Operation: Calais, France

Date: 20th September 1944 (Wednesday)

Unit No: 622 Squadron, 3 Group, Bomber Command

Type: Lancaster I

Serials: LM167 - LL802

Codes: GI:N - GI:M

Base: RAF Mildenhall, Suffolk

Location: Near Earls Colne and Great Tey, Essex

Crew LM167:

Pilot: Fg Off. Murray Leonard Hogg 147626 RAFVR Age 28. Killed (1)

Flt Eng: Sgt. John Alexander De Angelis 1880897 RAFVR Age 35. Killed

Nav: Flt Sgt. Frank Robinson 1455045 RAFVR Age 21. Killed

Bomb Aimer: Fg Off. Alexander Thomas Gill 55220 RAF Age 28. Killed

WOp/Air Gnr: Fg Off. Howard Edward Pritchard 427909 RNZAF Age 32. Killed (1)

WOp/Air Gnr: Fg Off. Ernest Leslie Hooker DFM 137938 RAFVR Age 25. Killed (2)

Air Gnr (Mid Upp): Flt Sgt. James Main Adams 429911 RNZAF Age 26. Killed (1)

Air Gnr (Rear): Flt Sgt. Gordon William Fitness 426196 RNZAF Age 22. Killed (1)

Crew LL802:

Pilot: Fg Off. Claud Roy James 54855 RAF Age 25. Killed

Flt Eng: Sgt. Edward James Dryland 1895943 RAFVR Age 35. Killed

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

Bomb Aimer: Flt Sgt. James Gibson 1564373 RAFVR Age 22. Killed

WOp/Air Gnr: Sgt. Robert Samuel Keatley 1429335 RAFVR Age 23. Killed

Air Gnr (Mid Upp): Sgt. Peter Innes Geddes 1827129 RAFVR Age 22. Killed

Air Gnr (Rear): 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, Fg Off. 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.

LM167 and LL802 collided mid-air after entering turbulent cumulous cloud on the outbound trip at 16:05 hrs. LM167 crashed on the farmland of Holmwood Farm, Earls Colne and LL802 on the farmland of Flories Farm, Great Tey which is just over the parish boundary killing all 15 crew members from both aircraft.

(1) Fg Off. Hogg enlisted on the 24th April 1941. He had amassed 605 flying hours and this was his 20th operational sortie. Fg Off. Pritchard had amassed 426 flying hours and this was his 16th operational sortie. Flt Sgt. Adams and Flt Sgt. Fitness had amassed 239 and 244 flying hours respectively and both were on their 18th operational sortie.

(2) 746716 Flt Sgt. Ernest Leslie Hooker was awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal (DFM) whilst with 420 Sqn which was promulgated in the London Gazette on the 29th December 1942.

On 20th September 2024 Earls Colne Heritage Museum will be unveiling a memorial to the loss of the 15 aircrew. Over 100 people will be attending, with many relatives, including 2 sons - John De Angelis and Robert Dryland who are coincidentally the sons of the Flight Engineer’s of both Lancaster's. More information can be found on the Earls Colne Heritage Museum website.

Burial details:

LM167 Crew:

Fg Off. Murray Leonard Hogg. Cambridge City Cemetery. Grave 15748. Grave Inscription: ‘TO LIVE IN HEARTS WE LEAVE BEHIND IS NOT TO DIE’. 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.

Sgt. John Alexander De Angelis. Beck Row Churchyard (St. John). Row F. Grave 6. Grave Inscription: ‘A LOVING HUSBAND AND FATHER’. Son of Alexander and Kathleen de Angelis and husband of Phyllis de Angelis, of Brentwood, Essex, England.

Flt 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.

Fg Off. Alexander Thomas Gill. Beck Row Churchyard (St. John). Row F. Grave 5. Grave Inscription: ‘GREATER LOVE THAN THIS NO MAN HATH, THAT A MAN LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS’. Son of John Walter and Teresa Mary Gill and husband of Elizabeth Susan Gill, of Rayleigh, Essex, England.

Fg Off. 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.

Fg Off. Ernest Leslie Hooker DFM. 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.

Flt 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.

Flt Sgt. Gordon William Fitness. Cambridge City Cemetery. Grave 15348. Son of Myra Olive Fitness, of Gordon Street, Dargaville, Auckland, New Zealand.

LL802 Crew:

Fg Off. Claud Roy James. Beck Row Churchyard (St. John). Row F. Grave 4. Grave Inscription: ‘TO LIVE IN THE HEARTS OF THOSE WE LOVE IS NOT TO DIE’. 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. Grave Inscription: ‘TO KNOW HIM WAS TO LOVE HIM. TO LIVE IN THE HEARTS OF THOSE WE LOVE IS NOT TO DIE’. 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.

Flt 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. Grave Inscription: ‘LOVED IN LIFE AND LIVING YET IN THE HEARTS OF THOSE WHO NEVER FORGET’. 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. Grave Inscription: ‘GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN NEVER WILL HIS MEMORY FADE SWEET THOUGHTS EVER LINGER WHERE HE IS LAID’. Son of Phillip A. Dumaresque and Elizabeth Dumaresque, of Forteau, Labrador, Canada.

Researched by Kelvin Youngs (Webmaster) 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 Jones for crew photographs (Aug 2017). Thanks to Gordon Brown for the correction to the crash sites and for the memorial unveiling. Other updates by Aircrew Remembered (Sep 2024).

Other sources listed below.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember them. - Laurence Binyon
All site material (except as noted elsewhere) is owned or managed by Aircrew Remembered and should not be used without prior permission.
© Aircrew Remembered 2012 - 2025 Last Modified: 03 September 2024, 07:38