TracesOfWar needs your help! Every euro, pound or dollar you contribute greatly supports the continuation of this website. Go to stiwot.nl and donate!

Luton, Herbert Charles

Date of birth:
May 30th, 1919 (Brislington, Bristol Unitary Authority, Bristol, United Kingdom)
Date of death:
July 21st, 1944 (Papendrecht/Zuid-Holland, the Netherlands)
Buried on:
Commonwealth War Graves Papendrecht
Plot: G. Row: 1. Grave: 12.
Service number:
542814
Nationality:
British

Biography

Sergeant Herbert Charles Luton, 25, RAF, Flight Engineer of Lancaster ‘Popeye’, killed on his 27th mission on 21 July 1944 in Papendrecht. He and the rest of the crew are buried in a special plot at Papendrecht General Cemetery.

The ‘Popeye’ of the C-flight of 115 Squadron RAF had taken off at 11.30pm from Withford airbase in Cambridgeshire, England. The aircraft was part of a formation of 147 Lancasters and 11 Mosquitos with the aim of bombing oil installations near Bomberg. Popeye was the last aircraft in the formation. On its way back, the plane was probably shot down by a night fighter or possibly by FLAK, skimmed over the houses at Oosteind in Papendrecht and crashed in a meadow where it immediately exploded.

In 2002, the aircraft was recovered due to the construction of a residential area. In 2004, this monument was unveiled, incorporating one of the Lancaster's propellers and a granite block with the text: ‘We will remember them forever’.

Do you have more information about this person? Inform us!

Sources