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 | |
Grave number | Unknown |
Graves overview | Graves overview Close |
Field grave image | Click to view Close |
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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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 | |
Grave number | Unknown |
Graves overview | Graves overview Close |
Field grave image | Click to view Close |
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.
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Operation Market Garden: The Digital Monument
Roll of Honour: British 1st Airborne Division
September 17th 1944 - September 25th 1944
Featuring:
- 1796 personal KIA files
- 547 portrait photo's
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Created by Remco Hendriks
Contents by the Market Garden Foundation
On September 19th, 2019, a honorary monument is unveiled in memory of F/Lt. Lord, recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest British military decoration.
Click here to view the profile of F/Lt. Lord