LEST WE FORGET
Pilot Officer Jack Sainsbury WOODHAMS
Service No: 415567
Born: Cottesloe WA, 13 February 1916
Enlisted in the RAAF: 9 November 1941
Unit: No. 106 Squadron (RAF), RAF Metheringham, Lincolnshire
Died: Air Operations (No. 106 Squadron Lancaster aircraft ND851, France, 10 May 1944, Aged 28 Years
Buried: Evreux Communal Cemetery, Eure, France
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Harry and Ethel Alice Woodhams; husband of Phyllis June Woodhams, of Mount Hawthorn, Western Australia.
Roll of Honour: Perth WA
Remembered: Panel 132, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Cenotaph Undercroft, State War Memorial, Kings Park WA
Lancaster ND851 took off from RAF Metheringham at 2225 hours on the night of 9/10th May 1944, detailed to attack the Gnome and Rhone works at Genneville, France. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take off and it failed to return to base. A Missing Research & Enquiry team report stated “The aircraft crashed and exploded near Chateau Les Rufflets, in the community of Harcourt, France.” Six of the crew were killed and Sergeant James became a Prisoner of War.
The crew members of ND851 were:
Sergeant Ernest Anthony (1580805) (RAF) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Sergeant E O James (1338392) (RAFVR) (Air Bomber) PoW
Sergeant Walter Leo Arthur Restell (1874029) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer)
Flight Sergeant Eric Shepherd (1576640) (RAFVR) (Navigator)
Flight Sergeant Royal Joseph Smith (J/90919) (RCAF) (Rear Gunner)
Sergeant Raymond Foster Toland (544267) (RAF) (Mid Upper Gunner)
Pilot Officer Jack Sainsbury Woodhams (415567) (Pilot)
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records (RAAF Casualty Information compiled by Alan Storr (409804))
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veteran’s Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 166/44/129