Chatfield, Walter Lawrence (Flight Sergeant)

Killed in Action 1943-June-15

Flight Sergeant Walter Lawrence Chatfield RCAF

Birth Date: 1921

Born:

Parents: Edward & Amy Chatfield

Spouse:

Home: Ingersoll, Ontario (parents)

Enlistment:

Enlistment Date: unkown date

Service

RCAF

Unit

49 (B) Sqn- Squadron (RAF)
Cave Canem Beware of the dog

Base

RAF Fiskerton

Rank

Flight Sergeant

Position

Air Gunner

Service Numbers

R/99842

Home
Google MapIngersoll, Ontario (parents)
Target
Google MapOberhausen Germany
Final Burial
Google MapUden War Cemetery
5 G 11

Took off from Fiskerton at 22:32 in Lancaster Mk III (Sqn code EA-T Bomber Command) on an operation to Oberhausen Germany.

Shot down by a night fighter and crashed 1.5 km SW of Dodewaard, Gelderland, Holland.

Killed: Flight Sergeant Walter Lawrence Chatfield RCAF R/99842 KIA Uden War Cemetery Holland grave 5. G. 11. Sergeant John Robert Coulsey RAF KIA Uden War Cemetery grave 5. F. 1. Sergeant Dennis Downing RAF KIA Ebbw Vale Cemetery Blaenau Gwent, Wales Sec. H. South border. Row 13. Grave 5. Sergeant Victor Horsley RAF KIA Uden War Cemetery grave 5. G. 13. Sergeant Peter Alfred Toms RAF KIA Uden War Cemetery grave 5. G. 12. Flying Officer Alan Ewart Whittaker RAF KIA Uden War Cemetery grave 5. F. 2.

POWs: Sergeant Reginald Frost RAF POW Stalag 357 Kopernikus. Sergeant Nathan Charles Hitchcock RAF POW Stalag 357 Kopernikus.

Grave,Flight Sergeant Chatfield

Canada Source Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Canada Primary Source Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)

Crew or Other Personnel

Lancaster ED434

Flight Sergeant Walter Lawrence Chatfield RCAF

Flight Sergeant Chatfield, Walter Lawrence (RCAF)
Air Gunner
Killed in Action
1943-June-15
Uden War Cemetery, North Brabant, Netherlands

Sergeant John Robert Coulsey RAFVR

Sergeant Coulsey, John Robert (RAFVR)
Wireless Air Gunner
Killed in Action
1943-June-15
cemetery unknown

Sergeant Reginald Frost RAF

Sergeant Frost, Reginald (RAF)
Pilot
Prisoner of War
1943-June-15
cemetery unknown

Sergeant Nathan Charles Hitchcock

Sergeant Hitchcock, Nathan Charles ()
Flight Engineer
Prisoner of War
1943-June-15
cemetery unknown

Sergeant Victor Horsley RAF

Sergeant Horsley, Victor (RAF)
Bomb Aimer
Killed in Action
1943-June-15
cemetery unknown

Sergeant Peter Alfred Toms RAFVR

Sergeant Toms, Peter Alfred (RAFVR)
Air Gunner
Killed in Action
1943-June-15
cemetery unknown

Flying Officer Alan Ewart Whittaker RAFVR

Flying Officer Whittaker, Alan Ewart (RAFVR)
Navigator
Killed in Action
1943-June-15
cemetery unknown

Mission

Lancaster Mk.I/III ED434

Bombing Oberhausen Germany 1943-June-14 to 1943-June-15

49 (B) Sqn (RAF) Fiskerton

Battle of the Ruhr

An all Lancaster force of 197, guided by 6 Oboe Mosquitoes made a successful attack on Oberhausen. Despite the target being cloud-covered, accurate sky-marking enabled the bombers to do considerable damage. Twelve Lancasters lifted from Fiskerton's runway, the last one away by 22.32hrs. The crews found themselves engaged in a savage battle from both flak and fighters which resulted in Bomber Command losing 17 aircraft.

Of those missing: Sergeant Frost (ED434) and crew had been shot down by a German night fighter flown by Hauptmann Hans-Dieter Frank I./NJG1. The aircraft fell to the ground 2 kilometers East of Dodewaard, Holland at 01.13hrs. The pilot and flight engineer survived to become POW's in Stalag 357, Kopernikus; the remainder of the crew are buried in Uden War Cemetery.