Patrick Aylmer Vivian was born in 1921, son to Arthur Harry Aylmer Vivian and Claire Mary Vivian. He was from Christchurch.

He was an navigator with the Royal New Zealand Air Force and had completed an operational tour with 83 Squadron.  He was then posted to 1654 Conversion Unit. At this unit air crews who had been flying on twin engine planes were trained to fly heavy, four engine, bombers.

On the night of 13/14 September 1942, the Royal Air Force attacked the city of Bremen. 466 planes, including aircraft from Operational Training Units and Conversion Units.

[no crest available]

 1654 Conversion Unit

P/O Vivian was navigator on Lancaster I W4108, captained by P/O Edwin Dowdell. The other crew members were: Flight Sergeant John Adams (air Bomber) from Canada,  Sgt Percy Jones (air gunner) from Pontllanfraith, Monmouthshire, Sgt Reginald Moss (air gunner) from Plymouth, Flight Sergeant Robert Robertson (wireless operator) from Douglas on the Isle of Man and Sgt George Walker (flight engineer) from Pleasley Hill, Nottinghamshire.

They took off from their base Wigsley in Nottinghamshire at 23.30. At 02.22 it was intercepted and shot down by a night fighter, flown by Oblt. Becker of 6./NJG2. the plane crashed on the land of the farm belonging to the Kleistra brothers at the Buytenweg near Oudehorne, some 10 kilometers east of Heerenveen.

The whole crew perished and are buried at Nieuwehorne Protestant Cemetery.

P/O Vivian is buried at Nieuwehorne Protestant Cemetery, Row 14. Grave 32. He was 21.

(Picture by Wim Bastiaanse)

Nieuwehorne, The Netherlands

See also:
P/O Edwin Dowdell
F/S John Adams
Sgt Percy Jones
Sgt Reginald Moss
F/S Robert Robertson
Sgt George Walker

Sources:
Erroll W. Martyn, For Your Tomorrow, Vol. I, Volplane Press Christchurch 1998
Ab A. Jansen, Wespennest Leeuwarden, Vol. I, Baarn 1976

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

Directions to Nieuwehorne Protestant Cemetery

Posted 23 August 2005

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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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