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Cleveland John Eggleton, Frank John Gallagher, John Robert Agar, Richard Edgar Bertram, Richard Melvin George, Wellington BJ987
Research into the families of the men who died during World War II with my Uncle Bud (Flight Sergeant Frank John Gallagher) has come to the attention of Frank Raeman, Chief Warrant Officer with the Belgian military. He is writing a book about 175 airmen who are buried at the Adegem Canadian War cemetery, the Maldegem communal cemetery and the Eeklo town cemetery as well as the crew members who escaped, were taken prisoner of war and those who, sadly enough, have no known grave.
Frank says:
The goal of my book will be that those boys will never be forgotten. People will be able to read about who these boys were, where they came from … I am still looking for families of all these airmen. Up to now, I have been able to trace 131 families.
It has been my pleasure to provide Frank Raeman with family histories for the following crew members of Wellington BJ 987 which was shot down by the Germans off the coast of Belgium on September 11, 1942:
Flight Sergeant (Air Observer) Frank John Gallagher 1918-1942 – from Toronto, Ontario, Canada [body never recovered, memorialized at Runnymede Air Forces Memorial, Englefield Green, England]
Flight Sergeant (Wireless Air Gunner) Richard Melvin George 1921-1942 – from Sioux Lookout, Ontario, Canada [body never recovered, memorialized at Runnymede Air Forces Memorial, Englefield Green, England]
a photo I took at Runnymede Memorial of a portion of Panel 104
Flight Sergeant (Pilot) Richard Edgar Bertram 1912-1942 – from Grimsby, Ontario, Canada [buried at Adegem Canadian War Cemetery, Plot I.E. 6, Belgium]
Canadian Virtual War Memorial http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/canadian-virtual-war-memorial/detail/2082782
Flight Sergeant (Air Observer) Cleveland John Eggleton 1919-1942 – from Amherstburg, Ontario, Canada [buried at Oostduinkerke Communal Cemetery, Row G, Grave 175, Belgium]
Cleveland John Eggleton (courtesy of his great niece)
Pilot Officer (Air Gunner) John Robert Agar 1921-1942 – from Faringdon, Hampshire, England [buried at Oostduinkerke Communal Cemetery, Row G, Grave 171, Belgium]
May their sacrifice and service to country never be forgotten.
WeGoBack 
Hello Donna,
Thank you so much for posting the article on WeGoBack. It is the utmost importance that the boys will never be forgotten. Over here in Belgium and especially in the region of Maldegem and Eeklo they will be commemorated throughout years to come.
They all went as volunteers to end a tyranny in countries they only heard from their fathers, family and friends who fought in World War One. On their turn they never thought of the fact they could die but went as one man to defend democracy. Sadly enough the cost was terrible and a large number of the boys lost their life.
Therefore it is important to stand still at their final restingplace or memorial, take a few minutes of reconciliation and think of what we have to thank them for.
Whenever any one with relatives buried at the Adegem Canadian War celetery, the Eeklo Town cemetery or the Maldegem Communal cemetery needs any help at all or can contribute any information at all, please contact me through Donna at this site.
Our gratitude still grows with the years and with people like Donna we can be sure all the boys will be remembered.
Frank RAEMAN MSM
Chief Warrant Officer
Belgian MOD