Eccleston, John Travers
Personal Information
Rank | Sgt |
Forename(s) | John Travers |
Surname | Eccleston |
Gender | M |
Age | 20 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 31-08-1943 |
Next of Kin | Son of John Nicholas and Mary Ellen Eccleston, of Halebank. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Vickers Wellington X |
Serial Number | HZ531 |
Markings | HD- |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | United Kingdom |
Burial/Memorial Place | Widnes Cemeter |
Grave Reference | Sec. 2R. Grave 389. |
Epitaph | GREATER LOVE THAN THIS NO MAN HATH, THAT A MAN LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 159 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | 1476724 |
Service | Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve |
Group | 4 |
Squadron | 466 (Australian) |
Trade | Air Gunner |
Country of Origin | United Kingdom |
Other Memorials
Location | Normandy Barracks, Leconfield, East Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Metal Sculpture Brick Pillars and Inscribed Sqn Badges |
Memorial Text | A memorial to those who flew from RAF Leconfield, including 640 Sqn |
Location | Memorial Gardens, North End Park, Driffield, East Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Marble Memorial |
Memorial Text | A memorial to the men and women of 462 and 466 Sqns RAAF who served in Bomber Command during WW2 |
Miscellaneous Information
It is believed that at least two civilians died and several others were injured during this incident |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1925/18 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1925/17 |
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 30-08-1943 |
End Date | 31-08-1943 |
Takeoff Station | Leconfield |
Day/Night Raid | Night (0% moon) |
Operation | Mönchengladbach/ Rheydt. 660 aircraft, 25 losses (3.8%). PFF marked Mönchengladbach first and then after a two minute pause, the neighbouring town of Rheydt. Good visibility and Oboe assistance made for extremely accurate marking and as a result the bombing was concentrated with little creepback. Approximately half of both towns was destroyed with 1059 and 1280 buildings destroyed in the two towns (respectively). |
Reason for Loss | Collided with another Wellington (LN292 HD-) also from 466 Sqn and crashed at Howden, near Goole |