Operation: Aachen

Date: 24th/25th May 1944 (Wednesday/Thursday)

Unit No: 640 Squadron, 4 Group.

Type: Halifax III

Serial: MZ579

Code: C8:T

Base: RAF Leconfield

Location: Süsterseel, Germany

Pilot: Flt Sgt Jack Henry Crane 1425973 RAFVR Age 24. KiA

Flt Eng: Sgt. William Fletcher 2209502 RAFVR Age 19. KiA

Nav: Flt Sgt.William Charles Smith 1396176 RAFVR Age 34. KiA

Bomb Aimer: Fg Off. Neville Morrad 151734 RAFVR Age 23. KiA

WOp/Air Gnr: Sgt. Frederick Arthur Farrall 1049271 RAFVR Age 22. KiA

Air Gnr (Mid Upp): Sgt. Thomas Young Murray 1822582 RAFVR Age? PoW No: 125 *

Air Gnr (Rear): Sgt. John Campbell 1895819 RAFVR Age 21. PoW No: 103 *

* Stalag Luft 7, Bankau nr. Kreuzburg O.S." (O.S. standing for Oberschlesien, Upper Silesia). Today called Bąków nr. Kluczbork (Poland).

Above: Flt Sgt. Jack Henry Crane as an LAC (Courtesy of Jackie Pinches)

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off from RAF Leconfield in Yorkshire at 23:04 hrs together with over 440 aircraft from various squadrons and locations to bomb the railway yards at Aachen - an important target as they were the main route between France and Germany.

Reports from Aachen state that the targets were hit, one being very badly damaged, however because of the unusually large formation for this type of target many bombs fell in the villages with 14,880 people bombed out of their homes. 259 people on the ground were killed with 120 seriously injured.

MZ579 was claimed by Lt Hans Schäfer, his 5th Abschuss, from 7./NJG2 - near Brunssum North West of Aachen (NM 3): 5,600m at 00:53. (Nachtjagd Combat Archive (12 May 1944 - 23 July 1944) Part 3 - Theo Boiten)

The squadron lost another aircraft on this operation.

Halifax III LM673 C8:3 Flown by 20 year old, Flt Sgt. Dennis Marriott 1432314 RAFVR from Mansfield, Nottingham. Killed with 5 other crew. The tail gunner survived as a PoW. (note: the CWGC list him as the Bomb Aimer - we feel that we have the correct information)

Burial details:

Initially buried at Süsterseel reinterred after the end of the war at Rheinberg War Cemetery.

Flt Sgt. Jack Henry Crane. Rheinberg War Cemetery. Grave 5.E.6. Grave inscription reads: "LIKE AUTUMN LEAVES THE YEARS PASS BY BUT IN OUR HEARTS YOU WILL NEVER DIE". Born on the 20th January 1920 in Birmingham, Warwickshire. Son of Charles Henry and Agnes Crane and husband of Grace Joan Crane, of Birmingham, England.

Sgt. William Fletcher. Rheinberg War Cemetery. Joint grave 5.E.7-8. Grave inscription reads: "RESTING WHERE NO SHADOWS FALL, IN PERFECT PEACE HE AWAITS US ALL". Son of Thomas and Elizabeth Fletcher, of Bryn, Lancashire, England.

Flt Sgt. William Charles Smith. Rheinberg War Cemetery. Grave 5.E.4. Grave inscription reads: "WHAT WE KEEP IN MEMORY IS OURS UNCHANGED FOR EVER". Son of William and Rosetta M. Smith, of Willesden, Middlesex, England.

Fg Off. Neville Morrad. Rheinberg War Cemetery. Grave 5.E.5. Grave inscription reads: "HE CALLETH HIS OWN SHEEP BY NAME, AND LEADETH THEM OUT". Son of Albert Victor and Ada Laura Morrad, of Holloway, London, England.

Sgt. Frederick Arthur Farrall Rheinberg War Cemetery. Joint grave 5.E.7-8. Grave inscription reads: "GOD'S WILL BE DONE".Son of Thomas and Jessie Farrall and husband of Betty Farrall, of Pinchbeck, Lincolnshire, England.

Researched by Kelvin Youngs (Webmaster) and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to sources as quoted (Jan 2018). Thanks to John Jones for the correction to the German Night-fighter claim (Mar 2021). Thanks to Jackie Pinches, 1st cousin 1x removed, for the Next of Kin details update and the photograph of Flt Sgt. Crane (Aug 2024).

Other sources listed below:

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