Florennes Communal Cemetery CWGC Plot

The plot is located towards the back right corner of the cemetery upon entering from the road. It is marked by a Cross of Sacrifice and large overhanging trees. The 75 burials are all men who served in the Royal Air Force and the Royal Canadian Air Force. They died during active service between 1942 to 43, with most of the burials being 1943.

A number of these airmen were shot down around the area of the town of Florennes. It was here that, following the occupation of Belgium in 1940, the airfield was expanded by the Luftwaffe (German Air Force). RAF Bombers were shot down on route to bomb strategic locations in Belgium, or on their return from bombing raids over Germany. This area was referred to as ‘sector 7’.

In April 1943, the Luftwaffe deployed night fighter aircraft with radars at the airfield in Florennes. Working in conjunction with the Freya Radar, the night fighters were able to track RAF aircraft in the area. On 14 April, eleven short Stirling bomber aircraft took off from Newmarket airfield in the UK, armed with incendiary bombs for an operation over Stuttgart, Germany. At 21:32, aircraft BF513 (code named AA-E), part of No.75 New Zealand Squadron, took off for its first operation, joining up with fifteen other squadrons.

Upon reaching their target, they encountered German night fighters and anti-aircraft fire. They dropped their bombs and headed for home. However, as they flew through an area believed to be poorly defended, they encountered German BF 110 night fighters with radar. Aircraft BF513 was shot down just south of Florennes, crashing into a forest and killing all crew onboard. They were buried in the cemetery here. The youngest of the crew, the pilot, was aged nineteen. The crew were:

Pilot Officer D.G McGaskill, RNZAF aged 19

Pilot Officer J.K Grainger, RNZAF aged 21

Sgt B, Elwell, RAF aged 26

Sgt R.T.C Green, RAF aged 27

Sgt A. McVicar, RAF aged 20

Sgt E.D Cook, RAF aged 19

Sgt R.A Smith, RNZAF aged 22