W/O John E Rule RNZAF and crew – 103 Squadron – RAF Elsham Wolds – 1943
Transferred to 156 Squadron early October 1943
Failed to Return - 30/31st January 1944 – Avro Lancaster III – JA702 – Op Berlin.
Left to right they are Sgt Edward "Ted" Shorter, Sgt Alan Race, Sgt John "Jock" Sloan, F/S John Rule, Sgt John "Jack" Manley, Sgt Charles Reeves and Sgt Patrick "Paddy"Coyne. The aircraft is W4337 which Rule's crew flew on several occasions.
John Rule was born on the 28th April 1916 at Masterton, New Zealand. He was a hairdresser working in his father's business before joining the RAF. He was a keen sportsman who played tennis and also swam and enjoyed yachting. He was also an accomplished musician playing the saxophone in a local dance band. He enlisted on the 30 Nov 1941 and receiving his basic pilot's training in New Zealand before embarking for the UK on the 16th September 1942.
He arrived at No. 3 Personnel Reception Centre, Bournemouth, Dorset Co., UK on 19th Nov 1942 and went hrough the usual pilot training.
On the 6th Aug 1943 he was posted to No. 103 Squadron, RAF Elsham Wolds, Lincolnshire with his crew.
Rule flew as second pilot with W/O S F Gage and crew on the 10th August 1943 to Nuremberg and then captained his own crew on the following ops whilst with 103 Sqn
12-Aug-43 – Milan – Lancaster – W4337 – F/S JE Rule
14-Aug-43 – Milan – Lancaster – JA957 – F/S JE Rule
17-Aug-43 – Peenemunde – Lancaster – W4337 – F/S JE Rule - Combat. Shot down an SE NF.
23-Aug-43 – Berlin – Lancaster – W4337 – F/S JE Rule
31-Aug-43 – Berlin – Lancaster – W4337 – F/S JE Rule
03-Sep-43 – Berlin – Lancaster – ED713 – F/S JE Rule
06-Sep-43 – Munich – Lancaster – ED913 – F/S JE Rule
22-Sep-43 – Hanover – Lancaster – W4337 – W/O JE Rule
23-Sep-43 – Mannheim – Lancaster – W4337 – W/O JE Rule
27-Sep-43 – Hanover – Lancaster – JB349 – W/O JE Rule.
This crew were posted to 156 Pathfinder Squadron at Upwood where Rule was promoted from Waarant Officer to Pilot Officer. This crew completed another 14 operations before being lost on their 14th. This was an attack on Berlin on the 30/31st January 1944. They were a night fighter victim and are thought to have been shot down by Oblt. Hans-Heinz Augenstein of 7./NJG1.
The 5 deceased from this crew all rest at the Vollenhove (Stad-Vollenhove) General Cemetery in the Netherlands
Pilot – P/O John "Jack" Edward Rule RNZAF - Age 28 – Son of Mr. Edward Rule and Ms. Elizabeth Annie Allan
Flight Engineer - Edward Arthur “Ted” Shorter RAFVR - Age 21
Air Gunner - Sgt John "Jock" Johnstone Sloan RAFVR - Age 22 - Born 07 Dec 1921, Cambuslang, Lanark, Scotland - Son of Robert and and Margaret May Arbuckle Sloan ( née Smith ), of Cambuslang, Lanarkshire, UK
Air Gunner - George Albert “Alan” Race RAFVR – Age 21
Wireless Operator - Sgt Michael “Paddy Coyne RAFVR – Evaded in Holland for some months with the help of a number of gallant Dutch civilians but eventually captured and sent to POW camp.
Reeves and Manley pictured with this crew were both killed flying with other 156 Squadron crews
1Navigator – F/L - Charles William Reeves DFC RAFVR - Age 21 – Killed 11 Sep 1944
156 Squadron - Lancaster.III - ND534 - Raw - Target: Gelsenkirchen - All 7 KIA
Buried at Reichswald Forest War Cemetery – Germany - Son of Frederick Reeves and Winifred Lilian Reeves née Snow, of Bulwark, Chepstow, Monmouthshire, UK
Air Bomber - Sgt Frederick John "Jack" Manley RAFVR - Age 20 – Missing - 24 Dec 1943 - 156 Squadron - Lancaster III - JB711 - GT-W - Warfield - Target: Berlin - All 7 MIA. Commemorated at Runnymede Memorial, Surrey, United Kingdom
Reeves and Manley's 2 replacements in Rule's crew for thier last operation were Navigator Sgt Bill Cottam and Air Bomber F/S Ken Ball RAFVR
Cottam evaded with Paddy Coyne for several months before being recaptured and spending the rest of the war as a POW.
Incidentally both Cottam and Coyne survived because the aircraft exploded soon after being attacked and they were thrown clear.
Ken Ball was killed and is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
Item written by David Fell with much thanks to PATS who has done considerable work on this crew. There is much more info regarding this crew on his website page here. It is a long page and Rule’s info and photos can be found by clicking Ctl and F, typing Rule in the box and click on the down arrow next to the box. All the references re this crew will appear in order. The photo of Rule’s crew was provided by the Race family many years ago.
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