Grantham, John Raymond
Personal Information
Rank | Sgt |
Forename(s) | John Raymond |
Surname | Grantham |
Gender | M |
Age | 19 |
Date of Death | 02-05-1944 |
Next of Kin | Son of Herbert Thomas Grantham and Mabel Grace Grantham, of West Grinstead, Sussex. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Short Stirling III |
Serial Number | EF259 |
Markings | HA-G |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | France |
Burial/Memorial Place | Poix-de-Picardie (Poix-de-la-Somme) Churchyard |
Grave Reference | Row A. Grave 20. |
Epitaph | TO LIVE IN THE HEARTS OF THOSE WE LOVE IS NOT TO DIE |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 172 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | 1814726 |
Service | Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve |
Group | 3 |
Squadron | 218 (Gold Coast) |
Squadron Motto | In time |
Trade | Air Gunner |
Country of Origin | United Kingdom |
Other Memorials
Location | St. George's Church, West Grinstead, West Sussex |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed top of wooden prayerbook case |
Memorial Text | In loving memory of Sgt. J.R. Grantham of 218 Sqn. 1st. May 1944 |
Location | St. Mary's Church, Bexwell, Norfolk |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Stone Tablet |
Memorial Text | In memory of the squadrons based at R.A.F. Downham Market and those who have their lives during the 1939 - 1945 war |
Location | All Saints Church, Chedburgh, Suffolk |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | RoH and Sqn Crest |
Memorial Text | Roll of Honour and scroll remembering the members of the Royal and Polish Air Forces who served at RAF Chedburgh 1942 - 1946 |
Miscellaneous Information
The four surviving crew members all successfully evaded capture |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1352/8 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1352/7 |
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 | 01-05-1944 |
End Date | 02-05-1944 |
Takeoff Station | Woolfox Lodge |
Day/Night Raid | Night (66% moon) |
Operation | Chambly- to bomb railway installations. 120 aircraft, 5 losses (4.2%). This was the main railway depot and stores for the northern French railway network. The raid was extremely successful with around 500 high-explosive bombs falling in the depot with significant damage to all departments. It was completely out of action for ten days. |
Reason for Loss | Crashed at Houssaye, France |