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25th June 1944On this day:
If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.
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Remembering those who died this day.
- Blake George Albert. Pte. (d.25th June 1944)
- Boylson William. (d.25th June 1944)
- Davison Richard. Pte. (d.25th June 1944)
- Donoghue Patrick. Sgt. (d.25th June 1944)
- Greenwood Harry. Pte. (d.25th June 1944)
- Haines Arthur Patrick. Cpl. (d.25th Jun 1944)
- Lewis John. Sgt. (d.25th Jun 1944)
- Lewis John. Sgt. (d.25th Jun 1944)
- Macfie John. Sgt. (d.25th June 1944)
- McDougall William Armour. Sgt. (d.25th June 1944)
- Parsons Eric Carl. Trpr. (d.25th June 1944)
- Priest Michael Joseph Louis. Sgt. (d.25th June 1944)
- Rae Samuel. Pte. (d.25th June 1944)
- Riddoch Robert Alexander. WO2 (d.25th Jun 1944)
- Thomas David Glynn. Capt. (d.25th June 1944)
The names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed,
please
Add a Name to this List
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Want to know more about the 25th of June 1944? There are:69 items tagged 25th of June 1944 available in our Library
These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Second World War. |
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Stories from 25th June 1944
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WO2 Robert Alexander Riddoch. Royal Air Force, 44 (Rhodesia) Squadron. (d.25th Jun 1944) Robert Riddoch was my great Uncle. He was trained in Canada and attached to the RAF where he served with the RAF stationed at Dunholme Lodge. The Squadron identity letters were KMJ and the serial number was ND 751. He flew on bombing missions as part of the crew captained by Flt Sgt DE Aiken. He signed on on March 31 1944 and flew operations all in Lancaster MKIII aircraft. The aircraft left at 2330 and the raid was against Pommerval.
He flew missions were on April 20th, 22, 24, 26, 28th,
May 11, May 19th, May 21, May 22, May 27th, May 31,
June 2, June 5, June 6 June 8, June 9, June 12 and June 24.
He and the crew never returned from the June 24 mission and were listed as missing in action but later confirmed dead. Date of death is listed as June 25, 1944.
Crew members were:
- P/O Douglas Aiken RCAF Pilot,
- Sgt John Hare- air gunner,
- Sgt Horace A Lewarne- flight engineer,
- F/Sgt Sidney Rawson- wireless operator,
- WO Robert Riddoch RCAF-navigator,
- PO Alfred M Simmons RCAF- air bomber.
Robert Riddoch was twenty three years old when he was shot down and died. He and all of the flight crew are buried in a mass grave in a church cemetery at Criquetot-Sur-Longville Churchyard Seine Maritime France and it is a joint grave for them and he is in grave 3. The village church is about 17 Km south of Dieppe and one Km east of the N 27 road from Dieppe Totes. His name is in the book of Remembrance in Canada.
For his sister and his wife life would never be the same and closure never came to his sister Dorothy Johnstone.
Edith Harper
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Pte. George Albert Blake. British Army, 7th Btn Black Watch (Royal Highlanders). (d.25th June 1944) George Albert Blake died aged 28, he was the son of Percy and Elizabeth Ann Blake (nee Young) of Jarrow and husband of Lilian Blake (nee Waggott) of Jarrow.
George is buried in Ranville War Cemetery. Vin Mullen
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Pte. Samuel Rae. British Army, 7th Battalion Argyll & Southerland Highlanders. (d.25th June 1944) Samuel Rae was my uncle who was killed in action at the age of 30 years in 1944, and buried at Bayeux War Cemetery, Calvados, France.
He served with the 7th Battalion Argyll and Southerland Highlanders.
His two brother`s one of them being my dad both survived the war.
Samuel was one of 14 children to Samuel & Jessie Rae of Glasgow.
