The Pathfinders suffered heavy losses during the fourth week of June 1943. Amongst the crews who lost their lives were the crew of Maurice Edgar Rust. The crew were on a bombing operation against Mulheim on the night of 22/23 June; they crashed in the target area and all were killed.

Amongst the dead was James Munro Hurson, whose wife always preserved a copy of the Daily Express, (now somewhat crumpled), whose frontpage article perhaps enabled her to find some consolation for her loss. She would already have known he was missing on operations by the time that the newspaper appeared on 24 June; her husband’s contribution to the Battle of the Ruhr may perhaps have been uppermost in her thoughts when she decided to preserve the newspaper.

James Munro Hurson’s daughter Heather was born after his death.

JAMES MUNRO HURSON

Photographs courtesy of Heather Roberts.

THE RUST CREW