Operation: Saint-Leu-d'Esserent, Oise, France

Date: 7/8 July 1944 (Friday/Saturday)

Unit: No. 106 Squadron - Motto: "Pro libertate" ("For freedom")

Squadron Badge: A lion sejant, rampant, holding a banner charged with an astral crown. Based on the crest of the County Borough of Doncaster, the squadron being stationed near there at the time of adopting the badge.

Type: Lancaster I

Serial: ME668

Code: ZN-L

Base: RAF Metheringham, Lincolnshire

Location: Les Gâtines, d'Oulins, France.

Pilot: Fl/Lt. Geoffrey Norman Marchant Aus/421814 RAAF Age 24 - PoW No. 7351 Camp: Stalag Luft Sagan and Belaria - L3 (1)

Fl/Eng: Sgt. Frank Wells 1582186 - PoW No. 357 Camp: Stalag Luft Bankau-Kreuzburg (Klucsbork, Poland) - L7 (2)

Nav: F/O. William Gordon Hardcastle 151165 RAFVR Age 24 - Killed (3)

Air/Bmr: F/O. Arthur George Kinnis J/26316 RCAF - Prisoner No. 78391 Buchenwald Concentration Camp later Stalag Luft Sagan and Belaria - L3 (4)

W/Op/Air/Gnr: W/O. Hilton Craig Bell Aus/413946 RAAF Age 22 - Missing believed killed (5)

Air/Gnr (MU): Sgt. William Bert Gladstone 1835119 RAFVR Age 19 - Killed (6)

Air/Gnr (R): F/O. Frank Gordon Paterson J/28547 RCAF Age 22 - Killed (7)

We appeal to any relatives of the crew with further information and/or photographs to please contact us via the Helpdesk

INTRODUCTION

They had crewed up at 16 OTU at RAF Upper Heyford, Oxfordshire in December 1943 for night bomber training on Wellingtons. The crew consisted of pilot, Geoff Marchant, a 23 year old carpenter from new South Wales, navigator and Londoner, William Hardcastle, a Registration Clerk at the Milk Marketing Board and also 24, Arthur Kinnis from British Columbia, Canada, the air bomber, was 29 and so qualified as the old man of the crew. The wireless op, Hilton Bell, was, like Geoff Marchant also from New South Wales and in civilian life had been a clothes presser for a dry cleaning company. Air Gunner Frank Paterson aged 22, completed the crew, and was, by birth, a Londoner, but had been brought up in Toronto, Canada, so to all intents and purposes, he was Canadian. He had just completed a BA degree at Toronto University before enlisting.

On 3 February, having completed training at 16 OTU, the crew moved on to 1661 Heavy Conversion Unit at RAF Winthorpe in Nottinghamshire for training on four engine heavy bombers. Here they acquired a flight engineer in the shape of Frank Wells about who little more is known, and a second air gunner, yet another Londoner, William Gladstone aged 19. Then, on 18 March they were off to 5 Lancaster Finishing School for three weeks before joining 106 Squadron at RAF Metheringham for operational flying on 12 April.

Geoff Marchant was detailed for his first operation within a week of arrival, flying 2nd Dickey on 18 April with the crew of P/O. G.S. Milnes, a minelaying trip to Swinemünde.

Four nights later, 22/23 April, Geoff led his own crew into battle - a raid on Brunswick. 2 more ops in April were followed by 7 in May and another 9 in June albeit including one that did not count - the mission was abandoned on recall.

On the night of 4/5 July Geoff and the crew were one of 16 crews detailed for a raid on tunnels (formerly used for growing mushrooms) being used for flying bomb storage at Saint-Leu-d'Esserent in Oise, France. The attack by a total of 248 aircraft to cut all communications to the store, was carried out using 1000 lb bombs. Bombing was accurate but due to considerable flak and fighter opposition, 13 Lancasters were lost including 2 from 106 Squadron.

Geoff. Marchant had now completed 20 ops towards his tour, the others were on 19 apart from William Hardcastle on 18 and Frank Paterson on 17. For half of those 20 ops, Geoff and his crew had been allocated Lancaster ME668 and thus beginning to regard it as their very own steed.

The Squadron enjoyed the next two nights free of operational duties but on the night of 7/8 July there was to be a repeat performance of the attack on the tunnels at Saint-Leu-d'Esserent.

16 Lancasters of 106 Squadron were again detailed for the operation, including ME668 which was again allocated to Geoff and the boys.

Another raid, to be conducted concurrently with that against Saint-Leu-d'Esserent, was to be made on the railway yards at Vaires-sur-Marne some 15 miles east of Paris.

A force of 208 Lancasters and 13 Mosquitos, mainly from No 5 Group but with some Pathfinder aircraft, was to attack the tunnels at St. Leu d'Esserent whilst 123 Lancasters and 5 Mosquitos of 1 and 8 Groups were to be despatched against the Vaires-sur-Marne railway yards.

