The Last Flight of Halifax JB837
 25/26th May 1943
Mario Noel LAGNA

This image has been enhanced from an original photograph

Rank Sergeant
Name Mario Noel LAGNA
Position Air Gunner
Nationality United Kingdom
Service Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Unit 7 Squadron
Age 25
Service No. 910591
Grave Rheinberg War Cemetery, 4.D.23

Mario Noel Lagna was born on the 23rd. December 1917 in Hammersmith, London and was adopted by Fortunato Lagna and Ethel Ethell.

His adoptive mother, Ethel Ethell was born 23rd July 1887, and between 1891 and 1901 lived at 1 Stanley Road, Gillingham, Kent.

Mario Noel Lagna married Violet Winifred Elvin, and had one daughter, Valerie Anne Lagna, who was born 4th May 1939 in Lambeth, London. Noel was an Air Gunner flying Short Stirling 4-engined bombers of RAF 7 Squadron, based at Oakington, near Cambridge.

He was killed on the morning of 26th May 1943 on a bombing raid to Düsseldorf when his aircraft was brought down by the blast of Halifax JB837 flying nearby. He was buried in Koln-Sud (South Cologne) by the Germans, but transferred to Rheinberg War Cemetery (pictured below) in around 1948.

Noel Lagna's Headstone

Service Record
MISSIONS WITH 214 SQUADRON
Date Aircraft Target
18-19/01/1943 Stirling Mk I W7577 Sea Mining (?)
3-4/02/1943 Stirling Mk I R9163 Hamburg
4-5/02/1943 Stirling Mk I R9323 Turin
13-14/02/1943 Stirling Mk I R9323 Lorient
16-17/02/1943 Stirling Mk I R9163 Lorient
17-18/02/1943 Stirling EF335 Sea Mining?
19-20/02/1943 Stirling EF335 Wilhelmshaven
19-20/02/1943 Stirling Mk I R9323 Nuremberg
26-27/02/1943 Stirling Mk I W7577 Cologne
MISSIONS WITH 7 SQUADRON
Date Aircraft Target
22/3/43 Stirling BF339 'B' St Nazaire - Flak Damaged Slats.
27/3/43 Stirling Mk I R9199 MG-F Air Sea Rescue. Failed Mission
27/3/43Stirling Mk I R9199 MG-F Berlin - Abandoned - Rear Turret Not Working.
28/3/43 Stirling Mk I R9199 MG-F St Nazaire
29/3/43Stirling Mk I R9199 MG-F Berlin
4/4/43 Stirling Mk I R9156 MG-H Kiel
10/4/43Stirling Mk I R9156 MG-H Frankfurt
14/4/43 Stirling EF361 'MG-B' Stuttgart
1/5/43EF361 'B.2' 'MG-B' Bocholt
13/5/43EF361 'B.2 'MG-B' Bochum
23/5/43Stirling Mk I EF361 'MG-B' Dortmund
25/5/43 Stirling Mk I EF361 'MG-B' Dusseldorf - Missing