Operation: Schweinfurt Germay (Ball bearing production facilities)

Date: 26/27th April 1944 (Wednesday/Thursday)

Unit: No. 619 Squadron

Type: Lancaster I

Serial: LL919

Code: PG-W

Base: Dunholme Lodge, Lincolnshire

Location: Landeville, Haute Marne

Pilot: Fl/Lt. Guy Godfrey Charles Gunzi 169429 RAFVR Age 22. Killed

Fl/Eng: Fl/Sgt. Ernest George Cass 573138 RAF Age 21. Killed

Nav: F/O. Nickolas Vlassie J/28974 RCAF Age 25. Killed (1)

Air/Bmr: Fl/Sgt. James W. Mills 928841 RAFVR Survived - PoW Stalag Luft Bankau

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Fl/Sgt. Alan Pickstone 1436408 RAFVR Age 23. Killed

Air/Gnr: P/O. Lewis Leslie Feindell J/86639 RCAF Age 21. Killed (2)

Air/Gnr: Sgt. Kenneth Frank 1590367 RAFVR Age 22. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Took off at 21:32 hrs. from Dunholme Lodge, Lincolnshire to attack Schweinfurt in what is described as a failure with the low-level marking of the Mosquitoes from 5 group bot being accurate, bombing was very poor and much of it fell outside the target area. 2 people on the ground were killed but following the fierce fighting with the Luftwaffe Night fighters the allies lost a total of 21 aircraft of the 215 taking part!

Lancaster LL919 is listed as being shot down by Oblt. Dietrich Schmidt of 8./NJG1 with combat taking place in the Joinville - Doulancourt area at a height of 4.400 mtrs. at 00.47 hrs.

Oblt. Schmidt survived the war with 38 kills and died in March 2002. With thanks to Dr. Theo Boiten for this updated information (February 2019)

BURIAL DETAILS:

Fl/Lt. Guy Godfrey Charles Gunzi. Landeville Churchyard Grave 1. Son of Charles Terrence and Ella Maria Gunzi. Grave inscription reads: "Darling "Nip".

Fl/Sgt. Ernest George Cass. Landeville Churchyard Grave 4. Son of Henry James Cass and Thirza Cass, husband of Barbara Eileen Cass, of Sherwood, Nottingham, England. Grave inscription reads: "In Loving Remembrance Of My Dear Husband Who Gave His Life For England".

(Photo: courtesy David Archer - Operation Picture Me)

F/O. Nickolas Vlassie. Landeville Churchyard Grave 2. Son of Andrew and Photini Vlassie, of 101 Norquay Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. He attended Gladstone and Kelvin Schools and was manager of the College Inn, Portage Avenue before enlistment. His brother Sgt. Emmanuel Vlassie was stationed at No. 3 Wireless School, Tuxedo.

Fl/Sgt. Alan Pickstone. Landeville Churchyard Grave 6. Son of Harold and Minnie Pickstone, of Radcliffe, Lancashire, England. Grave inscription reads: "He Gave His Life For Us. Where Our Treasure Is, There Will Our Hearts Be Also".

P/O. Lewis Leslie Feindell. Landeville Churchyard Grave 5. Son of Lewis and Agne (nee Pratt). Nephew of John T. Green of Semans, Saskatchewan, Canada, who raised him after his parents died. Half brother of John William and Dale.

Sgt. Kenneth Frank. Landeville Churchyard Grave 3. Son of Arthur and Ottoline Frank, of Pickering, Yorkshire, England. Grave inscription reads: "Only Those Who Have Lost Can Understand, From Mam And Dad, Sisters And Brothers".

Researched by for and with the assistance of Anne Grimshaw. Further information supplied by Colin Bamford. Paul Gregg and Airfield Information Exchange. Dr. Theo Boiten for updated information.

(2) Feindell Lake in Saskatchewan is named after P/O. Feindell