Last Post - Sergeant Richard Eric Ainsworth

Source: reconstructed according to http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers

Lost Bomber Report

Serial MZ807. 45 Halifax Mk.111. Part of a batch of 360 HP61 Halifax Mk.B.111. Delivered by English Electric Co. (Salmesbury & Preston) between 23Jun44 and 14Jul44. MZ807 was initially issued to No.422 Sqdn. Airborne 1749 Dec. 02, 1944 from Skipton-on-Swale... Those killed are buried in Choloy War Cemetery. See below for images of the gravesite and headstone. F/S Mallory was treated for his injuries in a French Hospital.

Source: www.lostbombers.co.uk

Click here to read the entire report.

Photos of Richard Eric Ainsworth are provided courtesy of Al Mallory, son of Lorne Mallory and Canadian Archives. They were clipped from the larger images.

Choloy Cemetery

Choloy War Cemetery was created as the last resting place of military personnel recovered from isolated sites and small churchyards in north-eastern France where permanent maintenance of the graves was not possible. It is maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. The land was a gift from the people of France as shown in the plaque below.

In Memory of
Sergeant RICHARD ERIC AINSWORTH

3011067, 433 (R.C.A.F.) Sqdn., Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
who died age 19
on 02 December 1944
Son of Arthur Walker Ainsworth and Evelyn Ainsworth.
Remembered with honour

CHOLOY WAR CEMETERY

Commemorated in perpetuity by
the Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Headstones of Sgt. Richard Eric Ainsworth and Pilot Officer J. W. Ash at Choloy War Cemetery with Flags of Royal Canadian Air Force and Canada, image courtesy of Al Mallory, Son of F/S Lorne Mallory.

The image below of Sgt. Richard Ainsworth's Headstone at Choloy is provided courtesy of The War Graves Photographic Project. Click here to see his image at the War graves site.. The Project has kindly posted the photo of the crew with each crew's headstone on their site.

Sergeant Richard Ainsworth, a young man from Blackburn, Lancashire, UK joined the Royal Airforce Voluntary Reserves. He crewed up with the W.H. Cook crew of 433 Squadron. The crew failed to return from an operation near Hagen Germany, crashing in France on Dec 2/3, 1944. Sergeant Ainsworth is the son of Arthur Walker Ainsworth and Evelyn Cross-Ainsworth, Blackburn, Lancashire, UK.

Ops Report December 2/3, 1944

31 Halifaxes from 408, 415, 420, 424, 425, 426, 427, 429, 432, 433, and 434 squadrons were joined by 48 Lancasters from 419, 428 and 431 squadron on an attack at Hagen. The crews were over the target at between 16,000 and 18,000 feet, releasing 1,424,000 lbs of high explosives and 262,000 lbs of incendiaries. According to reports, bombing was accurate with severe damage being caused. A factory making batteries for U-Boats was completely destroyed. All crews commented on the severe icing to and from the target on this night.

Source: http://www.6grouprcaf.com/ courtesy of Richard Koval

__________________________________

F/Lt W. Cook RCAF and crew, flying Halifax III MZ-807 coded BM-C, failed to return from this operation.

Sgt R. Ainsworth RAF

F/O J. Grant RCAF

F/O R. Shiells RCAF

F/O J. Pittman RCAF

F/Sgt L. Mallory RCAF– injured

P/O J. Ash RCAF

6 crew were killed and one injured.

Source www.Rcaf.com

Click here to read the entire ops report.