Sqn. Ldr. PE Drew & FO. B Nokes-Cooper. Biville, Manche, Normandy.

Page updated: November 14, 2020

Sqn. Ldr. PE Drew & FO. B Nokes-Cooper.

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Sqn. Ldr. PE Drew & FO. B Nokes-Cooper

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Biville is a village commune near the west coast of the Cherbourg peninsula, 18 kilometres west-south-west of Cherbourg. In the village church yard is the grave of Squadron Leader P E Drew. No relation to me but we do share the same name. As we were visiting that part of Normandy in October 2004, I just happened to see the Commonwealth War Graves Commission marker on the Gate.

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CWGC grave marker.

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Blenheims.

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RAF crew dressing for a raid.

Sqn. Ldr. PE Drew & FO. B Nokes-Cooper.

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Sqn. Ldr. PE Drew & FO. B Nokes-Cooper

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Sqn. Ldr. PE Drew & FO. B Nokes-Cooper.

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21 October 2004

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Sqn. Ldr. PE Drew & FO. B Nokes-Cooper
L´église Saint-Pierre

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On seeing the CWGC sign on the gate I decided to walk through the church yard whilst the others made there way to the local bar/restaurant for lunch.

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L´église Saint-Pierre.

Sqn. Ldr. PE Drew & FO. B Nokes-Cooper.

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21 October 2004

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Sqn. Ldr. PE Drew & FO. B Nokes-Cooper
Sqn. Ldr. PE Drew

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Here against the wall I found the grave, Over the wall is a beautiful view of the countryside all the way down to the sea.
Like all CWGC graves they are very well looked after and also the local villagers lay flowers on the grave.

Sqn. Ldr. PE Drew & FO. B Nokes-Cooper.

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21 October 2004                                                                                                             http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Nokes-Cooper.htm

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Sqn. Ldr. PE Drew & FO. B Nokes-Cooper

Sqn. Ldr. PE Drew
F/O B Nokes-Cooper (Bayeux CWGC cemetery)

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On seeing the name I felt I had to find out more and so far only used the Internet to do any research.

S/Ldr P.E.Drew, Biville, Normandy of No.236 Squadron was killed on the 1st of August 1940 along with his gunner F/O B Nokes-Cooper flying a Blenheim IV (N3601) during an attack on Querqueville, France at 17:15hrs. (Other documents say attacking Maupertus Aerodrome east of Cherbourg).












Nokes-Cooper was 32. He is buried in Bayeux War Cemetery, France.

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Maupertus Aerodrome.

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Querqueville Aerodrome west of Cherbourg where Me109's were stationed.

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Me109´s at Querqueville 1940.

Sqn. Ldr. PE Drew & FO. B Nokes-Cooper.

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Sqn. Ldr. PE Drew & FO. B Nokes-Cooper

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31 October 1939 236 F (fighter) Squadrons was equipped with Blenheim I´s. and IV´s, and transferred to Coastal Command in February 1940 before becoming operational. Because of serviceability problems it was June 1940 before the squadron was declared operational, flying convoy patrols over the Bristol and English Channels and also contributing to patrols along the Havre/Cherbourg stretch of enemy coastline. On the 17th July finding three Junkers Ju 87s they damaging one.

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Blenheims cockpit.

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Stuka dive bombers.

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PR photo of Maupertus.

Sqn. Ldr. PE Drew & FO. B Nokes-Cooper.

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25 November 1957

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Sqn. Ldr. PE Drew & FO. B Nokes-Cooper
Sqn. Ldr. PE Drew. Graves Registration Report Form

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Probably Sdn. Ldr. Drew was buried by French locals before the German occupation forces could get to him. As he was buried in consecrated ground I believe he cannot be re interred into a CWGC cemetery.

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CWGC cemetery.

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A headstone being carved post WW1.

Sqn. Ldr. PE Drew & FO. B Nokes-Cooper.

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Sqn. Ldr. PE Drew & FO. B Nokes-Cooper

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There seems to be two slightly conflicting stories. As far as I can see one squadron of Bristol Blenheim Bombers were attacking Maupertus airfield and 236Sqn Blenheim IV fighters were used as fighter cover. S/Ldr Drew's plane was hit by AA fire and crashed near Biville.
Another says they were attacking Querqueville on western side of Cherbourg. As Maupertus and Querqueville airfields were both used by the Luftwaffe as forward operating bases for fighter/bombers against targets in the south west of England.

Sqn. Ldr. PE Drew & FO. B Nokes-Cooper.

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1944

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Sqn. Ldr. PE Drew & FO. B Nokes-Cooper

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A 1944 Photo Reconnaissance of Maupertus Aerodrome 1944.

Sqn. Ldr. PE Drew & FO. B Nokes-Cooper.

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Sqn. Ldr. PE Drew & FO. B Nokes-Cooper

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Red circle ----- Maupertus Aerodrome.
Red circle ----- Querqueville Aerodrome.
Yellow circle -- Biville.

