Trafford

Attended Stamford Park School & Bradbury Central School.   Employed by Hale
R.D.C.

Member of the Home Guard until he volunteered for the RAF in May 1942 and
became an Air Gunner.

Youngest of three brothers - Flt Sgt Wilfred J. Alcock & Sgt Fred Alcock
also on active service.

Also reported in the 24/03/44 edition of the local newspaper.

Posted to Ludford Magna, form 166 Conversion Unit on the 8th January 1944.

20/01/1944 - Took off at 16.35 hours in a Lancaster Mk III - No. DV236 'G'
to bomb Berlin.  Their bomb load comprised - 1 x 4,000 lb H.C (Cookie);  56
x 30 lb and 1,260 x 4 lb Incendiaries (inc 90x).  They bombed from 20,000
feet onto 'Wananni' flares at 19.52 hours.  Glow from fires in the target
are seen through fires.  They landed at 00.01 hours.

21/01/1944 - Took off at 20.10 hours in a Lancaster Mk III - No. DV302 'H'
to bomb Magdeburg.  Their bomb load comnprised - 1 x 4,000 lb (Cookie); 56
x 30 and 1,260 x 4 lb Incendiaries (inc 90x).  They bombed from 21,000 feet
at 23.23 hours - Target Indicators dropped late, fires and column of black
smoke seen, A/c damaged by Flak.  Landed at 03.10 hours.

27/01/1944 - Took off at ????? hours in a Lancaster Mk III - No. DV231 (on
ABC duties) SE-'A' to bomb Berlin.  Their bomb load comprised - 1 x 4,000
lb (Cookie); 48 x 30 lb and 960 x 4 lb Incendiaries (inc 90x).   No
communication received after take off.

The a/c was hit by Flak and finished off by a night fighter, crashing
between the village of Hollenstedt and the town of Northeim - the village
being on the NW side of the town.  Those who died are buried in the Hanover
Cemetery.  Flying Officer Clark operated the special equipment.  Sgt.
Smallman was repatriated aboard the Arundel Castle on the 6th February
1945.

The crew were:- Pilot - Flight Sergeant Austin James Sandford (aged: 22); 
Sergeant A.H. Smallman (POW);  Navigator - Sergeant Ernest Emmanuel Baron; 
Sgt. Richard Thomas Ottewell;  Wireless Operator - Sgt. Terence Dennis
Simpson (aged: 19); Navigator - Flying Officer John Clark (aged: 24);  Air
Gunner - Sgt. Kenneth Bartholomew (aged: 19);  Air Gunner - Sgt. Eric Henry
Alcock (aged: 19).

A total of 35 a/c were lost on this raid.

M.I. - "Compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses looking into
Jesus".