Basten, Henry George
Personal Information
Rank | Sgt |
Forename(s) | Henry George |
Surname | Basten |
Gender | M |
Age | 21 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 25-02-1944 |
Next of Kin | Son of Henry and Ellon A. Basten, of Peckham, London. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Avro Lancaster II |
Serial Number | DS844 |
Markings | EQ-X |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | Germany |
Burial/Memorial Place | Durnbach War Cemetery |
Grave Reference | 7. A. 13. |
Epitaph | HE SLEEPS IN GOD'S GARDEN, HIS LIFE A MEMORY, HIS DEATH A SILENT GRIEF. MUM AND DAD |
Ribbon Stone | 0199 (Block 3, Column 8, Row 2) |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 128 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | 1399763 |
Service | Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve |
Group | 6 |
Squadron | 408 (Goose) |
Trade | Flight Engineer |
Country of Origin | United Kingdom |
Other Memorials
Location | International Bomber Command Centre, Lincoln, Lincolnshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed stone tablet |
Memorial Text | In loving memory of Sgt Henry G. Basten 408 Sqn RCAF |
Location | Village Centre, Linton on Ouse, North Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Stone Memorial and inscribed slate tablet |
Memorial Text | In memory of 408 (Goose) and 426 (Thunderbird) Squadrons of R.C.A.F |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 24-02-1944 |
End Date | 25-02-1944 |
Takeoff Station | Linton-on-Ouse |
Day/Night Raid | Night (1% moon) |
Operation | Schweinfurt- the first raid on this particular target (the centre of ball-bearing manufacture in Germany). 734 aircraft, 33 losses (4.5%). A new tactic was introduced where the bomber force was split into two waves separated by two hours. The first wave Lost 22 aircraft (5.6%) but the second Lost only 11 (3.2%) of which only 4 were shot down. Poor PFF target marking led to local reports quoting 'nominal damage'. Note that there had been a raid comprising 266 8th Air Force B-17s the night before so it is difficult to attribute damage levels. |
Reason for Loss | Thought to have crashed into the Rhine |