Operation: Calais

Date: 20th September 1944 (Wednesday)

Unit: No. 622 Squadron (3 Group)

Type: Lancaster I

Serial: LM167 - LL802

Code: GI-N - GI-M

Base: RAF Mildenhall, Suffolk

Location: Wormingford, Essex

Pilot LM167: F/O. Murray Leonard Hogg 147626 RAFVR Age 28. Killed

Pilot LL802: F/O. Claud Roy James 54855 RAF Age 25. Killed

Fl/Eng LM167: Sgt. John Alexander De Angelis 1880897 RAFVR Age 35. Killed

Fl/Eng LL802: Sgt. Edward James Dryland 1895943 RAFVR Age 35. Killed

Nav LM167: Fl/Sgt. Frank Robinson 1455045 RAFVR Age 21. Killed

Nav LL802: Sgt. Ronald Henry Westbrook 1465311 RAFVR Age 23. Killed

Air/Bmr LM167: F/O. Alexander Thomas Gill 55220 RAF Age 28. Killed

Air/Bmr LL802: Fl/Sgt. James Gibson 1564373 RAFVR Age 22. Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr LM167: F/O. Howard Edward Pritchard NZ/427909 RNZAF Age 32. Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr LM167: F/O. Ernest Leslie Hooker 137938 RAFVR Age 25. Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr LL802: Sgt. Robert Samuel Keatley 1429335 RAFVR Age 23. Killed

Air/Gnr LM167: Fl/Sgt. James Main Adams NZ/429911 RNZAF Age 26. Killed

Air/Gnr LL802: Sgt. Peter Innes Geddes 1827129 RAFVR Age 22. Killed

Air/Gnr LM167: Fl/Sgt. Gordon William Fitness NZ/426196 RNZAF Age 22. Killed

Air/Gnr LL802: Sgt. John Anley Dumaresque 1827113 RAFVR Age 28. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off at 1 minutes intervals of 14:35 and 14:36 for an operation to bomb German positions around Calais. Some 17 aircraft from the Squadron taking part in an operation involving 646 aircraft. (437 Lancasters, 169 Halifaxes and 40 Mosquitioes)

The operation was a success with bombing accurate and concentrated. Lancaster I LM277 JI-F from 514 Squadron was lost in the sea near the target are. The pilot 25 year old, F/O. Leonard Nixon Arkless from Staines, Middlesex was listed as missing believed killed with 3 other crew, 3 others were recovered and buried at various cemeteries.

With thanks to Errol Martyn - For Your Tomorrow Vols 1-3 - his incredible research helps thousands of New Zealand relatives.

The two Lancasters described in this article collided mid-air after entering turbulent cumulous cloud on their return trip at 16:05 hrs. The aircraft were locked together and crashed to the ground near the village of Wormingford in Essex all 15 crew from both aircraft lost their lives.

Burial details:

LM167 Crew:

F/O. Murray Leonard Hogg. Cambridge City Cemetery. Grave 15748. Born on the 13th March 1916, the son of George Hogg and of Frances Julia Hogg (née Johnston) brother of Peter John Hogg, of 1 Duke Street, Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand. Enlisted on the 24th April 1941, 605 flying hours logged and on his 20th operational sortie.

Sgt. John Alexander De Angelis. Beck Row Churchyard (St. John). Row F. Grave 6. Son of Alexander and Kathleen de Angelis and husband of Phyllis de Angelis, of Brentwood, Essex, England.

Fl/Sgt. Frank Robinson. Holbeach Cemetery. Row B.B. Grave 123. Son of G. W. Robinson and Alice Robinson, of Whaplode Fen, South Holland. Lincolnshire, England.

F/O. Alexander Thomas Gill. Beck Row Churchyard (St. John). Row F. Grave 5. Son of John Walter and Teresa Mary Gill and husband of Elizabeth Susan Gill, of Rayleigh, Essex, England.

F/O. Howard Edward Pritchard. Cambridge City Cemetery. Grave 15548. Son of Sydney and Kate Pritchard, of Arapohue, Auckland, New Zealand and husband of Freda Pritchard, of Mititai, Auckland, New Zealand. 426 flying hours logged and on his 16th operational sortie.

F/O. Ernest Leslie Hooker. Haywards Heath Cemetery (Western Road). Plot A.G. Grave 112. Son of Ernest John and Jessie Mary Hooker, of Cuckfield and husband of Dorothy Edwina Hooker, of Haywards Heath, Sussex, England.

Fl/Sgt. James Main Adams. Cambridge City Cemetery. Grave 15148. Son of James Adams and of Margaret Turner Adams (née Main), of Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand and husband of Ethel Gertrode Adams, of 83 Newcastle Street, Invercargill, Southland, New Zealand. 239 flying hours logged and on his 18th operational sortie.

Fl/Sgt. Gordon William Fitness. Cambridge City Cemetery. Grave 15348. Son of Myra Olive Fitness, of Gordon Street, Dargaville, Auckland, New Zealand. 244 flying hours logged and on his 18th operational sortie.

LL802 Crew:

F/O. Claud Roy James. Beck Row Churchyard (St. John). Row F. Grave 4. Son of Arthur and Mary James and husband of Gillian Marjorie James, of Abingdon, Berkshire, England.

Sgt. Edward James Dryland. Beck Row Churchyard (St. John). Row F. Grave 7. Son of Edward James Dryland and Ellen Dryland and husband of Alice Mary Dryland, of Hook, Surbiton, Surrey, England.

Sgt. Ronald Henry Westbrook. Golders Green Crematorium. Panel 3. Son of John Paul and Rosa Nellie Westbrook. of Finsbury Park, London, England.

Fl/Sgt. James Gibson. Glasgow Old And New Cemetery (Eastwood) Sec. K. (New Part). Grave 243. Son of William and Christina Clark Gibson, of Thornliebank, Glasgow, Scotland.

Sgt. Robert Samuel Keatley. Sheldon Churchyard (St. Giles) West of church. Row 12. Son of Sam and Ethel Florence Jane Keatley, of Sheldon, Birmingham, England.

Sgt. Peter Innes Geddes. Buckie New Cemetery. Sec. C. Grave 372. Son of Alexander and Mary Jessie Geddes, of Buckie, Moray, Scotland.

Sgt. John Anley Dumaresque. Cambridge City Cemetery. Grave 15948. Son of Phillip A. Dumaresque and Elizabeth Dumaresque, of Forteau, Labrador, Canada.

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to Auckland Cenotaph and Weekly News of New Zealand. Errol Martyn - For Your Tomorrow Vols 1-3. Also to John ones for crew photographs. Other sources as quoted below.