Failed To Return

RAF 550 Squadron Lancaster

F/O P.G. Nye and Crew

F/O R.G.Nye and the crew of PD221 were killed on 3/4 February 1945 during a raid on the Prosper benzol Plant at Bottrop north of Essen in the Ruhr. PD221 was shot down by a night-figher and crashed near Westerbeek (Noord-Brabant), 9 km SW from the small Dutch town of Boxmeer. The crew were all buried in Oploo (Westerbeek) Roman Catholic Cemetery.

Other information about the flight and the target available here.

The entry on the 550 Squadron Roll of Honour is available here.

See also the following links:

F/Sgt W H Cook

F/Sgt William Henry Cook (A/G) was from Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada. F/Sgt Cook was the first man of the Moose Jaw Air Cadet Squadron to be killed on active service. (Source: Richard Dowson)

Click image Moose Jaw Times-Herald, Thursday, February 8, 1945
Thanks to Richard Dowson of Saskatchewan Canada for providing this

F/Sgt L C Taerum RCAF

At 18 years of Lorne Clifford Taerum was amongst the youngest airmen killed on Bomber Command operations. He was the younger brother of F/O Torger Harlo Taerum DFC Guy Gibson's Navigator on Operation Chastise (the Dambusters Raid).

Sadly Harlo Taerum was also lost on operations in WWII. See the following links for information: