borderers - 2nd Bn.
29 May 1945, aged 21
Killed in action in Burma
Rangoon War Cemetery
Norman Parker (14776140)
Royal Scots Fusiliers - 6th Bn.
26 March 1945, aged 18
Killed in action at the Rhine Crossing
Reichswald Forest War Cemetery
Royal Air Force
18 October 1944, aged 33
Died on active service in Yorkshire
Rotherham (Moorgate) Cemetery
Ralph Eden (14458871)
General Service Corps
25 March 1945, aged 17
Died in hospital in Glasgow
Rotherham (Moorgate) Cemetery
Raymond Eke (1594944)
Royal Air Force - 61 Sqdn.
22 November 1944, aged 19
Lancaster aircraft lost without trace on a mission to Norway
Runnymede Memorial
Derek William Hunter (14289164)
King's Own Scottish Borderers - 2nd Bn.
29 May 1945, aged 21
Killed in action in Burma
Rangoon War Cemetery
Norman Parker (14776140)
Royal Scots Fusiliers - 6th Bn.
26 March 1945, aged 18
Killed in action at the Rhine Crossing
Reichswald Forest War Cemetery
William Downs - 339715
Williams Downs was born Rotherham in 1911, the fourth child of Fred Downs and Ada Mary (nee Goodwin) of 18 Nelson St, Rotherham. William's father Fred Downs was a self-employed butcher.
William enlisted in the Royal Air Force, he was a Sergeant, service number 339715. He died on active service on 18 October 1944, with his death registered in Howden. He was 33 years old and was buried in Rotherham (Moorgate) Cemetery.
William enlisted in the Royal Air Force, he was a Sergeant, service number 339715. He died on active service on 18 October 1944, with his death registered in Howden. He was 33 years old and was buried in Rotherham (Moorgate) Cemetery.
Ralph Eden - 14458871
Ralph Eden was the youngest of three children of Charles Joseph Eden and Violet May (nee Shaw). He was born in Rotherhamin 1927.
He was a Private in the General Service Corps, which was a holding unit for specialists who have not been assigned to other units. He died, aged just 17, in hospital on
24 March 1945 and his death was registered in the Shettleston district of Glasgow and he now lies in Rotherham (Moorgate) Cemetery.
He was a Private in the General Service Corps, which was a holding unit for specialists who have not been assigned to other units. He died, aged just 17, in hospital on
24 March 1945 and his death was registered in the Shettleston district of Glasgow and he now lies in Rotherham (Moorgate) Cemetery.
Raymond Eke - 1594944
Raymond Eke was the son of Lawrence Eke and Edna (nee Butcher) of 33 Stephen Rd,Rotherham. He was an only child, born in Rotherham in the second quarter of
1925. Raymond was educated at Spurley Hey Central School, and after leaving was employed by the Co-Op. He was an amateur actor known as Frank Randal and
ventriloquist.
Raymond enlisted in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve in 1943 and allocated service number 1594944. He became a Flight Engineer with the rank of Sergeant with 61 Squadron flying heavy bombers from base at Skellingthorpe, Lincolnshire. On 22 November 1944 he was one of the crew of Avro Lancaster serial number NG179 coded QR-C on night mission to Norway. The aircraft was part of a force of 171 Lancasters and 7 Mosquitos of No 5 Group that were dispatched to attack the U-Boat pens at Trondheim. The target was covered by a smoke-screen and the Master Bomber ordered the raid to be abandoned after the illuminating and marking force had been unable to find the target. Sergeant Eke’s aircraft was airborne from Skellingthorpe at 15:55, and was lost without trace.
Raymond Eke and the rest of the crew are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial, he was 19 years of age.
Note
Other crew members were:
F/O Thomas Cecil James 145058 (Pilot)
F/O Herbert Jeffreys, RCAF J/38196 (Navigator)
F/Sgt Bernard Ewart Longhurst 1651990 (Bomb Aimer)
F/Sgt Ernest Morris 1199619 (Wireless Operator / Air Gunner)
Sgt Norman Gordon Simpson 1818121 (Air Gunner)
Sgt Raymond John Sims 1817708 (Air Gunner)
1925. Raymond was educated at Spurley Hey Central School, and after leaving was employed by the Co-Op. He was an amateur actor known as Frank Randal and
ventriloquist.
