PLOUGASNOU COMMUNAL CEMETERY
Finistère
France
GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 48.69712, Longitude: -3.79038
Image above © Thierry Grier
Location Information
Plougasnou is a village and commune 14 kilometres north-north-east of Morlaix, on the main road to the coast. There is a railway station in the village on a branch line from Morlaix and the service is reasonably frequent. Taxis are also available at Morlaix, which is on the Paris-Le Mans-St. Brieuc-Brest line. The communal cemetery is west of the village church, South-south-east of the monument. Opposite the entrance, towards the rear of the cemetery, are the graves of six airmen of the Royal Air Force and two men of the Royal Canadian Navy, one of whom is not identified. Six of the graves are on the right of the path and two on the left.
Images in gallery below © Thierry Grier
The following seven crew members took off at 17:12 on 29th January 1943 from Rufforth Air Field in North Yorkshire in their Halifax II DT680. The cause of loss has not been established but six members of the crew are buried in this cemetery, Pilot Officer White's body was not recovered and he is commemorated on the Runnymede Air Force Memorial in Surrey.
118090 Pilot Officer
Michael Kerslake Brett
Wireless Operator in 158 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
29th January 1943, aged 22.
Son of Ernest Alfred and Ethel Brett, of Westmeston, Sussex.
His headstone bears the inscription "I Thank God Upon Every Remembrance Of You"
Michael Kerslake Brett
Wireless Operator in 158 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
29th January 1943, aged 22.
Son of Ernest Alfred and Ethel Brett, of Westmeston, Sussex.
His headstone bears the inscription "I Thank God Upon Every Remembrance Of You"
1416025 Sergeant Thomas Leslie Gray, Air Gunner in 158 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 29th January 1943, aged 21. Son of Thomas and Frances Lucy Gray, of Holloway, London. His headstone bears the inscription "My Dear Boy We Do Not Forget You , We Loved You Too Dearly. Mum, Dad And Stan"
138827 Pilot Officer Kenneth Charles Hammond, Navigator in 158 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 29th January 1943, aged 28. Son of Albert and Phillis Gertrude Hammond, of Brighton, Sussex. His headstone bears the inscription "And From The Ground There Blossoms Red, Life That Shall Endless Be"
1339757 Sergeant Henry Berryman Moorshead, Air Gunner in 158 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 29th January 1943, aged 24. Son of William Albert and Hannah Olga Florence Moorshead, of Ford, Plymouth. His headstone bears the inscription "A Silent Thought A Secret Tear, Keep His Memory Ever Dear"
1211131 Sergeant Nicholas Pringle, Flight Engineer in 158 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 29th January 1943.
120667 Pilot Officer Ronald George Wood, Air Bomber in 158 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 29th January 1943, aged 20. Son of Charles Thomas Woods and Edith May Woods, of Bedford. His headstone bears the inscription "To A Beautiful Life Came A Sudden End"
138827 Pilot Officer Kenneth Charles Hammond, Navigator in 158 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 29th January 1943, aged 28. Son of Albert and Phillis Gertrude Hammond, of Brighton, Sussex. His headstone bears the inscription "And From The Ground There Blossoms Red, Life That Shall Endless Be"
1339757 Sergeant Henry Berryman Moorshead, Air Gunner in 158 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 29th January 1943, aged 24. Son of William Albert and Hannah Olga Florence Moorshead, of Ford, Plymouth. His headstone bears the inscription "A Silent Thought A Secret Tear, Keep His Memory Ever Dear"
1211131 Sergeant Nicholas Pringle, Flight Engineer in 158 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 29th January 1943.
120667 Pilot Officer Ronald George Wood, Air Bomber in 158 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 29th January 1943, aged 20. Son of Charles Thomas Woods and Edith May Woods, of Bedford. His headstone bears the inscription "To A Beautiful Life Came A Sudden End"
The H.M.C.S. Athabaskan was torpedoed and sunk in the English Channel on 29th April, 1944.
V/3677 Able Seaman
Paul Henri Aloys Chamberland
H. M. C. S. Athabaskan, Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve
29th April 1944, aged 21.
Son of Fortunat and Emma Chamberland.
His headstone bears the inscription "He Died For His Country"
Paul Henri Aloys Chamberland
H. M. C. S. Athabaskan, Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve
29th April 1944, aged 21.
Son of Fortunat and Emma Chamberland.
His headstone bears the inscription "He Died For His Country"
Original Grave Marker
