Rebecq Commemorations

550 Squadron Commemorations in Rebecq, Belgium

JA712/BQ-H

Photographs from the commemoration services in Rebecq for P/O E C Purney and the crew of JA712 who lost their lives when their plane was shot down by a German night-fighter during the night of 27/28 May 1944 as it was coming back from a bombing mission over Aachen. The aircraft crashed at Rebecq-Rognon (Brabant), 25 km SW of Brussel. Also commemorated are the townfolk of Rebecq who came to the aid of the sticken crew-men some of whom who paid with their lives.

The following crew members were killed and are buried in the cemetery at Brussels-Evere:

Their entries on the 550 Squadron Roll of Honour can be viewed here.

Two members of the crew survived:

For more information about the crew see also the P/O Purney crew web-page.

Click on the pictures below to see photographs of recent commemoration events.

Commemoration 2023

Rebecq, May 2023
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Photographs taken at the May 2023 Lancaster flypast event
Rebecq, May 2023
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Photographs taken at the mid-May Commemoration service

Commemoration 2022

Rebecq, May 2022
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Photographs taken at the May 2022 commemoration service

Commemoration 2021

Rebecq, Sept 2021
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Photographs taken at the September 2021 commemoration service

Commemoration 2019

Rebecq, May 2019
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Photographs taken at the May 2019 commemoration service

Commemoration 2018

Rebecq, May 2018
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Photographs taken at the May 2018 commemoration service

Commemoration 2017

Rebecq, May 2017
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Photographs taken at the May 2017 commemoration service

Jack Harris gave a short address, and was presented with drawings by local school children

Commemoration 2016

Rebecq, May 2016
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Photographs taken at the May 2016 commemoration service

Commemoration 2015

Rebecq, May 2015
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Photographs taken at the May 2015 commemoration service

Jack Harris gave a short address

Commemoration 2014

Rebecq, May 2014
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Photographs taken at the May 2014 commemoration service

A new plaque added to the memorial to commemorate all of the 550 air-crews lost over Belgium

Commemoration 2013

Rebecq, May 2013
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Photographs taken at the May 2013 commemoration service

Commemoration 2012

Rebecq, May 2012
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Photographs taken at the May 2012 commemoration service

The photo features a fragment of the 550 aircraft recovered from the crash site (and now in the museum in North Killingholme)

Unveiling 2011

Rebecq, May 2011
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Photographs taken at the unveiling of the memorial in May 2011