Collins, Keith Clayton
Personal Information
Rank | F/S |
Forename(s) | Keith Clayton |
Surname | Collins |
Gender | M |
Age | 19 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 04-11-1944 |
Next of Kin | Son of The Late George Farley Collins and Alice Gertrude Collins, of London, Ontario, Canada. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Handley Page Halifax III |
Serial Number | LK838 |
Markings | EY-E |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | United Kingdom |
Burial/Memorial Place | Runnymede Memorial |
Grave Reference | Panel 254. |
Epitaph |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 147 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | R/206087 |
Service | Royal Canadian Air Force |
Group | 4 |
Squadron | 78 |
Trade | Wireless Operator |
Country of Origin | Canada |
Other Memorials
Location | Adjacent to Clubhouse, Breighton Airfield, East Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Marble Tablet |
Memorial Text | Dedicated to all who served at this airfield and gave their lives during World War II |
Location | External, All Saints Church, Bubwith, East Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Stone Memorial, inscribed Metal Plaque |
Memorial Text | 78 Sqn 4 Group Bomber Command Yorkshire 1939 - 1945 To All Who Served |
Location | Internal, All Saints Church, Bubwith, East Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Wooden Board, Memorial Chapel featuring Cross made from Halifax wreckage |
Memorial Text | The 78 Sqn Memorial in the Churchyard was dedicated by the Bishop of Selby on 7th September 1986. RAF Breighton, two miles from this church was the Sqn's home from June 1943 to May 1945 |
Location | Outside "B" Hangar, RAF Benson, Oxfordshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Memorial Stone & Inscribed Slate Plaque |
Memorial Text | In proud memory of all who have lost their lives serving with 78 Sqn Royal Air Force "Nemo Non Paratus - Nobody Unprepared" |
Miscellaneous Information
Date of birth 7 April 1924 and educated at Chesley Avenue Public School, achieving Grade 8. His late father had been an engineer. |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/661/22 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/661/21 |
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 04-11-1944 |
End Date | 05-11-1944 |
Takeoff Station | Breighton |
Day/Night Raid | Night (77% moon) |
Operation | Bochum. 749 aircraft, 28 losses (3.7%), mainly due to night-fighters. 346 Free French Squadron lost 5 out of its 16 Halifaxes. A very successful attack with severe damage to the centre of Bochum. More than 4000 buildings were destroyed, including the steel works. 994 people were killed. This was the last major raid on Bochum |
Reason for Loss | Almost certainly brought down by a night-fighter and crashed close to the German-Dutch border at Siersdorf. |