Operation: Mailly-Le-Camp
Date: 03/04th May 1944 (Wednesday/Thursday)
Unit: No. 50 Squadron
Type: Lancaster III
Serial: ED870
Code: VN-J
Base: RAF Skellingthorpe
Location: Poivres, France
Pilot: P/O. Albert Handley 173341 RAFVR Age 28. Killed
Fl/Eng: Sgt. Charles Thomas Brown 1867213 RAFVR Age ? Killed
Nav: F/O. Theodore Edward Archard 135740 RAFVR Age 32. Killed
Air/Bmr: Fl/Sgt. Robert Stanley Garrod 1324243 RAFVR Age 22. Killed
W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Cyril Whitelock 1146149 RAFVR Age 22. Killed
Air/Gnr: Fl/Sgt. James Walker White R/193905 RCAF Age 20. Killed
Air/Gnr: Sgt. David Bisset 650022 RAF Age 22. Killed
Air/Gnr: Sgt. George Edward Gilpin 610020 RAF Age ? Killed
REASON FOR LOSS:
Taking off at 21:58 hrs from RAF Skellingthorpe to bomb Mailly-Le-Camp, a German military camp situated close to the French village of Mailly some 140 km east of Paris.
The bomber stream of 346 Lancasters crossed the French coast at around 23.15 hrs but control of the raid filed as although the initial low level marking made by 2 pathfinder Mosquitoes was accurate and backed up by Lancaster marker aircraft, the signal from the ‘Market Leader’ W/Cdr. Cheshire to come in and bomb was lost when the ‘Main Force Controller’ W/Cdr. Deane as his radio set was being drowned by American forces broadcast and his transmitter was incorrectly tuned.
However, the attack eventually started with over 1,500 tons of bombs dropped on the target area - with great accuracy.
114 barrack buildings were destroyed, 47 transport sheds and some ammunition buildings also hit.
The night fighters attacked over the target and continued during the homeward bound bombers. Some 42 Lancasters were lost this night - all contributed to the Luftwaffe night fighters!
Lancaster ED870 was shot down as it approached the target, crashing at Poivres - where the crew were eventually buried. 50 Squadron lost four aircraft during this operation, the others:
Lancaster III LM437 VN-P Flown by 22 year old P/O. Ronald Stanley Hanson 171336 RAFVR, of South Harrow, Middlesex - killed with 5 others of his crew, 1 evaded capture.
Lancaster III LM480 VN-U Flown by Fl/Lt. T.H. Blackham DFC RAFVR who evaded capture with 1 other crew member, 6 others killed.
Lancaster III ND953 VN-S Flown by P/O. W.F. Dobson RAFVR who also evaded capture with 1 other crew member, 1 taken PoW with the other 4 killed.
Right: The publication ‘Battle Under the Moon’ covers the operation on Mailly-Le-Camp in great detail. Published by Crecy Publishing 1995 ISBN 978-0859791090. Author - Jack Currie.
Researched for the Wimbledon College Roll Of Honour - Aircrew Remembered have offered to provide basic information for the school records. F/O. Theodore Edward Archard was a former pupil.
Burial details:
Left: Grave of F/O. Theodore Archard. Son of Edward Francis Archard, and of Maude Elizabeth Archard, of Worcester. Inscription reads: ‘In Memory Of A Very Dear Son, RIP, Mother.’
P/O. Albert Handley. Poivres Churchyard. Grave 5. Son of Arthur Handley, and of Mary Ann Handley, of Rhyl, Flintshire, Wales.
Sgt. Charles Thomas Brown. Poivres Churchyard. Coll. Grave 24-34. No further details, are you able to assist?
F/O. Theodore Edward Archard M.Sc. Poivres Churchyard. Joint Grave 22-23. Son of Edward Francis Archard, and of Maude Elizabeth Archard, of Worcester, England.
Fl/Sgt. Robert Stanley Garrod. Poivres Churchyard. Grave 8. Son of Robert William and Florence Garrod, of Epsom, Surrey.
Right: Sgt. Cyril Whitelock. Poivres Churchyard. Coll. Grave 24-34. Son of Dennis Trainor Whitelock and Mary Russell Whitelock, of Whitehaven, Cumberland, England.
Fl/Sgt. James Walker White. Poivres Churchyard. Grave 7. Son of James and Elizabeth White. of Toronto. Ontario. Canada.
Sgt. David Bisset. Poivres Churchyard. Coll. Grave 24-34. Son of James F. Bisset and Jessie Bisset, of Chirnside, Berwickshire, England.
Sgt. George Edward Gilpin. Poivres Churchyard. Coll. Grave 24-34. No further details, are you able to assist?
Thanks to Christopher Whitelock, the great nephew of Sgt. Whitelock, for the grave marker and his image.
RS 05.06.2019 - Inclusion of Sgt. Whitelock's image and grave marker
KTY 12.06.2015
RS 05.06.2019 - Inclusion of Sgt. Whitelock's image and grave marker
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember
them. - Laurence
Binyon
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Last Modified: 28 March 2021, 10:42