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Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Martin Hartog

In memory of:

Flying Officer Martin Hartog

March 31, 1945

Military Service


Service Number:

J/40430

Age:

22

Force:

Air Force

Unit:

Royal Canadian Air Force

Division:

431 Sqdn.

Additional Information


Born:

March 3, 1923
Winnipeg, Manitoba

Enlistment:

November 9, 1942
Winnipeg, Manitoba

Son of Martin and Ida Hartog, of Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Commemorated on Page 522 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance. Request a copy of this page. Download high resolution copy of this page.

Burial Information


Cemetery:
Grave Reference:

14. C. 10.

Location:

BECKLINGEN WAR CEMETERY is 13 km south east of Soltau on the west side of the road from Hamburg to Hannover. From Hannover travel north in the direction of Hamburg on the Autoroute No.7 for 80 km until the junction with Soltau Sud, this is in fact the junction of the A7 with the B3 Hannover to Hamburg road. On leaving the A7 at Soltau Sud follow the B3 in the direction of Celle and Bergen. The cemetery is on the right hand side of the road, 7 Km from the motorway junction.

Information courtesy of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Digital Collection

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  • Grave marker– Becklingen War Cemetery ... April 2017 … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
  • Memorial– Father J P Lardie's comments as inscribed on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
  • Memorial– Flying Officer Martin Hartog is also commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
  • Memorial– Flying Officer Martin Hartog is also commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
  • Memorial– International Bomber Command Centre, Lincolnshire, UK - May 2019 … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
  • Memorial– Flying Officer Martin Hartog is also commemorated at the International Bomber Command Centre, Lincolnshire, UK - May 2019 … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
  • Photo of MARTIN HARTOG– From the research work done by Margaret Rose Gaunt and submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Photo of MARTIN HARTOG– From the research work done by Margaret Rose Gaunt and submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Photo of Martin Hartog– F/O Martin 'Jack' Hartog, RCAF, was a crew member of Lancaster X KB-859, 431 'Iroquois' Squadron, 6 Group, Bomber Command. He died March 31, 1945 when his plane was shot down on a mission over Hamburg. KB-859 was coded SE-U, failed to return (SOC 31.3.45).
  • Group Photo– 1945 Crew members of Lancaster X KB-859, 431 'Iroquois' Squadron, 6 Group, Bomber Command, was shot down on a mission over Hamburg, coded SE-U, failed to return (SOC 31.3.45). Only the pilot, F/Lt Patrick Joseph 'Pat' Hurley RCAF'POW, survived from this crew. 


Back Row (l-r): P/O Albert 'Bert' Dorey, RCAF; Sgt. Laurence John 'Laurie' Mercer, RAF; F/O Patrick B. 'Red' Dennison, RCAF; F/O John Joseph 'Johnny' Casey, RCAF.

Front Row (l-r): F/Lt Patrick Joseph 'Pat' Hurley RCAF¿POW; F/O Martin 'Jack' Hartog, RCAF; F/O Frederick Roy 'Roy' Alty, RCAF.

Operation Summary: March 31, 1945 - 100 Halifaxes from 408, 415, 420, 425, 426, and 432 squadrons were joined by 100 Lancasters from 419, 424, 427, 428, 429, 431, 433, and 434 on an attack at the Blohm & Voss shipyards at Hamburg. The crews were over the target at between 17,000 and 19,500 feet, releasing 1,908,000 lbs of high explosives. According to reports, the target was cloud covered but extensive damage was caused in the industrial area of Hamburg. The 6 Group was in the last wave of the attack and was attacked by many ME-262s.  8 crews failed to return, mostly due to attacks by these aircraft.
  • Document– From the research work done by Margaret Rose Gaunt and submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Biography– From the research work done by Margaret Rose Gaunt and submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Newspaper clipping– In memory of the men and women memorialized on the pages of the Winnipeg Evening Tribune. Submitted for the project, Operation: Picture Me
  • Memorial– The Memorial is located in Dalton-on-Tees, Yorkshire.
  • Memorial– Top of the Memorial. The Memorial is located in Dalton-on-Tees, Yorkshire.
  • Inscription– Middle of the Monuement. The Memorial is located in Dalton-on-Tees, Yorkshire.
  • Plaque– The plaque on the side commemorating 431 Squadron. The Memorial is located in Dalton-on-Tees, Yorkshire.
  • Plaque– The plaque at the back of the grounds
  • Inscription– Bottom of the Memorial. The Memorial is located in Dalton-on-Tees, Yorkshire.
  • Entrance
  • Cemetery
  • Row of Gravemarkers– This set of headstones is a crew from 431 Squadron, that went down over Hamburg, Germany on March 31, 1945, in Lancaster KB-859, coded SE-U. From left to right, the names read: Albert Dorey, Patrick Dennison, John Casey, Martin Hartog, Frederick Alty and John Mercer of the RAFVR.
  • Grave Marker– From the research work done by Margaret Rose Gaunt and submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Gravemarker

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