In an attempt to confuse the Germans as to the intended target, the two combined forces were to split into three groups in mid Channel with about half the Saint-Leu-d'Esserent force and the total Vaires force taking the most westerly route to cross the French coast near Le Havre. This combined force was later to divide, with the Vaires force continuing south, whilst the Saint-Leu-d'Esserent force was to turn east and eventually rendezvous with the other two Saint-Leu groups, at a point just north of the Parisian commune of Saint Denis, before heading north to the target.

H - Hour for the Saint-Leu raid was timed for 0110 and the Vaires raid for 0130 hours.

REASON FOR LOSS

The Lancasters of 106 Squadron were led off at 2230 hours. ME668 with Geoff Marchant at the controls was away at 2235 hours and ten minutes later all sixteen were airborne, each one carrying 10 x 1000lb and 4 x 500lb bombs.

Special equipment on board was ME668 was H2S, Fishpond and Mandrel (see abbreviations)

Once formed, the combined bomber stream crossed the coast of England near Worthing and set out across the Channel. Some 25 miles out, the force split into three as planned.

The Saint-Leu and Vaires group, on the western most route, duly parted company and whilst the former turned east, the latter proceeded in a south easterly direction. The 16 Lancasters of 106 Squadron were part of this western most group.

Meanwhile, German controllers, who had become aware of the force shortly after it crossed the English coast and suspecting that it was bound for a target in the Paris area, assembled the majority of its night fighter force around two beacons in the vicinity of Saint Leu.

With H-hour some 25 minutes hence, the three sections of the Saint-Leu-d'Esserent were preparing to re-unite just north of Saint Denis when the night fighters struck. In ideal conditions and moonlit skies the Nachtjagd pilots quickly brought down 6 Lancasters on the approach and another 5 over the target area.

'The German fighter controllers concentrated their aircraft against the St Leu force, assembling them first over a searchlight concentration S. of Dieppe. The fighters, assisted by moonlight and good visibility, achieved exceptional success and were reinforced from the Low Countries, where the groups were apparently not diverted as usual by the Mandrel Screen. About 30 heavy guns fired at Saint Leu, but no serious flak was met elsewhere. The Vaires force met hardly any fighters.' (Bomber Command Night Raid Report)

The attacking force bombed the target between 0116 and 0130 delivering 1124 tons of high explosive and 2.9 tons of incendiary bombs before once more dividing into three sections for the homeward run.

It was then that the German night fighters began their slaughter in earnest, bringing down a further 20 aircraft before the last of the returning bombers finally staggered across the French coast.

'No aircraft was lost on Vaires, but the St Leu force suffered most grievously, no less than 14% of the aircraft despatched being destroyed. 6 of the 31 losses appear to have occurred on the outward route, 5 N of Paris and 20 homeward. At least 17 were due to fighters, and 7 to flak. No landing or taxying accidents were reported, but one aircraft was irreparably damaged by [a] fighter.' (Bomber Command Night Raid Report)

The cost in RAF aircrew was equally expensive, with 139 killed, 2 who died of wounds, 30 made prisoners of war and 47 who evaded capture.

'Day reconnaissance

3 concentrations of craters occurred over the northern, central and southern tunnel entrances respectively, causing displacement of soil and destruction of buildings. The lines of the main railway were cut many times, and a direct hit was scored on a gun position. 13 craters occurred on the tracks serving the tunnels.'(Bomber Command Night Raid Report)

The 106 Squadron Operations Record Book included the following:

'The Squadron despatched sixteen aircraft and eleven of them made successful attacks on the markers from 12-15000 feet between 01.16 and 01.22 hours. No individual results were observed but the crews reported the bombing as very accurate.

We suffered very heavily at the hands of the defences tonight - no fewer than five aircraft being lost.

A special congratulatory message was received from the A.O.C. of No. 5 Group in connection with this raid. He considers it the finest effort yet made by the Group, the attack being successfully pressed home in face of fierce opposition.'

The bombing had indeed been accurate, directed on to the mouths of the tunnels and approach roads thus blocking access to the flying bombs stored there. However, the fierce opposition from the German fighters, had resulted in the loss of 29 Lancasters and 2 Mosquitos, representing a dire 14% of the total force .

The other five losses sustained by 106 Squadron were:

Lancaster ME831 ZN-R piloted by P/O. Alan Sidney Monaghan Aus/420840 RAAF. Crashed near Oulins (Eure et Loire) France. The crew all baled out successfully - 5 evaded capture, the other two were captured and made prisoners of war.

Lancaster ME789 ZN-B piloted by F/O. G.S. Mather J/24129 RCAF. All the crew survived. Attacked by a night fighter over the target and crashed near Gournay en Bray (Seine Maritime) France. 6 became prisoners of war and 1 evaded and returned safely to UK

see https://aircrewremembered.com/mather-gordon-s.html

Lancaster JB641 ZN-X piloted by Fl/Lt Frederick Cecil Walter Clement 150238 RAFVR. Crashed at Quetteville (Calvados) All the crew were killed and lie in St. Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen, France.

