Littlewood, Walter Acklam
Personal Information
Rank | Sgt |
Forename(s) | Walter Acklam |
Surname | Littlewood |
Gender | M |
Age | 22 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 31-03-1944 |
Next of Kin | Son of Joseph and Rebecca Littlewood, of Nostell, Yorkshire. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Handley Page Halifax III |
Serial Number | LV899 |
Markings | EY-Q |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | France |
Burial/Memorial Place | Maubert Fontaine Communal Cemetery |
Grave Reference | Joint grave. |
Epitaph | WITHOUT GOOD-BYE HE FELL ASLEEP, MEMORIES OF HIM WE WILL ALWAYS KEEP. MOTHER & DAD |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 200 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | 1063432 |
Service | Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve |
Group | 4 |
Squadron | 78 |
Trade | Flight Engineer |
Country of Origin | United Kingdom |
Other Memorials
Location | Adjacent to Clubhouse, Breighton Airfield, East Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Marble Tablet |
Memorial Text | Dedicated to all who served at this airfield and gave their lives during World War II |
Location | External, All Saints Church, Bubwith, East Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Stone Memorial, inscribed Metal Plaque |
Memorial Text | 78 Sqn 4 Group Bomber Command Yorkshire 1939 - 1945 To All Who Served |
Location | Internal, All Saints Church, Bubwith, East Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Wooden Board, Memorial Chapel featuring Cross made from Halifax wreckage |
Memorial Text | The 78 Sqn Memorial in the Churchyard was dedicated by the Bishop of Selby on 7th September 1986. RAF Breighton, two miles from this church was the Sqn's home from June 1943 to May 1945 |
Location | Outside "B" Hangar, RAF Benson, Oxfordshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Memorial Stone & Inscribed Slate Plaque |
Memorial Text | In proud memory of all who have lost their lives serving with 78 Sqn Royal Air Force "Nemo Non Paratus - Nobody Unprepared" |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/661/6 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/661/5 |
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 30-03-1944 |
End Date | 31-03-1944 |
Takeoff Station | Breighton |
Day/Night Raid | Night (45% moon) |
Operation | Nuremberg. 795 aircraft, 95 losses (11.9%)- the highest of any raid. High-cloud was expected to offer protection to the bomber stream but the target would be clear for the bombing run. A Mosquito meteorological flight had predicted that in fact that would not be the case, but the raid went ahead anyway. The German controller ignored the diversionary raids and had his fighters circling close to the route of the main force, using Tame Boar tactics. Consequently, the fighters engaged the bombers before they reached the Belgian border. The clear conditions allowed the fighters to pick off bombers at will with 82 of the 95 bombers being Lost on the outbound leg. Strong winds meant that some of the bombers went off the intended route and as a consequence many bombed Schweinfurt in error, some 50 miles from Nuremberg. The problem as exacerbated by two PFF aircraft dropping markers in Schweinfurt. Overall, the raid was a failure and little damage was caused. |
Reason for Loss | Flew off course on return leg and believed to have fallen victim to a night-fighter, crashing SW of Maubert Fontaine, France |