P/O Groom
probably had already completed an
operational tour when he was stationed with
11 OTU to train fresh crews.
On 17
September 1942 Bomber Command attacked the
city of Essen. 369 aircraft were to be
assembled for the raid, among them planes
from training units like 11 OTU. 11 O.T.U.
lost three planes this night.
The crew of
P/O Grant took off in Wellington IC DV480
from Bassingbourn at 2030. Just off the
Dutch coast they were shot down, crashing
near the Springerdiep, Goeree-Overflakkee,
Netherlands, killing all five of the crew.
Three of the crew, P/O Grant, P/O Speedy,
navigator and fellow New Zealander and P/O
Robert Groom, the bomb aimer, washed ashore
on the island of Overflakkee and are buried
in Ouddorp.
Sgt Stanley Swain is buried in
Crooswijk Cemetery in Rotterdam. Sgt William
Buckley is buried in
Heverlee, Belgium. This indicates that he
probably left the plane some time before
crashing.
(picture by
Rob van Voorst)