Lancaster PB144 ZN-P piloted by Sqn/Ldr. Trevor Owen Marshall D.F.C. 39671 RAFVR. Hit by flak and crashed near St. Genevieve (Oise). All the crew were killed - 3 lie in St. Genevieve Communal Cemetery, the other 5 in Marissel French National Cemetery, France.

The fate of Lancaster ME668

Nothing was heard of the Lancaster ME668 or its crew after take off. Although it was known that Geoff. Marchant, Frank Wells and Arthur Kinnis had survived the crash and had become prisoners of war, it was only after their liberation, and the cessation of hostilities in 1945, that details of the crash and the fate of the other members of the crew, were able to be established.

At his interview, following repatriation to the UK in 1945, Fl/Lt. Geoffrey Marchant described what happened when his aircraft was hit.

'They crossed the French coast at 12000ft and in the vicinity of Dreux the aircraft's starboard inner engine was hit by flak and caught fire. He ordered the Flight Engineer to feather the airscrew and operate the extinguisher button which was done. As the fire did not subside he ordered the crew to abandon the aircraft. Almost immediately afterwards it was hit from each quarter by two enemy fighters and W/O. Bell, the rear gunner and mid upper gunner and the navigator lost their lives in the air. The engineer and bomb aimer baled out at 12000ft. The aircraft was governable but had no lateral control and there was fire in all four engines, the bomb bay and most of the fuselage. The top of the cockpit was blown away and the aircraft went into a shallow spin. Fl/Lt. Marchant baled out through the cockpit top at 500ft and states that the aircraft crashed near the town of Dreux.'

Post war enquiries revealed that the aircraft crashed and exploded at 01:15hrs at Les Gâtines, d'Oulins some 33km north of Dreux.

Bomb aimer, F/O. Arthur Kinnis reported that:

'Whilst flying (_______)[sic] struck his starboard inner engine and stopped it (______)[sic] setting all engines on fire. The Captain, Marchant, gave order for abandon and was heard to ask for assistance to enable him to get out as he was wounded in leg. So far as Kinnis knows, Marchant is in a German hospital. French informed him that the bodies of F/O. Paterson, identified by his passport photograph, F/O. Hardcastle, identified by a charred yellow neckerchief and Sgt. Gladstone identified by his black service boots and a charred white neckerchief.'

The three surviving crew members were all captured by the Germans. Fl/Lt. Marchant was hospitalised with a leg wound and Sgt. Wells was sent to Stalag Luft Bankau-Kreulberg in Silesia, Germany (now Poland). F/O. Kinnis also sustained a leg injury and although saved by the French Resistance was later betrayed and ended up at Gestapo headquarters in Paris. He was later sent to Buchenwald Concentration Camp one of 26 Royal Canadian Airforce crew members who suffered the same fate. In total 168 aircrew were sent to Buchenwald.

The following details from the testimony of 2nd Lt. Dauteuill was provided by Aircrew Remembered Senior Research Editor Ralph Snape.

2nd Lt. Donat François Dauteuill had been sheltered by the Cressy family for two months after being shot down and in his testimony to the War Crimes Office on 14 August 1945 stated that:

'Prior to reaching the Cressy's I had been referred to the Chief of the French resistance Movement in that area who, after satisfying himself that I was not a German in disguise referred me to Mrs Cressy. I learned that she had cared for at least ten other Allied fliers who had been shot down. About the 24th July 1944 I started for Paris. The plan was to contact the Resistance there and to be flown back to England. Another flier Fl. Lt. [sic] Kennis [sic], RCAF, and myself were driven to Paris by a fellow known as Jack the Belgium [sic] who was supposed to be on eof the Resistance but who turned out to be working for the Gestapo. He took us to the Piccadilly Hotel in Paris where he left us with the manager or owner, a fellow known as Louie the Jew. He also turned out to be working for the Gestapo. We were there for two days. On the second day two men came to the hotel. Louie the Jew took us down to their auto and told us that these men woud take us to Spain where we would be flown to England. The two men instead took us to Gestapo Headquarters. That was the 27th July 1944. That night I was taken to Fresnes Prison in Paris.'

On 3 April 1945 the following report was sent to the RAF by Headquarters 397th Bombardment Group, Security and P/W Office, APO 140 US ARMY

Subject: British crashed Lancaster

To Officer in Charge

1. On 7 June 1944, a British Lancaster aircraft crashed on the farm of Andre Vermuelen, of Les Gatines d'Oulines, which is approximately 33 kilometers [sic] north of Dreux, through Annet, France.

2. The plane crashed and burned beyond recognition. The bombs did not explode as a result of the fire and the Germans in the area set them off, blowing what remained of the ship all about the terrain.

