HZ580 Wellington X HD-C
  
 
25th July 1943
           
Pilot Bomb Aimer Navigator Wireless Operator Air Gunner
           
  F/S R E Thorpe F/S D P Speechley F/S C R Cowan F/S W Harper W/O J Harrison-Owen
  RAAF RAAF RAAF RAAF RAAF
 
           
 
           
           
  Take Off :- 22:46   Base :- RAF Leconfield Mission :- Essen
           
  Details :- HZ580 was attacked by a Nightfighter, the damaged Wellington managed to limp on for approx another 70 miles before it was lost in the sea off the coast of Holland.
           
  705 aircraft detailed for this mission, 26 aircraft were lost on this mission.
   
  F/S Thorpe and F/S Harper are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
  F/S Speechley is buried in Westduin General Cemetery.
  F/S Cowan is buried in Noordwijk General Cemetery.    
  W/O Harrison-Owen is buried in Westduin General Cemetery.    
           
 
Picture of F/S W Harper courtesy of Australian War Memorial.
 
Picture of F/S R E Thorpe and F/S C R Cowan courtesy of National Archives Australia.
           
 

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