Raymond enlisted in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve in 1943 and allocated service number 1594944. He became a Flight Engineer with the rank of Sergeant with 61 Squadron flying heavy bombers from base at Skellingthorpe, Lincolnshire. On 22 November 1944 he was one of the crew of Avro Lancaster serial number NG179 coded QR-C on night mission to Norway. The aircraft was part of a force of 171 Lancasters and 7 Mosquitos of No 5 Group that were dispatched to attack the U-Boat pens at Trondheim. The target was covered by a smoke-screen and the Master Bomber ordered the raid to be abandoned after the illuminating and marking force had been unable to find the target. Sergeant Eke’s aircraft was airborne from Skellingthorpe at 15:55, and was lost without trace.
Raymond Eke and the rest of the crew are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial, he was 19 years of age.
Note
Other crew members were:
F/O Thomas Cecil James 145058 (Pilot)
F/O Herbert Jeffreys, RCAF J/38196 (Navigator)
F/Sgt Bernard Ewart Longhurst 1651990 (Bomb Aimer)
F/Sgt Ernest Morris 1199619 (Wireless Operator / Air Gunner)
Sgt Norman Gordon Simpson 1818121 (Air Gunner)
Sgt Raymond John Sims 1817708 (Air Gunner)
Derek William Hunter - 14289164
William Derek Hunter was born in Rotherham in 1923 the second of three brothers born to Harold Douglas Hunter and Ada Annie (nee Douglas).
He was a Corporal with 2nd Battalion King's Own Scottish Borderers which underwent jungle training before being shipped as part of the 7th (Indian) Division to Burma in September 1943. They crossed into the Arakan, and took part in the critical actions at Ngakydauk Pass and in the ‘Admin Box’. Later they were flown to the central front at Imphal. In early 1945 they marched towards the Irrawaddy and took part in the assault that turned the Irrawaddy line. The Battalion’s last battle took place at Prome in May 1945. Corporal Hunter was killed in action along with five others from the battalion on 29 May 1945. He was 21 years old and is buried in Rangoon War Cemetery.
He was a Corporal with 2nd Battalion King's Own Scottish Borderers which underwent jungle training before being shipped as part of the 7th (Indian) Division to Burma in September 1943. They crossed into the Arakan, and took part in the critical actions at Ngakydauk Pass and in the ‘Admin Box’. Later they were flown to the central front at Imphal. In early 1945 they marched towards the Irrawaddy and took part in the assault that turned the Irrawaddy line. The Battalion’s last battle took place at Prome in May 1945. Corporal Hunter was killed in action along with five others from the battalion on 29 May 1945. He was 21 years old and is buried in Rangoon War Cemetery.
Norman Parker - 14776140
Norman Parker was born in Bolton, the son of Walter and M. H. Parker. Later the family moved to Rotherham.
He joined the army, service number 14776140, and was a Fusilier with 6th Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers. The battalion was part of 15th (Scottish) Division and in March 1945 was to take part in Operation Plunder, crossing of the River Rhine. At 02:00 on 24 March, the Division landed between Wesel and Rees. Initially there was no opposition, but later they ran into determined resistance, although later in the afternoon they managed to link up with the airborne troops.
Norman Parker was killed on 26 March 1945, aged 18, and is now buried in Reichswald Forest War Cemetery.
He joined the army, service number 14776140, and was a Fusilier with 6th Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers. The battalion was part of 15th (Scottish) Division and in March 1945 was to take part in Operation Plunder, crossing of the River Rhine. At 02:00 on 24 March, the Division landed between Wesel and Rees. Initially there was no opposition, but later they ran into determined resistance, although later in the afternoon they managed to link up with the airborne troops.
Norman Parker was killed on 26 March 1945, aged 18, and is now buried in Reichswald Forest War Cemetery.