Archive Report: Allied Forces

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16/17.05.1943 No. 617 Squadron Lancaster III ED934 P/O. Byers

Operation: Chastise

Date: 16/17th May 1943 (Sunday/Monday)

Unit: No. 617 Squadron

Type: Lancaster III

Serial: ED934

Code: AJ-K

Base: RAF Scampton, Lincolnshire

Location: Waddenzee West of Harlingen

Pilot: P/O. Vernon William Byers J/17474 RCAF Age 32. Killed

Fl/Eng: Sgt. Alastair James Taylor 575430 RAFVR Age 20. Killed

Nav: P/O. James Herbert Warner 128619 RAFVR Age ? Killed

Air/Bmr: Sgt. Arthur Neville Whitaker 144777 RAF Age ? Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. John Wilkinson 1025280 RAFVR Age 21. Killed

Air/Gnr: Sgt. Charles McAllister Jarvie 1058757 RAFVR Age 21. Killed

Air/Gnr: Fl/Sgt. James McDowell R/101749 RCAF Age ? Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

On 16/17th of May 1943 Lancaster III ED 934 AJ-K “King” left Scampton at 21.30 hours as part of Operation Chastise to bomb the Sorpe Dam. 

ED 934 came to 617 Squadron on the 3rd of May with only 13 hours of flying time. 

                    

                   Sgt. Charles McAllister Jarvie first on left during training we understand - can anyone assist in recognising the others?

The Lancaster was hit by flak at 23.00 hours, from batteries on the Isle of Texel, on the Dutch Coast while flying at 300 feet outbound. It is believed that the aircraft strayed off course and as P/O. Byers and his crew tried to get a fix on their position, were shot down by flak. It crashed into the Waddenzee West of Harlingen and was the first aircraft shot down on this operation with the loss of all the crew. The body of Flight Sergeant McDowell RCAF was recovered on June 22nd and he was laid to rest in the Harlingen General Cemetery.

             

Above left: Charles Jarvie with his mother Nellie and sister Helen prior to joining up. Right: Charles on right with friend - anyone able to assist in identification?

His crew mates have no known grave and are remembered on the Runnymede Memorial

In a letter home, written on May the 5th, just eleven days before his last, final operation, and quite likely to be the last time that he saw his mother, Alastair describes flying over the family home in Scotland!

575430 Sgt

℅. Sgts.Mess

R.A.F.Scampton, Lincs.

5th May 1943

"My dear mother,

Well I hope we didn’t scare you too much last Monday. I saw you and Aunt Julia just in front of the house but I could not pick dad out anywhere, so thought he would probably be at a pig sale.

I don’t know when my next leave is but we are getting a 48 hour next week and might go down to Bushey.All depends on the financial position which at the moment is pretty hopeless.

Vernon is getting a commission and Jimmy will get one later. I am going to hang on a bit before I try.

I had a letter from Phyllis who has certainly been stepping out in Inverness.

Well that’s all for the present

Cheerio

Alastair"

Presumably 'Vernon' and 'Jimmy' mentioned in this letter are Vernon Byers, the pilot and Jimmy Warner the Navigator. Phyllis was Alastair’s sister stationed at RAF Kinloss

                  

                 Above: Sgt. Alastair James Taylor

              

             Memorial to the 'Dam Buster' at Woodhall Spa

Burial details:

P/O. Vernon William Byers. Runnymede Memorial Panel 175. Son of Frank and Ruby J. Byers of Codette, Saskatchewan, Canada.

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