3. There was a crew of four on the ship according to the best report, two Canadians, one Australian and one Englishman. The Englishman, F.O. Hardcastle, RAF, London was completely burned. From the other two bodies M. Vermuelen was able to pick up charred remains of clothing, etc. The local people conducted burial ceremonies for these three men and they interred them in a cemetery at Oulins, R415487. Pictures of the graves taken by Madame Pierre of the Epiciere Cafe of Oulins are enclosed.

4. The survivor of this crew was named Arthur Kinnis, 114 Cook Avenue ------, British Columbia. He had parachuted to safety . No further address is available. He was placed in [the] charge of the local resistance group. M. Vermuelen heard later, however, that he was picked up by the Germans in Paris and made a prisoner.

5.It is recognised that the information is very meager [sic] but it is the best available. There is nothing left of the ship that can produce numbers etc. The local French resistance groups kept no records and they do not know the names of the other two men of the crew. It is believed, however, with the two names, even though the addresses are incomplete, and the date of the crash that the RAF will be able to check this ship and notify the relatives of the men involved.

(Sgd) G. C. Hamilton

Captain, Air Corps,

Counter Intelligence Officer

On 20 June 1945 a letter was sent to the Missing Research and Enquiry Service by the Director of Personal Services with the above information, requesting that they make an investigation to determine the fate of W/O. H.G. Bell and to establish if Andre Vermeulen and his family, who had helped him considerably, were safe.

On 30 July 1945 S/Ldr D. Robertshaw of No 1. Section M.R. & E. Service visited Monsieur Andre Vermeulen on his farm at Les Gâtines, d'Oulins and obtained the following information.

'The aircraft crashed and exploded about 500 yards from Mons. Vermeulen's home. Three bodies (two whole, Gladstone and Paterson, and one badly smashed, Hardcastle) were recovered from the wreckage and taken by the Germans to the morgue at Oulins pending the arrival of coffins. Mons. Vermeulen asked the grave digger to inform him when the bodies were to be buried so that he could be present as he wished to try and secure some means of identification when the bodies were put in the coffins. Mons. Vermeulen asked the Mayor if he could take a piece of clothing from each body as a souvenir. The Mayor consented and Mons. Vermeulen cut a piece of scarf off each body noting in which grave each man was buried.

These pieces of scarf he took to F/O. Kinnis, who was in hiding in Mons. Vermeulen senior's house, and who was able to identify them. Mons. Vermeulen was therefore able to deduce that Sgt. Gladstone is buried in the left hand grave in the Parish Cemetery at Oulins, F/O. Hardcastle in the centre and F/O. Paterson in the right hand grave. At present each grave is marked by a large white cross with a crucifix attached. Each cross is marked "7/7/44 Aviateur Brittanique". The graves are being very well tended and covered with flowers of the season.'

In a letter to M.R.&E. Service of 22 September 1945, Mons. Vermeulen explained further how he determined the positioning of the individual bodies in their graves - 'In order to make quite sure I slipped into the cemetery when the bodies were being placed in their coffins, and helped carry them to their graves so that I should know the exact spot. I have kept the three pieces of scarf.'

Mons. Vermeulen had also recovered a parachute harness bearing the figure 'L112' and remains of the pack, from a wood known as Bois de l'Abbe. This later proved to have belonged to Sgt. Wells.

Despite further, lengthy investigation, the fate of Hilton Bell remained unresolved. But in January 1946 a final piece of information, learned from Mons. Vermeulen, possibly explained what had become of him. 'The Germans had later dug up the unexploded bombs jettisoned by the aircraft and exploded them on the scene of the crash.' It was therefore possible that the body of W/O. Bell was completely disintegrated in consequence of this.

However, in May 1946, in the absence of any further conclusive evidence it was decided that no further action could be taken in the matter.

(The letter to the RAF from 397th Bombardment Group of 3 April 1943 (above) had also referred to the Germans having exploded the bombs and thus blown up the remains of ME668).

With no further information concerning the demise of Hilton Bell and having no known grave, he was later commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.

As mentioned earlier, the three surviving crew members were all captured by the Germans. Fl/Lt. Marchant was hospitalised with a leg wound and Sgt. Wells was sent to Stalag Luft Bankau-Kreulberg in Silesia, Germany (now Poland). F/O. Kinnis also sustained a leg injury and although saved by the French Resistance, he was later betrayed and ended up at Gestapo headquarters in Paris.

The following details from the testimony of 2nd Lt. Dauteuill was provided by Aircrew Remembered Senior Research Editor Ralph Snape.

