Image Credit: Richard Sinte Maartensdijk

On the 18th of September the crew of the Lancaster ED 362 were commemorated at the Lancastermonument in Rijsoord in the municipality of Ridderkerk. The memorial ceremony has been held annually since 2002. The inscription of the monument reads;

In memory of the crew of the
Royal Air Force
Lancaster Bomber Mk III ED 362 HW-E
No.100 Squadron RAF
which crashed on 29 june 1943
During World War II

Sgt.H.H. Gentle
F/Sgt.R.D.W. Moulton RCAF
F/O P.J.Pascoe RCAF
Sgt. J.Reffin
Sgt.F.Wheeldon
P/O C.B.Wood

Their graves are at Crooswijk Cemetery , Rotterdam
The sole survivor was
F/Sgt.R.G. Storr

Among those who attended were veterans, the burgomaster of the municipality Ridderkerk, representatives of the Canadian embassy and pupils of the “De Piramide“ school. A Royal British Legion wreath was laid by our Rotterdam Area representative Mrs. Van Gelderen.

Above we see Mrs. Attema the burgomaster of the municipality Ridderkerk and Mr. Arie de Koning (left) and Mr. Ger de Jong (right), both esteemed members of the remembrance committee.

Above we see two teachers, Mrs. Ylonka v.d. Berg and Dhr Marcel v.d. Walle, of “De Piramide“. The school adopted the monument in 2004. Pupils and teachers alike visit the annual ceremony. The pupils receive lectures about the war in general and the events concerning the Lancaster specifically.