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Operation: Bois de Cassan
Date: 02nd August 1944 (Wednesday)
Unit: No. 467 Squadron (motto: 'Recidite Adversarius Atque Ferociter'). 5 Group
Type: Lancaster III
Serial: ND346
Code: PO-E
Base: RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire
Location: Boran-Sur-Oise, France
Pilot: F/O. Arthur Richard Dyer Aus/420648 RAAF Age 29. Killed
Fl/Eng: Sgt. Anthony George Shayler 1853000 RAFVR Age 19. Killed
Nav: W/O. John Sylvester Le Maire Aus/410070 RAAF Age 29. Killed
Air/Bmr: Fl/Sgt. Russell Howard Aus/426601 RAAF Age 21. Killed
W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Albert Edward Heap Aus/426343 RAAF Age 27. Killed
Air/Gnr: Fl/Sgt. Edgar Glynn Challis Aus/434619 RAAF Age 22. Killed
Air/Gnr: Fl/Sgt. John Alexander Woodrow McKinnon Aus/425881 RAAF Age 20. Killed
REASON FOR LOSS:
On this day the Germans launched 316 V-1 flying bombs at London, the highest single-day total yet. Over 100 reached the capital, hitting Tower Bridge and doing great damage to the armament factories on the outskirts of London.
ND346 took off at 14:34 hrs with 16 others from the squadron in a daylight raid on flying bomb storage facilities at Bois de Cassan, France. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take off and it did not return to base.
Tragically the squadron later learnt that two of the Lancasters collided crashing at Boran-Sur-Oise 9 kms west south west of Chantilly, France. All 14 crew were killed. Lancaster I ME853 PO-Q Crew details shown below.
Above L-R: Rear - Sgt. Albert Heap, Fl/Sgt. John McKinnon, Fl/Sgt. Edgar Challis and W/O. John Le Maire. Front - Fl/Sgt. Russell Howard, F/O. Arthur Richard Dyer and Sgt. Anthony Shayler. (note the 'devil' mascot on pilot shoulder)
Burial details:
F/O. Arthur Richard Dyer. Viroflay New Communal Cemetery. Row A. Grave 31. Born on the 17th February 1915 in Strathfield, New South Wales. Enlisted on the 09th November 1941. Son of Walter and Margaret Dyer, of Gordon, New South Wales, Australia. Epitaph: 'Forever Remembered'.
Sgt. Anthony George Shayler. Viroflay New Communal Cemetery. Row A. Grave 35. Son of Wilfred George and Blanche Evelyn Shayler, of Rugby, Warwickshire. Epitaph: 'Until The Morn Shall Break In Perfect Day;.
W/O. John Sylvester Le Maire. Boran-Sur-Oise Communal Cemetery. Grave 16. Born on the 11th August 1914 in West Croydon, South Australia. Enlisted on the 08th November 1941. Son of Thomas Louis and Mary Le Maire and husband of Sylvie Cora Le Maire, of Richmond. Victoria, Australia. Epitaph: 'He Died That We Might Be Free. Ever Remembered'.
Fl/Sgt. Russell Howard. Viroflay New Communal Cemetery. Row A. Grave 34. Born on the 27th June 1923 in Brisbane, Queensland.Son of Alice Grace Howard, of Ashgrove, Queensland, Australia. Epitaph: 'In Our Memory He'll Always Be. Never Forgotten'.
Sgt. Albert Edward Heap. Boran-Sur-Oise Communal Cemetery. Grave 17. Born on the 28th January 1917 in Brisbane, Queensland. Enlisted on the 20th June 1942. Son of Ernest Jones Heap (died 04th April 1969, age 91) and Elizabeth Heap (née Harle - died 24th November 1965, age 85), of Wooloowin, Queensland, Australia. Epitaph: 'He Followed The Few'.
Fl/Sgt. Edgar Glynn Challis. Boran-Sur-Oise Communal Cemetery. Grave 15. Born on the 17th December 1921 in Hayes, England. Enlisted on the 01st January 1943. Son of William Arthur and Florence Elizabeth Challis, of Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, England. Epitaph: 'He Gave Up Love, Home And Ambition To Answer A Great, Selfless Cause'.
Fl/Sgt. John Alexander Woodrow McKinnon. Boran-Sur-Oise Communal Cemetery. Grave 39. Born on the 04th March 1924 in Ballina, New South Wales. Enlisted on the 21st May 1942. Son of Hector and Vera McKinnon, of Broadwater, New South Wales, Australia. Epitaph: 'Loved Son Of Mr. & Mrs. H. Mckinnon Of Broadwater, Richmond River, N.S.W. Australia'.
Lancaster I ME853 PO-Q Crew details:
Pilot: F/O. Alick Ronald Bradley (shown left) Aus/423050 RAAF Age 24. Viroflay New Communal Cemetery. Row A. Grave 30. Born on the 11th April 1920 in Belmore, New South Wales. Son of Richard and Mary Alice Bradley, of Leichhardt, New South Wales, Australia. Epitaph: 'His Duty Fearlessly And Nobly Done. Ever Remembered And Loved'.
Flight Engineer: Sgt. John Wilkins 858830 RAF(A) Age 39. Boran-Sur-Oise Communal Cemetery. Grave 38. Son of John and Martha Wilkins, of Manchester; England and husband of Hilda Wilkins, of Middleton, Manchester. Epitaph. 'He Left A Beautiful Memory Which We Are Proud To Own'.
Navigator: F/O. James Roderick Delahunty Aus/419458 RAAF Age 22. Viroflay New Communal Cemetery. Row A. Joint grave 32-33. Born on the 21st September 1921 in Murtoa, Victoria. Son of James Francis (died 07th November 1952, age63) and Elsie Mary Delahunty (died 15th August 1973, age 80), of Murtoa, Victoria, Australia. Epitaph: 'Eternal Rest Grant Unto Him, O Lord" Forever Remembered'.
Air bomber: Fl/Sgt. Keith MacDiarmid Finney Aus/422942 RAAF Age 23. Born on the 17th May 1921 in Rochdale, New South Wales. Boran-Sur-Oise Communal Cemetery. Grave 32. Son of William Edwin and Margaret Winnifred Finney, of Rockdale, New South Wales, Australia. Epitaph: 'Called To Higher Service'.
W/Operator: Fl/Sgt. Wilfred George Barrett Dial Aus/427615 RAAF Age 22. Viroflay New Communal Cemetery. Row A. Joint grave 32-33. Born on the 05th May 1922 in Perth, Western Australia. Son of Wilfred and Frances May Dial, of Como, Western Australia. Epitaph: 'A Wonderful Son And Brother Forever In Our Hearts'.
Air gunner: Sgt. Alexander Harold Dawkins 1300770 RAFVR Age 26. Boran-Sur-Oise Communal Cemetery. Grave 19. Son of Alexander and Bertha Dawkins, of Southampton and husband of Evelyn Dawkins, of Shirley, Southampton. Epitaph: 'Because He Lives I Too Shall Live'.
Air gunner: Fl/Sgt. Garnet Keith Scheadel Aus/437213 RAAF Age 19. Boran-Sur-Oise Communal Cemetery. Grave 18. Born on the 21st September 1921. Enlisted on the 14th August 1942. Son of Julius Bruno and Frieda Anna Scheadel, of Renmark, South Australia. Epitaph: 'His Duty Nobly Done. Ever Remembered'.
Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to National Archives Kew, International Bomber Command Centre IBCC, National Archives Australia NAA.
Other sources as quoted below:
KTY 23-03-2023
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them. - Laurence
Binyon
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Last Modified: 24 March 2023, 16:55