2nd Lt. Donat François Dauteuill had been sheltered by the Cressy family for two months after being shot down and in his testimony to the War Crimes Office on 14 August 1945 stated that:

'Prior to reaching the Cressy's I had been referred to the Chief of the French resistance Movement in that area who, after satisfying himself that I was not a German in disguise referred me to Mrs Cressy. I learned that she had cared for at least ten other Allied fliers who had been shot down. About the 24th July 1944 I started for Paris. The plan was to contact the Resistance there and to be flown back to England. Another flier Fl. Lt. [sic] Kennis [sic], RCAF, and myself were driven to Paris by a fellow known as Jack the Belgium [sic] who was supposed to be one of the Resistance but who turned out to be working for the Gestapo. He took us to the Piccadilly Hotel in Paris where he left us with the manager or owner, a fellow known as Louie the Jew. He also turned out to be working for the Gestapo. We were there for two days. On the second day two men came to the hotel. Louie the Jew took us down to their auto and told us that these men would take us to Spain where we would be flown to England. The two men instead took us to Gestapo Headquarters. That was the 27th July 1944. That night I was taken to Fresnes Prison in Paris.'

Arthur Kinnis and Donat Dauteuill were later sent to Buchenwald Concentration Camp. Arthur Kinnis was one of 26 Royal Canadian Air Force crew members who suffered the same fate. In total 168 aircrew were sent to Buchenwald, the others made up of 82 Americans, 48 British, 9 Australians, 2 New Zealanders and 1 Jamaican.

On 9 March 2021 Aircrew Remembered Senior Research Editor, Ralph Snape, provided the following information regarding the loss of ME668

106 Sqn, Lancaster I, ME668 was claimed by Lt. Siegfried Elsässer, his 2nd victory and 2nd of the night, from Stab II./NJG2 over Damille-Depteuil area at 3.500 m at 01:12 hrs. (Nachtjagd Combat Archive (12 May 1944 - 23 July 1944) Part 3 - Theo Boiten)

Lt. Elsässer became a PoW on the 6th/7th August 1944 after his Ju88 C-6 R4+CC was shot down by 488 Sqn Mosquito HK420 and crashed near Fougères, NE of Rennes at 03:00 hrs. He and his crew baled out with Elsässer being injured. (Nachtjagd Combat Archive (24 July 1944 - 15 October 1944) Part 4 - Theo Boiten).

Flt Lt. A.E. Browne and Fg Off. T.F. Taylor flying Mosquito NF.XIII, HK420 claimed three victims this night. Two were unidentified and flew into the ground while trying to evade their aircraft SW of Rennes and the third, a Ju188, was shot down SW of Avranches, France.

Note: Some publications have erroneously used the mistake in the 488 Sqn ORB to confer the rank of Wg Cdr. to Fg Off. T.F. Taylor.

Flt Lt. Allen Edward Browne 404986 RNZAF

As an acting Sqn Ldr. with 89 Squadron, he was awarded the DFC. London Gazette 2nd October 1945. Citation: This officer has participated in many night fighter sorties. He has consistently displayed the highest standards of keenness and energy and has shown fine qualities as a leader. He has destroyed at least four enemy aircraft and an enemy locomotive. His devotion to duty has been exemplary.

Fg Off. Thomas Frederick Taylor 188134 RAFVR

As a Plt Off. with 488 Squadron, RNZAF, he was awarded the DFC. London Gazette 8th May 1945. Citation: As observer, Pilot Officer Taylor has participated in a large number of sorties. He is a most skilful and devoted member of aircraft crew, whose coolness and courage in action have set a fine example. Pilot Officer Taylor has assisted in the destruction of five enemy aircraft.

After the war Arthur Kinnis became well known in Canada as a campaigner for justice for those affected by this contravention of the Geneva Convention. The 26 were eventually awarded compensation payments by the German Government. Arthur George Kinnis died on 26 January 2011 aged 95. The following obituaries relate his story and pay tribute his indomitable spirit.

Postmedia News 6 February 2011

Canadian war hero Arthur Kinnis spent life fighting for veterans

VICTORIA — Long before Arthur Kinnis was a retired salesman in Victoria, he was a top-flight Canadian airman, shot down over wartime Europe on his 22nd mission in the summer of 1944.

His subsequent fate was harsh and highly unusual — so much so that even the Canadian government refused for many years to admit it happened. Kinnis was one of 26 members of the Royal Canadian Air Force who faced a death sentence in Buchenwald concentration camp instead of time in a prisoner-of-war camp.

It took 56 years, but Kinnis — a formidable fighter for postwar justice — led a campaign to ensure the airmen’s experience was finally recognized by the Canadian government in 2001 and each received $10,000 in compensation from the German government for contravening the Geneva Convention.

Kinnis died Jan. 20 at 96 in Saanich, B.C., suffering from cancer and bone disease — an affliction his daughter Mary-Anne thinks he defied for so long due to the resilience honed at Buchenwald.

Sol Kinnis, one of his 11 grandchildren, says her grandfather “would have nightmares all the time.”

She’s proud of what he accomplished after enduring Buchenwald. “My grandmother stood by him the whole time. They went back to Europe and dug through the files. To go through all these horrible memories in Europe would have taken a tremendous amount of courage.”

Kinnis married Betty Matthews in 1938 after they met at Boy Scout and Girl Guide camps in Trail, B.C. — a small town the province’s Kootenay region — where he was born. He swam across a lake a couple of times to get to know her better and they were married for 72 years.

