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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.
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514 Squadron Crest
30.07.1944 No. 514 Squadron Lancaster II LL733 JI-S Fl/Lt. W.E. Chitty

Operation: Caen

Date: 30th July 1944 (Sunday)

Unit: No. 514 Squadron

Type: Lancaster II

Serial: LL733

Code: JI-S

Base: RAF Waterbeach, Cambridgesire

Location: Lost without trace - English Channel

Pilot: Fl/Lt. Walter Evan Chitty AUS/410039 RAAF Age 22. Missing - believed killed

Fl/Eng: Sgt. Charles Mathieson Guy 1820355 RAFVR Age 21. Killed

Nav: W/O. Leslie Arthur Ding 1380408 RAFVR Age 31. Missing - believed killed

Air/Bmr: F/O. William Stewart Bonell J/24522 RCAF Age 25. Missing - believed killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Fl/Sgt. John Edward Richardson 1485703 RAFVR Age 21. Missing - believed killed

Air/Gnr: Fl/Sgt. Edward William Jenner 1811733 RAFVR Age 21. Missing - believed killed

Air/Gnr: Fl/Sgt. George Charles Wells 1334325 RAFVR Age 21. Missing - believed killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off from RAF Waterbeach in Cambridgeshire at 06:13 hrs to attack German positions in support of the Normandy operations. Some 692 aircraft tasked to bomb various targets. Heavy cloud causing many difficulties with only 377able to bomb - just 2 of the 6 targets were effectively hit.

7 aircraft were lost. 4 over the target area, 3 others crashing for various reasons on return. 41 aircrew killed or missing, 6 injured with 3 others PoW. Lancaster LL733 was described as lost without trace. The body of Sgt. Charles Guy however was recovered by the Royal Navy and buried at sea, the remainder are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.

Just a few months earlier the Pilot and the twin brother of the Flight Engineer escaped with injuries from a serious crash in Lancaster LL645 A2-R.

Above L-R: Fl/Lt. Walter Evan Chitty, Sgt. Charles Mathieson Guy, F/O. William Stewart Bonell.

Burial details:

Fl/Lt. Walter Evan Chitty. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 256. Son of Walter and Annie Amelia Chitty, of East Malvern, Victoria, Australia.

Sgt. Charles Mathieson Guy. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 230. (Body recovered by the Royal Navy - buried at sea). Son of Colin and Margaret Guy, of Glasgow, Scotland.

W/O. Leslie Arthur Ding. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 213. Son of Samuel and Eddith Ding and husband of Gladys Ding, of Ilford, Essex, England.

F/O. William Stewart Bonell. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 245. Son of William Albert and Carrie Bonell, of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada and husband of Jean Patrica Bonell, of Ottawa.

Fl/Sgt. John Edward Richardson. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 221. Son of Ralph and Edith Richardson, of Ashington, Northumberland, England.

Fl/Sgt. Edward William Jenner. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 219. Son of Mr. E. T. N. Jenner, and stepson of Mrs. M. J. Jenner, of Chipstead, Kent, England.

Fl/Sgt. George Charles Wells. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 223. Son of Edward and Ethel Maud Wells and husband of Ethel Florence Wells, of Leytonstone, Essex, England.

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to Robert Guernon who has carried out extensive research into the losses of 514 Squadron. Other sources as shown below.

KTY - 13.09.2017

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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.
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