Looking for relatives of Sgt Leonard COTTON RAFVR

Thanks for adding to the story Ian. My only hope is that the more coverage like this the men get the better the chances that someone may remember them or know of the families and pass on this, for them to get in touch.

Thanks again..

Mort: What is "break" meant to represent?

regards

nick

Nick,

Mort very kindly responded to my request to the administrators of this site; to enable me to distinguish the contents of the post I made on October 8th, as a post in it's own merit (bearing in mind the poignant significance of that date); and not just as a postscript to my previous posts of 24th September (which it initially was, because nobody else had posted on this thread in the interim).

That was the easiest way he could achieve such.

Thanks for doing that, Mort.

I don't think I need do any editing now (otherwise these later posts will all be out of context).

The only other thing I will add of releveance to the original post. It was almost certainly S/L "Bill" Suggitt, who as acting station commander would have had the repsonsiblily of informing the relatives of men who went missing, of the fate of their loved ones. Not an enviable task, for which even more admiration is afforded - if such was necessary.

All at the age of 23, if that!

I see, just thought that his post had been cut off mid stream.

Nick

Resurrecting this thread once again in the hope of a break through.

As you will notice this thread has been ongoing for just over 6 years now and unfortunately I have still not connected with a member of either Leonards COTTON line or his SANDERS line.

The thread gives many family links and I am amazed no one has connected the many dots. With over 10,000 views it may have run it's course.

So my apologies if it has but I will make this a last ditch attempt to find his family.

Thank you to all that have contributed you have given so much and I am far the wiser for that help.

SO, my final heartfelt plea for any forum member who may have information on LEONARD COTTON RAFVR or his relatives. Please do not let him be lost in the mists of time.

He, and all the rest of the crew, will always be with me but the story will never be complete without new information coming forward.

regards

Nick

"With this forum being so popular, this thread may be on page 2 within hours and forgotten again"

Seventy four years ago tonight this crew set out on a mission to help free occupied Europe from tyranny. They, along with 55,00 others during the course of the war did not return.

Remembering this weekend!

In memoriam:Crew of LK635 NA-H 428 Sqdn RCAF

This Crew was lost without trace whilst taking part on a raid to Hanover, Germany. On the night of 22 September 1943, LK635 NA-H of 428 Squadron RCAF took off from Middleton St George at 18:28 never to return. They have no known grave and are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.

For 74 years the families have mourned the loss of these brave men:

P/O Hector Earl McRae of Huxley, Alberta Canada aged 19

Sgt Leonard Cotton of Sheffield, Yorkshire aged 22

Sgt Arthur Reginald Bohn of Kennington, London aged 22

Sgt Edward George Miller of Mitchell, Ontario, Canada 19

Sgt Donald Ernest Jeffery of Beckenham, Kent aged 19

Sgt James Wright of Hull, Yorkshire aged 30

Sgt Walter Edward Dickson of Toronto, Canada 22

Hero's All, We will remember them.

We will remember them.

Sorry I cannot add much to this thread. It caught my notice as my mothers family all were born and raised on Canada Street. I contacted a cousin who was the last to live there. All she can say is she remembers the name but nothing else. The other reason I wanted to reply is that my uncle, Clifford Naylor was killed in 1944. The family lived at 40 Canada Street. The two young men must have known each other they were born a year apart. They bother went to All saints school. I too can remember visiting my grandma's and seeing photos of my uncle and his medals. He fought in the Western desert and the Italian Campaign. He returned to England and was killed in a field gun explosion. He is buried in Burngreave Cemetery. I never knew him I will never forget him.

David Unwin

Hi All,

Well another anniversary has just passed of the loss of LK635 and her crew. 76 years and the search is still ongoing.

It is now 11 years since this thread began and still no contact with any Cotton/Sanders relatives.

I would appreciate any new research avenues I could check, more new documents are released and indexed every day so may be something new will be found.

Every day is remembrance day.