George F. Conry-Candler, F/Sgt.
Personal information
Age 20
Nationality British
Date / place of birth Unknown
Genealogy Son of George Candler and of Teresa Mary Anastasia Candler, Streatham, London, U.K.
Military information
Army Number 1318332
Rank F/Sgt.
Function Pilot
Platoon / Troop / Flight Unknown
Company / Squadron 190 Squadron
Unit / Group Unknown
Division / Transport / Command Unknown
Regiment Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Death information
Died when 21-9-1944
Died where River Maas
Spot Near the village Ravenstein
Map reference Unknown
Burial location
Batenburg, R.C. Cemetery, Netherlands
Grave number Unknown
Graves overview
Field grave image
Miscellaneous information
Personal notes

21st September 1944 at about 1300 hrs a number of Stirlings, after dropping their supplies, are attacked by German Focke Wulf en Messcherschmitt fighters. Stirling LJ 833 of 190 Squadron crashes between Demen and Batenburg in the river Meuse, which forms the border between the Provinces of Gelderland and Noord-Brabant. The population is most grateful towards the pilot, because it has been obvious that he has done all he could not to see his aircraft crash on the village of Batenburg. 3 out of 9 crew members, Viz Bloomfield, Smith and Orange survive and manage to get ashore in a rubber dinghy. They are taken to a cellar of the Batenburg town hall. An air despatcher saves his life by parachute and a number of people are eye witnesses of the incident. However, he lands in the ice cold water of the river and with major effort he tries to disentangle himself. A sloop from a barge is sent to the spot. and before the eyes of the stunned onlookers, the rigging is cut, the parachute is taken into the sloop, but the Englishman is left in the water and is drowned.Some days after the body of the pilot Anderson is washed ashore at Appeltern. On September 28th, Conry Chandler?s body is washed ashore at the northern bank at Batenburg. Also, the bodies of the Wireless Operator W.G. Tolley and rear gunner G. Bellamy are found on the south side of the river Meuse and buried in the R.C. Cemetery at Ravenstein. On June 28th, 1946, with a view to the danger for the shipping, the wreckage of the Stirling is lifted from the river Meuse and the remains of Adamson are found and these are also buried at Ravenstein. For 60 years now, Conry-Candler has been considered as the hero and saviour of the town of Batenburg and parishioners of the R.C. community collect money to acquire a special headstone (this is quite different from the standard Portland stone). He was given a funeral with military honours with 11 English soldiers firing the salute. Each and every year on September 21st a special song is composed which the parishioners sing in his honour and there is still contact between the Next of Kin, who have visited the grave on several occasions.

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George F. Conry-Candler, F/Sgt.
Personal information
Age 20
Nationality British
Date / place of birth Unknown
Genealogy Son of George Candler and of Teresa Mary Anastasia Candler, Streatham, London, U.K.
Military information
Army Number 1318332
Rank F/Sgt.
Function Pilot
Platoon / Troop / Flight Unknown
Company / Squadron 190 Squadron
Unit / Group Unknown
Division / Transport / Command Unknown
Regiment Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Death information
Died when 21-9-1944
Died where River Maas
Spot Near the village Ravenstein
Map reference Unknown
Burial location
Batenburg, R.C. Cemetery, Netherlands
Grave number Unknown
Graves overview
Field grave image
Miscellaneous information
Personal notes

21st September 1944 at about 1300 hrs a number of Stirlings, after dropping their supplies, are attacked by German Focke Wulf en Messcherschmitt fighters. Stirling LJ 833 of 190 Squadron crashes between Demen and Batenburg in the river Meuse, which forms the border between the Provinces of Gelderland and Noord-Brabant. The population is most grateful towards the pilot, because it has been obvious that he has done all he could not to see his aircraft crash on the village of Batenburg. 3 out of 9 crew members, Viz Bloomfield, Smith and Orange survive and manage to get ashore in a rubber dinghy. They are taken to a cellar of the Batenburg town hall. An air despatcher saves his life by parachute and a number of people are eye witnesses of the incident. However, he lands in the ice cold water of the river and with major effort he tries to disentangle himself. A sloop from a barge is sent to the spot. and before the eyes of the stunned onlookers, the rigging is cut, the parachute is taken into the sloop, but the Englishman is left in the water and is drowned.Some days after the body of the pilot Anderson is washed ashore at Appeltern. On September 28th, Conry Chandler?s body is washed ashore at the northern bank at Batenburg. Also, the bodies of the Wireless Operator W.G. Tolley and rear gunner G. Bellamy are found on the south side of the river Meuse and buried in the R.C. Cemetery at Ravenstein. On June 28th, 1946, with a view to the danger for the shipping, the wreckage of the Stirling is lifted from the river Meuse and the remains of Adamson are found and these are also buried at Ravenstein. For 60 years now, Conry-Candler has been considered as the hero and saviour of the town of Batenburg and parishioners of the R.C. community collect money to acquire a special headstone (this is quite different from the standard Portland stone). He was given a funeral with military honours with 11 English soldiers firing the salute. Each and every year on September 21st a special song is composed which the parishioners sing in his honour and there is still contact between the Next of Kin, who have visited the grave on several occasions.

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