Here are some pages from my wife's grandfather's flying log. He was a flight engineer of Short Stirlings of 149 Sqn. He was killed after only 9 missions.
RIP Sgt Atkinson, and the rest of the crew of Stirling BK799. T/O 2351 on 21st June 1943 from Lakenheath to Krefeld. Shot down by a night-fighter and crashed 0239 into the IJsselmeer off Makkum. All are buried in Wonseradeel (Makkum) Protestant Churchyard. P/O J Lowrie KIA Sgt J Atkinson KIA F/O D H Lyne KIA Sgt A Coull KIA Sgt D C H Fudge KIA Sgt E C Waite KIA Sgt E G Hird KIA
Thanks for posting. I never tire of thumbing through the logs of aircrew. They are a fascinating and personal record. Thanks again. Owen
Thanks for your comments, bit more info. The aircraft took off from Lakenheath at 23.51 on a raid to Krefeld, and was shot down by Oblt Ernst-Georg Drunkler of 12 /NJG 1 on the night of 22 June ‘43, timed at 02.39. This was his 3rd victory, and he went on to score 47 confirmed kills. Two of these were B17's in daylight. He was a holder of the Knights' Cross, and survived the war to die in 1970. Over 55,000 bomber crews died during WW2, thats more than the whole number serving in RAF in 2008 (41,000)
