Kenneth Stuart Keeble was born in 1923 in Liverpool. He joined the Royal Air Force and became a wireless operator/air gunner with XV squadron, operating out of Bourn, Cambridgeshire. The squadron flew Stirling bombers at the time.

On 19 February 1943, Sgt Keeble and his crew participated in a mission to Wilhelmshafen. Their Stirling I BF378 LS-T  was piloted by New Zealander F/O Bernard Crawford, who would fly his first operational mission this night.

The plane took off from Bourn at 17.53 and is believed to have been shot down by a

XV Squadron

night fighter, shortly after it crossed the Dutch coast. The plane crashed into the Waddenzee off Ameland at 21.14, killing all seven of the crew.

The captain’s body was recovered and buried at Nes on the island of Ameland. Australian sergeant Arnold Borrett is buried on the island of Schiermonnikoog. F/O Clarence Long is buried at Wierum. The rest, Sgt W H Macklin, P/O P T Howson and Sgt C J J Wellesley are still missing and  commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.

Shortly before another 15 squadron Stirling, captained by F/O Hopson, that had taken off from Bourn three minutes before BF378, was shot down on Ameland. This crew was killed as well. A third 15 Squadron Stirling was lost without trace. It is likely that at least two, but maybe all three these planes were shot down by Oblt. Joachim Jabs of 1./NJG1as he claimed three planes in this area at 21.00, 21.15 and at 21.45.

Sgt Kenneth Keeble is buried at Nes Protestant Cemetery. He was 20.

(picture by Wim Bastiaanse)

Nes, The Netherlands

See also:
F/O Bernard Crawford
F/O Clarence Long
Sgt Arnold Borrett
Sgt W H Macklin
P/O P T Howson
Sgt C J J Wellesley

F/O D J Hopson

Sgt C W James

F/O E L G Ratcliffe

F/O L B Carson RCAF

Sgt R F Fowler

F/O J Williams

Sgt R G Weaver

Sgt A J Ellis

Sources:
RAF Bomber Command 60th Anniversary Site
Commonwealth War Graves Commission

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

Directions to Nes Protestant Cemetery

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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