TWITCHETT, Arnold Charles
Not on memorial or Roll of Honour


The hatitan ronterios (Warriors of the air)



1874043, Sergeant (Flight Engineer), Arnold Charles TWITCHETT
Aged 19


431 (R.C.A.F.) Squadron, R.A.F.V.R.
Killed in Action on 20th February 1944

Arnold Charles TWITCHETT was born in 1924 (Sudbury Q2-1924 4A:1492 son of Ernest W. and Amy M.TWITCHETT (née DUNCOMBE). The family moved after the war, to Abington, sadly due to losing their youngest son hanging himself in their orchard as the result of the loss felt on Arnold's death.

In the 1939 register at Chestnut House,Fox End, Balsham were his parents Ernest W [12-4-1895] foreman farm worker and Amy M [12-8-1896]. There are 3 closed records.


Arnold was Flight Engineer on Handley Page Halifax MkV ser.no.LK905, c/s SE-D which took off at 23:21 from RAF Croft on 19th February 1944 for a raid on Leipzig. The diversionary raids apparently didn't completely fool the Germans who did not send many of their aircraft to the diversion.This led to the raid on Leipzig being the costliest so far in the war for the Allies. 13 % of the Halifax used on the raid were lost.
6 crew killed and 1 POW after being shot down by a Nightfighter near Gardelegen (about 25 miles NE of Wolfsburg).
F/O Murray Sonshine - RCAF - Pilot - Toronto, Ontario aged 26 - KIA
WO Gow Harvey - RCAF - Navigator - Roblin, Minnesota USA aged 21 - captured
F/O Ross J. Kee - RCAF -Bomb Aimer - Lambton City, Ontario aged 23 - KIA
F/O John A. Houston - RCAF - W/Op/A/G - Sault Saint Marie, Ontario aged 26 - KIA
F/O David A. McKerry - RCAF - Mid Upper Gunner - Toronto, Ontario aged 20 - KIA
Sgt. Robert E. Gillanders - RCAF - Rear Gunner - Toronto, Ontario aged 20 - KIA
20 Sgt. Arnold C. Twitchett - RAFVR - Flight Engineer - England aged 18 - KIA




photo: Commonwealth War Graves Commission



Arnold Twitchett is buried in Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery, grave 6:D:collective grave 12-17
also commemorated in Great Abington on the war memorial and on his brother's grave

click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details


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