Mission Fraternite 2020 Whitley Aircrew remembered

Our friends from Mission Fraternite 2020 will be hoisting the flags of the Republic of France and the United Kingdom at the cemetery from sunrise on Wednesday 20th until sunset on Thursday 21st May on the occasion of the 80th Anniversary of the death of the airmen which occurred on 20th may 1940 at around 11:30pm. The Ode of Remembrance will be read in from of the graves.

We thank the Mission Fraternite Team for such a fitting tribute to these brave airmen.

Driffield Town Council will mirror the tribute on May 20-21st the flag to be risen in the presence of the Mayor at sunrise and then lowered on the 21st with the Last Post being played.  We will record the event and perhaps stream in live on social media.

The graves of the airmen of R for Robert
Mission Fraternité's tribute to the aircrew of Whitley V N1380 DY-R for Robert.

The Whitley V N1380 DY-R for Robert took off from RAF Driffield in an attempt to help stem the German onslaught through Northern France in 1940 and it is assumed was hit by Flak near the target area and crashed near Hamégicourt carrying its five crew to their deaths. They were Flight Lieutenant David Owen (22), Pilot Officer Dennis Holbrook (20), Sgt Duncan Barrett, LAC Reginald Newberry (20) and AC2 Michael Dolan (19).

Whitley V, N1380 'DY-R', of No. 102 Squadron RAF
Whitley V, N1380 'DY-R', of No. 102 Squadron RAF
Whitley V RAF Driffield
Three Armstrong Whitworth Whitley Mark Vs take off on a leaflet-dropping ("Nickelling") sortie from Driffield, Yorkshire. In the foreground is Whitley V, N1380 'DY-R', of No. 102 Squadron RAF, surrounded by service personnel and visiting journalists. This aircraft may have been the first aircraft to deliberately drop bombs on Germany when it took part in the important raid on Hornum on the night of 19/20 March 1940. © IWM (C 927)

For further details of Whitley “R” for Robert and the brave airmen on the images.