In Memory of
Peter Edward DREW
Squadron Leader
26199
Pilot
236 Squadron
Royal Air Force
Who died on
Thursday 01 August 1940. Age 30
Additional information
Son of Bertie Clephane Hawley Drew and Edith Drew; husband of Denzil Elizabeth Drew.
Cemetery
BIVILLE CHURCHYARD, Manche, France.
Location Information
Biville is a village and commune near the west coast of the Cherbourg peninsula, 18 kilometres west-south-west of Cherbourg. There is 1 Commonwealth burial of the 1939-1945 war here, in the north-western part of the churchyard, near the west wall.
Circumstances (With the help of documents kept in the National Archives – UK)
On 1st August 1940, the Bleinheim N3601 FA-‘K’ took off from RAF Station Thorney Island, with Squadron Leader DREW (Pilot) and Flying Officer NOKES-COOPER (Air Gunner) onboard, along with 2 other Blenheims aircraft (R2774 FA-‘N’ & N3603 ND-‘M’) for an offensive patrol to follow bombers attack on Cherbourg. The 3 Blenheims aircraft made a low dive gunning attack at 50-70 feet in wake of bombers on machine gun and Coastal gun positions West of aerodrome and along Digue de Querqueville.
Sadly the 2 Bleinhems aircraft ‘K’ and ‘N’ were probably shot down by the Flak (German anti-aircraft guns) or the Luftwaffe (German Air Force) and crashed in the sea killing the two crews.
Crews lost:
Blenheim N3601 IVF FA-‘K’
Squadron Leader DREW who commanded 236 Squadron since it was reformed on 31st October 1939.
Flying Officer NOKES-COOPER the 236 Squadron Signals Officer (*).
Blenheim R2774 IVF FA-‘N’
Pilot Officer Bryan Martin McDONOUGH (Pilot, from Australia, an original member of 236 Squadron). (*)
Sergeant Frederick Arthur Percy HEAD (Air Gunner, who had joined 236 Squadron on 27th March 1940). (*)
(*) Flying Officer NOKES-COOPER, age 32, is buried in Bayeux War Cemetery, Calvados (XXIX. K. 7.).
Pilot Officer McDONOUGH, age 23, & Sergeant HEAD are commemorated on Runnymede Memorial (Panels 9 & 15).
Note:
Wing Commander Reginald Gilbert Squarey MORGAN-WELD-SMITH MiD, Commanding Officer of 59 Squadron, and his 2 crewmen (Pilot Officer David Henry DAVIS AFM MiD** and Sergeant Peter PRYDE) also failed to return from this mission. (**)
(**) Wing Commander MORGAN-WELD-SMITH, age 29, is buried in St. Pierre-en-Port Communal Cemetery, Seine-Maritime, France.
Pilot Officer DAVIS, age 27, is buried in St. Valery-en-Caux Franco-British Cemetery, Seine-Maritime, France (A, 8).
Sergeant PRYDE, age 19, is buried in Veules-les-Roses Communal Cemetery, Seine-Maritime, France (Row 3, Grave 8).
© The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
© The National Archives
© RAF WWII 38 Group Squadrons Reunited