Kinnis had kept a detailed diary while he was Buchenwald inmate number 78391. And it was because of that diary that the case for recognition was finally made, says Edward Carter-Edwards, an official of the PoW Association of Canada.

The diary, complete with sketches of a Nazi, a guard tower and recipes for cow’s udder to stave off starvation, was left unread in the Kinnis home until 1979.

Kinnis was shot down over France on July 7, 1944. Dragging an injured leg, he was saved by the French Resistance only to be betrayed, ending up at Gestapo headquarters in Paris. Even as he heard the guns of the Allied advance, he and 90 others were packed into a boxcar on a train bound for Buchenwald – one of the largest concentration camps on German soil. The horrific five-day journey was made without food and with one pail for water and another for sanitation, he wrote in his diary.

During their time in Buchenwald, they learned some of the “countless forms of torture” applied by the Nazis and the disappearance one terrible day of 400 Gypsies.

The men’s admitting forms were stamped in the German for “not to be transferred to another camp” — a phrase also found on the papers of 31 allied personnel considered spies and killed by being hanged on meat hooks.

The Koncentration Lager Buchenwald members were shoeless, sleeping on rock piles and dreaming of food while eating bread partly made of sawdust.

Seeing endless atrocities and the dead victims of the Nazis left the group horror struck, but the airmen survived for three reasons: They were fit, they were not Jewish and they had contact with a Polish underground member who delivered a list of their names to the German air force. It was the Luftwaffe that had the airmen transferred to Stalag 3, which seemed luxurious by contrast.

There, they received the basics of life and were allowed parcels from the Red Cross and to send mail — families had no idea of the airmen’s whereabouts.

They were imprisoned there until Jan. 28, 1945, when 10,000 Allied airmen were force-marched westward in the face of advancing Russians. The last were flown back to England May 25, 1945. Once home, Kinnis soon began building his young family a spacious house they moved into in 1948.

“He planned that house when he was a prisoner of war,” says Rick, one of three sons born after the war.

Kinnis spent much of the next 20 years compiling information from others who were imprisoned. “It had been difficult, with several successive governments, to be recognized as survivors of a concentration camp,” says Carter-Edwards, who was also in Buchenwald and went to Ottawa with Kinnis seeking justice.

In 1994, Kinnis made a presentation to the Senate subcommittee on veterans affairs, seeking the federal government’s help in pressing Germany for reparation.

In 1998, Saanich-Gulf Islands MP Gary Lunn raised the matter in Parliament and urged settlement in time to benefit the ageing veterans. In 1999, Lunn returned a cheque for $1,098 Kinnis had received from Veterans Affairs calling it an insult, given that Australia and New Zealand provided $10,000.

After the war, Kinnis loved to travel and canoed until age 85.

“I think that’s what got him through,” Sol says. At one point, he travelled all over the province selling Encyclopaedia Britannica, but for many years, he worked for Standard Furniture as an interior designer.

“He lived a very exciting, full life,” Carter-Edwards says. “He’ll be up in heaven waiting for the rest of the KLB to come up.”

Arthur George Kinnis was born on April 5, 1915 in Trail and died on Jan. 20 at home in Saanich.

Victoria Times Colonist

Published in The Times Colonist on 29 January 2011

KINNIS, Arthur George. Our strong-willed, creative, loyal family man and lover of adventure and practical jokes. Arthur Kinnis, died peacefully at the age of 95 on January 20th, 2011 in the home he built over 60 years ago. Arthur is survived by his wife of 72 years, Elizabeth (Betty), his sister Claire Kinnis, his brother Bill, his 4 children and their spouses: Mary-Anne (Wayne) Ladner, Rick (Jeanne) Kinnis, Ralph (Ruth) Kinnis and Jack (Karen) Kinnis, his 11 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren. Arthur was born April 5th, 1915 to George & Winifred Kinnis in Trail, BC. Arthur loved the outdoors and spent many years with the Boy Scouts, skiing down Red Mountain and swimming in the Arrow Lakes. In 1938, Arthur married Betty in Trail, BC. They then spent a month traveling by freighter down the coast of North America, through the Panama Canal and up to New York City. They spent a year in New York with Betty studying piano and Arthur studying interior design. Betty recalls wonderful days at the amusement park on Coney Island and rollerskating through Manhattan. During WWII, Arthur fought with the RCAF as a Bomb Aimer. His Lancaster was shot down in July 1944 over German occupied France. He was captured and sent to Buchenwald Concentration camp with other allied service men, and then to a German POW camp. In 1979 he recorded his experiences in a book published as "168 Jump Into Hell ". He was also a very active member of the KLB club (a club formed with fellow POW's). After the war he returned to Victoria in 1945 with his wife and small daughter and built the house he had designed while a POW overlooking what was then the farm-covered Shelbourne Valley. The love of his family and his love of the outdoors helped him through the difficult years following the war. His children carry with them fond memories of camping, fishing, and canoeing with the family. Arthur also enjoyed landscaping and built elaborate systems of ponds and flowing water around his yard that were a favourite place for his grandchildren to explore. His model train room was enjoyed by everyone, with features such as villages, lakes, tunnels, bridges and mountains he named after each of his grandchildren. Above all else, Arthur was a man who loved living, learning and keeping busy. I still have so much to do" was what kept him going. The family wishes to thank all those who have provided support and care for Arthur in his final years. A special thank you to Dr. S.T. Grewal and to family friends, Richard and Susan Behn. Memorial donations in Arthur's name may be made to the Hospice Society, the Cancer Society or the Canadian Red Cross Loaner Program. No Service by request.

