Willington Cemetery
In Willington Cemetery is a family headstone which reads:-
In loving memory of
Matthew
beloved husband of Ann Pallister
of Oakenshaw
who died May 9th 1937 aged 48 years
Also of their dear son
F/Sgt. Frank Pallister R.A.F.
Killed in action 21st February 1945
aged 20 years
Also of the above Ann
who died Sept. 2nd 1976 aged 92 years
Loves Last Gift
Remembrance
Simon Glancey has submitted the following:
Sgt. Pallister was killed when Avro Lancaster I NG321 CA-V of 189 Squadron was lost on a mission to bomb the Mittelland Kanal at Gravenhorst, with the loss of six of its seven crew members.
Royal Air Force Bomber Command Losses of the Second World War: 1945; W.R. Chorley; 1998; Midland Counties Publications; ISBN 0 904597 92 X, page 88
John Jones states:
The aircraft was seen to explode in mid-air when hit by enemy gunfire. Possible claim by Maj Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer Stab NJG4 - South of Enschede (HP-HO): 1,600m at 20:51.
Tony Hibberd has added the following:
Lancaster NG321 CA-V had departed Fulbeck at 1727 for Ops Gravenhorst.
It was possibly intercepted at 1600M, S of Enschede by a Night-Fighter captained by Nacht-Jagd “Experten” Maj Heinz- Wolfgang Schnaufer (Stab NJG4) and shot down at 2051 for his 112th (One Hundred & Twelfth) Abschuss.
Nacht Jagd War Diaries Vol 2 Dr Theo Boiten
Frank Pallister is remembered in Aykley Heads on A41.02 and in Willington on W120.02 and W120.04
