AR banner
Search Tips Advanced Search
Back to Top

• Kracker Archive
• Allied Losses
• Archiwum Polish
• Paradie Canadian
• RCAF
• RAAF
• RNZAF
• USA
• Searchable Lists

Info LogoAdd to or correct this story with a few clicks.
Archive Report: Allied Forces

Compiled from official National Archive and Service sources, contemporary press reports, personal logbooks, diaries and correspondence, reference books, other sources, and interviews.
Check our Research databases: Database List
.
We seek additional information and photographs. Please contact us via the Helpdesk.
226 Squadron badge
17.08.1944 226 Squadron Mitchell II FW217 MQ-W F/O. Awcock

Operation: Fuel dump at La Mailleraye-sur-Seine, France

Date: 17th August 1944 (Thursday)

Unit: 226 Squadron

Type: Mitchell II

Serial No: FW217

Code: MQ-W

Location: La Mailleraye, France

Base: RAF Hartford Bridge, Hampshire

Pilot: F/O. James Peter Awcock 415109 RAAF Age 32. PoW No: 5339 Stalag Luft Barth Vogelsang

Navigator: Fl/Sgt. A. Lloyd 184801 RAFVR PoW No: 86372 Stalag Luft Bankau

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. William Stanley Anstey 1577912 RAFVR Age ? Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Donald Kenlow Cook 1321433 RAFVR Age 22. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

6 Mitchells from 226 Squadron accompanied 30 Mitchells from 139 Wing to bomb the Fuel dump at La Mailleraye-sur-Seine, France. Moderate but very accurate flak was encountered and 3 aircraft received damage.

On the bombing run FW217 was hit by flak in the bomb bay. Two parachutes were seen to open and a further two black objects fell from the aircraft before it disappeared into cloud. The aircraft crashed at about 1616 hrs near La Mailleraye.

Above and left Touffreville-La-Corbeline Churchyard as photographed by our Kate Tame in 2012. Kate has provided us with permission to release these photographs at high resolution to any relative - free of charge.

Burial details:

Sgt. William Stanley Anstey. Touffreville-La-Corbeline Churchyard. No further details as yet, are you able to assist?

Sgt. Donald Kenlow Cook. Touffreville-La-Corbeline Churchyard. Son of Thomas and Amelia Cook, husband of Rae L. Cook, of Wembley, Middlesex, England.

Researched for relatives of the crew. Special thanks to Kate Tame for the supply of the crew graves. Thanks to David Sims for correction to aircraft designation and additional information about the aircraft loss. Other sources as quoted.

RS 27.12.2019 - Correction to aircraft details

Pages of Outstanding Interest
History Airborne Forces •  Soviet Night Witches •  Bomber Command Memories •  Abbreviations •  Gardening Codenames
CWGC: Your Relative's Grave Explained •  USA Flygirls •  Axis Awards Descriptions •  'Lack Of Moral Fibre'
Concept of Colonial Discrimination  •  Unauthorised First Long Range Mustang Attack
RAAF Bomb Aimer Evades with Maquis •  SOE Heroine Nancy Wake •  Fane: Motor Racing PRU Legend
Acknowledgements
Sources used by us in compiling Archive Reports include: Bill Chorley - 'Bomber Command Losses Vols. 1-9, plus ongoing revisions', Dr. Theo E.W. Boiten and Mr. Roderick J. Mackenzie - 'Nightfighter War Diaries Vols. 1 and 2', Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt - 'Bomber Command War Diaries', Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Tom Kracker - Kracker Luftwaffe Archives, Michel Beckers, Major Fred Paradie (RCAF) and MWO François Dutil (RCAF) - Paradie Archive (on this site), Jean Schadskaje, Major Jack O'Connor USAF (Retd.), Robert Gretzyngier, Wojtek Matusiak, Waldemar Wójcik and Józef Zieliński - 'Ku Czci Połeglyçh Lotnikow 1939-1945', Archiwum - Polish Air Force Archive (on this site), Anna Krzystek, Tadeusz Krzystek - 'Polskie Siły Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii', Franek Grabowski, Norman L.R. Franks 'Fighter Command Losses', Stan D. Bishop, John A. Hey MBE, Gerrie Franken and Maco Cillessen - Losses of the US 8th and 9th Air Forces, Vols 1-6, Dr. Theo E.W. Boiton - Nachtjagd Combat Archives, Vols 1-13. Aircrew Remembered Databases and our own archives. We are grateful for the support and encouragement of CWGC, UK Imperial War Museum, Australian War Memorial, Australian National Archives, New Zealand National Archives, UK National Archives and Fold3 and countless dedicated friends and researchers across the world.
Click any image to enlarge it

 Click to add your info via ticket on Helpdesk •Click to let us know via ticket on Helpdesk• Click to buy research books from Amazon •Click to explore the entire site
If you would like to comment on this page, please do so via our Helpdesk. Use the Submit a Ticket option to send your comments. After review, our Editors will publish your comment below with your first name, but not your email address.

A word from the Editor: your contribution is important. We welcome your comments and information. Thanks in advance.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember them. - Laurence Binyon
All site material (except as noted elsewhere) is owned or managed by Aircrew Remembered and should not be used without prior permission.
© Aircrew Remembered 2012 - 2024 Last Modified: 26 March 2021, 10:23

Monitor Additions/Changes?Click to be informed of changes to this page. Create account for first monitor only, thereafter very fast. Click to close without creating monitor