No. NZ404106, Flying Officer Jack William WALTERS D.F.C.
Aged 23
Royal New Zealand Air Force, 7 (RAF) Squadron
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Jack William WALTERS was born on 5th January 1921 in Gisborne, New Zealand, son of Jack Vernon and Cecelia Constance M.WALTERS (née LISTER) of Gisborne, New Zealand. A postman in civilian life, he married Julia Rosina ENEFER of Hockwold in Q2-1942, who re-married in 1946 to Ellis G.PLUMPTON. They had a son, born in Hockwold in 1943. That is the sum total known so far about this family |
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My thanks to Errol Martyn for permission to use his work:- from his trilogy "For Your Tomorrow" - A record of New Zealanders who have died while serving with
the RNZAF and Allied Air Services since 1915 (Volume Two: Fates 1943-1998): Fri 19/Sat 20 May 1944 BOMBER COMMAND Raid on railway yards at Le Mans, France (by 112 Lancasters and 4 Mosquitoes - 5 lost) 7 Squadron, RAF (Oakington, Cambridgeshire - 8 [PFF] Group) Lancaster III ND845/C - took off at 2222 and brought down over the target area while acting as ‘Master Bomber’, crashing in the vicinity of the Renault works, 3km NW of the Le Mans airfield. All eight crew died, the captain and four others being buried at Le Mans on the 20th. The RCAF mid-upper gunner was later reinterred in the Canadian War Cemetery at Bretteville-sur-Laize, while the wireless operator, air bomber and rear gunner have no known graves and are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. ND845 was last heard stating its intention to descend below cloud to join Deputy Master Bomber 7 Sqn Lancaster JB653, which had descended earlier, and it is thought the two collided. However, 115 Squadron Lancaster HK547 is also a possibility as it crashed in the same area as the Master Bomber, whereas the Deputy came down several kilometres away. There were no survivors from any of the three Lancasters. Captured German documents claim that ND845 was brought down by flak and the other two ‘presumably’ and ‘probably’ so, respectively. It is possible that flak damage to one Lancaster led to loss of control followed by a collision with one of the others. A measure of the experience of ND845’s crew may be gained from the glittering array of nine awards held between them - four DSOs, 2 DFCs and 3 DFMs. Captain: NZ401749 Wg Cdr James Fraser BARRON, DSO* DFC DFM, RNZAF - Age 23. 1264hrs. 79th op. Wireless Op: NZ404106 Fg Off Jack William WALTERS, DFC, RNZAF - Age 23. 51st op. Barron, having returned to 7 Sqn the previous December after nine months instructional duties, was on his third tour. He had also flown ops with 15 Sqn, and 1651 HCU, RAF. This was Jack Walters’ second tour, his first being flown with 75 (NZ) Sqn, RAF. And Vol Three (Biographies & Appendices): WALTERS, Flying Officer Jack William. DFC, (pff). NZ404106; born Gisborne 5 January 1921; Marist Bros HS, Gisborne; postman - P & T Dept, Gisborne. RNZAF Levin/Ground Training School as Air Gunner under training 26 Oct 1940, embarked for Canada 5 Dec 1940, attached RCAF 23 December 1940, 2 Wireless School 24 Dec 1940, 5 Bombing & Gunnery School 26 May 41, Air Gunners Badge & remustered as Wireless Operator/Air Gunner and promoted Sergeant 23 Jun 1941, 1 M Depôt 30 Jun 41, attached RAF and embarked for UK 6 Jul 1941. 3 Personnel Reception Centre 29 Jul 1941, 2 Radio School 6 Aug 1941, 12 Operational Training Unit (Wellington) 21 Oct 1941, 75(NZ)Sqn (Wellington - 30 ops) 14 Jan 1942, 11 Operational Training Unit (Wellington) as instructor 28 Aug 1942. Commissioned 1 Jun 1943, 7 (RAF)Sqn (Lancaster - 21 ops) 27 Dec 43 [attached Pathfinder Force Navigation Training Unit (Lancaster) 28 Dec-c.10 Jan 44], Pathfinder Force Badge 14 Mar 44, kao 20 May 44. His Distinguished Flying Cross citation ((14 Dec 1945 to date from 19 May 1944):- " [7(PFF)Sqn RAF (Lancaster)] Flying Officer Walters has completed, as Wireless Operator, many successful operations against the enemy, in the course of which he has invariably displayed high skill, fortitude and devotion to duty." The entire crew of MG-C were killed:- Wing Commander J.F. BARRON DSO & bar, DFC DFM (RNZAF); Squadron Leader J. BAKER DSO; Flight Sergeant D.W. WOOD; Squadron Leader P.R. COLDWELL DSO, DFM; Pilot Officer O A. PRICE; Flying Officer J.W. WALTERS DFC (RNZAF); Flying Officer R.L. WEATHERALL DFM (RCAF) and Warrant Officer J. LAMONBY. |
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