Cummings, Kenneth George
Personal Information
Rank | P/O |
Forename(s) | Kenneth George |
Surname | Cummings |
Gender | M |
Age | |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 20-02-1944 |
Next of Kin | Son of James V. and Edith Cummings, of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Handley Page Halifax II |
Serial Number | JN972 |
Markings | DY-H |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | Germany |
Burial/Memorial Place | Hanover War Cemetery |
Grave Reference | 12. C. 4. |
Epitaph | LOVED IN LIFE, IN DEATH FONDLY REMEMBERED |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 151 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | J/19803 |
Service | Royal Canadian Air Force |
Group | 4 |
Squadron | 102 (Ceylon) |
Trade | Pilot |
Country of Origin | Canada |
Other Memorials
Location | St. Catherine's Church Barmby Moor, East Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Roll of Honour in wall mounted wooden case, Sqn Badge above |
Memorial Text | 102 (Ceylon) Sqn Roll of Honour and Sqn badge |
Location | Pocklington Gliding Club, Pocklington Airfield, Easy Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Stylised Memorial with inscribed metal plaque |
Memorial Text | Memorial to 102 (Ceylon) Sqn RAF and 405 (Vancouver) Sqn RCAF which served at RAF Pocklington during WW2 |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/810/4 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/810/3 |
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 19-02-1944 |
End Date | 20-02-1944 |
Takeoff Station | Pocklington |
Day/Night Raid | Night (22% moon) |
Operation | Leipzig. 823 aircraft, 78 losses (9.5%). Excluding early returners, the Halifax loss rate was 14.9%. As a result, Halifax Mks II and V were permanently withdrawn from service over Germany. The Kiel mine laying diversion was successful in drawing off fighters, but the German controllers only sent half of the available aircraft. As soon as the bomber stream crossed the Dutch coast they were confronted by the remaining half of the fighters and, moreover, the ones sent to Kiel were returned to join the fray. As a consequence, the fighters steadily picked off bombers all the way to this distant target. The winds were strongly than had been predicted and many bombers arrived early and had to orbit the target awaiting the Pathfinders, further increasing the likelihood of being picked off, either by flak or fighters. Leipzig was cloud covered and sky-marking had to be used. Early bombing appeared to be concentrated but later bombing less so. There was no local report nor a reconnaissance flight the following day. An American raid the following day then made it impossible to judge the effectiveness of the raid. |
Reason for Loss | Shot down by a combination of flak and a night-fighter and crashed SE of Sulingen, Germany |