Van Cooten, John William
Personal Information
Rank | F/S |
Forename(s) | John William |
Surname | Van Cooten |
Gender | M |
Age | 22 |
Date of Death | 18-06-1944 |
Next of Kin | Son of William John Fraser Van Cooten and Lucy Van Cooten, of South Brisbane, Queensland. Australia. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Avro Lancaster I |
Serial Number | HK559 |
Markings | A4-H |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | France |
Burial/Memorial Place | Gannes Communal Cemetery |
Grave Reference | Coll. grave. |
Epitaph |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 257 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | 426716 |
Service | Royal Australian Air Force |
Group | 3 |
Squadron | 115 |
Squadron Motto | Despite the elements |
Trade | Air Bomber |
Country of Origin | Australia |
Other Memorials
Location | Lancaster Industrial Estate, Witchford, Cambridgeshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Stone Pillar with inscribed Slate Tablets & Metal Plaques |
Memorial Text | In honour of those who served during the Second World War 1939 - 1945 |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/891/12 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/891/11 |
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 | 17-06-1944 |
End Date | 18-06-1944 |
Takeoff Station | Witchford |
Day/Night Raid | Night (8% moon) |
Operation | Montdidier- to bomb railway installations. Part of a 317 strong bomber force to attack three railway targets. 1 aircraft Lost All of the targets were covered by thick cloud and the Master Bomber on both the Auloyne and Montdidier raids ordered the bombing be stopped after only a few had dropped their loads. There is no information on the success of the St Martin l'Hortier raid. |
Reason for Loss | Crashed into the ground and exploded with great force, north of St Just-en-Chaussee, France |