Operation: Nevers, France

Date: 15th/16th July1944 (Saturday/Sunday)

Unit No: 467 Squadron (RAAF), 5 Group, Bomber Command

Type: Lancaster I

Serial: ME851

Code: PO:B

Base: RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire.

Location: Marnay near Lignieres-de-Touraine, Indre et Loire, France.

Pilot: Flt Lt. William Joseph Bernard Murphy J28935 RCAF Age 27. KiA (1)

Flt Eng: Sgt. Edmund Charles William Goode 1705245 RAFVR Age 19. KiA

Nav: Plt Off. Wilson Harry Emanuel Wright 422342 RAAF Age 35. KiA

Bomb Aimer: Fg Off. James Alwyn Ewen 423689 RAAF Age 25. KiA

WOp/Air Gnr: Flt Sgt. William Paul 423870 RAAF Age 20. KiA (1)

Air Gnr: (Mid Upp): Flt Sgt. David Alastair Paterson 427726 RAAF Age 21. KiA

Air Gnr (Rear): Flt Sgt. Arthur Hedley Jenkins 424764 RAAF Age 20. KiA (2)

Above rear left to right: Sgt. E.C.W. Goode, Flt Sgt. W. Paul, Flt Sgt. D.A. Paterson, Flt Sgt. A.H. Jenkins. Front left to right: D. Stevenson (not present on raid), Plt Off. W.H.E. Wright, Fg Off. J.A. Ewen, Flt Lt. W.J.B. Murphy. (courtesy Pierre Vandervelden, 'IN MEMORY')

Above Flt Lt. Murphy from his service record

Above: Plt Off. Wilson Wright and Flt Sgt. William Paul (courtesy of Michel Gaillard)

REASON FOR LOSS:

Bomber Commands operational plan called for simultaneous raids on railway marshalling yards in France. The raiding force, which was comprised of 222 Lancasters and 7 Mosquitoes, would split once over the French coast, one half headed for Nevers 130 miles to the south of Paris and the other to Châlons sur Marne 90 miles to the east.

Flt Lt. Murphy and crew took off from their base at RAF Waddington at 22:19 hours, five minutes after Flt Lt. Jones piloting Lancaster I ME807 EM:S of 207 Squadron had taken off from RAF Spilsby both destined for Nevers.

At 03:00 hours the two Lancasters collided in mid-air, crashing and exploding in flames at Marnay in the Commune of Ligniere

(1) Flt Lt. William J.B. Murphy had two brother who also served:

Company Sergeant Major (CSM) John Clarence Murphy who was serving overseas;
Flt Lt. Rupert A. Murphy who served in the Administrative Branch of the RCAF overseas.

Both his brothers survived the war and returned to Canada.

(2) Arthur Hedley Jenkins enlisted in the RAAF on the 9th October 1942, he was awarded his Air Gunners Brevet in May of the following year. Arriving in the UK on 31st July 1943, he spent the first six months at 27 Operational Training Unit (OTU) until he was posted to 51 Base and attached to RAF Battle School at RAF Scampton. From there he was posted to 1660 Heavy Conversion Unit (HCU) until the 20th May 1944 when he and his crew joined 467 Squadron.

It would seem that Flt Sgt. Jenkins and Flt Sgt. Paul must have know each other prior to service as they lived on the same street in Australia.

Burial Details:

The crew members of ME851 and ME807 are buried side by side at Lignieres de Touraine. (Photo courtesy Pierre Vandervelden,'IN MEMORY')

Flt Lt. William Joseph Bernard Murphy. Lignieres de Touraine Communal Cemetery, Row B Grave 4. Born on the 27th June 1917 in Ottawa. Son of John James and Elizabeth Charlotte (née Joyce) Murphy of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

Sgt. Edmund Charles William Goode. Lignieres de Touraine Communal Cemetery, Row A Grave 7. Grave Inscription: “HE SHALL GIVE HIS ANGELS CHARGE OVER THEE, TO KEEP THEE IN ALL THY WAYS”. Son of Charles James Goode and Dorothy Ella Goode of Cardiff, Wales

Plt Off. Wilson Harry Emanuel Wright. Lignieres de Touraine Communal Cemetery, Row A Grave 9. Grave Inscription: “A GLORIOUS MEMORY CHERISHED FOR EVER BY HIS LOVED ONES”. Born on the 30th May 1909 in Mosman, New South Wales. Son of William Martin and Bertha Wright. Husband of Joan Wright of Bellevue Hill, New South Wales, Australia.

Fg Off. James Alwyn Ewen. Lignieres de Touraine Communal Cemetery, Row B Grave 3. Grave Inscription: “GOD'S GREATEST GIFT, REMEMBRANCE”. Born on the 17th July 1918 in Suva, Fiji. Son of James Alwyn and Margueretta Gertrude Ewen. Husband of Gwenyth Alexandra (née Whittaker) Ewen of Concord, New South Wales, Australia.

Flt Sgt. William Paul. Lignieres de Touraine Communal Cemetery, Row A Grave 4. Grave Inscription: “ALWAYS REMEMBERED BY MOTHER, FATHER, PATTY AND BETTY R.I.P”. Born on the 12th May 1924 in Grafton, New South Wales. Son of William and Ruby Amelia Paul of Southampton Road, South Grafton, New South Wales, Australia.

Flt Sgt. David Alastair Paterson. Lignieres de Touraine Communal Cemetery, Row A Grave 3. Grave Inscription: “FOR HIM, SWEET REST FOR US, TREASURED MEMORIES”. Born on the 5th February 1923 in Edinburgh, Scotland. Son of Thomas and Isabella Paterson of Victoria Park, Western Australia.

Flt Sgt. Arthur Hedley Jenkins. Lignieres de Touraine Communal Cemetery, Row A Grave 1. Grave Inscription: “OD HAS HIM IN HIS KEEPING WE HAVE HIM IN OUR HEARTS”. Born on the 25th February 1924 in Ulmarra, New South Wales. Son of William Walter and Francis ‘Fanny’ (née Lawrence-Arnold) Jenkins of Grafton, New South Wales, Australia.

Researched by Aircrew Remembered, researcher and RCAF specialist Colin Bamford for relatives of this crew of Lancaster ME851 with thanks to Michel Gaillard, whose grandfather found the photo shown above at the time of the crash (May 2013). New photograph added by Aircrew Remembered (Sep 2019). Flt Lt. Murphy portrait added (Jan 2020). Reviewed and updated by Aircrew Remembered (Jun 2026).

Other sources listed below:

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