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Sergeant Edward Yeo - RAFVR
(2nd from left) and crew May 29, 1944.
L to R: Brian Halligan, Gunner. Bruce Keen, Pilot. Ken Todd, Nav.
Jim Gallagher, Bomb Aimer. |
| Sergeant Edward
"Eddie" Yeo
was serving as Wireless Operator on board Wellington Mk. X LN-318
which took off from Amendola, Italy on 29/30th May 1944, to bomb the
airfield at Feuersbrunn, Fels am Wagram in Austria. It crashed near
Hofstatten, East of Graz, Austria, all of the crew were captured and
became Prisoners of War. The
crew consisted of:
|
Name |
Service |
Trade |
Hometown |
POW Camp |
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F/O Herbert Keene - POW |
RAAF |
Pilot |
Randwick, N.S.W |
L3 |
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F/Lt William Todd - POW |
RAAF |
Navigator |
- |
L3 |
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Sgt. James Gallagher - POW |
RAFVR |
Bomb Aimer |
Scotland |
L7 |
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Sgt B.T Halligan - POW |
RAAF |
Air Gunner |
- |
L7 |
Eddie Yeo at Yatesbury,5th from left, back row. Eddie Yeo, back row,6th from left at Advanced Flying Unit at Moreton in the Marsh, Gloucestershire 1943. Edward Yeo at Yatesbury 1943.1st Left kneeling. Leaflet Dropped by the crew over France. Page 1. Leaflet Dropped by the crew over France. Page 2. Leaflet Dropped by the crew over France. Page 3. Leaflet Dropped by the crew over France. Page 4. Postcard to his parents from Eddie while in Stalag 3. Postcard to his parents from Eddie while in Stalag 3.
Eddie Yeo at Yatesbury,5th from left, back row.
Sergeant Edward Yeo was the
son of George and Violet Yeo ,brother of Marie and Brenda. He was
born in Peckham, London on 25th March 1924,although he gave his
birth date as November 1923 when he joined the RAF He trained at
Yatesbury and AFU , Moreton-in-the Marsh, Gloucester, serving in
other Squadrons before 142 Squadron. His 21st birthday was to be
spent in Stalag Luft 3 and 7(no 104) and he was also to take part
in one of the infamous long marches across Germany.
When Eddie Yeo arrived back
in England from Germany in 1945, his kit-bag was stolen and was
never recovered. In 1947 he married Maisie and they had two sons,
Martin who was born in Canada and Adrian. Eddie went on to become
a professional engineer, spending some time working in this
country as well as five years in Canada, the USA, Saudi Arabia and
Bahrain. Sadly he died on 8th April 2003 at the age of 79.
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Photo courtesy of
Maisie Yeo, research by Linda Ibrom.
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