HELLELAND CHURCHYARD
Helleland
Norway
Location Information
Helleland is 11 kilometres north-east of the port of Egersund in the south-west of Norway. From Stavanger follow the E39 in the direction of Kristiansand. Go past the junction with the 42 to Egersund. Just past this junction there is a small church on the left (this is not Helleland church). Follow the E39 for another half kilometre and Helleland church is on the right of the E39. The Commonwealth war graves are located behind the church to the left of the churchyard.
Historical Information
During the Second World War, Norway was of strategic importance to the Germans. Their invasion on 9 April 1940 was sudden and widespread and despite Allied intervention, the entire country was under German occupation by early June. Thereafter, Allied activity in Norway was confined to raids and special operations, with the Commonwealth air forces providing support to Norwegian resistance groups until the German capitulation in May 1945. There are no Commonwealth war cemeteries in Norway, those who died there being buried in civil cemeteries and churchyards.
In November 1942, an attempt was made to destroy the hydroelectric power station at Vermork, in Telemark, where heavy water was produced for German atomic research. Two gliders and an aircraft engaged in the raid crashed in southern Norway. All those aboard, Royal Engineers of the 1st Airborne Division and members of the Commonwealth air forces, were either killed in the crash or died later, at the hands of their German captors. The heavy water plant was eventually destroyed by a party of six Norwegians dropped by parachute in 1943.
Helleland Churchyard contains the graves of seven Commonwealth airmen who died in the raid. The others who died in the incident are buried in Stavanger (Eiganes) Churchyard.
Burial Details
751516 Flight Sergeant Albert Buckton, Wireless Operator/Air Gunner, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 20th November 1942, aged 23. Son of Charles Gregory and Elizabeth Buckton, of West Hartlepool, Co. Durham.
1259259 Flight Sergeant George Mercier Edwards, Air Gunner, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 20th November 1942, aged 24. Son of George Henry and Sidona Edwards.
573120 Flight Sergeant James Falconer, Flight Engineer, Royal Air Force, died 20th November 1942, aged 20. Son of Edward Smith and Jessie Falconer, of Edzell, Angus.
115977 Flying Officer Arnold Thomas Hayward Haward, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 20th November 1942, aged 28. Son of Henry Horace and Lilian Mary Haward, of Cuddington, Cheshire.
J/5470 Flight Lieutenant Arthur Roland Parkinson, Royal Canadian Air Force, died 20th November 1942, aged 26. Son of Arthur H. and Ethel Parkinson, of Lachine, Province of Quebec, Canada. B.Sc. (McGill University, Montreal).
116942 Pilot Officer Gerard Walter Sewell De Gency, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 20th November 1942, aged 20. Son of Rene Arnold and Suzanne Celine Lucie Sewell, of Bushey, Hertfordshire.
101580 Flight Lieutenant Arthur Edwin Thomas, Observer, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 20th November 1942, aged 32. Son of Edwin and Ethel Florence Maria Thomas; husband of Joan Cicely Thomas, of Bexhill, Sussex.
Pictures © Åge Jakobsen
Helleland is 11 kilometres north-east of the port of Egersund in the south-west of Norway. From Stavanger follow the E39 in the direction of Kristiansand. Go past the junction with the 42 to Egersund. Just past this junction there is a small church on the left (this is not Helleland church). Follow the E39 for another half kilometre and Helleland church is on the right of the E39. The Commonwealth war graves are located behind the church to the left of the churchyard.
Historical Information
During the Second World War, Norway was of strategic importance to the Germans. Their invasion on 9 April 1940 was sudden and widespread and despite Allied intervention, the entire country was under German occupation by early June. Thereafter, Allied activity in Norway was confined to raids and special operations, with the Commonwealth air forces providing support to Norwegian resistance groups until the German capitulation in May 1945. There are no Commonwealth war cemeteries in Norway, those who died there being buried in civil cemeteries and churchyards.
In November 1942, an attempt was made to destroy the hydroelectric power station at Vermork, in Telemark, where heavy water was produced for German atomic research. Two gliders and an aircraft engaged in the raid crashed in southern Norway. All those aboard, Royal Engineers of the 1st Airborne Division and members of the Commonwealth air forces, were either killed in the crash or died later, at the hands of their German captors. The heavy water plant was eventually destroyed by a party of six Norwegians dropped by parachute in 1943.
Helleland Churchyard contains the graves of seven Commonwealth airmen who died in the raid. The others who died in the incident are buried in Stavanger (Eiganes) Churchyard.
Burial Details
751516 Flight Sergeant Albert Buckton, Wireless Operator/Air Gunner, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 20th November 1942, aged 23. Son of Charles Gregory and Elizabeth Buckton, of West Hartlepool, Co. Durham.
1259259 Flight Sergeant George Mercier Edwards, Air Gunner, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 20th November 1942, aged 24. Son of George Henry and Sidona Edwards.
573120 Flight Sergeant James Falconer, Flight Engineer, Royal Air Force, died 20th November 1942, aged 20. Son of Edward Smith and Jessie Falconer, of Edzell, Angus.
115977 Flying Officer Arnold Thomas Hayward Haward, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 20th November 1942, aged 28. Son of Henry Horace and Lilian Mary Haward, of Cuddington, Cheshire.
J/5470 Flight Lieutenant Arthur Roland Parkinson, Royal Canadian Air Force, died 20th November 1942, aged 26. Son of Arthur H. and Ethel Parkinson, of Lachine, Province of Quebec, Canada. B.Sc. (McGill University, Montreal).
116942 Pilot Officer Gerard Walter Sewell De Gency, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 20th November 1942, aged 20. Son of Rene Arnold and Suzanne Celine Lucie Sewell, of Bushey, Hertfordshire.
101580 Flight Lieutenant Arthur Edwin Thomas, Observer, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 20th November 1942, aged 32. Son of Edwin and Ethel Florence Maria Thomas; husband of Joan Cicely Thomas, of Bexhill, Sussex.
Pictures © Åge Jakobsen
