Date of birth:

February 25th, 1925 (Lewisham-London/England, Great Britain)

Date of death:

March 21st, 1945 (Zenderen, the Netherland)

Buried on:

Commonwealth War Graves Municipal Cemetery 't Groenedael Almelo
Grave: 1.

Nationality:

British

Servicenumber 1392236/178869, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.

Service number 178869.

Before the war Gerald Hood worked as afurniture salesman.
On June 13th, 1941 he enlisted in the RAFV and was trained as an observer some of which took place in South Africa.
On February 22nd, 1944 he was posted at No. 100 Squadron as an operational navigator only spent his time awaiting a permanent crew. In April, 1944 he was posted to 625 Squadron and joined an already established crew.
On the night of 27th /28th April 1944 Gerald Hood flew on his first operation in Lancaster ED 938, to Friedrichshafen.
After another 24 missions he was posted to his former squadron, No. 100 Squadron.
On the night of August 13th, 1944 while on the return from a bombing mission to Braunschweig, the Lancaster was hit by either Flak or a German night fighter. Near Almelo the heavily burning Lancaster exploded in mid-air. Half of the crew, including Hood, were blown clear and regained consciousness in time to use their parachutes. Hood was soon found by local resistance fighter Jan Piksen. He was moved around a few times to diferent safe houses. On the night of March 13th, 1945 the house where he was hiding was raided by the SD. Although well concealed Hood decided to turn himself in as he feared for the lives of the women in the house.
Over the nex six days Hood was tortured in interrogation but he continued to withhold the names of the Resistance workers and other Dutch people who had sheltered and helped him over seven months. Finally he was taken from the jail, believing he would be joining other downed airmen and colleagues at Stalag Luft 1. Instead the he was driven just 3km to a small wood in Zenderen. His guards told Hood to walk forward and shot from behind in the lower neck with a 9mm barrel pistol at one metre range.
They roughly buried him, but not before stealing his navigator’s watch which served later to identify his killers.

Promotions:
?: Flight Sergeant;
28th June 1944: Pilot Officer on probation (emergency);
28th December 1944: Pilot Officer;
28th December 1944: Flying Officer (war subs.).

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

• - Second Supplement to The London Gazette of 18th August 1944, Issue 36664, dated 22nd August 1944
  - Third Supplement to The London Gazette of 30th October 1945, Issue 37333, dated 2nd November 1945
  - Fifth Supplement to The London Gazette of 4th June 1946, Issue 37598, dated 13th June 1946
  - Commonwealth Wargraves Commission
  - Avro Lancaster LM658
  - Royal Russell School
  

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