Fellows, John
Personal Information
Rank | F/S |
Forename(s) | John |
Surname | Fellows |
Gender | M |
Age | 23 |
Date of Death | 17-12-1942 |
Next of Kin | Son of James Percy and Ethel May Fellows, of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Short Stirling I |
Serial Number | R9247 |
Markings | AA-W |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | Germany |
Burial/Memorial Place | Rheinberg War Cemetery |
Grave Reference | Coll. grave 8. L. 15-18. |
Epitaph | HE DIED THAT WE MIGHT LIVE |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 163 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | R/78046 |
Service | Royal Canadian Air Force |
Group | 3 |
Squadron | 75 (NZ) |
Squadron Motto | Ake ake kia kaha (For ever and ever be strong) |
Trade | Air Gunner |
Country of Origin | Canada |
Other Memorials
Location | Village Centre, Mepal, Cambridgeshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Stone Memorial & Inscribed Metal Plaque |
Memorial Text | A stone memorial, donated by former members of 75 (NZ) Sqn RAF stationed at Mepal between 1943 and 1945 |
Location | St. Andrews Church, Sutton, Cambridgeshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Roll of Honour in Wooden Case with brass plaque |
Memorial Text | Roll of Honour. Plaque, Presented by 75(NZ) Sqn Association - UK Branch in memory of Comrades named in the Roll of Honour |
Location | St. Marys Church, Feltwell, Norfolk |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Brick Piller and Marble Tablet |
Memorial Text | A memorial to 75 (NZ) Sqn, RAF. Formed at RAF Feltwell in April 1940 and flew from there until June 1942. The Sqn number was presented to New Zealand becoming 75 Sqn RNZAF in October 1946 until its disbanding in December 2001. |
Location | Newmarket Racecourse, Newmarket, Suffolk |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Marble Tablet |
Memorial Text | Remembering No 75 (New Zealand) Sqn, No 3 Gp Bomber Command. RAF Newmarket Heath, November 1942 - June 1943 |
Miscellaneous Information
One of four 75 Squadron Stirlings lost on this operation |
During property development in 2019 at the Vechta Airfield, remains of a WW2 aircraft and human remains were found. The serial number of the aircraft was recovered and found to be R9247. DNA samples were taken and compared with those of surviving family, allowing further remains to be positively identified and placed with those originally laid to rest. |
Born in Hamilton, Ontario, 28 May 1920. Attained Junior Matriculation but only partial Senior Matriculation. Part-time printer and typesetter, 1936 onwards. Member of a Cadet Corps, two years. Enlisted in Toronto, 8 October 1940 and posted to No.1 Manning Depot. To Station Rockcliffe, 25 October 1940; to No.1 ITS, Toronto, 3 January 1941; promoted LAC, 8 February 1941 and posted to No.7 EFTS, London, Ontario. Ceased training on 25 February 1941 and posted to No.1 Manning Depot. To No.7 AOS, Portage la Prairie, 27 April 1941; ceased training 16 July 1941 and posted to Composite Training School, Trenton; to No.2 WS, Calgary, 18 August 1941; to Composite Training School, Trenton, 21 February 1942; to No.5 BGS, Dafoe, 29 March 1942; promoted Sergeant, 27 April 1942; to "Y" Depot, Halifax, 29 April 1942. Disembarked in Britain, 11 June 1942 and taken on strength of No.3 PRC. To No.7 AGS, 22 July 1942. No further postings shown. |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/646/24 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/646/23 |
Fellow Servicemen
Please note that this list gives all the losses aboard the quoted aircraft and occasionally these may have occurred on an earlier date when the aircraft was not itself lost. Please check the dates of death carefully.
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 17-12-1942 |
End Date | 18-12-1942 |
Takeoff Station | Newmarket |
Day/Night Raid | Night (81% moon) |
Operation | Fallersleben (Opel works). 22 aircraft, 8 losses (36.4%). A costly failure since on three aircraft bombed the target due to cloud cover |
Reason for Loss | Crashed near Vechta airfield, Germany |