The museum visit part of the Association’s annual reunion weekend was generously supported and hosted by Marjan Kiepura and Jane Knox-Kiepura, who had flown in from the USA for the gatherings. This was the first time that this group of people had been together at the museum for more than ten years.
Crew members from Lancaster, ME846 had trained with 1661 HCU at RAF Winthorpe in spring 1944; before flying operationally with 619 Squadron out of RAF Dunholme Lodge, Lincolnshire in the summer of 1944. Their Lancaster was shot down over Northern Belgium by a German night fighter on 21/22 June 1944.
Three crew members were killed in the resulting crash and four bailed out and survived. This particular crew is commemorated in the Memorial Garden, along with all member of 619 Squadron. The gathering also paid their respects at these commemorative trees and also at the adjacent Polish Air Force commemorative tree, all of which were established at the same time in September 2008.
Around sixty (60) people from across the UK joined Jane and Marjan for the commemoration, which took place at the end of the traditional 619 Squadron Association Reunion weekend at the Petwood Hotel in neighbouring Lincolnshire.
“The museum is really proud of its long-standing connections to the ME846 Family and the 619 Squadron Association” commented Newark Air Museum Trustee, Howard Heeley.
He concluded, “The sacrifices and valour exhibited by this and other Bomber Command crews is often understated, and everyone at the museum is pleased to have played a small part in trying to redress this situation.”
The visit attracted a lot of attention from various websites that provide information for the vibrant Polish communities in the East Midlands, and it was good to meet and host several of their representatives during the visit.
Photo Caption: The 619 Squadron ‘ME846’ crew pictured in front of a Short Stirling from 1661 HCU at RAF Winthorpe in March 1944. From left to right: Flt Sgt Peter Edmund Knox RAAF [Bomb Aimer], Sgt Thomas Newbery [Wireless Operator], Sgt Dennis ‘Geordie’ Belshaw [Flight Engineer], Plt Off Mark Anthony Hamilton ‘Dave’Davis [Pilot], Flt Sgt Leslie ‘Tag’ Taylor [Navigator], Sgt George Harry Moggridge [Mid-upper Gunner], Plt Off John Earnest Ralph ‘Porky’ Bowering RCAF [Rear Gunner].
