Name
(Leslie) John Grange
Conflict
Second World War
Date of Death / Age
22/09/1943
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Sergeant
1615904
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
78 Sqdn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
Hanover War Cemetery
4. B. 7.
Germany
Headstone Inscription
None
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin Town Memorial, Royal British Legion Plaque, Payne's Park, Hitchin, St. Saviour's Church Memorial, Hitchin, Hitchin Roll of Honour 1939 – 1945 (Book) St Mary’s Church, Hitchin
Biography
He had been a Squadron Corporal in the Air Training Corps before joining the R.A.F. He was then sent to 78 Squadron and bore the Service Number 1615904. Information regarding his death came from the brother of one of those killed in the aircraft who had somehow obtained the information from Germany. How this occurred is unclear.
The Halifax II bomber LW232-O took off for a raid on Hannover from Breighton which is between Leeds and Hull at 18.41hrs on the 22nd September 1943. Sgt Grange was in the mid-upper gun turret The Halifax was part of a force of 711 aircraft of which 226 were Halifaxes. Visibility over the target was good but strong winds caused the markers to fall 2 to 5 miles southeast of the city. During the time that the aircraft was over the target it was hit by anti-aircraft fire. Height was rapidly lost and the pilot gave the order to bail out The wireless-operator, navigator and bomb-aimer left but Grange, the flight engineer and the pilot stayed, trying to release the wounded tail-gunner who was trapped in his turret Unfortunately, the aircraft crashed and the four were killed Twenty six aircraft were lost that night, twelve of them were Halifaxes.
He is buried in Hannover War Cemetery in Plot 4, Row B, Grave 7.
He was the son of Mr & Mrs Grange of Mark Cross, Balmoral Rd, Hitchin.
Acknowledgments
David C Baines – ‘Hitchin’s Century of Sacrifice’, Paul Johnson - local historian, Herts Pictorial dated 18th July 1944, Herts & Beds Express dated 22nd July 1944
