1945 Bomber Command Loss. 35 Squadron.
Douglas Farrant Hadland. Benfleet Casualty.
On 4 February 1945, the crew of Lancaster Bomber III, took off from RAF Graveley, Cambridgeshire. Within hours all the crew died when their bomber crashed on the east bank of the River Rhine at Bonn-Beuel. Initially, they were laid to rest there. In April 1946 the Army Graves Service selected a site to begin the construction of the Rheinberg War Cemetery, during which Commonwealth graves were recovered from many German cemeteries in the area and taken there for reburial.
The cemetery contains 3170 identified casualties. The majority are airmen.
The Crew.
ALAN EDWARD JOHNSON. 61984. Age 24.
Rank. Flight Lieutenant. (Pilot).
Residence. Beckenham. Kent.
CECIL ARTHUR BUTLER. 1868746. Age 32.
Rank. Sergeant. (Flight Engineer).
Residence. Woolwich. London.
GERALD BASIL THOMAS. 154955. Age 23.
Rank. Flight Sergeant. (Navigator).
Residence. Purfleet. Essex.
HARRY COULTON. 152725. Age 26.
Rank. Flight Officer. (Air Bomber).
Residence. Farnley. Yorkshire.
ROY MAURICE JENKINS. 1394968. Age 23.
Rank. Flight Sergeant. (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner).
Residence. Plumstead. London.
RAYMOND NEALE. 1100968. Age unknown.
Rank. Flight Sergeant. (Air Gunner).
Residence. Unknown.
DOUGLAS FARRANT HADLAND. 1616720. Age 21.
Rank. Flight Sergeant. (Air Gunner).
Residence. South Benfleet. Essex.
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Douglas Farrant Hadland was my Grandfather’s cousin. They both served in the RAF, one a Flight Sergeant flying the Spitfires, the other a rear gunner on the Lancaster Bomber lll.
I am now pleased to find out where his grave is, where now as a family we can remember him. Hopefully one day I can visit his grave and let him know that he is not forgotten.
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