Operation: Trappes - railway yards.

Date: 2nd/3rd June 1944 (Friday/Saturday)

Unit No: 640 Squadron

Type: Halifax III

Serial: MZ541

Code: C8:U

Base: RAF Leconfield, Yorkshire

Pilot: Plt Off. Geoffrey Hubert Stephen Burwood 172072 RAFVR Age 20. KiA

Flt Eng: Sgt. Alec Friesner 2215315 RAFVR Age 24. KiA

Nav: Sgt. John Watson Eastman 1535785 RAFVR Age 22. KiA (1)

Air Bmr: Flt.Sgt. John William Arthur Montgomery 424271 RAAF Age 21. KiA

WOp/Air Gnr: Sgt. Vickers Lavender Bennett 1601205 RAFVR Age 20. KiA (2)

Air Gnr (Mid Upp): Sgt. Robert Morris 1892968 RAFVR Age 19. KiA (3)

Air Gnr (Rear): Sgt. Francis Ronald Smith 1631398 RAFVR Age 20. KiA (4)

REASON FOR LOSS:

Took off at 22:23 hrs. from Leconfield to bomb the railway yards at Trappes. Shot down by a night-fighter and crashed 1km SE of Epernon (Eure-et-Loir). The Burwood crew are buried in the towns communal cemetery. A Memorial was erected with a special dedication ceremony to the crew at Epernon with the families and relations invited to attend. It is believed this was in April 1947. The crews average age was just 20.

Bombing was recorded as mostly falling to the east of the target.

MZ541 was claimed by Lt Frithjof Fensch claimed 640 Sqn Halifax MZ541 South outskirts of Epernon (BD 57):3,000m at 01:00. (Nachtjagd Combat Archives 1944 Part 3 – Theo Boiten)

17 aircraft were lost by the allies this night with 76 aircrew being killed, 20 made PoW with 17 others evading capture. 
This was one of 3 losses from 640 Squadron tasked on this operation.

The others from this squadron lost this night were as follows:

Halifax III LW434 C8:H Flown by Plt Off. George W. Chambers killed along with 4 other members of his crew, 2 being made PoW.;

Halifax III MZ677 C8:G Flown by Flt Lt. John W.S. Skinner killed along with 3 other crew members, 2 being made PoW, with another evading capture.

Sgt. Vickers Lavender Bennett (courtesy Roger Bennett, Alan Richardson, Jean Crawford)

(1) Known as “Jackie” to his parents and younger brother, Mike, Sgt. John Watson Eastman gave up his opportunity to go to University to volunteer for the RAF. He hoped that after the war he would be able to pursue his plan to buy a house in Shaldon, Near Teignmouth, Devon where he could pursue his love of sailing. Although single, he did have a “special” girl named Julia. In 1947 his parents made a trip to the cemetery and memorial at Epernon to see the final resting place of their son. The people of Epernon had erected a memorial near the spot where the Halifax crashed.

They wished to commemorate the crew who are regarded locally as heroes for ensuring that the Halifax avoided the town before it crashed.

(2) Known as “Vick” to family and friends, he had one sister Eileen Susannah and brothers Leonard and Roger. He was christened Vickers Lavender after both of his grandmothers as well as living in Lavender Cottage. After leaving school he worked at the engineering factory of Peter Brotherhood (manufacturers at the time of torpedo motors) at Walton, Peterborough before joining the RAF at the age of eighteen. He was courting a local girl but sadly they broke up just before he was killed. He is remembered by his family as being a dare devil and full of fun. In April 1947 members of his family attended the memorial service at Epernon

(3) Born in London, UK on 26 January 1923, he enlisted on 15th August 1942 at Sydney, New South Wales

One of the most poignant photographs on our website: - the collective grave of the crew with an obviously very proud local (courtesy Roger Bennett, Alan Richardson, Jean Crawford)

(4) Relatives of Sgt. Francis Ronald Smith contacted us in April 2016:

‘Commonly known as Frank was my Uncle and the youngest child of Frederick Horace and Mabel Elsie Smith. He had three older siblings my father Ted, Elsie and David. Ted and David both served in the Army and returned home safely. I am told that Frank was a very happy young man who was liked by everyone who knew him. His mother and father, my grandparents, owned Smithfield Nurseries in Hockley, Essex and I believe he worked for them but the pay was poor. When Frank enlisted in the RAF his mother apparently marched down to the Recruiting Office and demanded he was released as he was needed to work on the Nursery. His mother visited the grave and memorial in Epernon. It is possible that she was at the dedication ceremony in 1947.

