Raymond Gordon Eccles

Member of the Civil Reserve of pilots and on the outbreak of war, transferred to the R.N.Z.A.F. He was enlisted at the ground training school at Levin on the 12th March 1940 and on satisfactory completing his initial training was posted to No.1 elementary flying training school at Taieri. On the 1st June 1940 he proceeded to No.1 service training school Wigram where on the 17th September 1940 he was awarded his flying badge and on the 26th October 1940 was commissioned in the rank of Pilot Officer.

15/16 May 1941 Wellington R1494 103 Sqn RAF Newton. Take off 22.45 from raf Swanton Morley to shorten the range operation to Hannover, heard on W/T that port engine had failed and the aircraft was going down 01.40 near Oude Pekela, Groningen, Netherlands.

Hit by Flak from 2 Battery at Delfzij, of the Marine-Flak-Abteilung 236, between 01.15 and 01.20 from the direction of Emden.

101 aircraft on raid 2 Wellingtons and 1 Hampden all lost to Flak. The main post office and telephone exchange used as the aiming point for this area attack.

Sgt Gordon Maclean - Killed.
P/O H Sellers - POW No 1622 Stalag VII-A
P/O A Sulston - POW No 3723 Oflag X-C badly burnt treated in camp hospital
Sgt E Easton - POW No 23 Stalag XVIII-A
Sgt S Hamblin - POW No 2 Stalag XVIII-A

Unknown