Buren General Cemetery

On 16 June 1944 at 11pm, from RAF base Pocklington, the Halifax LW192 took off on a mission to bomb a synthetic oil plant at Sterkrade in the Ruhr area. The aircraft was part of a formation of 321 bombers, including 147 Lancasters, 162 Halifaxes and 12 Mosquitos. LW192 was shot down over the Netherlands by a German night fighter and subsequently crashed near Buurmalsen. All crew members died in the crash; they are all buried in the Buren General Cemetery.

The raid was unsuccessful; only a few bombs were detonated near the factory. Damage was minimal and factory production suffered very little. A total of 31 bombers were lost, a major loss partly due to a heavy attack by Luftwaffe fighters stationed in the area.

Sergeant (W.Op.Air) John Owen Booker, 1388994, 21 years old
Pilot Officer (Pilot) Eric Frederick Braddock, 177675, 22 years
Sergeant (Air Gnr.) Ernest Arthur Finch, 1894312, 21 years
Sergeant (Air Bomber) Ronald Leslie Putt, 1585983, 20 years
Sergeant (Nav.) Winston Alyerstone Reid, 1800815, 26 years
Pilot Officer (Flt. Engr.) Enrico William Zaccheo, 177540, 32 years
Sergeant (Air Gnr.) Gerald Hadfield, 1047949, 21 years

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