Squadron Leader Robert James Sealer Parsons joined the Royal Air Force before the war. On 8 October 1939 he was promoted to Pilot Officer and exactly a year later, on 8 October 1940 to Flying Officer.

In the summer of 1942 he flew with 115 Sqn. On 28 September 1942 S/L Parsons and his crew took off in Wellington III Z1663, coded KO-J, for a mission to bomb the Dortmund-Ems canal, near Lingen. Besides S/L Parsons as pilot, the crew consisted of Flight Sergeant Leonard Clough, Observer, Flight Sergeant John A Parker, Wireless Operator, and gunners Sergeants J M Glimour and J J Stansell. The latter three were Canadians.

115 Sqn RAF

The Wellington was intercepted by a FW190 piloted by Uffz. Kurt Knespel of 10./JG1. During the fight that ensued Flight Sergeant Parker was killed. Flight Sergeant Cough was last seen trying to put the fire in the plane out with a fire extinguisher.

S/L Parsons, Flight Sergeant Parker and Flight Sergeant Cough were killed. Parsons and Parker are buried in Amsterdam. There is one Unknown buried in Amsterdam that was buried there on 14 October 1942 and which was brought in from Urk. This might have been the body of Flight Sergeant Cough. Sergeants Gilmour and Stansell became POWs.

Uffz. Knespel claimed the Wellington at 17.56, and reported it crashing 10 miles North East of Urk in the IJsselmeer at 18.02.

S/L Parsons is buried at the Nieuwe Oosterbegraafplaats in Amsterdam Plot 69. Row D. Coll. grave 11-13.

Amsterdam, The Netherlands

See Also:
Flight Sergeant John Austin Parker

Sources:
115 Sqn Roll of Honour, Don Bruce, 2003

Acknowledgements:
RAF Squadron crest © Crown Copyright is reproduced with the permission of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office

Directions to Nieuwe Oosterbegraafplaats

If you have any suggestions, comments or additional information, please contact me.

This website is dedicated to the men and women who died and/or are buried in The Netherlands during World War II.

 

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