Coulsey, John Robert (Sergeant)

Killed in Action 1943-June-15

Male Head

Birth Date: 1920

Born:

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Enlistment:

Enlistment Date: unkown date

Service

RAFVR

Unit

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

Base

RAF Fiskerton

Rank

Sergeant

Position

Wireless Air Gunner

Service Numbers

1050302

Target
Google MapOberhausen Germany

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 includes Coulsey: Flying Officer A E Whittaker RAF KIA Uden War Cemetery grave 5. F. 2. Sergeant V Horsley RAF KIA Uden War Cemetery grave 5. G. 13. Flight Sergeant W L Chatfield RCAF R/99842 KIA Uden War Cemetery grave 5. G. 11. Air gunner Sergeant P A Toms RAF KIA Uden War Cemetery grave 5. G. 12.

POWs: W/O R Frost RAF pilot POW camp not listed. F/Sgt. N C Hitchcock RAF POW camp not listed.

Grave,Sergeant Coulsey

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.