No.1874060, Sergeant, Robert Ernest LOCKE
Aged 20
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Robert Ernest Lock was born in 1923 (3rd qtr 1923 Tendring 4a:1379), son of Ernest and Grace Flora LOCK (E) (née MILLS). In the 1939 register his parents were at Church Lane, Westley, father a shepherd. (1 closed record) |
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57 Squadron Avro Lancaster III ser.no.ND622 c/s DX-E took off at 22:19 from RAF East Kirkby, Lincs., on a raid on Nuremberg. Before they reached the target
they were shot down by a Messerschmidt Bf110 night fighter (Oblt Helmut Schulte) of 4/NJG5, using its upward firing Schrage Musik guns. Three of the crew
managed bail out before the bomber blew up. Robert Locke and Sgt Kenneth Marriott's bodies were recovered in Bischwind. 3 of the crew survived
and were captured. Robert (W/Op/Air Gunner) and Kenneth Marriott(Flt Engineer) are now resting at Durnbach, the bodies of Sgt Alan Goddard
and F/O Reginald Smart were not found. Alan Ferguson (mid upper gunner),
William Steeper USAAF (bomb aimer)and Edward Tickler CGM (pilot) were captured. Pilot Ed Tickler was a member of the Tickler's Jam family - who named his aircraft "The Jampot and Seven Raspberries". It was the crew's 13th mission together. 96 aircraft were lost on this raid. Despite the Pathfinder Force being late on arrival and the heavy losses, the raid was considered a success, fires could be seen from the air over 100 miles away. Robert's first burial place was Bischwind Civil Cemetery, a few kilometres SE of Schweinfurt
click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details |
