Personnel Index - Detail

Name
ELLENOR
First Names
John
Rank
Sgt
Service
RAF
Service Number
1816199
Crew Position
Air Gunner
Age
33
Date of Death
27/04/1944
Cemetery

 

Photographed by Terry Atkinson

Photograph courtesy of Terry Atkinson
 

"To be posted if I don't come back"
 

To my daughter Barbara

Dear Barbara,

If you ever read this letter, you will by then be old enough to realise and understand what it all means. At the time of my writing this, you are four years of age, and even at this tender age, you have experienced some of the horrors of war, even though you were mercifully oblivious to it all. You will also know that your Daddy was taken from you while fighting to help free the world from the evil influence which forced this war upon an otherwise peace-loving world.

I want you to know, dear, that your Daddy fought and died for what he considered to be right, that you and others like you can grow up in a world which is clean and decent. That everyone may think as they please, and speak what they think, that they may live cleanly and decently, that is what we are fighting for. I want you to try and live up to these ideals, my dear, be upright, honest and straightforward and be sure always that your actions are such that you can always look the world in the face.

In this, I can offer you no better example than the sweetest little woman in the world, my wife, your Mother. If you grow up to be like your Mother, then I can ask no more. We had planned to do a lot of things for you Barbara, but God decreed that your Mother should undertake this responsibility without my help, so I want you to do all you can to help her. I expect the time will come when you will marry and then your Mother will be alone, and if that time comes I know you will not forget her.

Well, Barbara, I think I have covered all I want to say, so I will now say Goodbye my darling.
May God bless you and yours.

Your loving Daddy

(Written by Jack Ellenor before his final raid on the 27th April 1944)
 

To see the original letter click this link
 

Photographed by Terry Atkinson
Barbara at her father's grave. Sadly she has recently passed away.
 

Photographed by Terry Atkinson
Sizer...Dickinson...Hainsworth...MacKenzie...Wale...Hudson...Ellenor



A sketch by Norman MacKenzie. Click to load a larger version in a new window.
 

26/27 April, 1944; SCHWEINFURT:

Mosquitoes of 627 Squadron, Woodhall Spa, used 5 Group's low-level marking technique for the first time. The attempt was not accurate and much of the bombing fell outside Schweinfurt. Meanwhile, German night fighters had managed to penetrate the 215 strong main force taking a heavy toll; 21 Lancasters failed to return.

P/O John Dickinson and crew were lost. After surviving so many close calls in the earlier part of their tour, the 'reaper' finally got them on their 25th operation. Many on the squadron thought that Johnny Dickinson and crew, (who loved flying their Lancaster at very low-level on training flights) had been blessed with that precious bomber crew commodity 'luck', and were sure that they would get through their tour. Seven white headstones in a neat line mark where all seven lie at peace in Ugny-sur-Meuse Cemetery, France.
 

Lancaster LL908
P/O J.R. Dickinson Pilot (Killed)
Sgt R.B. Hainsworth F/E (Killed)
F/S F.W. Wale NAV (Killed)
Sgt C.W.F. Sizer W/OP (Killed)
W/O N.F. Mackenzie RCAF B/A (Killed)
Sgt J. Ellenor A/G (Killed)
Sgt R.H. Hudson DFM A/G (Killed)

Crew on their 25th operation



Part of the wreckage.......click this link for a larger version (in a new window)

Hauptman Helmut Bergmann of 8 NJG4 shot down three Lancasters in 11 minutes.

  • JB601 of 106Sqn: 26th kill at 00.50hrs
  • JB679 of 49Sqn: 27th kill at 00.57hrs
  • LL908 of 49sqn: 28th kill at 01.01hrs.

Interception was at an altitude of 12,000ft, near Ugny, 15kms SW of Toul.

It would appear that he used 'Schrage Musik' cannon to despatch these aircraft.

Click this link to view details of Hauptman Bergmann together with his combat report and English translation.

 

Since originally labelled, W/O Mackenzie (first in line), F/Sgt Wale (the shortest member) and Sgt Ellenor (2nd from the right) have been identified

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Click this link to view a larger copy in a new window