Taylor, John Edward
Personal Information
Rank | Sgt |
Forename(s) | John Edward |
Surname | Taylor |
Gender | M |
Age | 19 |
Date of Death | 20-03-1945 |
Next of Kin | Son of John William and Ada Kate Taylor, of Radford, Coventry. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Avro Lancaster III |
Serial Number | PB667 |
Markings | MG-Q |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | Netherlands |
Burial/Memorial Place | Bergen-op-Zoom Canadian War Cemetery |
Grave Reference | 13. A. 9. |
Epitaph | LOVING MEMORIES WILL REMAIN UNTIL THE DAY WE MEET AGAIN |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 251 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | 1869191 |
Service | Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve |
Group | 3 |
Squadron | 7 |
Squadron Motto | Per diem per noctem (By day and by night) |
Trade | Air Gunner |
Country of Origin | United Kingdom |
Other Memorials
Location | Hilton House Hotel, Hilton, Derbyshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Blue Plaque on external wall |
Memorial Text | Air Commodore Herbert Martin Massey CBE DSO MC 1898-1976 Senior British Officer at Stalag Luft III Sagan who authorised 'The Great Escape' was born here. Hilton and Marston History Group |
Location | All Saints Church, Longstanton, Cambridgeshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Stained Glass Window and Roll of Honour Book |
Memorial Text | Remember here before God those of 7 Squadron who died in action in The Royal Flying Corps 1914-18 and The Royal Air Force 1939-45 |
Miscellaneous Information
Born 28 May 1925 at Birmingham. Resided at 31, Fynford Road, Coventry. Attended Broadway School. Employed Coventry Corporation, Parks Department as Improver. Enlisted 20 March 1943. |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/102/6 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/102/5 |
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 | 20-03-1945 |
End Date | 20-03-1945 |
Takeoff Station | Oakington |
Day/Night Raid | Day |
Operation | Recklinghausen- to attack railway yards. 153 aircraft achieved only scattered bombing due to cloud-cover and a strong wind. |
Reason for Loss | Sustained damage over the target area, causing the pilot to decide to take a shorter route back which took the aircraft over territory which was still occupied. He had previously done the same thing due to an engine fire. This time, however, the aircraft came under ground fire, causing the starboard inner engine to catch fire. It was clear that it was not going to be possible to make it back to England so the pilot turned south in an attempt to make a forced landing in liberated territory but before the pilot was able to reach safety, the damaged wing tore off and the aircraft crashed in a meadow just near Nieuwdorp, Zeeland. The area has since been developed and a memorial is situated close to the crash site on Baconstraat and a nearby care home is named Lancasterhof. |