Baker, Howard Warburton
Personal Information
Rank | F/L |
Forename(s) | Howard Warburton |
Surname | Baker |
Gender | M |
Age | |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 08-09-1944 |
Next of Kin |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Avro Lancaster III |
Serial Number | PB123 |
Markings | 6O-O |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | France |
Burial/Memorial Place | Ste. Marie Cemetery, Le Havre |
Grave Reference | Divn. 67. Row G. Grave 9. |
Epitaph |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 126 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | 151315 |
Service | Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve |
Group | 3 |
Squadron | 582 |
Trade | Navigator |
Country of Origin | United Kingdom |
Other Memorials
Location | Adjacent to former Airfield Site, Little Staughton, Bedfordshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Stone Memorial |
Memorial Text | A memorial to RAF Little Staughton, including 109 Sqn |
Location | All Saints Church, Little Staughton, Bedfordshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Stone Tablet & Sqn Badge |
Memorial Text | In memory of 109 and 582 Sqns. At R.A.F. Little Staughton |
Miscellaneous Information
F/L Goddard was awarded the DFC (effective 7th September 1944) whilst with 582 Squadron. Gazetted 18th September 1945. F/L Debeer was awarded the DFC (effective 7th September 1944) whilst with 582 Squadron. Gazetted 12th February 1946. P/O Mackenzie was awarded the DFC whilst with 582 Squadron. Gazetted 12th December 1944. Pilot Officer Mackenzie reported: “At 7.15am on 8 September 1944, the plane came in over Le Havre under the cloud with a base of 5,000 feet. The Germans opened up with flak hitting us. I was sitting at the side of Johnny (Goddard) in the second pilot’s seat, when there was a crash and the intercom went dead and fire broke out around the wireless operator. There was a second bang right after the first and the whole front cabin filled with smoke and fire. Johnny shouted for full power and then shouted “jump Mac”. I got down and went back to the navigator’s cabin which was full of smoke, and dragged my chute out, then Neville’s, and then shouted into the smoke that we had to get out. A voice shouted OK. I turned back to the front escape hatch with two figures behind me, which might have been Neville and Howard. When I reached the hatch, it was open and Alan De Beer was just jumping. I went straight out over his heels. After my chute opened I could see the plane with all of the fuselage on fire flying on, until it disappeared into cloud. I looked below and saw another chute, Alan De Beer. After coming down some distance, I heard a crash which I assumed was the plane hitting the ground, but could not see any more chutes. |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/2101/30 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/2052/11 |
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 08-09-1944 |
End Date | 08-09-1944 |
Takeoff Station | Little Staughton |
Day/Night Raid | Day |
Operation | le Havre- to bomb enemy strongholds near the garrison. 333 aircraft. Bad weather with lots of low cloud- only 109 aircraft bombed. This was the last time Stirlings were used on an operational raid. |
Reason for Loss | Presumed crashed in the target area |