Lancaster, Hector Beattie
Personal Information
Rank | F/O |
Forename(s) | Hector Beattie |
Surname | Lancaster |
Gender | M |
Age | 26 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 10-07-1943 |
Next of Kin | Son of Wilburt Basil Lancaster and Christina Catharine Lancaster (née Paterson), of Rodney, Ontario. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Handley Page Halifax II |
Serial Number | JD216 |
Markings | EQ-P |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | Germany |
Burial/Memorial Place | Reichswald Forest War Cemetery |
Grave Reference | 15. G. 3. |
Epitaph |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 196 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | J/15308 |
Service | Royal Canadian Air Force |
Group | 6 |
Squadron | 408 (Goose) |
Trade | Pilot |
Country of Origin | Canada |
Other Memorials
Location | Roman Rd, Leeming, North Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Brass plaque set into a stone plinth into which is carved with the Canadian maple leaf and the Yorkshire rose. |
Memorial Text | This memorial is dedicated to those men and women who served at RAF Leeming during World War II, including those from the Royal Canadian Air Force Squadrons, whose members came from all parts of the Commonwealth from 1942 to 1945; 405 Vancouver, 408 Goose |
Location | Opposite old Main Guardroom, RAF Leeming, North Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Stone Memorial & Metal Plaques |
Memorial Text | In commemoration of those men and women of many nations who served at RAF Leeming during the second world war. |
Location | Village Centre, Linton on Ouse, North Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Stone Memorial and inscribed slate tablet |
Memorial Text | In memory of 408 (Goose) and 426 (Thunderbird) Squadrons of R.C.A.F |
Miscellaneous Information
Hector was born at Aldborough Township , Elgin County on 22 December 1916. His father was born at Cedar Springs and worked as a farmer and his mother was born at Aldborough. He had six brothers, Joseph Archibald, Cpl. Clarence Maxwell, Wilbert Pattison, Ltn.Donald Lyle and F/O Harold Leslie Lancaster. The sixth brother L.A.C. Lloyd Ross Lancaster was killed in service on 25 February 1941 and is buried in Canada. The schools Hector attended were SS No 11 Aldborough 1923-1929 (High School Entrance) and Wardsville High, 1929-1934 (Jnr. Matric). His sporting interests were hockey, baseball, badminton and squash and he enjoyed hunting. Hector worked as a farm hand in Rodney 1934-1937, and as a transport driver in Wardsville, 1938- 1940. |
He enlisted on 22 October 1940 but unfortunately his service records shows few moevements apart from a move from 23 OTU to 1659 CU on 25 April 1943 and finally to 408 Squadron on 16 May 1943. |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1797/14 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1797/13 |
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 09-07-1943 |
End Date | 10-07-1943 |
Takeoff Station | Leeming |
Day/Night Raid | Night (43% moon) |
Operation | Gelsenkirchen. 418 aircraft, 12 losses (2.9%). This raid was a failure. Five of the Mosquitoes could not mark the target due to faulty Oboe equipment and one dropped markers in error, causing confusion amongst the main force. Nevertheless the strategically important synthetic oil plant at Scholven was hit. |
Reason for Loss |