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Dear Members,

         On the 8th February 2020 we as Lancaster commitee will create a memorial at Best, in The Netherlands.  I am in touch with quite some crew relatives but i still need help to track down the relatives of F/Sgt Gilbert Lonsdale of Fallowfield,Manchester. Gilbert was the son of Hugh Henry Lonsdale and Edith Lonsdale.He was a bombaimer on board of a 83 squadron Lancaster bomber which took off for a raid on the Dortmund Ems Canal near Ladbergen on 8th February 1945. On their way return to England and over Holland their aircraft collided with another aircraft caused about bad visibility and bad weather. Both aircraft fell between the villages Best and Son which also took the lives of fifteen young airmen. Gilbert is buried with full honour at Nederweert war Cemetery in Holland. He was just 21 years of age when he died.

For a proposed memorial unveiled 8th Febr 2020 I trying to track down the family of a Leicester warhero F/Lt Gerard Stansfield Johnson. He was the Son of Arthur and Emily Mary Johnson ,of Leicester. F/Lt G.S.Johnson was the Bombaimer of a Lancaster crew of Lancaster ND961 who took part in a raid on Ladbergen(Dortmund Ems canal) on 8th Febr 1945. Over Holland ND961 collided with Lancaster PB181 and both crashed which took the lives of total 15 crewmembers among them G.Johnson. Sadly I have no further info about his birthplace and/or date.

Regards,
Adrian van Zantvoort

Hello,  Next year 22 June 2019 we will erect an RAF Memorial on the spot at Riethoven (Holland)where on the 22nd June 1944 a 44 Squadron Lancaster LM592 crashed which took the lives of the entire crew. Amongst them 22 year old Wireless Operator F/O Walter Marshall Crook from Kirkham,Lancashire who was the son of Arthur and Mary Crook. Walter Crook was married with Dorothy Crook of Kirkham,Lancashire. Walter rest at Eindhoven Woensel cemetery. We are in touch with the relatives of the pilot E.A.Canty from Australia and we would like to get in touch with the relatives of the entire crew to make it possible that they could attend the memorial service.
Thank you so much for your help,
Adrian

For a proposed memorial unveiled 29th September 2018 i would like to get in touch with the relatives of F/Lt John Kennedy Stewart. He was the son of Alexander and Elizabeth Stewart; Husband of Edna Denley Stewart of Torquay,Devon.  F/Lt Stewart was a Navigator on a 35 sqdn Lancaster Pathfinders.
Returned from a raid on Dortmund 22 may 1944 his aircraft was intercepted by a German nightfighter and crashed near Vessem.

I hope that some one put me into the right direction to get in touch with his family
Adrian van Zantvoort

For a proposed RAF memorial(to be unveiled 29th September 2018) I would like to get in touch with the relatives of Airgunner and F/Sgt Albert William Cox from Parkstone,Poole. Albert(21) lost his life when his aircraft a lancaster shot down over Vessem The Netherlands on the 22nd May 1944. I received help from people of the Poole history centre and told me that Albert lived with his family at Runton Road, in Sunninghill,Parkstone. Albert's parents William and Florence(Nee Medway) were married at Bedwelty in Wales 1915. They had two Children Albert(1923) and older sister Mary F Cox born 1919. Mary F Cox married an Alfred G Snook in Bournemouth in 1941 and had a Daughter Frances N Snook, born Poole 1942. Mary F Snook born 1919 died North Somerset. Williams Alberts father was still living at Runton Road in 1951 but sadly his Wife Florence Rose died in 1946, aged 53. Also put appeals in the Bournemouth Echo several times but no luck. Any one could help??

Thank you so much,
Adrian