In 2005 Arthur Kinnis was interviewed for the University of Victoria Canadian Oral History Collection. Entitled "my Air Force recollections" the recording in two parts contains a short account of his early life and enlistment in the Royal Canadian Air Force followed by a detailed account from being shot down, his time as an evader and subsequent betrayal to the Gestapo. He continues to describe in detail, his ill treatment at Fresnes and Buchenwald his later time at Stalag Luft 3 and beyond until his eventual release. He then goes on to describe his homecoming and subsequent fight for justice and compensation with the Canadian Government etc. To listen to this remarkable story click here

BIOGRAPHICAL DETAILS

(1) Fl/Lt. Geoffrey Norman Marchant was born 29 May 1920 at Lorne, Alma Road, Maroubra, S. Randwick, New South Wales, Australia the son of Edward Norman Marchant and Ella Mary Marchant nee Laws. A Carpenter by trade he enlisted at Sydney 28 March 1942.

After the war he was repatriated to the United Kingdom where in 1945 he married his fiancée Doreen Paterson in Aberdeen. She was the daughter of Wine and Spirit Merchant William D. Patterson who lived at 266, Western Road, Aberdeen. Soon after their wedding Geoffrey returned to Australia where he was discharged from the RAAF at 31 Base on 30 October 1945. It is not known when Doreen Marchant travelled to Australia but on 30 March 1950 she arrived in London from Sydney, Australia on the P & O ship Himalaya.

On 30 July 1951 now aged 31 Geoffrey Marchant arrived at Tilbury, London on the P & O ship Strathnavar. The ship's passenger list records his intended country of residence as Scotland and his proposed address there as 266, Western Road, Aberdeen (the home of his wife's parents). His occupation is stated to be a carpenter.

Just over twelve months later at 8pm on the 7th August 1952 Geoffrey Marchant died at 266 Western Road, Aberdeen, he was 32 years old. His death certificate records the cause of death as 'Melanoma of Shin. Secondaries in Brain. Hypostatic Pneumonia.' Which raises the question as to whether the melanoma of the shin was a consequence of the leg injury sustained in the crash of Lancaster ME668

Doreen Marchant's home residence is recorded on the death certificate as Hull Road, Pennant Hills, Australia.

(2) Sgt. Frank Wells - nothing further known, if you have any information please contact our helpdesk

(3) F/O. William Gordon Hardcastle was born on 24 December 1919 at Balham, London the only child of William Hardcastle (a Leather Dresser) and Charlotte Maud Hardcastle nee Polson. In 1939 the family lived at 70 Chestnut Grove, Wandsworth, London at which time William Gordon Hardcastle was a Registration Clerk at the Milk Marketing Board.

LAC 1285206 Hardcastle was commission as a Pilot Officer (on probation) on 3 February 1943 (London Gazette 4 May 1943) and promoted to Flying Officer on probation (war subs) on 5 August 1943 (London Gazette 3 September 1943).

(4) F/Lt. Arthur George Kinnis was born on 5 April 1915 at Trail, British Columbia, Canada the son of George Johnstone Kinnis and Mary Winifred Kinnis nee Egdell. He married Elizabeth Ann "Betty" Mathews on 1 September 1938. He was ultimately promoted to Flight Lieutenant.

Arthur Kinnis died aged 96 on 20 January 2011 at Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.

(5) W/O. Hilton Craig Bell was born 6 July 1922 at Fairfield, New South Wales, Australia the son of Sidney Bell and Violet Hilda Bell nee Lomax . The family lived at 51 Hamilton Street in Fairfield. He enlisted at Sydney on 10 October 1941. His peacetime profession was a Steam Clothes Presser at Hanks Dry Cleaners, 100 West Street, North Sydney

He was educated at Fairfield Public School (1934-1935), Liverpool Junior Technical School (1935-1937) and Central Junior Technical School Granville (1937-1938)

He played rugby football with combined City School against Country and also played tennis and cricket.

When he enlisted at 2 Recruiting Centre Sydney on 14 July 1941

he was 5'5½" tall weighing 144 lbs with a medium complexion, brown eyes and brown hair.

