GANNES COMMUNAL CEMETERY
Oise
France
Location Information
Gannes is a village 28 kilometres north-east of Beauvais and 5 kilometres north of St Just-en-Chaussée. The Communal Cemetery lies on the northern outskirts of the village, which is reached via the St Just-en-Chaussée to Gannes road. In the right hand corner from the entrance gate is the collective grave of 7 Commonwealth airmen.
Flight Details:
Base: R.A.F. Witchford, Cambridgeshire
Unit: 115 Sqdn. Bomber Command
Aircraft: Lancaster Mk 1, serial HK559
Target: Montdidier, France
Incident: The aircraft crashed at Gannes. There were no survivors.
Cemetery pictures © Barry Cuttell
Gannes is a village 28 kilometres north-east of Beauvais and 5 kilometres north of St Just-en-Chaussée. The Communal Cemetery lies on the northern outskirts of the village, which is reached via the St Just-en-Chaussée to Gannes road. In the right hand corner from the entrance gate is the collective grave of 7 Commonwealth airmen.
Flight Details:
Base: R.A.F. Witchford, Cambridgeshire
Unit: 115 Sqdn. Bomber Command
Aircraft: Lancaster Mk 1, serial HK559
Target: Montdidier, France
Incident: The aircraft crashed at Gannes. There were no survivors.
Cemetery pictures © Barry Cuttell
INSCRIPTION.
MAY THEIR LIVES NOT HAVE BEEN IN VAIN.
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INSCRIPTION.
HE DIED THAT WE MIGHT LIVE. MAY WE BE WORTHY OF HIS GREAT SACRIFICE. MOM, DAD, BROTHERS.
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INSCRIPTION.
HIS DUTY NOBLY DONE. EVER REMEMBERED.
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INSCRIPTION.
HIS DUTY NOBLY DONE.
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427716 Flight Sergeant
John William Van Cooten
Royal Australian Air Force
18th June 1944, aged 22.
Son of William John Fraser Van Cooten and Lucy Van Cooten, of South Brisbane, Queensland. Australia.
Click on image to enlarge
Studio portrait of 426716 Sergeant (Sgt) John William Van Cooten, RAAF. Sgt Van Couten was a school teacher from Chinchilla, Queensland when he enlisted in 1942, training as an observer and navigator in Australia before embarking for England the following year. Promoted to Flight Sergeant and attached to 115 Squadron RAF, he was reported missing in action when Avro Lancaster HK559 failed to return from a bombing mission to Montdidier, France on the night of 17th-18th June 1944. It was not until April 1945 that the fate of the crew was confirmed, when an identity disc belonging to one of the crew was handed in to British authorities by a farmer at Oise, France. Subsequent investigation showed that HK559 had plunged, in flames, almost vertically into the ground, exploding on impact and scattering debris over a wide area. There were no survivors.
Other Burial Details:
574270 Sergeant Douglas Albert Dawson, Flight Engineer in 115 Squadron, Royal Air Force, died 18th June 1944, aged 22. Son of Albert and Alice Dawson of Ossett, Yorks.
1059197 Warrant Officer Peter Duff, Wireless Operator/Air Gunner in 115 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 18th June 1944, aged 34. Son of Alexander and Margaret Duff of Dundee.
1816757 Sergeant Kenneth Edgar Laxton, Air Gunner in 115 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 18th June 1944, aged 20. Son of John William and Lizzie Laxton of Hall Green, Birmingham.
423913 Flight Sergeant Ian Harrison Smith, Royal Australian Air Force, died 18th June 1944, aged 21. Son of William Harrison and Clyda Ann Smith of North Bondi, New South Wales, Australia.
1896471 Sergeant Ernest Edwin Stapley, Air Gunner in 115 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 18th June 1944, aged 35. Son of Frank Stuart and Frances Sarah Stapley; husband of Dorothy Rose Stapley, of Wood Green, Middx.
423186 Pilot Officer John Alan Traill, Royal Australian Air Force, died 18th June 1944, aged 21. Son of Dr. Alan James and Katharine Mary Traill of Burwood, New South Wales, Australia.
John William Van Cooten
Royal Australian Air Force
18th June 1944, aged 22.
Son of William John Fraser Van Cooten and Lucy Van Cooten, of South Brisbane, Queensland. Australia.
Click on image to enlarge
Studio portrait of 426716 Sergeant (Sgt) John William Van Cooten, RAAF. Sgt Van Couten was a school teacher from Chinchilla, Queensland when he enlisted in 1942, training as an observer and navigator in Australia before embarking for England the following year. Promoted to Flight Sergeant and attached to 115 Squadron RAF, he was reported missing in action when Avro Lancaster HK559 failed to return from a bombing mission to Montdidier, France on the night of 17th-18th June 1944. It was not until April 1945 that the fate of the crew was confirmed, when an identity disc belonging to one of the crew was handed in to British authorities by a farmer at Oise, France. Subsequent investigation showed that HK559 had plunged, in flames, almost vertically into the ground, exploding on impact and scattering debris over a wide area. There were no survivors.
Other Burial Details:
574270 Sergeant Douglas Albert Dawson, Flight Engineer in 115 Squadron, Royal Air Force, died 18th June 1944, aged 22. Son of Albert and Alice Dawson of Ossett, Yorks.
1059197 Warrant Officer Peter Duff, Wireless Operator/Air Gunner in 115 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 18th June 1944, aged 34. Son of Alexander and Margaret Duff of Dundee.
1816757 Sergeant Kenneth Edgar Laxton, Air Gunner in 115 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 18th June 1944, aged 20. Son of John William and Lizzie Laxton of Hall Green, Birmingham.
423913 Flight Sergeant Ian Harrison Smith, Royal Australian Air Force, died 18th June 1944, aged 21. Son of William Harrison and Clyda Ann Smith of North Bondi, New South Wales, Australia.
1896471 Sergeant Ernest Edwin Stapley, Air Gunner in 115 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 18th June 1944, aged 35. Son of Frank Stuart and Frances Sarah Stapley; husband of Dorothy Rose Stapley, of Wood Green, Middx.
423186 Pilot Officer John Alan Traill, Royal Australian Air Force, died 18th June 1944, aged 21. Son of Dr. Alan James and Katharine Mary Traill of Burwood, New South Wales, Australia.
