(How young they really were) 460 SQUADRON RAAF, WORLD WAR 2 FATALITIES Date of Death: 31 October 1944 Source: AWM 64 (1/295); AWM 237 (63) (64) NAA: A705, 166/35/374 Aircraft Type:Lancaster Serial number:PB 567 Radio call sign:AR – U Unit:460 Sqn RAAF Summary: Lancaster PB567 took off from RAF Binbrook at 1802 hours on 31 October 1944 to bomb Cologne, Germany. Bomb load 1 x 4000lb and 4 x 500lb bombs, 630 x 4lb incendiaries. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take off and it did not return to base. Twenty three aircraft from the squadron took part in the raid and one of these PB567 failed to return. Crew: RAAF 427044 FO Reid, E F (DFC) Captain (Pilot) Born 13/7/1923 Age 21y 9mths RAAF 424263 PO Emery, A F (DFC) (Navigator) Born 29/12/1925 Age 18y 10mths RAAF 422943 FO Flory, M A (Bomb Aimer) Born 2/12/1922 Age 21y 10mths RAAF 434018 Flt Sgt Royes, R H (Wireless Operator Air) Born 14/6/1923 21y 4mth RAF Sgt Haley, J (Flight Engineer) Age 24yrs RAF Sgt Coley, R G (Mid Upper Gunner) Age 24yrs RAAF 427527 Flt Sgt Marshall, M (Rear Gunner) Born 20/11/1923 Age 21y 1mth Post war it was established that all the crew were killed. Six of the crew are buried in the Rheinberg War Cemetery, Germany, and the name of FO Flory who is missing is recorded on the Memorial to the Missing at Runnymede, Surrey, UK. W.R.Chorley records in his book ‘RAF Bomber Command Losses of the Second World War, 1944’, that the average age of the crew was 20 years with Sgt Haley being the senior at 24 years of age. The individual ages of the crew are recorded above. Pilot Officer Arthur Francis Emery (DFC) (Navigator) 460sq was shot down over Germany on his 33rd mission aged 18 which is tragic. Lancaster PB567 was shot down, he managed to escape but was shot near the border. He was born in Bristol, England, enlisted in Sydney Australia and his parents lived in New Zealand. I make the average age at 21 however still quite remarkable. .JPG] View attachment 84569 .JPG] .JPG] In Memory of Flying Officer Edward Forbes Reid D F C 427044, Royal Australian Air Force who died on 31 October 1944 Age 21 Son of Herbert Albert and Charlotte Elizabeth Reid, of Leederville, Western Australia. Remembered with Honour Reichswald Forest War Cemetery In Memory of Pilot Officer Arthur Francis Emery D F C 424263, Royal Australian Air Force who died on 31 October 1944 Age 18 Son of Charles Harold and Edith Grace Emery, of Auckland City, New Zealand. Remembered with Honour Rheinberg War Cemetery In Memory of Flying Officer Maxwell Alfred Flory 422943, Royal Australian Air Force who died on 31 October 1944 Age 21 Son of Alfred George and Ethel Rosanna Flory, of Lakemba, New South Wales, Australia. Remembered with Honour Runnymede Memorial In Memory of Flight Sergeant Robert Henry Royes 434018, Royal Australian Air Force who died on 31 October 1944 Age 21 Son of Bathurst Hougham Royes and Lilian Marie Royes, of Coorparoo, Queensland, Australia. Remembered with Honour Rheinberg War Cemetery In Memory of Sergeant Flt. Engr. John Haley 1127618, 460 (R.A.A.F.) Sqdn, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve who died on 31 October 1944 Age 24 Son of William and Edith Haley, of West Bowling, Yorkshire. Remembered with Honour Rheinberg War Cemetery In Memory of Sergeant Raymond Charles Coley 1895090, 460 Sqdn., Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve who died on 31 October 1944 Age 20 Son of Frederick Abram Coley and Ellen Gertrude Coley, of Palfrey, Walsall, Staffordshire. Remembered with Honour Runnymede Memorial In Memory of Flight Sergeant Mervyn Marshall 427527, Royal Australian Air Force who died on 31 October 1944 Age 20 Son of William John and Elsie Barker Marshall, of North Perth, Western Australia. Remembered with Honour Rheinberg War Cemetery
Hi Raymond Coley was the son of Frederick Abram and Ellen Gertrude (nee Hassell) Coley of 58, Lord Street, Palfrey, his father being employed as an engine stoker on the London and North Western Railway. An address of 93, Broadway, Walsall is also recorded for the family. No pic placed in local papers. Regards, Graeme
Hi Raymond Coley was the son of Frederick Abram and Ellen Gertrude (nee Hassell) Coley of 58, Lord Street, Palfrey, his father being employed as an engine stoker on the London and North Western Railway. An address of 93, Broadway, Walsall is also recorded for the family. No pic placed in local papers. Regards, Graeme Thanks Graeme - Great info. Cheers Geoff
