ALFRED JAMES MANNING

Alfred is not remembered on the war memorial at Christchurch Park.

Born: 25th April 1913, Ipswich.

Baptised: 30th May 1913, at St. Clement’s Church, Ipswich.

Died: 29th August 1941; age 28.

Rank: Sergeant/Wireless Operator/Air Gunner; Service Number: 961238.

Regiment: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.

Grave Reference:

17.A.13.

Reichswald Forest War Cemetery,

Kleve,

Germany.

Relatives Notified & Address: Son of Alfred William and Laura Lydia Manning, of Ipswich.

Brother to ALBERT EDWARD MANNING.

Father: Alfred William Manning, born December 1885, Ipswich. A thrashing machine erector.

Mother: Laura Lydia Manning (nee Gardiner), born April 1885, Woolwich, Kent.

Probate to Alfred William Manning – father, of 164, Rosehill Road, Ipswich.

28th/29th August 1941

Aircraft: Handley Page Halifax Mk I; serial number: L9501; code: TL-Y. L9501 took-off at 00:12hrs from it’s base at Linton-on-Ouse, North Yorkshire; it was the 14th deployment of the Halifax and it’s 7 man crew. They joined 117 other aircraft on a bombing mission against the city of Duisburg’s railways. During the mission L9501 was severely hit by German anti-aircraft fire. Just before the aircraft crashed a crew member attempted to bail out, but the parachute became entangled and was dragged forward, the body was later found on the southern bank of the Lippe River, a right tributary of the Rhine. L9501 turned over in the air before crashing near the Lippe River between the villages of Gahlen and Schermbeck. Cries from the crew men could be heard from the burning wreckage, but could not be help. The crew were laid to rest at Schermbeck Civil Cemetery, Wesel.

Crew:

Alfred William Rose; Sergeant/Wireless Operator/Air Gunner; R.A.F.V.R.

Herbert Thompson; Sergeant/Wireless Operator/Air Gunner; age 20; R.A.F.V.R.

Harold Brelsford; Sergeant/Navigator; R.A.F.V.R.

Frederick William Hill; Sergeant/Flight Engineer; age 34; R.A.F.V.R.

Charles James Pearson; Pilot Officer/Pilot; age 27; R.A.F.V.R.

Arthur Edward Charles Adkins; Pilot Officer/Pilot; age 24; R.A.F.V.R.

In April 1947, the bodies of the crew were exhumed and re-buried at Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Kleve.

Information found on WW2Talk forum:

http://ww2talk.com/index.php?threads/halifax-crash-in-germany-maybe-35-sqdn-help-wanted.52021/page-2