Commonwealth War Graves Protestant Churchyard Earnewald

In the Cemetery of the Protestant Church in Earnewald (Eernewoude), Tietjerksteradeel Community, is one Commonwealth War Grave. This is the grave of: Flight Sergeant (W.Op./Air Gnr.) Edward Joseph May, 755631, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, 61 Sqdn., Died at 05-09-1942, age 22. On 5 September 1942 at 0025 departed from RAF Syerston, Lancaster R5682 with the mission: a bombing raid over the city of Augsburg in Germany. The aircraft was hit by flak anti aircraft guns and was afterwards shot down by a German night-fighter. After that, the aircraft crashed down at 0251 in Wartena. Of the seven crew members, three were killed. One is buried in this cemetery, one is buried in [url="https://www.tracesofwar.com/sights/20881"]Wartena[/url] and the other casualty was never recovered. The other four crew members were taken prisoner of war by the Germans.