Information

[Dillydog]

Hope someone can help me with this?

I am trying to find any information I can on the circumstances of my uncles death when shot down in November 1944. I already know his RAFVR number and the date he died. I will be visiting his grave at Overloon Military Cemetery in August but would like to know more about the circumstances particularly why the rest of the crew are buried elsewhere.

Where do I start?

[Lesley Robertson]

If you provide his name and number, it would be easier to help...
Burial sites depended on a lot of things, including where casualties were found. If they bailed out, it's possible that they came down in different places, for example.

[Dillydog]

Thanks for your reply.

His name was Edward Cornelius Martin Swart. No 1486325

[Peter Goodey]

You could explore the RAF Operational records at the National Archives.

Here's the Research Guide

[Lesley Robertson]

Sgt Swart was in a Halifax (identification DY-Q) from 102 Squadron, Bomber Command out of Pocklington, destination Bochum on 4 November 1944, over the Netherlands.
Crew:
415923 FO Anthony Carlyle Cameron RAAF bur Hotton
3010723 Sgt Thomas Jones RAFVR bur Hotton
156283 FO Robert Frederick Hudson RAFVR bur Hotton
153321 FO Martin Peter Frobisher RAFVR bur Hotton
157916 FO Eric Bolton RAFVR bur Hotton
1595172 Sgt Jack Madeley Wilby RAFVR bur Hotton
1486325 Sgt Edward Cornelius Martin Swart bur Overbeen

According to the Dutch "Verliesregister", which records all planes (from both sides) that come down over or near the Netherlands or its territorial waters, the plane crashed at Laurensberg (4km NW of Aachen) on 5 Nov 1944.

The "Lost Aircraft" website HERE suggests that Sgt Swart's body was found separately from the others (who had originally been buried at Henri-Chapelle, then moved when the War Cemeteries were formed after the war).

The reason for the crash has not been established.

[Dillydog]

Thank you very much Lesley. Just the info I was looking for. a great help.