Photo: Dorothy Hall
Safe in God's garden of rest
Son of Robert Swinney, and of Florence Swinney, of Chester-le-Street, Co. Durham.
In Christ Churchyard is a family headstone which reads:
Treasured
memories of
my dear husband
Robert Swinney
died 24th January 1947
aged 52 years
Florence his dear wife
died 10th January 1961
aged 62 years
Arthur Swinney R.A.F.V.R.
their son lost over Germany
28th September 1943
aged 23 years
F/Sgt Swinney was serving with 156 Sqdn. He was a crew member of Lancaster III JA919 GT- which took off from Warboys on a mission to Hannover. It is thought that the aircraft exploded in the vicinity of Hannover. One man survived and was taken prisoner.
On this particular date, 27-28 Sept. 1943, 47 assorted aircraft were lost in this raid, each aircraft containing an average of 7 crew. Some survived and were taken prisoner, the others all died.
Royal Air Force Bomber Command Losses of the Second World War: 1943; W.R. Chorley; Midland Counties Publications; ISBN 0 904597 90 3.
Arthur Swinney is remembered at Woodstone Village on W134.02 and at Great Lumley on G50.01
