Royal New Zealand Air Force War Graves in Gelderland
Puiflijk - Rooms Katholieke Begraafplaats
Page updated on 28 May 2022
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Neil Banks Couper
On 20 September 1944, at 11.50 hrs, P/O Couper and his crew took off from RAF Harwell, Oxfordshire, for a resupply mission to a new DZ '691785' in 'Operation Market IV'. This Drop Zone was about one mile to the SSE of Landing Zone 'L' near Oosterbeek. On approach to the dropping area, Stirling IV LJ618/8E-B of No. 295 Squadron, came under heavy anti-aircraft fire, resulting in heavy damage to the aircraft. On reaching the dropping zone, at a height of around 500 feet, the supply containers in the bomb bay were released by the Army despatchers. By this time, the aircraft had filled with a blackish acrid smoke. Over the dropping zone the Stirling received several direct hits and was set on fire. P/O Couper gave the order to bale out. Just after F/S Ken Nolan had left the stricken aircraft, the Stirling exploded. Couper had no time to escape...
The Stirling crashed at 15.20 hrs local time in a field near the Waalbandijk, between Druten and Boven-Leeuwen.
P/O Couper's crew consisted of:
Sgt K.H. Johnson, RAF; Flight Engineer
F/S F.T. Corcoran, RNZAF; Navigator
P/O E.T.W. Harris, RAF; Bomb Aimer
F/S K. Nolan, RAAF; Wireless Operator
Sgt D.Bowers, RAF; Air Gunner
Also onboard were two Army Air Despatchers from 253(Airborne) Composite Company, Royal Army Service Corps. One of the despatchers was possibly Corporal J. Rose. Both men were captured and made POW.
The Navigator, Wireless Operator, Air Gunner and Flight Engineer survived and managed to evade capture by the Germans and returned to their unit. P/O Harris survived but was taken POW.
The Stirling crashed at 15.20 hrs local time in a field near the Waalbandijk, between Druten and Boven-Leeuwen.
P/O Couper's crew consisted of:
Sgt K.H. Johnson, RAF; Flight Engineer
F/S F.T. Corcoran, RNZAF; Navigator
P/O E.T.W. Harris, RAF; Bomb Aimer
F/S K. Nolan, RAAF; Wireless Operator
Sgt D.Bowers, RAF; Air Gunner
Also onboard were two Army Air Despatchers from 253(Airborne) Composite Company, Royal Army Service Corps. One of the despatchers was possibly Corporal J. Rose. Both men were captured and made POW.
The Navigator, Wireless Operator, Air Gunner and Flight Engineer survived and managed to evade capture by the Germans and returned to their unit. P/O Harris survived but was taken POW.
SGLO Verliesregister 1939-1945, T4212, website
Aircraft lost on Allied Forces Special Duty Operations, Harrington Museum, website
Return Ticket to Holland, Ken Nolan, Conscript Heroes website
Air Battle for Arnhem, Alan W. Cooper, p.168
Green On, Arie-Jan van Hees, p.154
En nooit was het stil, Vol.II, p.343-347
En Nooit was het Stil, Bijlagen; Market Garden p.28