Sqn. Ldr. PE Drew & FO. B Nokes-Cooper.

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1940s

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Sqn. Ldr. PE Drew & FO. B Nokes-Cooper

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31 October 1939 236 Squadrons F (fighter) was equipped with Blenheim I´s. and IV´s.

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Air gunners of 236 Sqn.

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Air gunner cleaning his gun.

Sqn. Ldr. PE Drew & FO. B Nokes-Cooper.

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1940s

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Sqn. Ldr. PE Drew & FO. B Nokes-Cooper

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A pilot, air-gunner and bomb-aimer showing the uniforms worn and their flying clothing.

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236 Sqn RAF.

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Crews and planes of 22 Sqn RAF.

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Camouflage and lettering on the side of an 236 Sqn RAF Blenheims.

Sqn. Ldr. PE Drew & FO. B Nokes-Cooper.

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Sqn. Ldr. PE Drew & FO. B Nokes-Cooper
RAF Thorney Island

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RAF Thorney Island a modern RAF station designed under the RAF expansion scheme. Building started in the 30's and was nearly finished when WW2 started. It had four large 'C' type aircraft sheds (hangars). A complete camp behind the hangars with barracks, heating plants, stores, workshops to a standard design.

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Aerodrome layout with four 'C' type aircraft sheds (hangars).

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'C' type aircraft sheds (hangars).

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'C' type aircraft sheds (hangars) inside.

Sqn. Ldr. PE Drew & FO. B Nokes-Cooper.

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Sqn. Ldr. PE Drew & FO. B Nokes-Cooper
FO. B Nokes-Cooper

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Buried in Bayeux CWGC cemetery.

Sqn. Ldr. PE Drew & FO. B Nokes-Cooper.

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1929

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Sqn. Ldr. PE Drew & FO. B Nokes-Cooper
Drew in the Hockey XI at Marlborough 1929

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Peter Edward Drew, the son of Air Commodore HCH Drew, was born on 16th July 1910 in Ryde, Isle of Wight and was at Marlborough College from 1924 to 1929. He entered the RAF College, Cranwell as a flight cadet in September 1929 and on graduation joined No. 1 Squadron at Tangmere on 25th July 1931. Drew was posted to the staff at SHQ Heliopolis, Egypt on 28th February 1933, returned to the UK in June 1935 and went to 6 FTS Netheravon on 30th March 1936 as an instructor. He was posted to the staff of CFS Upavon on 24th March 1937 and in July 1940 was commanding 236 Squadron based at Thorney Island.

On 1st August 1940 Drew was shot down and killed in Blenheim IVF N3601 FA-K while escorting Blenheims of 59 Squadron who were attacking Querqueville aerodrome.

He is buried in Biville churchyard, Cherbourg peninsula, France. The body of his crew member, P/O B Nokes-Cooper, was washed ashore further down the coast and is buried in Bayeux cemetery.


 

 

Benjamin Nokes-Cooper was born Benjamin Nokes on 19th April 1908 in Manchester. His mother Georgina Cooper died in 1914 aged 45 and it is believed that Benjamin took her name as a tribute to her as his father George William died in 1927 as Nokes. The entry for Benjamin's marriage to Phyllis Doreen Lovelock at Eccles Parish Church in 1934 records him as Cooper, Benjamin N. The 1939 Census records him as a 'General Store Manager' at Worsbrough near Barnsley. He joined the RAF in February 1940 with a direct-entry commission as an Air Gunner. With his training completed he was posted to 236 Squadron in March 1940. He was appointed Squadron Signals Officer on 22nd July, as an Acting Flying Officer. He was flying in Blenheim IVf FA-K N3601 which was part of an escort for bombers attacking Querqueville on 1st August 1940. The Blenheim was shot down, either by fire from ground defences or by a fighter attack by Oblt. Adolph of lll/JG27. Both Nokes-Cooper and his pilot, S/Ldr. PE Drew, were killed. Nokes-Cooper was 32. He is buried in Bayeux War Cemetery, France.

http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Drew.htm

Sqn. Ldr. PE Drew & FO. B Nokes-Cooper.

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Sqn. Ldr. PE Drew & FO. B Nokes-Cooper
British Pathé Film

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Activities at a Bomber Station gives an idea of what a successful operation would have been like.

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Aerodrome layout with four 'C' type aircraft sheds (hangars).

Sqn. Ldr. PE Drew & FO. B Nokes-Cooper.

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1939/40

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Sqn. Ldr. PE Drew & FO. B Nokes-Cooper

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Blenheims scramble, possibly a pre-war photo.

Sqn. Ldr. PE Drew & FO. B Nokes-Cooper.

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21 October 2004

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Sqn. Ldr. PE Drew & FO. B Nokes-Cooper

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French WW1 memorial to the fallen from Biville.