After training at 1 Initial Training School at RAAF Somers, Victoria, 2 Wireless and Gunnery School at RAAF Parkes, NSW he was awarded his Wireless Badge on 16 September 1942. He was then posted to 2 Bombing and Gunnery School at RAAF Port Pirie, South Australia where on graduation on 15 October he was awarded his Air Gunners Badge and promoted to Sergeant.

He embarked at Melbourne on 15 January 1943 and on disembarking in the UK on 17 March posted to 11 Personnel Despatch and Reception Centre at Bournemouth and on 1 June to 4 Air Observer School at RAF West Freugh, Wigtownshire, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. He was promoted to Flight Sergeant on 15 April 1943.

On 14 September he was posted to 16 Operational Training Unit at Upper Heyford, Oxfordshire and on 15 December to 52 Base at RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire. He was promoted to Flying Officer on 23 January 1944.

On 3 February 1943 he was posted to 1661 Heavy Conversion Unit at RAF Winthorpe in Nottinghamshire and on 18 March to 5 Lancaster Finishing School at RAF Syerston, Nottinghamshire. On completion of training at Syerston he was posted to 106 Squadron at RAF Metheringham, Lincolnshire on 12 April 1944. He was promoted to Warrant Officer 3 days later on 15 April.

He is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial, Englefield Green, near Egham, Surrey, Australian War Memorial, Canberra Panel 18 and Honour Avenue War Memorial in Fairfield, New South Wales, Australia.

(6) Sgt. William Bert Gladstone was born in 1924 at West Ham, London the son of Thomas Frederick Bert Gladstone (a Shipwright) and Elizabeth Emma nee Seager later of Hornchurch, Essex. William Gladstone had two siblings: Betty D. M. Gladstone born 1928 and Edna G. Gladstone born 1931. In 1939 Frederick and Elizabeth lived at 114 Sutton Court Road, West Ham, only one other person (details concealed) was recorded living with them

(7) F/O. Frank Gordon Paterson was born on 15 July 1921 at London, England the son of a Scottish father, Donald G. Paterson (a Labourer) and English mother, Lydia Eleanor Paterson nee Pazzoli. He had one sibling, a sister, Doris Elaine Paterson born c1937

He was educated at Rose Avenue Public School (1926-1934), Jarvis Collegiate Institute, Toronto (1934-1939) and the University of Toronto (1939-1942) Arts Degree BA. In the Summer of 1941/1942 he worked as a Swimming Instructor. He also boxed.

He later stated that he intended to return to Law School on discharge from the RCAF.

When he enlisted at 1 Recruitment Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia on 23 December 1942 he was 5' 9½ tall weighing 163 lbs with a dark complexion, brown eyes and brown hair

After completing a Pre Aircrew Education Course from 6 January to 26 February 1943

at 8 Manning Depot RCAF Souris in Manitoba he was posted to 17 Service Flying and after further training at Training School also at RCAF Souris 1 Air Gunners Ground Training School at Quebec City and 9 Bombing and Gunnery School at RCAF Mont Joli, Quebec he was awarded his Air Gunner Badge, promoted to Sergeant and commissioned as a Pilot Officer on 23 July 1943.

He embarked for the UK on 26 August and after disembarking on 1 September was posted to 3 Personnel Reception Centre at Bournemouth. On 14 September he was posted to 16 Operational Training Unit at Upper Heyford, Oxfordshire and on 15 December to 52 Base at RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire. He was promoted to Flying Officer on 23 January 1944.

On 3 February 1943 he was posted to 1661 Heavy Conversion Unit at RAF Winthorpe in Nottinghamshire and on 18 March to 5 Lancaster Finishing School at RAF Syerston, Nottinghamshire. On completion of training at Syerston he was posted to 106 Squadron at RAF Metheringham, Lincolnshire on 12 April 1944.

BURIAL DETAILS

F/O. William Gordon Hardcastle - Buried at Oulins Churchyard near Dreux, Eure-et-Loire, France - Grave No. 2 (3)

His epitaph reads:

Sleep on, my son

Till we meet again.

Just one to the world

But the world to us.

W/O. Hilton Craig Bell - Having no known grave. he is commemorated on panel 259 of the Runnymede Memorial (5)

Sgt. William Bert Gladstone - Buried at Oulins Churchyard near Dreux, Eure-et-Loire, France - Grave No. 1 (6)

His epitaph reads:

In his heart

He bore these words

"We'll conquer or we'll die"

Forever remembered

F/O. Frank Gordon Paterson - Buried at Oulins Churchyard near Dreux, Eure-et-Loire, France - Grave No. 3 (7)

His epitaph reads:

Rest in Peace

With thanks to John Jones for providing copies of the report from 397th Bombardment Group, the letter to Mr and Mrs Paterson, the Post Presumption Memorandum and photographs of WO. Bell and F/O. Paterson .

Researched by Aircrew Remembered researcher Roy Wilcock for all the relatives and friends of the members of this crew - November 2015.

With thanks to the sources quoted below.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember them. - Laurence Binyon
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