Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Son of Frank White Fletcher and Jessie Henderson Fletcher; Husband of Yvonne Esme Fletcher, of Gympie, Queensland

Flight Sergeant Eric Fletcher was an Air Gunner and crew member of a No. 460 Squadron Royal Australian Air Force Lancaster bomber W4274 that was tasked to carry out a bombing raid on Essen in Germany.  The aircraft crashed at Uden in Holland on 4th January 1943 with the loss of life of all crew members.  At the time of his death Eric Fletcher was 28 years of age.  Their bodies were interred in Catholic Cemetery at Uden, North Brabant, Holland.  A telegram from the International Red Cross Committee notified the Air Ministry that he was dead.

After the War the No. 2 Section of the Missing Research and Enquiry Unit visited the cemetery and forwarded the following report to the Air Ministry. 

On February 13th February 1945 we visited the Gemeentchuis at Uden where we examined the Cemetery records.  The information there tallied exactly with that which you gave in your casualty enquiry, namely that Harris, Fletcher, Brooks, Gray and Lonsdale were buried in graves 68,69,73, 74 and 75, respectively and that two unknowns were buried in graves No. 70 and 71.  We were informed that the two bodies which the Germans had not been able to identify had been very badly burned and that Fletcher was only identified by a laundry-mark on his clothing.  All seven men were brought from the same crash which, according to the records, had occurred near Hatert.  Fletcher, Harris and the two unknowns were buried on the 7th January and the other three on 14th January.  We then went to the British Cemetery at Uden (Old Section).  This cemetery is particularly well tended.  The crosses are all painted with the Union Jack and all the graves have flowers growing on them and a surround of miniature privet hedge.  The crosses do not bear full particulars such as service number and often there is no rank given. There are several obvious mistakes here such as the misspelling of Brooks, the incorrect initials of Lonsdale and the omission of one of the initials of Gray.  We consider that grave No. 69 certainly contains the body of Fletcher but the only hope we have of distinguishing the remaining two is by exhumation, which has consequently been requested.  The graves registration authorities will be informed of the alterations to be made on the crosses, when exhumation results are received.

His name is commemorated on the Eudlo 1939-1945 In Memoriam Honour Board located in the Eudlo Community Hall.