204

-2- (centre aligned)
France; Hamburg, Essen, Kiel, Dortmund, Duisberg, and Bochum (2) in Germany; and one minelaying operation off the Island of Juist in the North Sea.

On the 30th May 1943, Pilot Officer Robson was posted to No. 1659 Conversion Unit, Topcliffe, Yorkshire converting to Halifax bomber aircraft prior to rejoining No. 428 Squadron on the 16th June at Middleton St. George, County Durham. From this base he resumed operational flying, and carried out a further two operational flights, bringing his total to 15.

On the night of the 21/22nd June 1943, Pilot Officer Robson was the Air Gunner of a Halifax bomber which took off on air operations to the target of Krefeld in Germany, and failed to return to its base, all the members of the crew including Pilot Officer Robson being classified as missing. Later a message received from the International Red Cross quoting an official German report, stated that Pilot Officer Robson had lost his life, and consequently he was reclassified to missing believed killed, and after due lapse of time, his death was officially presumed to have occurred on the 22nd June 1943. He was buried in the Princen Hagen Military Cemetery, Breda, in Holland.

On the cessation of hostilities his remains were re-interrred in the Bergen-Op-Zoom British Military Cemetery, Holland.

Two other New Zealanders were included in the crew of the aircraft, Flight Sergeant C.R. Pearce of North Canterbury, and Flight Sergeant W.T. Ellis of Auckland.

Find a Grave link with a photo of P/O Robson: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/12727569/edgar_lester-robson/photo
Auckland Museum link with more info on P/O Robson: https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/C31413?n=edgar+lester+robson&from=%2Fwar-memorial%2Fonline-cenotaph%2Fsearch&ordinal=0

5/2/2652 AS2.
327 hours as Air Gunner.

Mrs. E. Robson (M) (right aligned)
10 Benefield Street (right aligned)
WANGANUI EAST (right aligned & underlined)