Edgar Lawrence Burke – Pilot.
© Margaret Still (nee Burke)
I received an email a week or so ago form Margaret, the Secretary of the UK Friends of 75(NZ) Squadron Association, regarding a planned trip at the end of this month to commemorate the loss of her Uncle on the 22nd May 1944 on a raid to Dortmund.
Edgar was one 2 boys and six girls who grew up on the family farm, perhaps for this reason his mother was furious about him joining, he was the youngest of the 8 children, Margaret’s father being the oldest. Apparently Edgar was very good looking and had a great sense of humour.
The remains of his Lancaster are in the museum in Wigram in Christchurch along with his log book and escape map that the resistance got out of the plane before the Germans came.
Peter Lonke’s uncle was one who swam the canal to see if anyone was alive so that is how Peter became interested in 1979 and dug up the pieces of the aircraft and drove them to London to NZ House and the Air Force flew them back home.
From Margaret herself;
” In 1986 the UK Branch of the Squadron were invited to Lommel where Uncle Edgars; plane went down for an unveiling of a stained glass window in memory of the crew who were killed. The window is of the 75 NZ Squadron emblem and was attended by dignitaries from NZ House and the RAF. There would have been over 300 at the service. It was very moving and when they played the NZ National Anthem I couldn’t stop crying. This was most probably, the most moving time of my life and one of the times when I couldn’t stop crying.
I am returning to put a memorial plaque up in the church for Peter Lonke who was responsible for the original commemoration and died in 2011 of cancer.”
The Burke crew arrived at Mepal on the 9th November 1943, form 1651 Conversion Unit.
18.11.43. War Ops – Attack Against Targets at Mannheim.
Stirling Mk.III LJ457
Edgar undertakes a 2nd Pilot flight with Philip Moseley and his crew.
25.11.43. Gardening – Mining off Cherbourg
Stirling Mk.III LJ462 AA-O
F/S/ Edgar Lawrence Burke – Pilot.
F/O John Wallace Downing – Navigator
Sgt. Frank Albert Page – Air Bomber
Sgt. Alan Stevens Bromley – Wireless Operator
Sgt. Walter Pickering – Flight Engineer
Sgt. James Henry Cooper – Mid Upper Gunner
Sgt. Alfred Newnham – Rear Gunner.
The Burke crew. From left to right: Alf Newnham, Walter Pickering, John Cooper, Edgar Burke, John Downing, Frank Page and Alan Bromley.
image courtesy of Kevin King
29.12.43. Gardening – Mining off the Frisian Islands.
Stirling Mk.III EF454 AA-O
4.1.44. Attack Against a Special target.
Stirling Mk.III BK695 AA-N
Jim Cooper replaced by F/S H.D. Lucas as Mid Upper Gunner.
6.1.44. Mining in the Gironde Estuary.
Stirling MK.III LJ462 AA-O
Jim Cooper returns to the crew as Mid Upper Gunner.
14.1.44. Attack Against a Special Target.
Stirling MK.III LJ462 AA-O
21.1.44. Attack Against a Special Target.
Stirling Mk.III EF137 AA-Y
James Cooper replaced by F/S Tom Peevers as Mid Upper Gunner.
25.1.44.Attack Against a Special Target.
Stirling Mk.III EF507 AA-P
James Cooper returns to the crew as Mid Upper Gunner.
27.1.44. Mining in the Helioland Area.
Stirling MK.III BK695 AA-N
28.1.44. Mining in Kiel Bay.
Stirling Mk.III EF507 AA-P
11.2.44. Mining in the River Adour.
Stirling Mk.III EF507 AA-P
15.2.44.Mining in the River Ardour.
Stirling MK.III EF507 AA-P
2.3.44 Special Operations – Operation WHEELWRIGHT 72
Wing commander Roy Max is Pilot.
Stirling Mk.III AA-W
11.3.44 Special Operations – Operation WHEELWRIGHT 66
Wing commander Roy Max is Pilot.
Stirling Mk.III AA-Q
2 days later, Alfred Newnham, Rear Gunner with the Burke crew volunteered to fly Rear Gun with Geoffrey Rowberry’s crew onthe 13th March on a Gardening Op to St. Nazaire. It is postulated that they were caught by a flak boat. All crew were lost.
2.4.44 Administration
The following crews were detached to No. 3.L.F.S Feltwell:-NZ41302 F/L. E. Sachtler and crew, NZ417078 P/O C. McKenzie, and crew, NZ422780 F/S. Gray, A. and crew, NZ416519 F/S. Megson, C. and crew, NZ415427 W/O. Stott F. and crew and NZ417016 P/O. E. Burke and crew.
8.4.44 Administration
The following captains and crews ceased to be detached to No. 3.L.F.S Feltwell:-NZ41302 F/L. E. Sachtler, NZ417078 P/O C. McKenzie, NZ422780 F/S. Gray, A., NZ416519 F/S. Megson, C., NZ415427 W/O. Stott F. and NZ417016 P/O. E. Burke.
24.4.44. War Ops – Attack Against Karlsruhe.
Lancaster Mk.III ND802 JN-D
Alf Newnham’s vacated Rear Gunn is taken by Sgt. Don Grant.
27.4.44. War Ops – Attack Against Friedrichshafen.
Lancaster Mk.III ND802 JN-D
9.5.44. War Ops – Attack Against Cap Gris Nez.
Lancaster Mk.I ME691 AA-R
10.5.44 War Ops – Attack Against Coutrai.
Lancaster Mk.I ME691 AA-R
19.5.44. War Ops – Attack Against Le Mans.
Lancaster Mk.I ME690 AA-Z
21.5.44. War Ops – Attack Against Duisburg.
Lancaster Mk.I ME690 AA-Z
22.5.44. War Ops – Attack Against Dortmund.
Lancaster Mk.I ME690 AA-Z
F/S/ Edgar Lawrence Burke RNZAF NZ417016. Pilot.
Buried Heverlee War Cemetery, Belgium.
F/O John Wallace Downing RAFVR 136351. Navigator.
Buried Heverlee War Cemetery, Belgium.
Sgt. Frank Albert Page RAAF AUS.409481. Air Bomber.
Buried Heverlee War Cemetery, Belgium.
Sgt. Alan Stevens Bromley RAFVR 1247614. Wireless Operator.
Buried Heverlee War Cemetery, Belgium.
Sgt. Walter Pickering RAFVR 1434290. Flight Engineer.
Buried Heverlee War Cemetery, Belgium.
Sgt. James Henry Cooper RAFVR 1308375. Mid Upper Gunner.
Buried Heverlee War Cemetery, Belgium.
Sgt. Donald Cameron Kitchener Grant RAFVR 527237. Rear Gunner.
Buried Heverlee War Cemetery, Belgium.
The crash site of ME690 AA-Z
A piece of metal recovered from the crash site of ME690 AA-Z with the names of the Burke crew inscribed on it, Lommel, Belgium.
75(nz)squadron 