Hampden AE348, 408 Sqn - 9-11-1942

[dfuller52]

[Head should read 1941]

This a/c crashed near Westkerke (West Vlaanderen), 9 km SE of Ostend, but apparently the cause was not identified. Has anyone come across it or a member of the crew in their research?

The crewman I am interested in is P/O John Cayley Wilson but the rest of them were:
P/O E.B.Te M. Robertson RNZAF KIA
Sgt D.F.W. Norton KIA
Sgt D.V. Markall KIA

Errol, do you have the RNZAF fellow on file?

I just found him in CWGC

ROBERTSON, EVAN BERTRAM TE MAKAHI
Initials: E B T M
Nationality: New Zealand
Rank: Sergeant (Obs.)
Regiment/Service: Royal New Zealand Air Force
Unit Text: 408 (R.C.A.F.) Sqdn
Age: 29
Date of Death: 09/11/1941
Service No: 404556
Additional information: Son of William Alexander Robertson and Sarah Jane Robertson, of Fairlie, Canterbury, New Zealand.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Grave 2.
Cemetery: WESTKERKE PLOT OF HONOUR

[Errol Martyn]

Dave,

From my 'For Your Tomorrow - A record of New Zealanders who have died while serving with the RNZAF and Allied Air Services since 1915 (Volume Three: Biographies & Appendices)':
ROBERTSON, Sergeant Evan Bertram Te Makahi.
NZ404556; b Fairlie 19 Jan 12; Fairlie DHS; meat inspector - Agriculture Dept, Palm Nth. RNZAF Levin/GTS as Air Observer u/t 24 Nov 40, emb for Canada 6 Jan 41, att RCAF 23 Jan 41, 4AOS c.26 Jan 41, 4BGS 13 Apr 41, Air Observers Badge & Sgt & 1ANS 26 May 41, 1 M Depôt 30 Jun 41, att RAF & emb for UK c.6 Jul 41, 3PRC 29 Jul 41, 25OTU (Wellington, Hampden) 11 Aug 41, 408 Sqn RCAF (Hampden- 2 ops) 21 [27?] Oct 41, kao 9 Nov 41. Westkerke Churchyard - grave 2, West Flanders, Belgium. Son of William Alexander & Sarah Jane Robertson (née Sherburd), Fairlie. [phot. TWN 10.12.41].

And fate info per Vol One:

Sun 9/Mon 10 Nov 1941
Bomber Command

Raid on Ostend, Belgium (by 9 aircraft - 1 lost)
408 Squadron, RCAF (Syerston, Nottinghamshire - 5 Group)
Hampden I AE438/N - took off at 1755 captained by Plt Off J C Wilson, RCAF, and brought down over Belgium, crashing near Westkerke, 9km SE of Ostend. All four crew are buried at Westkerke.
Observer: NZ404556 Sgt Evan Bertram Te Makahi ROBERTSON, RNZAF - Age 29. 183hrs. 2nd op.

Also Amendment from Vol Three:

p154; ROBERTSON, E B Te M – shot down by a flak battery at Ettelgem/Ostend and crashed on the farm of Mr Vandekerckhove along the Zeeweg of Westkerke.

Errol

[dfuller52]

Thanks Errol, that's very helpful. Another FTR on my list has been located. How did you get the info about the cause of the crash?

Also, I notice his parents have quite common English names but he must have Maori in his family, with his middle name. Or was it a case of Anglicizing the name when in fact they were Maori?