“Even talking about it now makes me choke up." Airman tribute

Discussion in 'Veteran Accounts' started by greglewis, Jul 4, 2012.

  1. greglewis

    greglewis Member

    Great story from Sunderland Echo:

    Photos on website: ‘Why I won’t forget my brave pal Hank’ – Sunderland WW2 airman finally visits comrade’s grave - All News - Sunderland Echo

    ‘Why I won’t forget my brave pal Hank’ – Sunderland WW2 airman finally visits comrade’s grave

    Flight Lieutenant John Hall, 91 from Sunderland, who is making a return trip to the Netherlands to see where his dear friend, navigator James Hancock (AKA Hank) is buried.

    Published on Tuesday 3 July 2012 08:43

    A WAR hero is finally getting the chance to pay his respects to his former navigator.

    John Hall, a flight lieutenant and Lancaster bomber rear gunner, is making a trip to Holland to visit the grave of James “Hank” Hancock, who served in the RAF with him.

    The 92-year-old, from Grindon, will visit the Hardewojk General Cemetery in the Netherlands where his close friend was buried.

    “Hank was my first navigator and he was definitely one of the best,” he said.

    “We were like twins and we always stuck together. Where one was, you would always find the other.”


    Together they braved the skies during the Second World War, but as they were nearing 30 missions, Hank was struck down by illness.

    He was grounded by the RAF doctor and so John completed the next two operations without him.

    Mr Hancock was then sent to complete this tour with another crew, but tragically he never returned from his final flight.

    Mr Hall, who completed 60 operations in total and was shot down three times, said: “I cried my eyes out when it happened.


    “Even talking about it now makes me choke up as he was such a great fellow. He kept the crew alive and he was full of fun.

    “He took good care of everyone in the crew as we were all younger. It was a big loss to me.

    “As a navigator, he was a true professional and as a friend you couldn’t do without him. Even now I keep a photo of him on the wall.”

    Mr Hall hopes to make the trip later this month after he was given a £835 grant by the Big Lottery Fund, which is part of their Heroes Return 2 programme.


    The scheme aims to pay for veterans to make trips like this and gives veterans the chance to have travel and accommodation paid for by the grant.

    Peter Wanless, chief executive of the Big Lottery Fund, said: “We owe so much to these brave airmen whose selfless and courageous service showed endurance beyond imagination.

    “With over 55,000 lost in action, they paid the ultimate price in their valuable contribution to bringing peace in Europe.”

    Twitter: @tomwhite7

    Tribute to brave heroes

    FLIGHT Lieutenant Hall was last week able to attend the unveiling of a memorial to the tens of thousands of airmen who lost their lives during the Second World War.

    He travelled to London to see The Queen officially reveal the stone and bronze tribute to the 55,573 heroes of Bomber Command, in Green Park (pictured left). At one point during the ceremony a Lancaster bomber showered the site with poppies.

    It was the first chance in almost 70 years for the surviving crew to formally recognise their fallen friends, as almost half of the 125,000 Bomber Command lost their lives.

    He said: “The day went very well and it really was a great show.

    “There were people there from Canada, Australia and the U.S.

    “The statues look fantastic and it was a real sight to see.

    “It brought back lots of memories and it gave me a real lump in my throat.

    “When the Lancaster flew over it was really something to behold.

    “She was a beautiful aircraft which I completed 60 operations in and she got me back safely.”
     
  2. Peter Clare

    Peter Clare Very Senior Member

    Having had a look at this sad loss I've come up with the following.....

    25-26 June 1943

    106 Squadron
    Lancaster I W4367 ZN-
    Op. Gelsenkirchen.

    Took off from Syerston at 2245 hrs. Presumed crashed in the sea off the coast of Holland. Four are buried in Harderwijk General Cemetery. Sgt. MacMillan lies in Amsterdam New Eastern cemetery while both air gunners are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.

    Crew.

    P/O. P J. Page +
    Sgt. E E. Tyler +
    F/S. J. Hancock +
    Sgt. J. MacMillan +
    F/S. J. Pass DFM +
    F/S. H E. Davies +
    F/S. J C. Welch +

    Source - RAF Bomber Command Losses Vol.4 - W R. Chorley
     
  3. Jake53

    Jake53 Junior Member

    Flight Sergeant James "Hank" Hancock lies buried on Oostergaarde Cemetery Harderwijk, together with his crew members P/O Page, Sgt. Tyler and F/S Pass.
    Hank was 31 years of age and a navigator.
    I am looking for photos of the crew or from Sgt. Edward Ernest Tyler.
     
  4. Wobbler

    Wobbler Well-Known Member

  5. Mike Garland

    Mike Garland New Member

    Hi Jake53

    I'm currently working on the stories of 19 fallen named on the local war memorial and one of them is Flt Sgt Hiram Edwin Davies, the mid upper turret gunner on W4367. Happy to share (attached) - also, if anyone has corrections or addition, please say so.

    Best regards
     

    Attached Files:

  6. Jake53

    Jake53 Junior Member

    Hi Mike, interesting to read the photo might be W4367 and her crew. That indicates that if this is F/O Peter Pages crew, Tyler might be on it.
    Though it is said W4367 was ZN-C
     
  7. Syerston106

    Syerston106 Member

    Hi Mike.

    Yes unfortunately the famous 106 Squadron photo, as Jake points out, is Lancaster ZN-B (R5573) 'Admiral Foo Banc V' in the background, so not W4367.

    A few other corrections - in your account you mention that Peter Page was recently married whereas he was married the previous year on 27th June 1942.

    He wasn't the Mid-Upper gunner on W4367 per se, he flew several other Lancasters too during the 18 Ops that he took part in.

    His first Op was 22nd/23rd March 1943 so just at the end of Gibson's command so it's more correct that Searby was his CO by then.

    Kind regards
    Clive
     

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