Operation: Railway yards, Blainville, France
Date: 28/29th June 1944 (Wednesday/Thursday)
Unit: No. 102 Squadron
Type: Halifax III
Serial: MZ644
Code: DY-V
Base: RAF Pocklington
Location: Foret de Wassy, France.
Pilot: Sgt. Basil Robinson Jardine 178781 RAFVR Age ? Killed
Fl/Eng: Sgt. Douglas Frank Dales 1623580 RAFVR Age 20. Killed
Nav: Sgt. E.J.D Merrill 1579444 RAFVR Evaded capture (1)
Air/Bmr: Sgt. J.A. Waugh 1591662 RAFVR Evaded capture (2)
W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. J.M. Reid 1195235 RAFVR Evaded capture (3)
Air/Gnr: Sgt. William Shepherd Whyte 1569858 RAFVR Age 23. Killed
Air/Gnr: Sgt. B. Crayden 1131987 RAFVR Evaded capture (4)
REASON FOR LOSS:
Took off at 22:02 hrs. from RAF Pocklington part of a group made up of 202 Halifaxes and a further 28 Pathfinder Lancasters to attack railway yards at both Blainville and Metz. Both targets were hit.
Above: Frank and Elsie May Dales visit the grave marker for their son (courtesy Janet Sale)
A disastrous raid for 102 Squadron, losing 5 aircraft on this operation!
Halifax III LW143 DY-O Fl/Sgt. Nigel Campbell killed with 2 others and 4 being made PoW
Halifax III LW159 DY-Q Flown by 31 year old, P/O. Henry Rogers 173133 RAFVR - killed with 5 other crew members, 1 being made PoW
Halifax III MZ646 DY-W Flown by 21 year old, P/O. Keith Robinson 178794 RAFVR from London, England - killed with 4 other crew members, 2 being made PoW
Halifax III NA502 DY-S Flown by P/O. J.G.J. Mulvaney RAAF - evaded capture along with 3 other crew members, 2 killed, another being made PoW.
Photographs taken of the Blainville railway station and yard - target for this raid on 28/29th June 1944 by Jeff Boyling June 2009
(1) Sgt. E.J.D Merrill - Details not known - interrogated back in England, September 1944.
(2) Sgt. J.A. Waugh - Details not known.
(3) Sgt. J.M. Reid - Returned on RAF Dakota on 28th August 1944.
(4) Sgt. B. Crayden - Returned on RAF Dakota on 28th August 1944.
Burial details:
Sgt. Basil Robinson Jardine. Wassy Communal Cemetery. Coll. Grave 1 - 3. No further details - are you able to assist?
Sgt. Douglas Frank Dales. Wassy Communal Cemetery. Coll. Grave 1 - 3. Son of Frank and Elsie May Dales, of Brant Broughton, Lincolnshire, England.
Sgt. William Shepherd Whyte. Wassy Communal Cemetery. Coll. Grave 1 - 3. Son of Joseph Whyte and of Mary Whyte (née Innes), husband of Agnes Whyte, of Bedworth Heath, Bedworth, Warwickshire, England.
Researched for Janet Sale (Niece of Sgt. Dales) and all the relatives of the crew. Further sources as quoted below.
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember
them. - Laurence
Binyon
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Last Modified: 14 July 2015, 21:57