JORDAN – Wilbur Haldayne
1398262 – Sergeant – 78 Sqn – KIA 12/6-1943 (at 28) – Runnymede Memorial, Surrey, UK
[Source: CG, CWGC]
[picture copyright Mrs. Olga Reid; courtesy Mrs. Angela Robinson]
Halifax JD145 Mission to Bochum
Took off at 22.57 from Linton-on Ouse. Lost in the sea off the Dutch coast. Five, including Sgt Jordan who came from Nassau in the Bahamas, are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial, while Sgt Payne is buried in Vredenhof Cemetery on the island of Schiermonnikoog; Sgt Wright is buried on Terschelling in Westerschelling General Cemetery.
F/Sgt M Baxter
Sgt A McD Young
Sgt W H Jordan
Sgt J N Angus
Sgt C W Payne
Sgt E Wright
Sgt E G Westall
[source: Herkirantoor, see additions below]
Bochum Raid: Looking at the time Wilbur’s plane and crew were shot down by Major Rolf Leuchs, they probably never reached the target on that occasion, but were possibly returning home due to an mechanical problem with the aircraft. They set off from Linton on Ouse in Yorkshire at 22:57 on the 12 June 1943. The rest of the squadron dropped their bombs over the target at approx. 01:40 on the 13 June 1943, but JD145 was shot down at 01:35 near Texel in the Netherlands by Leuchs (who was flying nightfighter missions from the airbase at Leeuwarden, aka ‘Fliegerhorst Leeuwarden’)
Wilbur’s crew were not originally scheduled for the Bochum mission, as the bomb aimer, Jack Angus, was supposed to be best man at his brother (Charles) wedding that weekend, but they were required to make up the crew numbers for that mission from which he never returned.
Operations Records Book: click on pictures to enlarge
[source: Mrs Angela Robinson]
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Halifax JD145 Mission to Bochum
Took off at 22.57 from Linton-on Ouse. Lost in the sea off the Dutch coast. Five, including Sgt Jordan who came from Nassau in the Bahamas, are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial, while Sgt Payne is buried in Vredenhof Cemetery on the island of Schiermonnikoog; Sgt Wright is buried on Terschelling in Westerschelling General Cemetery.
F/Sgt M Baxter
March 19th, 2009 at 4:26 pmSgt A McD Young
Sgt W H Jordan
Sgt J N Angus
Sgt C W Payne
Sgt E Wright
Sgt E G Westall
I am the niece of crew member Eric Wright, and wishto get in touch with the relatives of other crew members/share information on any other missions of the crew.
September 24th, 2009 at 10:22 pmI would also like to learn more about my Great Uncle Haldayne Jordan and the others of this squadron.
December 1st, 2016 at 7:50 amHi Jason
May 23rd, 2019 at 7:44 pmPlease get in touch if you can by personal e-mail.
I was in touch with one of your relatives (Wilbur Haldayne Jordan’s daughter) some years ago, and spoke to her on the phone. She sent me a photo of your Great Uncle in uniform, which I scanned before sending her back the original photo. I have a copy of a letter sent by your Great Uncle’s wife to the parents of the pilot when the crew first went missing, and found photos of all the crew except the rear gunner.
Hi,
September 7th, 2019 at 3:51 pmhere in Germany I am researching the raid against Düsseldorf in the night of 11./12.6.1943 to tell the stoy and to honour the flyers and victims.
Besides many other topics concerning this raid, I will mention that the flyers not only came from Britain, Canada etc., but also from Poland, The Netherlands and the Bahamas etc. That is why I wanted to ask if the photo of Wilbur Haldayne Jordan has alreday been published and if there were any other flyers from the Bahamas who took part in this raid.
I would be happy to hear from somebody.
Thanks.
Best.
Marcel