Christine Rae
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Sgt. John Macfie. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, 61 Sqd.. (d.25th June 1944) John Macfie was killed in action on the 25th of June 1944, aged 21. Buried in the Abbeville Communal Cemetery, Somme, France, he was the son of Andrew B. Macfie and Frances Macfie, of Glasgow s flynn
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Sgt. John Lewis. Royal Air Force, 44 (Rhodesia) Squadron. (d.25th Jun 1944) Johnny Lewis was a Sergeant Air Gunner, 1445360, with the RAF Volunteer Reserve. He was born in 1921, the son of John & Elizabeth Lewis from Lampeter, Cardiganshire in Wales. He served with 44 Squadron RAF which was equipped with the Avro Lancaster BIII and based at RAF Dunholme Lodge.
The mission took off at 11.35pm in Lancaster ND751 on the 24 June 1944 to destroy a flying bomb site at Pommerval. A total of 739 aircraft had taken part on that night to bomb various flying bomb locations. The mission was carried out on a clear moonlit night and so with help of the effective searchlight units many aircraft were destroyed by night fighters. 22 Lancasters were lost including ND751 and ME628 of 44 (Rhodesia) Squadron.
Johnny was killed when his Lancaster was shot down over France on 25 June 1944. He is buried at Criquetot-Sur-Longueville Churchyard with six other colleagues, Pilot Officer Douglas Earl Aiken RCASF, Sergeant John Hare Sergeant Horace Arnold Lewarne, Flight Sergeant Frank Sidney Rawson, W/O Robert Alexander Riddoch and Pilot Officer Alfred Montague Simmons RCAF. Criquetot-sur-Longueville is a village and commune 17 kilometers south of Dieppe, one kilometer east of the N.27 road from Dieppe-Totes and the crew of ND751 are buried in the north corner of the churchyard.
Johnny left behind both his parents and four siblings.
Rosemary Thomas
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Sgt. William Armour McDougall. RAFVR, 149 Sqn. (d.25th June 1944) Bill McDougall was a close childhood friend of my late father, who was also in the RAFVR. Bill was attached to 149 Squadron, based at RAF Methwold, and was part of the crew of EF140, shot down over the French coast on the night of 24th/25th of June 1944. He is buried at the Etaples Military Cemetery.
I have a letter Bill wrote to my father in April 1944. This is probably one of the last letters he wrote and, quite poignantly, he mentions not telling his mother he was on live operations because he didn't want her worrying. Bill's mother had given each of the boys a gold half-sovereign. My father's coin is now with my daughter.
If anyone who knew Bill reads this I would love to get in touch.
Bob
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Sgt. Patrick Donoghue. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, 61 Sqdn.. (d.25th June 1944) My mother's uncle Patrick Donoghue served in 61 squadron and was presumed dead in France during air operations.
He was a Wireless Operator and is buried in London Road Cemetery in Longueval, France.Helene Blackie
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Sgt. John Lewis. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, 44 Sqdn.. (d.25th Jun 1944) Johnny Lewis was a Sergeant Air Gunner, 1445360, RAF Volunteer Reserve. He was the son of John and Elizabeth Lewis from Lampeter, Cardiganshire, Wales. He served with 44 Squadron RAF which was equipped with the Avro Lancaster BIII based at RAF Dunholme Lodge. He was killed when his Lancaster was shot down over France on 25th June 1944. Johnny is buried at Criquetot-Sur-Longueville Churchyard with six other colleagues:
Pilot Officer Douglas Earl Aiken Sunday, 25 June 1944 23 J/85822 Royal Canadian Air Force 44 (Royal Air Force) Squadron British Plot. Grave 2. Joint grave.
Sergeant John Hare Sunday, 25 June 1944 21 1439383 Royal Air Force 44 (Royal Air Force) Squadron British Plot. Grave 4. Joint grave.
Sergeant Horace Arnold Lewarne Sunday, 25 June 1944 Unknown 1279022 Royal Air Force 44 (Royal Air Force) Squadron British Plot. Grave 4. Joint grave.
Sergeant Johnny Lewis Sunday, 25 June 1944 22 1445360 Royal Air Force 44 (Royal Air Force) Squadron British Plot. Grave 1.
Flight Sergeant Frank Sidney Rawson Sunday, 25 June 1944 22 1324690 Royal Air Force 44 (Royal Air Force) Squadron British Plot. Grave 3. Joint grave.
