No.1334284, Sergeant (Air Bomber), Harry William Frederick COOKE
Aged 21
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Harry Cooke was born in Isleham in 1922 (Newmarket Q2-1922 3A:828) son of Frederick G. and Esther L.COOKE (nee HUMAN).
It is believed his parents in 1939 were in Estelle Road, St Pancras, London, father Frederick G [21-3-1895] a Metropolitan Police Constable. mother Esther L [7-5-1891] (1 closed entry) |
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On the evening of September 27th 1943, 678 allied bombers attacked the city centre of Hanover. Over 1000 explosive bombs and approx. 40000 incendiaries were dropped upon Hanover but it was mainly the north district of Hanover that was hit. Over 20,000 people lost their homes and over 200 people were killed during the raid. The allied air forces lost 49 bombers and 246 airmen. He was killed when Lancaster Mk III, Ser. No EE189 c/s VN-S from RAF Skellingthorpe, near Lincoln, crashed at Gross Forste (SSE of Hanover), killing 6 of the crew: RAAF 16249 PO Banks, M J Captain (Pilot)...kia RAF Sgt W T Smith (Flight Engineer)...kia RAF Sgt I N F Cameron, (Navigator)...kia RAF Sgt H W F Cooke, (Air Bomber)...kia RAF Sgt L C Jordan (Wireless Air Gunner)...kia RAAF Flt Sgt R C Tonkin, (Air Gunner)..survived, taken prisoner RAFR Sgt A H Simpkin, (Air Gunner)...kia. Initially the dead were buried in the cemetery at Gross Forste and removed to Hanover after the war. |
photo; Commonwealth War Graves Commission
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