Suffield, James Arthur
Personal Information
Rank | Sgt |
Forename(s) | James Arthur |
Surname | Suffield |
Gender | M |
Age | 19 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 31-07-1943 |
Next of Kin | Son of Harry and Elizabeth Terry Suffield, of Harrogate, Yorkshire. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Handley Page Halifax II |
Serial Number | JD375 |
Markings | EY-P |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | Germany |
Burial/Memorial Place | Rheinberg War Cemetery |
Grave Reference | Coll. grave 9. J. 15-21. |
Epitaph | ALWAYS IN OUR THOUGHTS |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 249 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | 1623604 |
Service | Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve |
Group | 4 |
Squadron | 78 |
Trade | Air Gunner |
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 27/660/74 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/660/73 |
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 30-07-1943 |
End Date | 31-07-1943 |
Takeoff Station | Breighton |
Day/Night Raid | Night (1% moon) |
Operation | Remscheid. 273 aircraft, 15 losses (5.5%). Previously not bombed. This raid marked the end of the battle of the Ruhr. Oboe ground marking was used and the main force bombed particularly accurately. A post war British survey estimated that 83% of the city was destroyed by just 871 tons of bombs. Most of the town's industry Lost 3 months of production and never regained its fully capacity. 3115 homes were destroyed and 1120 people killed |
Reason for Loss | Shot about by Lt. Johannes Hager of 6./NJG2 close to Cochem, Germany. The pilot, 1436394 Sgt. Derrick Hadwin flew low over Neunkirchen in order to find a suitable site to jetisson his bomb load, choosing open countryside to avoid any dwellings, something that the local German people remain very appreciative of. Despite a desparate search for a place to land which was aided by bright moonlight, the aircraft eventually crashed north of Rengen, Germany with the loss of all on board. All of the airmen were initially buried in Rengen Churchyard and tended by the local German people until 1947 when they were exumed and moved to Rheinberg War Cemetry. Since then the people of Rengen have erected a stone memorial, bench and garden flanked by seven oak trees, one for each airman, close to the crash site. |