Sgt Gordon Sharrocks 1125640 78 Squadron

Hi all

I have been approached by a member of my local church who was carrying out an inventory and an item of the church was donated by the parents of the above who died on operations on October 7th 1944 whilst serving with 78 Squadron, according to CWGC he is interred at Reichswald Forest War Cemetery.

He was KIA with his crew whilst on their first operation to Kleve in Germany on 7 October 1944 serving as mid upper gunner on a Halifax with 78 Squadron at RAF Breighton.

I know there are many excellent sleuthing members on this board and hope some may be able to help with more information perhaps as to his joining up and training etc, any further info would be much appreciated.

Thank you


.

 

have a look at this thread

Aircraft found in the sixties

Chorley in his book RAF Bomber Command Losses Vol.5 covering 1944 give the following re this loss......

7 October 1944

78 Squadron
Halifax III LV796 EY-K
Op. Kieve

Further personal info from service records Get a copy of military service records - GOV.UK

Also info from Ross's website F/O Hill - 78 squadron
regards
Clive

 

"Son of William and Sarah Jane Sharrocks, of Shaw, Lancashire".

1939 REGISTER TRANSCRIPTION
Fern Leigh, Rochdale Road, Crompton U.D., Lancashire
NAME DOB OCCUPATION
William Sharrocks 29 Nov 1891 Cotton Spinner (Retired)
Sarah Jane Sharrocks 07 Feb 1891 Unpaid Domestic Duties
Irene Dunne (Sharrocks) 09 Jun 1920 Confectioner Improver
Sorry, this record is officially closed.
Alice Margaret Powell (Sharrocks) 07 Jun 1925 Seeking Work Not Yet Employed
Kenneth Sharrocks 19 Sep 1930 At School

 

Allied Losses and Incidents: All Commands

England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1916-2005
Name: Gordon Sharrocks
Mother's Maiden Surname: Hill
Date of Registration: Jul-Aug-Sep 1921
Registration district: Oldham
Inferred County: Lancashire
Volume Number: 8d
Page Number: 1294

TD

 

Many thanks all. Your efforts much appreciated and his home address and family were hitherto unknown therefore another piece of the jigsaw completed. Anyone any idea where his training as a gunner may have been?

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nobody-Unp...F8&qid=1516580088&sr=8-2&keywords=78+squadron

The above may also be of interest and you may be able to get a copy through interliibrary loan.

 

If his history is as doctored as his cover photograph I would give it a miss!
That is a Halifax OO-R from 1663 HCU not EY-F from 78 Squadron


AIRCRAFT OF THE ROYAL AIR FORCE 1939-1945: HANDLEY PAGE HP.57 HALIFAX.. © IWM (CH 11529)IWM Non Commercial Licence

 

Good eye. However I'd be remiss if I didn't point out the minimal role authors have in designing the covers of their books. So I wouldn't be in a hurry to condemn the author and their work for something that was in the hands of design department. I've learned from my time in the book business that "don't judge a book by its cover" is frequently a truism in history publishing.

 

For info - I have the following info on him;

He was Mid-Upper Gunner on Halifax LV796 EY-K "Rothman K-King" that had departed Breighton as 1132 on 07/10/44 for Ops Kleve

It is believed to have been engaged by Flak, hit and shot down. The aircraft crashed into a house at No 60 Spyck Strasse, Kleve with the loss of all seven crew who were all on their 1st Op

Following their initial burial, they were all subsequently reburied in the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Germany, however with the exception of F/O Hill, all are now commemorated on special memorials, as the precise location of their graves within the cemetery is now unknown

For this reason, they are also commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial, Surrey

Tony