Robert Arthur Banks was born 1921, son of Arthur and Mabel Banks, of Wilmslow, Cheshire.

Sergeant banks was an Air Gunner on a Wellington bomber. He was posted with 9 Squadron, operating out of Honington.

In July his crew had an hairy experience over Bremen, when their plane was hit by Flak. Their captain, Sgt Saich and navigator Sgt Smitten were awarded a DFM for this mission. On 8 September 1941 the crew was sent on a mission to Berlin. The crew consists of:

9 Sqn RAF

Sgt Jack Saich, Pilot
Sgt Robert Banks, Second pilot
F/S Walter Lowe, Navigator
Sgt William Balls, Wireless Operator
Sgt Alan MacDonald, Air Gunner
Sgt Eric Trott, Air Gunner

They took off from their base Honington in Wellington IC Z8845. After a trip to the German capital, which saw a lot of clouds and intermitted rain, they dropped their bombs on the target and turned for home.

Over the Netherlands they were intercepted by the German night fighter expert OberLeutnant Lent. Around 04.05 he attacks the planes, which crashed shortly afterwards near a farm on the Bruggelaan in Terwispel. The police report mentions the bodies being found in and near the wreckage. All six crew loose their lives. They are buried in Gorredijk.

(picture by Wim Bastiaanse)

Gorredijk, The Netherlands

See Also:
Sgt Jack Saich
Sgt Alan MacDonald
F/S Walter Lowe
Sgt William Balls
Sgt Eric Trott

Sources:
Mason, F/O T., The History of 9 Squadron RAF, 1965
Jansen, Ab A., Wespennest Leeuwarden, Volume I, Baarn 1976
CWGC

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

Directions to Gorredijk General 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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