ILLEVILLE-SUR-MONTFORT CHURCHYARD
Eure
France
GPS Coordinates Latitude: 49.32646 Longitude: 0.72674
Location Information
Illeville-sur-Montford is a village and commune 6 kilometres north-east of Montfort-sur-Risle. In the churchyard, west of the church, is the collective grave of one airman of the Royal Air Force and six airmen of the Royal Australian Air Force.
Illeville-sur-Montford is a village and commune 6 kilometres north-east of Montfort-sur-Risle. In the churchyard, west of the church, is the collective grave of one airman of the Royal Air Force and six airmen of the Royal Australian Air Force.
Images in gallery below © Johan Pauwels
426841 Flight Sergeant
William Nelson Heywood
Wireless Operator/Air Gunner in 466 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force
8th June 1944, aged 21.
Son of Arthur Nelson Jack and Victoria May Heywood, of Shorncliffe, Queensland, Australia.
His headstone bears the inscription "They Gave Their Today That We Might Have Our Tomorrow"
Studio portrait of 426841 Flight Sergeant (Flt Sgt) William Nelson Heywood, 466 Squadron, RAAF, of Toowoomba, Qld. He enlisted on 14 August 1942 and trained at Parkes and Port Pirie where he qualified as a wireless air gunner. In June 1943 he was posted overseas and went by ship to San Francisco and later by aircraft to the United Kingdom. On 8 June 1944 Flt Sgt Heywood and six fellow crew members were part of a 400 bomber raid on enemy targets which included a bridge south of Paris. Their aircraft was shot down near the village of Illeville-sur-Montfort (close to Rouen). The crew died instantly and lie in a communal grave in the village churchyard.
William Nelson Heywood
Wireless Operator/Air Gunner in 466 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force
8th June 1944, aged 21.
Son of Arthur Nelson Jack and Victoria May Heywood, of Shorncliffe, Queensland, Australia.
His headstone bears the inscription "They Gave Their Today That We Might Have Our Tomorrow"
Studio portrait of 426841 Flight Sergeant (Flt Sgt) William Nelson Heywood, 466 Squadron, RAAF, of Toowoomba, Qld. He enlisted on 14 August 1942 and trained at Parkes and Port Pirie where he qualified as a wireless air gunner. In June 1943 he was posted overseas and went by ship to San Francisco and later by aircraft to the United Kingdom. On 8 June 1944 Flt Sgt Heywood and six fellow crew members were part of a 400 bomber raid on enemy targets which included a bridge south of Paris. Their aircraft was shot down near the village of Illeville-sur-Montfort (close to Rouen). The crew died instantly and lie in a communal grave in the village churchyard.
The other six crew members were:
29888 Flight Sergeant Robert Beard, Air Gunner, Royal Australian Air Force. Son of Francis Edward and Ethel Maud Beard; husband of Monica Beard, of Liverpool, England. His headstone bears the inscription "The Years Shall Find Him Ageless, Loved And Unforgotten. Our Son"
432670 Flight Sergeant John Ronald Cottle, Air Gunner, Royal Australian Air Force. Son of Frederick William and Mary Florence Cottle, of Chullora, New South Wales, Australia. his headstone bears the inscription "His Duty Nobly Done"
417475 Flight Sergeant Paul Baily Giles, Air Bomber, Royal Australian Air Force. Son of Percy Cooper Giles and Ruth Sederena Giles, of Kapunda, South Australia. His headstone bears the inscription "He Died That We Might Live"
401941 Warrant Officer John William Godfrey, Navigator, Royal Australian Air Force. Son of John Blowers Godfrey and Marian De Witt Godfrey, of Elwood, Victoria, Australia. His headstone bears the inscription "A Gallant Son. Still Living, Still Loving, Still Ours"
417228 Flight Sergeant William Robinson Pearce, Pilot, Royal Australian Air Force. Son of Bertie Clifton Pearce and Stella Ann Pearce, of Parilla, South Australia. His headstone bears the inscription "Thy Will Be Done"
542141 Sergeant Kenneth Benson Woodman, Flight Engineer, Royal Air Force. Son of John Benson Woodman and Florence Mary Woodman, of Hunton Bridge, Hertfordshire. His headstone bears the inscription "In Proud Memory Of One Loved By All. He With His Gallant Comrades Died To Save Us"
29888 Flight Sergeant Robert Beard, Air Gunner, Royal Australian Air Force. Son of Francis Edward and Ethel Maud Beard; husband of Monica Beard, of Liverpool, England. His headstone bears the inscription "The Years Shall Find Him Ageless, Loved And Unforgotten. Our Son"
432670 Flight Sergeant John Ronald Cottle, Air Gunner, Royal Australian Air Force. Son of Frederick William and Mary Florence Cottle, of Chullora, New South Wales, Australia. his headstone bears the inscription "His Duty Nobly Done"
417475 Flight Sergeant Paul Baily Giles, Air Bomber, Royal Australian Air Force. Son of Percy Cooper Giles and Ruth Sederena Giles, of Kapunda, South Australia. His headstone bears the inscription "He Died That We Might Live"
401941 Warrant Officer John William Godfrey, Navigator, Royal Australian Air Force. Son of John Blowers Godfrey and Marian De Witt Godfrey, of Elwood, Victoria, Australia. His headstone bears the inscription "A Gallant Son. Still Living, Still Loving, Still Ours"
417228 Flight Sergeant William Robinson Pearce, Pilot, Royal Australian Air Force. Son of Bertie Clifton Pearce and Stella Ann Pearce, of Parilla, South Australia. His headstone bears the inscription "Thy Will Be Done"
542141 Sergeant Kenneth Benson Woodman, Flight Engineer, Royal Air Force. Son of John Benson Woodman and Florence Mary Woodman, of Hunton Bridge, Hertfordshire. His headstone bears the inscription "In Proud Memory Of One Loved By All. He With His Gallant Comrades Died To Save Us"
