20076 Sqd Ldr. T. B. Cole Royal Air Force 50 Squadron A Dutch friend phoned me who has been contacted by HIS friend asking for help. It seems this chap when he was very young remembers a Lancaster being shot down over his parents farm near the village of Epe. His father subsequently discovered a parachute and an RAF cap hidden under a bush. The cap bore the name T. B. Cole. The cap has survived all these years, despite a fire at their farm some years ago. The chap has suddenly decided he would like to contact any surviving family of Mr. Cole to return it to them. He has done some research and found that the aircraft was from 50 Squadron, RAF Skellingthorpe, target was Gelsenkirchen and it was shot down on 22 June 1944 at 02.20. He also quoted the serial number LL 840. My query is that I would like some pointers as to how to continue my search, if anyone can help. UPDATE: The Lancaster took off at 23:17 on the 21st June 1944 from Skellingthorpe. Shot down by a night- fighter and crashed at Oene (Gelderland), 5 km E of Epe. The crew were: - S/L T.B.Cole. taken PoW and interned in Stalag Luft III.
- F/S Kenneth H.C.Ingram. flight engineer, initially evaded, but fell into the hands of the Gestapo and was shot on the 2nd of October 1944. He is buried in Apeldoorn (Ugchelen-Heidehof) General Cemetery.
- F/O J.Craven. Evaded capture.
- F/S A.G.Beresford. taken PoW
- P/O E.J.Blakemore. Evaded capture.
- W/O J.F.Lane. second Wireless Operator was killed
- Sgt Frederick Henry Shorter, air gunner. killed, he is buried at Epe
On 17th April every year, the people of Ugchelen commemorate those who died for the freedom of their country. F/S Kenneth Ingram is one of fifty-seven aircrew, buried in the Heidehof cemetery, Ugchelen. Read the Story
|