Operation: Lorient - U-Boat pens
Date: 13/14th February 1943 (Saturday/Sunday)
Unit: No. 199 Squadron
Type: Wellington III
Serial: X3870
Code: EX-S
Base: RAF Blyton, Lincolnshire
Location: Target area - Lorient, France
Pilot: F/O. John Morling Bell 121435 RAFVR Age ? Killed
Obs: Fl/Sgt. Elwyn Knowles Jones 1062590 RAFVR Age 29. Killed
Air/Bmr: Fl/Sgt. Harold Eunson Woodruff 1190385 RAFVR Age 26. Killed
W/Op/Air/Gnr: F/O. Robert Joseph Keyes J/9738 RCAF Age 24. Killed
Air/Gnr: Sgt. George Easey 1331999 RAFVR Age 20. Killed
Air/Gnr: Fl/Lt. Arthur Cowie DFM 45949 RAF Age 25. Killed
REASON FOR LOSS:
Leaving RAF Blyton at 17:30 hrs - on an operation to bomb the town of Lorien, with 164 Lancasters, 140 Wellingtons, 96 Halifaxes and 66 Stirlings on the largest operation to this area of the war. Weather was good with clear visability, 1,000 tons of bombs were dropped causing further damage to the town -
Burial details:
Grave photographs taken by our Senior research editor Kate Tame during her visit in 2014 - any relative wishing for a higher resolution copy of a grave we would be happy to supply you free of charge.
F/O. John Morling Bell. Guidel Communal Cemetery. Row 5. Grave 4. No further details - are you able to assist?
Fl/Sgt. Elwyn Knowles Jones. Guidel Communal Cemetery. Row 5. Grave 2. Son of David and Ellen Jones, of Bangor, Caernarvonshire, Wales.
Fl/Sgt. Harold Eunson Woodruff. Guidel Communal Cemetery. Row 5. Grave 5. Son of Mr. and Mrs. Alfred H. Woodruff, of Alvaston, Derby, England.
Sgt. George Easey. Guidel Communal Cemetery. Row 5. Grave 1. Son of George and Millicent Easey, of Laxfield, Suffolk, England.
Trevor Revell wrote to us regarding George:
"Just a couple of things I remember which are not relevant to air crew remembered but I will share with you are.
On the night of 13 February 1943 my dad took Georges bicycle to Halesworth railway station ready for him to come home on leave sometime after. Dad told me it was a very bright moonlit night and he kept thinking to himself how George had told him he did not like flying on moonlight nights.
The other thing was, that amused dad. Puddy (George) when home, spent a lot of time at dads house and on one visit he said to my Grandmother. "Mrs Revell would you like some nice apples from our orchard"?
She said "Puddy I would love some apples".
The next day he arrived at the gate on his bicycle with a large branch full of apples slung over his shoulder, claiming he didn't have time to pick them"!
Fl/Lt. Arthur Cowie DFM. Guidel Communal Cemetery. Row 5. Grave 3. Son of Archibald and Minnie Cowie, husband of Margaret Joyce Cowie, of Low Fell, Gateshead, Co. Durham, England. Fl/Lt. Cowie was the Squadrons Air Gunner leader.
Researched for Carol Watson niece of Fl/Sgt. Woodruff. Kate Tame for grave photographs. Also to Trevor Revell for photograph of Sgt. Easey - April 2019. For further details our thanks to the sources shown below.
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember
them. - Laurence
Binyon
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Last Modified: 22 March 2021, 17:27