247161 Sgt. Edward Oakes Royal Air Force 78 Squadron from:Garston, Liverpool (d.17th May 1941) In the month of May 1941 there was little activity in the air. It was the result of the heavy efforts of Bomber Command in the preceding months and the low returns that the bombing resulted. The squadrons needed a rest period. This rest period was in this month of May but in spite of the everything, bombing still took place and crews lost their lives. On 17th of May 1941 there was an attack by ninety-five bombers, including twenty-eight Whitleys. One Whitley was lost. This aircraft, number Z6493 with squadron code EY-V belonged to 78 Squadron, which was stationed at the RAF Middleton St George (Co. Durham).
Pilot F/O John Garrould took off late at night at a quarter to eleven, in a moonless night and set course for the East. The bombardment was very difficult due to the intense activity of the German searchlights. Nevertheless, 82 aircraft claimed good bombardment results. Garrould and his crew were discovered on the return flight in Nachtjagdraum 5 by the experienced Jagerleitoffizier Knickmeier. He led Uffz Pross from 3 / NJG.1 to the unfortunate Whitley and after a few bursts he managed to hit John Garrould's aircraft a deadly blow. For Garrould there was no chance to survive this attack. His plane burned violently and was unmanageable. With an excessive blow the plane crashed about seven hundred meters behind the farm of the Crommentuyn family in the Mariapeel in Sevenum. All crew members died on the spot. Only three could be identified and they were buried at Ehrenfriedhof Venlo. The two others were so mutilated that identification was impossible and they were buried as unknown soldiers in a collective grave. After the war their mortal remains were reburied at Jonkerbos War Cemetery.
Uffz. Pross was also hit during this raid. It is not known when and where he was wounded, but it was so serious that he lost control of the aircraft during the landing at Fliegerhorst Venlo. With a huge blow, the BF 110 went over and crashed. Pross died in the crash and was buried in Dresden. Bordfunker Facius survived the crash and was taken to Lazarett Krefeld.
(From the book Mayday Mayday Mayday by Hub Groeneveld.)
The Crew of the Armstrong Whitworth Whitley Mk V, Z6493, EY-V of 78 Squadron are all buried in Jonkerbos War Cemetery, Nijmegen -
Pilot P/O John Aubrey Trevor Garrould, Reg.no. 60818 Royal Air Force Voluntary Reserve, Age 19, Son of Arthur Henry Garrould and Jessie Emma Martine Garrould-Davies of Little Hadham Hertfordshire.
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2nd Pilot Sgt Robert Sydney Langston Keymer, Reg.no. 9448441 Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, Age 25, Son of Colonel Shirley Langston Keymer, T.D. and Elisabeth Jean Keymer of The Red House, Alderley Edge Cheshire.
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Observer F/S Reginald James Garlish, Reg.no. 759206, Royal Air Force Voluntary Reserve, Age 20, Son of James and Rose Garlish of Stanmore Middlesex.
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Wireless Operator/Air Gunner Sgt Edward Oakes, Reg.no. 975986, Royal Air Force Voluntary Reserve. Age 22. Son of Daniel and Lucy Jane Oakes of Garston Liverpool.
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Wireless Operator/Rear Gunner F/S Alexander Plant Smith, Reg. no. 653803, Royal Air Force Voluntary Reserve, Age 20, Son of Alexander Plant Smith and Annie Scott Smith of Largs, Ayrshire.
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