Hitchcock, Nathan Charles (Sergeant)

Prisoner of War 1943-June-15

Male Head

Birth Date: unkown date

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Enlistment Date: unkown date

Service

Unit

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

Base

Fiskerton

Rank

Sergeant

Position

Flight Engineer

Service Numbers

1332226
PoW: 396

Target
Google MapOberhausen Germany

Took off 22:32 from Fiskertonin Lancaster Mk III ED434 on a raid to Germany

Shot down by a night-fighter and crashed in Gelderland, Holland

There were two survivors of the crash who were made POWs: Sergeant Hitchcock and Sergeant Frost (both British) were both POWs at Stalag 357.

There were six deaths in the crash, all buried at Uden War Cemetery, Holland: Flight Sergeant Walter Lawrence Chatfield RCAF R/99842 KIA Uden War Cemetery 5. G. 11. (the only Canadian on the aircraft). Sergeant John Robert Coulsey RAF KIA Uden War Cemetery 5. F. 1. Sergeant Dennis Downing RAF KIA Ebbw Vale Cemetery Sec. H. South border. Row 13. Grave 5. Sergeant Victor Horsley RAF KIA Uden War Cemetery 5. G. 13. Sergeant Peter Alfred Toms RAF KIA Uden War Cemetery 5. G. 12. Flying Officer Alan Ewart Whittaker RAF KIA Uden War Cemetery.

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.