Sergeant/Air Gunner John Lauder

Sergeant/Air Gunner John Adam Lauder, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. He was lost on an Air Operation, aged 21, on the 17th June 1944. He had been born in Bonkyl, Preston, Duns and was the son of Richard and Elizabeth Lauder of Ecclaw, Cockburnspath. He was a member of 77 Squadron R.A.F. who flew the Handley Page Halifax heavy bombers from R.A.F. Full Sutton in Yorkshire. He was lost on a raid to the synthetic oil plant at Sterkrade which turned out to be the most disastrous in the history of the Squadron. Of the 25 Aircraft despatched 1 failed to take off, 1 returned early, 6 went missing and one ditched in the North Sea though all the crew were rescued. Sergeant Lauder’s aircraft ( NA545-KN-R ) crashed into the North Sea off the Dutch coast with loss off all aboard. 5, including Sergeant Lauder’s, bodies were later recovered and buried in Vlieland General Cemetery, Netherlands. His Headstone is inscribed ” Deep Is His Memory, Sweet Is His Name Deep In Our Heart He Will Always Remain”.