7 RAF Squadron's Short Stirling III (BK709 MG-P) aircraft, with seven aircrew on board, took flight during the evening of 14 April 1943 from RAF base at Oakington in Cambridgeshire The Stirling was one of 462 aircraft (Wellingtons, Lancasters. Halifaxes and Stirlingss) which participated in a night operation over Stuttgart, Germany. BK709 went missing, presumably shot down by enemy fire at Biblis, 9km NE from Worms.
The 7 airmen who perished in this accident were-
RCAF Warrant Officer Class II Henry Ellwood BUDD,
RAFVR Sergeant Ronald Richard FOX,
RCAF Pilot Officer Matthew MANK,
RCAF Warrant Officer Harold Donald OKE,
RCAF Warrant Officer Class II Jean Robert ROY,
RAFVR Sergeant Patrick WADDING and
RAFVR Sergeant Archibald WALKER.
Military Service:-
Rank: Pilot Officer
Trade: Pilot
Service Number: J/16626
Age: 21
Force: Air Force
Unit: Royal Canadian Air Force
Division: #7 RAF Squadron (MOTTO: 'Per Diem Per Noctem' ('Through Day, Through Night). Pathfinder Force
An M. I. T. student, residing in the M. I. T. Dormitories in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, he enlisted in the RCAF on 16 May 1941 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Son of David and Lillian (née Sultzer) Mank of Miami, Florida, USA [father born in Latvia; mother born in New York City] .
Pilot Officer Matthew Mank is commemorated on Page 186 of Canada's Second World War Book of Remembrance.
He is also commemorated by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
7 RAF Squadron's Short Stirling III (BK709 MG-P) aircraft, with seven aircrew on board, took flight during the evening of 14 April 1943 from RAF base at Oakington in Cambridgeshire The Stirling was one of 462 aircraft (Wellingtons, Lancasters. Halifaxes and Stirlingss) which participated in a night operation over Stuttgart, Germany. BK709 went missing, presumably shot down by enemy fire at Biblis, 9km NE from Worms.
The 7 airmen who perished in this accident were-
RCAF Warrant Officer Class II Henry Ellwood BUDD,
RAFVR Sergeant Ronald Richard FOX,
RCAF Pilot Officer Matthew MANK,
RCAF Warrant Officer Harold Donald OKE,
RCAF Warrant Officer Class II Jean Robert ROY,
RAFVR Sergeant Patrick WADDING and
RAFVR Sergeant Archibald WALKER.
Military Service:-
Rank: Pilot Officer
Trade: Pilot
Service Number: J/16626
Age: 21
Force: Air Force
Unit: Royal Canadian Air Force
Division: #7 RAF Squadron (MOTTO: 'Per Diem Per Noctem' ('Through Day, Through Night). Pathfinder Force
An M. I. T. student, residing in the M. I. T. Dormitories in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, he enlisted in the RCAF on 16 May 1941 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Son of David and Lillian (née Sultzer) Mank of Miami, Florida, USA [father born in Latvia; mother born in New York City] .
Pilot Officer Matthew Mank is commemorated on Page 186 of Canada's Second World War Book of Remembrance.
He is also commemorated by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Inscription
(Epitaph….)
OUR BELOVED SON
OF WHOM WE WILL ALWAYS HAVE
BEAUTIFUL MEMORIES