Warrant Officer Class II Robert Alexander Riddoch Sunday, 25 June 1944 23 R/172357 Royal Canadian Air Force 44 (Royal Air Force) Squadron British Plot. Grave 3. Joint grave.
Pilot Officer Alfred Montague Simmons Sunday, 25 June 1944 Unknown J/89960 Royal Canadian Air Force 44 (Royal Air Force) Squadron British Plot. Grave 2. Joint grave.
The crew's missions started in April 1944 until the 24/25th June 1944.
List of missions for June is as follows:
2nd June 1944: Lancaster B1 ND869 KM-M. Attack on Wimereux
5-6th June 1944: Lancaster BIII ND751 KM-J. Attack on La Pernelle
6-7th June 1944: Lancaster BIII ND751 KM-J. Attack on Caen
8-9th June 1944: Lancaster BIII ND751 KM-J. Attack on Pontaubault
9-10th June 1944: Lancaster BIII ND751 KM-J. Attack on Etampes
12-13th June 1944: Lancaster BIII ND751 KM-J. Attack on Caen
24-25th June 1944: Lancaster BIII ND751 KM-J. Attack on Pommereval
Weather was fine but slightly hazy on the evening of 24th June 1944. 15 aircraft were detailed to carry out a bombing attack on Pommereval. P/S Oswald and P/O Aiken crews were reported missing without trace from this operation. All other aircraft reached and bombed the target successfully and returned to base safely.
Rosemary
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William Boylson. DFC & Bar Royal Australian Air Force, 7 Sqdn.. (d.25th June 1944) I am trying to find out more about my great uncle, William `Bill' Boylson, DFC & Bar. He was Australian but flew with the RAF. He was with 7 Squadron and also 141 Squadron. He took off with Squadron Leader G. H. Wilson, DSO/DFC, from Upwood at 23.25 in a Mosquito XX on a night bombing run, and was intercepted by a night fighter at approximately 01.30am on the night of 24/25th June 1944, northwest of Berlin. Does anyone know him or G. H. Wilson?Michael Frank
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Capt. David Glynn Thomas. Royal Navy, 602 LCM Flotilla Royal Marines. (d.25th June 1944) My cousin-in-law's dad served in HMS Copra. He was killed in Normandy on 25th June 1944 and is buried at Hermanville War Cemetery.
Update
The CWG site states that he was serving in the Royal Marines, 602 LCM Flotilla. Martin Sugarman
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Trpr. Eric Carl Parsons. British Army, Recce/Armoured Division 49th West Riding. (d.25th June 1944) My father, Eric Parsons, was in the above regiment, he was part of the Normandy invasion force. I think he landed around a week or so later than the initial force.
During the push through to Caen he was unfortunately killed in a place called Cristot nr Fontenay le Pesnel.
The armoured vehicle he was driving (probably a Humber) was hit by an 88mm armour piercing shell from one of the German guns above Cristot. There were four men in the vehicle of which I think two survived. They were combing a corn field for mines at the time. He is buried in the war cemetery in Bayeux, France, he was just 30 years old at the time. Eric Parsons
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Sgt. Michael Joseph Louis Priest. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, 77 Squadron. (d.25th June 1944) Sergeant Flight Engineer Lou Priest was my late husband's elder brother. He was 19 when he died. He is buried in the churchyard in Fontaine L'Etalon. When my husband and I visited the churchyard in the 1990s, my husband noted that there were 14 CWGC headstones all bearing the same date of death. As a retired RAF officer himself, he thought this was rather curious. I think he then contacted the archivist at Elvington who did some research and informed him that two crews, one from 77 Squadron and one from 102 Squadron, had died as the result of a mid-air collision. Jacqueline Priest
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Pte. Harry Greenwood. British Army, 7th Battalion Black Watch. (d.25th June 1944) My Uncle Harry Greenwood died in June 1944. I was born in January 1945 and my grandmother asked my mother to name me Harry in remembrance of my uncle.Harry Bratley
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