ROOKS – Colin Olton

Major – RCAF – MIA

Reported missing June 1944. son of Errol Rooks, RFC/RAF WWI No data on CWGC or Canadian

[Source: CMHA]

5 additions to “ROOKS – Colin Olton”

  1. Duncan Richardson adds:

    COLIN OLTON ROOKS

    The official report on Colin’s crash in Belgium is as follows:
    Particulars Relating to the Crash of Aircraft Halifax III Serial No. MZ-522 on April 27/28 1944. Squadron No. 431.
    Members of Crew –
    RCAF J-27317 Flying Officer Colin Olton Rooks, Air Gunner
    RCAF J-7761 Flight Lieut. John Maxwell Hill, Pilot
    RCAF J-14513 Flying Officer John Stoyko, Navigator
    RCAF J- 85144 Pilot Officer Alden Clarence Donnell, Air Bomber
    RCAF J-19403 Pilot Officer John Benwell Morrison, Air Gunner
    RCAF J-85172 Pilot Officer John Leslie Leyne, Air Gunner
    RCAF – C-85727 Pilot Officer John Brian Millar, Flight Engineer
    RAF – 172893 Pilot Officer C.G.M. Gage, Wireless/Air Gunner
    Mission – Operational night bombing over Montzen, Belgium
    Survivors – all survived. F/O Stoyko and P/O Morison were taken prisoner-of war. The other members of the crew made their way back to Allied lines and were reported safe in Britain September 1944.
    Stamped SECRET but that stamped printed over “CANCELLED”
    “Ref: I.S.9/W.E.A./MB1311
    Colin Olton Rooks – Date of Birth 31.5. 1924. Peacetime Profession: student Date of Enlistment – 2.8.1942. Private address: Apex Oil Fields, Fyzabad, Trinidad.
    Other members of Crew –
    F/ Lt. Hill – Pilot, safe
    F/O Stoyko – Navigator, fate unknown
    P/O Gaze – Wireless operation, last seen nr. Raccour
    P/O Donnell – Bomb aimer “ “
    Sgt. Miller – Engineer “ “
    P/O Morison – Mid under gunner – contacted organisation in Liege
    P/O Leyne – Rear gunner “

    We took off from CROFT at 2230 hrs on 27 Apr 44 and at approx. 0100 hrs on 28 Apr we were forced to bale out. On touching down I broke my leg. I hid my equipment and with difficulty made off in a S.E. direction. After getting as far as I could I hid under a thick hedge until 0900 hrs when I knocked at the door of the house and asked for help. I learned that I was in the village of GELINDEN 9N.W. EUROPE 1:2500,000 sheet 3, K.24). In the afternoon I was taken by an officer of the White Army to his house at GOYER where I spent a day then moved on to a large house owned by a Countess near WAREMME (K.23). I remained here until 2 May 44, during which time my leg was treated by a doctor.
    On 2 May the doctor moved me in his car to another house in WAREMME. My leg was still in a plaster cast. Three weeks later I moved back to the Countess and remained with her until I was able to walk again.
    On about 5 Jun I went by tram to BREY where I remained 5 days with a tram conductor. From here I went by bicycle to CRISNEE (K.33) where I met four members of my crew, F/Lt. Hill, P/O Donnell, P/O Gaze and Sgt. Miller. We remained here until about 27 Jul 44. The head of the organisation in LIEGE and a number of the members were denounced at this time which meant considerable delay before we could be moved on.
    On our next move to BOIRS (K.44) we were split up, F/Lt Hill staying with me, while the other three were taken to another house in the vicinity. On 17 Aug 44 F/Lt Hill and I went to a convent in the vicinity of BOCLANCHE where we stayed for 5 days and on 23 Aug went to LIEGE. We remained in Liege until 7 Sep. 44 about which time the Allied troops arrived.
    Interviewed by: I.S.9(W.E.A.) 13 Sep 44 Distribution: W/Cdr G.H. Doble
    A.L.O., M.I. 9
    File.
    Report No.K – Aircraft type: HALIFAX III No. Letter: U. Squadron: 431.
    Date of Loss: 27/28.4.44. Target: Montzen. Cause of Loss: Flak ?
    Base: Croft. Time of Take Off: 2230. Bomb Load: All H.E. Special Equip. None.

    Name Rank Duty Experience Fate

    Hill, J.M. F/L P 18
    Stoyko, J F/O N 18 Killed (say Belgians)
    Donnell P/O B 18 Safe
    Millar Sgt F/E 19 Safe
    Gage P/O W/OP 18 Safe
    Rooks F/O MUG 18
    Leyne P/O R/G 18
    Morison P/O Mid-under/G 23 ? in Liege ?

    Narrative: 10 mins from target, no flak in area, after bombing. Suddenly loud thump and slight shudder. Then a/c filled with smoke and sparks. Whole underside of a/c on fire, and flames inside. (? hydraulics). So pilot gave “bale out”. Flames from behind pilot to mid under position. F/E hit in leg by fragment (flesh wound). Crew left, all three gunners at back because of fire.

    Nav. and B/A got hatch out by kicking after sticking it in hole in usual way, a/c well under control. Baled out NAV, B/A, W/OP, F/E all OK. Pilot called up gunners, no reply. Pilot trimmed a/c and left, no snags. A/c sailed on under control, blazing and hit ground 2 mins later. Belgians said Nav. found with chute unopened (? perhaps not same man). M/U/G broke leg hitting ground or baling out. B/A, W/OP uninjured.

    Hit at 15,000’, no S/L. No moon, no cloud but hazy. No fighter flares. Saw 7 other a/c go down in same place and in same way, no flak or tracer seen. Baled out at 13,000’. No engines or tanks hit.
    M/U/G says: Stbd. wing had 32 holes in it just in front of flaps. This points to fighter. Saw green flame go up 10-12 feet in air from stbd. wing. Probably petrol tank hit (no explosion). Flames in M/Under/Turret. Yellow fire. No flak bursts seen, nor tracer. When “bale out” given M/U/G went out straight away feet first. No trouble leaving a/c. Broke leg landing due to not seeing ground.

    August 20th, 2010 at 1:54 pm
  2. Frank Rooks adds:

    The town of Zepperen, Belgium, maintains a website describing in detail the escapes of Colin Rooks and his fellow crew members following the crash. Some photos are also included. See http://home.scarlet.be/~zepperen/pg005.html

    October 18th, 2010 at 11:35 pm
  3. Derl Ivan Donnell adds:

    Nephew of Alden C. Donnell – pleasure on this day November 11th 2012 to learn more on my uncle the men he served with

    November 11th, 2012 at 8:09 pm
  4. Les Leyne adds:

    So good to stumble upon this site. Helped me find the Zepperen site, which includes the adventures of my father, John Leslie Leyne.

    December 14th, 2013 at 12:41 am
  5. Patrick Morison adds:

    Son of John Benwell Morison – Was doing research for a friend from Trinidad on the loss of a relative and pleasantly surprised to learn not only about his family but also more about my father and his crew. Gratitude to all who maintain and contribute to these sites.

    December 30th, 2018 at 4:15 am

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