Operation: Acquet, France

Date: 18th/19th July 1944 (Tuesday/Wednesday)

Unit No: 78 Squadron, 4 Group, Bomber Command

Type: Halifax III

Serial: MZ788

Code: EY:F

Base: RAF Breighton, Yorkshire

Location: RAF West Malling Airfield

Pilot: Fg Off. Malcolm Stjernqvist Buchanan DFC, 414641 RAAF Age 31. Survived (1)

Flt Eng: Sgt. William James Bailey CGM(F), 1571262 RAFVR Age? Survived (1)

Nav: Fg Off. Donald Frederick Rayment 151318 RAFVR Age 20. MiA

Bomb Aimer: Flt Sgt. Alistair Lewis Mackenzie 658778 RAF Age 30. MiA

W Op/Air Gnr: Sgt. James Hedley Rice 1512472 RAFVR Age 34. Survived

Air Gnr (Mid Upp): Sgt. James McCannon 184087 RAFVR Age 23. Survived

Air Gnr (Rear): Plt Off. John Russell Harmer 183571 RAFVR Age 21. KiA

Above: Photograph of the crew of Left to right: Fg Off. Malcolm S. Buchanan, Fg Off. Donald F. Rayment, Sgt. William J. Bailey, Plt Off. John R. Harmer, Sgt. James H. Rice, Sgt. James McCannon and Flt Sgt. Alistair L. Mackenzie (courtesy of Bev Goodall)

Above Fg Off. Malcolm S. Buchanan (courtesy Bev Goodall)

REASON FOR LOSS:

78 Squadron Halifax at RAF Breighton (Courtesy IWM)

Took off at 22.05 hrs from RAF Breighton, Yorkshire and joined a force of sixty-two (62) aircraft detailed to attack the flying bomb sites at Acquet in France. Photographs showed that no new damage was caused.

It is understood that MZ788 was either attacked by a night fighter or hit by Flak. (No night fighter claims found for this aircraft) during its return from the operation.

The aircraft was hit on the starboard side of the fuselage and an explosion took place within the flight engineer's department and Sgt. Bailey was severely wounded in both legs and a fire broke out.

Fg Off. Rayment, Flt Sgt. Mackenzie and Plt Off. Harmer decided to bail out of the stricken aircraft and sadly they were lost, drowning it is assumed, in the North Sea. The body of Plt Off. Harmer was recovered from the sea and finally laid at the Etaples Military Cemetery. Fg Off. Rayment and Flt Sgt. Mackenzie are commemorated on the Runnymede memorial.

The remainder of the crew nursed the Halifax back, managing to crash-land at RAF West Malling.

Three of the crew, the then Flt Lt. Buchanan, Plt Off. Rice and Plt Off. McCannon were KiA on the night of 21st/22nd November 1944 when their Halifax III MZ810 EY:F crashed whilst attempting to land back at base after an operation to Sterkrade, Germany.

(1) Fg Off. Buchanan was awarded with an immediate Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) and Sgt. Bailey the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal (Flying) (CGM(F)).

Their award was promulgated in the London Gazette 22nd September 1944.

Citation: “Distinguished Flying Cross. Flying Officer Malcolm Stjernqvist BUCHANAN (Aus 414641), RAAF, 78 Sqn. Conspicuous Gallantry Medal (Flying). 1571262 Sergeant William James BAILEY, RAFVR., 78 Sqn. One night in July, 1944, this officer and airman were captain and flight engineer respectively of an aircraft detailed to attack a target in North France. After the target had been bombed, the bomber was attacked by an enemy fighter and sustained severe damage. A fire broke out within the aircraft and an explosion occurred in Sergeant Bailey's compartment wounding him in both legs. Disregarding his injuries, this airman fought the fire until the flames were quelled. Meanwhile Flying Officer Buchanan, who had been severely burnt about the face, flew the aircraft on a level course. This officer and airman have completed many sorties and have at all times displayed courage, fortitude and determination of a high order”.

It is not known if Sgt. Bailey was returned to flying duties. No record of him being KiA, as a PoW or as an Evader has been found.

Burial details:

Fg Off. Donald Frederick Rayment. Runnymede Memorial Panel 208. Born on the 16th August 1923 in Plumstead, Kent. Son of Frederick William and Ada Alice (née Nice) Rayment. Husband to Evalina F.L. (née Abrahams) Rayment of Woolwich, Kent, England.

Flt Sgt. Alistair Lewis Mackenzie. Runnymede Memorial Panel 212. Son of Roderick and Nicolina MacKenzie of Rutherglen, Lanarkshire, Scotland.

Flt Sgt. Mackenzie was posthumously appointed to a commission and promoted to 179236 Plt Off. effective 27th June 1944.

Plt Off. John Russell Harmer. Etaples Military Cemetery Grave 46.C.9. Born on the 16th January 1923 in Wealden, East Sussex. Son of Ronald Frederick and Alison Scott (née Harmer) Harmer of Earl's Court, London, England.

Prior to enlisting he was a Journalist on staff of 'Aeronautics'.

Researched by Kelvin Youngs (Webmaster) for Beverley Goodall, niece of the pilot, Jim Buchanan and dedicated to all the relatives of this crew. Reviewed and updated by Aircrew Remembered (Jun 2025).

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