King, J C

  • Name on memorial: King, J C
  • Memorial panel: Left
  • Full name: James Charles King
  • Rank: Flying Officer
  • Service details: 152912, 49 Sqdn., Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
  • Age at death: 23
  • Date of death: 06/10/1944
  • Birth place: unknown
  • Parents: Albert William and Emma King, of Isleworth, Middlesex
  • Mother's maiden name: unknown
  • Parents' marriage details: unknown
  • Wife: unknown
  • Wife's maiden name: unknown
  • Marriage details: unknown
  • Cemetery: BECKLINGEN WAR CEMETERY
  • Additional information:
    PLEASE NOTE: This is a possible identification only

    Source: http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/war-air/27411-15244-flying-officer-pilot-cyril-beatson-49-sqn-rafvr.html
    6th - 7th October 1944, 49 Squadron, Lancaster III PB429 EA-S, Op. Bremen, Took off 1717 hrs Fiskerton, Crashed 2011 hrs at Leuchtenburg on the east side of Aumund-Hammersbeck.
    246 Lancasters and 7 Mosquitos of Nos 1 and 5 Groups carried out the last of 32 major Bomber Command raids on Bremen during the war. 5 Lancasters lost. The raid, based on the No 5 Group marking method, was an outstanding success. Severe damage was caused to the AG Weser shipyard, the two Focke-Wulf factories, the Siemens Schuckert electrical works and other important war industries. The 'transport network' was described as being seriously disrupted.
    1 and 5 Groups combined their efforts once again, when 246 Lancasters delivered a tremendous 'hammer blow' to Bremen. On a clear moonlit night, the Mosquitoes had little difficulty in marking the aiming point before calling the Main Force in to bomb. Large fires were soon started and crews reported that the glow from the fires could be seen 100 miles away and the target, the river and other features could be clearly seen.
    The squadron had dispatched 17 aircraft, deciding to send five new crews on the raid. Aircraft started to request landing instructions shortly after 22.00hrs but by 22.38hrs, only 15 had landed back at Fiskerton. Into the early hours of Saturday morning, it became clear that for the first time since 28/29 July the squadron had suffered casualties. Two 49 crews failed to return from the operation; the 'freshman' crew of F/O Cyril Beatson plus the crew captained by F/O Ken Harrop. The Beatson crew are all buried alongside each other in the Becklingen War Cemetery at Soltau in Germany.
    F/O C.Beatson KIA (21) Newmillerdam, Yorkshire
    Sgt D.Harrison KIA (21) Driffield, Yorkshire
    F/O E.Bourton KIA (21) Oxford
    F/O L.R.McMonagle RAAF KIA (24) Woollongong, NSW, Australia
    F/O J.C.King KIA (23) Isleworth, Middlesex
    Sgt A.Stephen KIA
    F/O J.W.Murray RAAF KIA (27) West Maitland, NSW, Australia.

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