No. 658425, Flight Sergeant (Navigator), Peter George DEAVES D.F.M.
Aged 21
|
Peter George Deaves was born in 1923 (Downham Q1-1923 4B:475) son of Thomas and Minnie DEAVES
(née NEEP)
His father Thomas [19-4-1886] and mother Minnie [15-11-1897] were at Worlington Post Office in 1939, given as Peter's home address. ( 1 closed record) |
|
Peter was navigator in a Moquito FBVI, ser no NI408 (based at Lasham, in Hampshire)) flown by Flying Officer Robert Cohen which took off at 13:00 from Swanton Morley on April 11th 1944 to bomb the Population Registry in the KleyKamp in The Haque, Netherlands. This building held the original Dutch registration documents and jeopardised any attempt to forge passes etc. The raid was partially successful, but many document were safe in fire proof cabinets, and many innocent civilians working in the building were killed (it had been believed initially that those working there were collaborators but in the event few were. All six aircraft returned safely. Peters plane was piloted by 21 year old Robert Cohen, a student of Delft University. Cohen was of Jewish descent and succeeded together with a co-student to cross the North Sea between 19 and 22 June 1941 in a canoe and to reach England. There he volunteered with the Royal Air Force. The two were still together when, on the evening of 10th August 1944, they took off from Lasham in Mosquito NT106 part of a flight of 14 Mosquitos of 613 Squadron ( RAF) on an Intruder mission ( opportunity attacks on German targets on the ground) on the sector Chartres- Dreux-L'Aigle - Domfront. According to John Vick flying in Mosquito Nr 194 PZ 613 Squadron, he took his plane to target a German train parked near the station at Tillières -sur- Avre. He got a call from Cohen to ask if there was any activity in the area. Receiving an affirmative, Cohen then diverted towards Tillières -sur- Avre to attack the same German train track as John Vick. However, between the two attacks , the German soldiers had time to reorganize and Flak located on the heights of Tillières -sur - Avre was operational again . When Cohen's Mosquito came over the city , he was immediately targeted by flak . Mortally wounded, the aircraft lost altitude and crashed near Breux -sur- Avre and two airmen perished. Peter Deave is buried there, but Robert Cohen was later re-buried north of Paris at the NETHERLANDS FIELD OF HONOUR at Orry la Ville. The citation for Peter's DFM was gazetted in September 1944. His participation in the raid on KleyKamp was no doubt taken into consideration:- 658425 Flight Sergeant Peter George DEAVES, R.A.F., 613 Sqn As observer this airman has taken part in a large number of sorties, involving attacks on air- fields, railway installations, mechanical transport and other military targets both by day and night. He has displayed great skill and co-operation and his excellent work has contributed in good measure to the successes obtained. He has set a fine example to all.
|
© Alain Octavie (Fr) http://liberty-jeep.info/ via Pierre Vandervelden inmemories.com
photo from www.aircrewremembered.com
click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details
