jennyann
Gone but not forgotten. R.I.P.
This article appears in today's Evening Mail
Help trace family of war hero Jun 9 2004
By Andy Shipley, Evening Mail
A quest has been launched to find the family of an unsung Birmingham hero who died on a World War II air mission.
Pilot officer Rowland James Locke from Aston joined the crew of a Lancaster bomber to take out Nazi rocket bases 60 years ago.
Six of the seven members of bomber LER/ND688, including Locke, died in the daring raid on July 7, 1944.
Now descendants of the other crew members are looking to trace the surviving relations of Locke, son of Francis Albert and Louisa, to join a pilgrimage to the French village where they died.
The mayor of Drocourt, about 50km east of Paris, has bought the field where the plane crashed
and is planning a permanent plaque in honour of the crew's heroism.
Locke was a 19-year-old rear gunner in the Lancaster as it took off from East Kirkby, Lincs, to bomb caves in St. Leu D'Esseuarant, east of Paris, which were used as a German V2 rocket base.
The revolutionary rockets were raining down on London at the time, causing widespread destruction.
The rocket base was heavily fortified and protected by anti-aircraft batteries and German fighters and the mission was made even more dangerous because the German's were expecting an Allied raid after the 617 Squadron, immortalised as the Dambusters, had attacked only two nights before.
Yet Locke and the rest of the crew, piloted by wing commander Bill Deas who flew an incredible 69 missions during the war, were undaunted.
Mark Ellis, great nephew of the crew's navigator Charles Wright and researcher of the mission, said: "They felt a determination to see the job through. They very much stuck together and looked after each other."
The bomber burst into flames after being hit by a German fighter as it approached its target at 11,000ft.
Only radio operator Walter Upton survived, but suffered horrific burns and was captured by German forces shortly afterwards. He spent the rest of the war as a PoW and now lives in Australia, aged 82.
l Anyone who knows relatives of Rowland James Locke can write to Box no 4349485, PO Box 18, Weaman Street, Birmingham B4 6AX.
Help trace family of war hero Jun 9 2004
By Andy Shipley, Evening Mail
A quest has been launched to find the family of an unsung Birmingham hero who died on a World War II air mission.
Pilot officer Rowland James Locke from Aston joined the crew of a Lancaster bomber to take out Nazi rocket bases 60 years ago.
Six of the seven members of bomber LER/ND688, including Locke, died in the daring raid on July 7, 1944.
Now descendants of the other crew members are looking to trace the surviving relations of Locke, son of Francis Albert and Louisa, to join a pilgrimage to the French village where they died.
The mayor of Drocourt, about 50km east of Paris, has bought the field where the plane crashed
and is planning a permanent plaque in honour of the crew's heroism.
Locke was a 19-year-old rear gunner in the Lancaster as it took off from East Kirkby, Lincs, to bomb caves in St. Leu D'Esseuarant, east of Paris, which were used as a German V2 rocket base.
The revolutionary rockets were raining down on London at the time, causing widespread destruction.
The rocket base was heavily fortified and protected by anti-aircraft batteries and German fighters and the mission was made even more dangerous because the German's were expecting an Allied raid after the 617 Squadron, immortalised as the Dambusters, had attacked only two nights before.
Yet Locke and the rest of the crew, piloted by wing commander Bill Deas who flew an incredible 69 missions during the war, were undaunted.
Mark Ellis, great nephew of the crew's navigator Charles Wright and researcher of the mission, said: "They felt a determination to see the job through. They very much stuck together and looked after each other."
The bomber burst into flames after being hit by a German fighter as it approached its target at 11,000ft.
Only radio operator Walter Upton survived, but suffered horrific burns and was captured by German forces shortly afterwards. He spent the rest of the war as a PoW and now lives in Australia, aged 82.
l Anyone who knows relatives of Rowland James Locke can write to Box no 4349485, PO Box 18, Weaman Street, Birmingham B4 6AX.