Delacour, Herbert Samuel
Personal Information
Rank | P/O |
Forename(s) | Herbert Samuel |
Surname | Delacour |
Gender | M |
Age | 20 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 13-06-1944 |
Next of Kin | Son of John Herbert and Mary Elizabeth Delacour, of Charters Towers, Queensland, Australia. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Avro Lancaster II |
Serial Number | LL678 |
Markings | A2-L Lily Mars |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | Netherlands |
Burial/Memorial Place | Bathmen General Cemetery |
Grave Reference | Coll. grave 173-176. |
Epitaph | HIS DUTY NOBLY AND FEARLESSLY DONE. EVER REMEMBERED |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 154 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | 425136 |
Service | Royal Australian Air Force |
Group | 3 |
Squadron | 514 |
Trade | Pilot |
Country of Origin | Australia |
Other Memorials
Location | Church of St. John the Evangelist, Waterbeach, Cambridgeshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Stone Memorial and RoH |
Memorial Text | Roll of Honour and memorial to the members of 514 Sqn who served at RAF Waterbeach 1943-1945 |
Miscellaneous Information
Some ambiguity in terms of aircraft markings. Some sources state JI-L2. In fact both JI and A2 codes were in use by 514 Sqn, the latter being used by C Flight. |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1981/30 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1977/15 |
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 12-06-1944 |
End Date | 13-06-1944 |
Takeoff Station | Waterbeach |
Day/Night Raid | Night (58% moon) |
Operation | Gelsenkirchen. 303 aircraft, 17 losses (6.1%). The first non-communications related raid in some time. This raid was to target the Nordstern synthetic oil plant at Gelsenkirchen, which was close enough to England to allow the new, improved Oboe marking to be used, with great accuracy. Early bombing was exceptionally accurate but as time progressed, the smoke from the raid obscured the target and bombing became less accurate as a result. The German report states that all production ceased at the plant with the loss of 1000 tons of aviation fuel output per day. The report also states that 1500 tons of bombs fell in the compound. |
Reason for Loss | Shot down by a night-fighter and crashed at Zuid Loo, SE of Bathmen, Holland |