Beech, Frederick Ronald
Personal Information
Rank | Sgt |
Forename(s) | Frederick Ronald |
Surname | Beech |
Gender | M |
Age | 21 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 05-05-1943 |
Next of Kin | Son of Frederick James Beech and Mary Emma Beech, of Wrexham. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Handley Page Halifax II |
Serial Number | DT489 |
Markings | TL-Y |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | United Kingdom |
Burial/Memorial Place | Wrexham Cemetery |
Grave Reference | Sec. D. Grave 8653. |
Epitaph | OH; FOR THE TOUCH OF A VANISHED HAND AND THE SOUND OF A VOICE THAT IS STILL |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 129 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | 1144928 |
Service | Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve |
Group | 8 |
Squadron | 35 (Madras Presidency) |
Trade | Flight Engineer |
Country of Origin | United Kingdom |
Other Memorials
Location | Roadside Location, Graveley, Cambridgeshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Memorial Stone |
Memorial Text | Graveley Airfield 1942-1945 8 Group Bomber Command 35 Squadron Pathfinder Force 692 Squadron Light Night Striking Force R.A.F. To commemorate this airfield in honour of those who served the nation aircrew, groundstaff & WAFF of United Kingdom Dominions, C |
Location | All Saints Church, Offord Cluny, Cambridgeshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Stained Glass Window, Sqn Badge & Roll of Honour |
Memorial Text | Remember before God all those airmen and airwomen 3who served with 35 Squadron R.A.F. Graveley 1939-1945 |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/380/10 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/380/9 |
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 04-05-1943 |
End Date | 05-05-1943 |
Takeoff Station | Graveley |
Day/Night Raid | Night (1% moon) |
Operation | Dortmund. 596 aircraft,- the largest 'non-1000' raid of the war so far and the first major attack on Dortmund. 31 losses (5.2%) with a further 7 crashing due to bad weather at their bases, taking the total loss rate to 6.4%. PFF marking was accurate but backup marking was not. Also, decoy fires attracted many of the bombs. Severe damage was nevertheless caused to much of the central and northern areas of the city, including the Hoesch and Dortmunder Union steelworks. At least 693 people were killed, including 200 PoWs. |
Reason for Loss | Crashed on return to base |