Unfortunately I do not have any photographs of Frank out of uniform but I am attaching two of him in uniform. In one he is sitting in front of greenhouses on the Nursery. This photograph was sent to my Father and Frank has written “To Ted love from his Brother Frank”. The other photo was also sent to my Father and says “Hello Ted, What do you think of your young brother now”

We plan to visit the grave and memorial in Epernon this coming September and it would be very helpful if you could put me in touch with any of the families mentioned.

We are very impressed with your website and feel it is a wonderful thing you are doing. My family never spoke about Frank. The only information I had was that he was a rear gunner in the RAF and was shot down near the end of the war and my grandmother had visited his grave in France. It was amazing to find the information on your website. ‘

Judith and Jim during their visit in September 2016 - they plan to revisit during 2017. (relatives of Sgt. Francis Ronald Smith)

Burial details:

Plt Off. Geoffrey Hubert Stephen Burwood. Epernon Cemetery. Coll. Grave. Grave inscription: GENEROUS TO A FAULT- HE GAVE HIS LIFE’ . Son of Leonard Francis and Nellie Phillipa Burwood.

Sgt. Alec Friesner. Epernon Cemetery. Coll. Grave. Grave inscription: "AGE SHALL NOT WEARY... NOR THE YEARS CONDEMN." ALWAYS REMEMBERED BY HIS WIFE AND FAMILY’. Son of Joseph and Ellen and husband of Doreen of Blackpool. Lancashire, England.

Sgt. John Watson Eastman. Epernon Cemetery. Coll. Grave. Grave inscription: ‘REMEMBRANCE’. Son of John (Jack) James and Winifred Aline (nee Watson) Eastman of St.Marychurch, Torquay, Devon, England.

Flt Sgt. John William Arthur Montgomery. Epernon Cemetery. Coll. Grave. Grave inscription: ‘HIS FEARLESS SOUL LIVES ON‘. Born on the 26th January 1923 in London, England. Son of John Norris and Violet Montgomery of South Yarra, Victoria, Australia.

Sgt. Vickers Lavender Bennett. Epernon Cemetery. Coll. Grave. Grave inscription: ‘HE DIED THAT WE MIGHT LIVE’. Son of George Douglas and Daisy Eileen Bennett of Deeping St.James, Lincolnshire, England.

Sgt. Robert Morris. Epernon Cemetery. Coll. Grave. Grave inscription: ‘THEY GAVE THEIR TO-MORROW FOR OUR TO-DAY. FOR EVER IN OUR HEARTS’. Son of Thomas and Alice Morris of Ashington, Northumberland, England.

Sgt. Francis Ronald Smith. Epernon Cemetery. Coll. Grave. Grave inscription: ‘LOVING MEMORIES, FOND AND TRUE, FROM THOSE WHO THOUGHT THE WORLD OF YOU‘. Son of Frederick Horace and Mabel Elsie Smith of Hockley, Essex, England.

Researched by Aircrew Remembered, researcher and specialist genealogist Linda Ibrom for relatives of this crew. Special thanks to Celia Andrews (nee Watson) cousin, Margaret Eastman (sister in law) and family for info and photo’s of Sergeant Eastman. Also to Roger Bennett, (brother), Alan Richardson (nephew of Sergeant Bennett), Jean Crawford, (niece), and family for info and photo’s of Sergeant Bennett. Arnaud Theron for the present day photo of memorial. To Marie-Thérèse Grangé for contacting us and the family of Jacqueline Dechartres. In July 2014 Darren Friesner contacted us and identified his Grandmother in the 1947 photograph shown above. Thanks to John Jones for the update to German Night-fighter claim (Feb 2021).

Other sources listed below:

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 - 2025 Last Modified: 29 February 2024, 10:15