Archive Report: Allied Forces

Compiled from official National Archive and Service sources, contemporary press reports, personal logbooks, diaries and correspondence, reference books, other sources, and interviews.
Further data available at Allied Losses & Incidents database
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03/04.05.1944 No. 460 Squadron Lancaster III JB741 AR-J P/O. Baker

Operation: Mailly-Le-Camp

Date: 3/4th May 1944 (Wednesday/Thursday)

Unit: No. 460 Squadron (RAAF)

Type: Lancaster III

Serial: JB741

Code: AR-J

Base: RAF Binbrook, Lincolnshire

Location: Dommartin-Lettree, Marne, France

Pilot: P/O. Francis William Baker 54076 RAF Age 20. Killed

Fl/Eng: Sgt. James William Ranger 1832973 RAFVR Age 19. Killed

Nav: P/O. Willis Henry Thompson J/88089 RCAF Age 27. Killed

Air/Bmr: Fl/Sgt. Wilfred Bernard Martin (Barney) R/176165 RCAF Age 23. Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. George Edward O'Neill 1713620 RAFVR Age ? Killed

Air/Gnr: Sgt. William Cochrane Maxwell 1345994 RAFVR Age 21. Killed

Air/Gnr: Sgt. Harry Penrice Black 1823613 RAFVR. Age 19. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

JB741 took off at 21:56 hrs from RAF Binbrook, Lincolnshire to join an attack on a German tank training and repair facility near the town of Mailly-le-Camp, France. Seventeen aircraft from 460 (RAAF) Squadron were briefed. 17 x 4000 lb. bombs and 270 x 500 lb. bombs were carried. JB741 was one of six 460 Squadron Lancasters lost on the Mailly operation.

Above the pilot and air bomber for JB741 (courtesy Gordon Forrest and Mark Rogers)

Of the two attack waves, the second (including JB741), consisting of 173 aircraft, suffered the most casualties - 28 aircraft were lost. Most heavily hit was No. 460 (Australian) Squadron, stationed at Binbrook. They lost 6 out of the 17 aircraft dispatched.

The other five we have listed:

Lancaster ME728 AR-F2 - Flown by 30 year old P/O. Norman D.L. Lloyd AUS/414050 RAAF, of Winton, Queensland, Australia - killed with all six other crew.
Lancaster III ME740 AR-E - Flown by 26 year old Fl/Sgt. Herbert J.G. Fry AUS/416945 RAAF of Walkerville, South Australia, killed with killed with all six other crew.
Lancaster III LM531 AR-R - Flown by 29 year old W/O. George K. Gritty 1375424 RAFVR of Enfield, Middlesex, England, killed with three other crew, three others evaded capture.
Lancaster III ND630 AR-G - Flown by 21 year old P/O. Joseoh W. Smart AUS/409760 RAAF of Victoria, Australia, killed with killed with all six other crew.
Lancaster III ND860 AR-? - Flown by 21 year old Fl/Lt. William E. Hull 125522 RAFVR of Hertford, England, killed with killed with all six other crew.

The attack destroyed 114 barrack buildings, 47 transport sheds, several ammunition buildings and 102 vehicles that included 37 tanks. 218 German soldiers were killed and 156 injured. Most of the casualties were Panzer NCO's. There were no French casualties through bombing, but some people were killed when a Lancaster crashed on their house.

The control of this raid in the target area failed to operate according to plan.

The crew L-R Rear: P/O. Francis Baker, P/O. Willis Thompson, Sgt. George O'Neill. Front: Sgt. Harry Black, Fl/Sgt. Wilfred Martin (courtesy Mark Rogers)

The initial low-level markers were accurate and were well backed up by Lancaster marker aircraft. The 'Marker Leader', Wing Commander Cheshire, ordered the Main Force to come in and bomb but the 'Main Force Controller', Wing Commander L.C.Deane, could not transmit the order to do so to the waiting Lancaster's because his VHF radio set was being drowned by an American forces broadcast and his wireless transmitter was wrongly tuned. The main attack eventually started when the Deputy Controller, Squadron Leader E.N.M. Sparks took over. German fighters arrived during the delay and bomber casualties were heavy.

Night-fighter attacks continued over the target and on the return route. Among the aircraft shot down was that of Squadron Leader Sparks, who stayed over the target to the end. Sparks evaded capture and soon returned to England. A total of 42 Lancasters were lost, 11.6% of the force.

Right: Battle Under the Moon. Published by Crecy Publishing 1995 ISBN 978-0859791090. A great tool for relatives researching the operation on Mailly-Le-Camp

The publication, Battle Under the Moon notes that JB741 was hit while on its bombing run to the target. The kill is credited to Oblt. Richard Delakowitz from 7./NJG4. Combat took place 20 kilometres SSW of Chalons-Sur-Marne at a very low height of 100 metres. Time: 00.31 hrs.

Oblt. Richard Delakowitz had 3 kills in the area that night finishing the war with a total of 7 night fighter kills. Eye witnesses reported the aircraft on fire with the night fighter in pursuit and still shooting. It lost a wing before crashing. The wing was found much later standing vertically between two pine trees.

Burial details:

P/O. Francis William Baker. Dommartin-Lettree Churchyard Collective grave 2-3. No further details as yet. Are you able to assist further?

Sgt. James William Ranger. Dommartin-Lettree Churchyard Collective grave 2-3. Son of George Palmer Ranger and Ellen Edith Ranger, of Bethnal Green, London, England.

P/O. Willis Henry Thompson. Dommartin-Lettree Churchyard Collective grave 2-3. Son of John Henry and Marie J. Thompson, brother of sister, Inez, of Windsor, Ontario, Canada.

Fl/Sgt. Wilfred Bernard Martin (Barney). Dommartin-Lettree Churchyard Collective grave 2-3. Son of Thomas and Marie Therese Martin, of Daylesford, Saskatchewan, Canada.

Sgt. George Edward O'Neill. Dommartin-Lettree Churchyard Collective grave 2-3. No further details as yet. Are you able to assist further?

Sgt. William Cochrane Maxwell. Dommartin-Lettree Churchyard Collective grave 2-3. Son of William Cochrane Maxwell, and of Mary Andrew Maxwell, of Glasgow, Scotland.

Researched for and with extensive information supplied by Gordon Forrest relative of Fl/Sgt. Wilfred Bernard Martin (Barney) Also to Mark Rogers for photographs and information - October 2019.

A word from the Editor: your contribution is important. We welcome your comments and information. Thanks in advance.

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