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.

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24/25.05.1944 No 640 Squadron Halifax III MZ579 C8-T Fl/Sgt. Crane

Operation: Aachen

Date: 24/25th May 1944 (Wednesday/Thursday)

Unit: No. 640 Squadron (4 Group)

Type: Halifax III

Serial: MZ579

Code: C8-T

Base: RAF Leconfield

Location: Süsterseel, Germany

Pilot: Fl/Sgt. Jack Henry Crane 1425973 RAFVR Age ? Killed

Fl/Eng: Sgt. William Fletcher 2209502 RAFVR Age 19. Killed

Nav: Fl/Sgt. William Charles Smith 1396176 RAFVR Age 34. Killed

Air/Bmr: F/O. Neville Morrad 151734 RAFVR Age 23. Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Frederick Arthur Farrall 1049271 RAFVR Age 22. Killed

Air/Gnr: Sgt. T.Y. Murray 1822582 RAFVR PoW No: 125 Camp: Stalag Luft Bankau (Bakow, Poland), near Kreuzburg (Klucsbork, Poland) (L7)

Air/Gnr: Sgt. J. Campbell 1895819 PoW No: 103 Camp: Stalag Luft Bankau (Bakow, Poland), near Kreuzburg (Klucsbork, Poland) (L7)

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off from RAF Leconfield in Yorkshire at 23:04 hrs together with over 440 aircraft from various squadrons and locations to bomb the railway yards at Aachen - an important target as they were the main route between France and Germany.

Reports from Aachen state that the targets were hit, one being very badly damaged, however because of the unusually large formation for this type of target many bombs fell in the villages with 14,880 people bombed out of their homes. 259 people on the ground were killed with 120 seriously injured.

It is reported that the Luftwaffe pilot who claimed this was that of Major Hans Karlewski (1) of 2./NJG1 at 00:45 hrs with the combat taking place at a reported 5,000 mtrs. over Süsterseel.

The squadron lost another aircraft on this operation, the other:

Halifax III LM673 C8-3 Flown by 20 year old, Fl/Sgt. Dennis Marriott 1432314 RAFVR from Mansfield, Nottingham. Killed with 5 other crew. The tail gunner survived as a PoW. (note: the CWGC list him as the Air Bomber - we feel that we have the correct information)

(1) Major Hans Karlewski went on to become an ace with 11 claims of the war, from which he survived.

Burial details:

Initially buried at Süsterseel reinterred after the end of the war at Rheinberg War Cemetery.

Fl/Sgt. Jack Henry Crane. Rheinberg War Cemetery. Grave 5.E.6. Son of Charles Henry and Agnes Crane and husband of Grace Joan Crane, of Birmingham, England. Grave inscription reads: "Like Autumn Leaves The Years Pass By But In Our Hearts You Will Never Die".

Sgt. William Fletcher. Rheinberg War Cemetery. Joint grave 5.E.7-8. Son of Thomas and Elizabeth Fletcher, of Bryn, Lancashire, England. Grave inscription reads: "Resting Where No Shadows Fall, In Perfect Peace He Awaits Us All".

Fl/Sgt. William Charles Smith. Rheinberg War Cemetery. Grave 5.E.4. Son of William and Rosetta M. Smith, of Willesden, Middlesex, England. Grave inscription reads: "What We Keep In Memory Is Ours Unchanged For Ever".

F/O. Neville Morrad. Rheinberg War Cemetery. Grave 5.E.5. Son of Albert Victor and Ada Laura Morrad, of Holloway, London, England. Grave inscription reads: "He Calleth His Own Sheep By Name, And Leadeth Them Out".

Sgt. Frederick Arthur Farrall. Rheinberg War Cemetery. Joint grave 5.E.7-8. Son of Thomas and Jessie Farrall and husband of Betty Farrall, of Pinchbeck, Lincolnshire, England. Grave inscription reads: "God's Will Be Done".

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to sources as quoted.

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