Operation: Le Mans, France

Date: 22nd/23rd May 1944 (Monday/Tuesday)

Unit No: 432 (Leaside) Squadron, RCAF, 6 Group, Bomber Command

Type: Halifax III

Serial: MZ506

Code: QO:X

Base: RAF East Moor, Yorkshire

Location: Moncé-en-Belin, France

Pilot: Flt Sgt. Stephen Kuleski R149293 RCAF Age 25. KiA

Flt Eng: Sgt. Edward Derek Horton 1851892 RAFVR Age 21. KiA

Nav: Fg Off. Walter Henry Matthews J25198 RCAF Age 28. KiA

Bomb Aimer: Flt Sgt. Bruce Stanley Richmond 426915 RAAF Age 23. KiA

WOp/Air Gnr: WO2. Joseph Eugene Gerard Desmarais R117632 RCAF Age 20. KiA

Air Gnr: Sgt. Eric Patrick Boutilier R183247 RCAF Age 22. KiA

Air Gnr (Mid Upper): Sgt. Michael Wiwsianski R210463 RCAF Age 20. KiA

Air Gnr (Rear): Sgt. Wallace Watson Crum R98697 RCAF Age 21. KiA

432 Squadron Halifax III MZ506 QO:X: Partial Crew photograph:

Left to Right: Unknown, Unknown, Unknown, Fg Off. Matthews, Flt Sgt. Kuleski

It hoped to place a memorial to this crew in May 2020 at the cemetery, relatives are invited to contact us for further information.

REASON FOR LOSS:

112 aircraft taking part to bomb the railway facilities at le Mans in France. The crews were over the target at between 7,000 and 9,000 feet, releasing 826,000 lbs. of high explosives. According to reports, bombing was accurate and severe damage was caused.

Halifax MZ506 took off from RAF East Moor in at 00:10 hrs and shot down by Flak killing all of the crew were killed .

MZ506 was hit by 6./gem Flak Abt. 596 and 2. & 4./lei Flak Abt. 955. Crashed 3km South of le Mans airfield at 02:40. (Nachtjagd Combat Archives 1944 Part 3 - Theo Boiten)

A local French Lady Marie Fortier was taking shelter at the time during the bombardment with her daughter and son. The Halifax crash landed nearby and German troops arrived to remove the bodies and take them to Le Mans Cemetery. Crowds surrounded the truck and and the remains were covered in flowers. From that day she remembered the members of this crew and in fact built a memorial to them. She managed to write to newspaper in Canada to inform them that the French remember what Canada did for them.

The town continues to this day to maintain that memorial and to honour these eight boys. Marie Fortier even managed to send ashes from the crash site in a small wooden box to the family of Plt Off. Michael Wiwsianski, This was later buried with his mother after she passed away.

Note: Moncé is twinned with Welton village in Lincolnshire.

Three images of whom it is believed to be Marie Fortier taken by a 10 year old Andy Marshall in 1987, then a chorister in the Lincoln Cathedral Choir, on a tour to Le Mans, which is twinned with the city of Lincoln. (Courtesy Andy Marshall)

Burial details:

Above: Initial Grave markers

Mount Kuleski in the Kootenay Land District, British Columbia was named after Plt Off. Stephen Kuleski in 1964

Plt Off. Stephen Kuleski. Le Mans West Cemetery. Plot 38. 1939-45 Row C. Coll. grave 38-42. Grave Inscription: "REST IN PEACE, DEAR SON". Born on the 14th June 1918, Hillcrest, British Columbia. Son of William and Pearl Kuleski of Michel, British Columbia, Canada.

Flt Sgt. Stephen Kuleski was posthumously appointed to a commission and promoted to J87624 Plt Off. with effect the 21st May 1944.

Sgt. Edward Derek Horton. Le Mans West Cemetery. Plot 38. 1939-45 Row C. Coll. grave 38-42. Grave inscription: "MAY WE BE WORTHY OF THEIR SACRIFICE" IN MEMORY'S GARDEN, DEAR, YOU WILL NEVER FADE". Son of Edward and Edith Horton, of Llanychaer, Pembrokeshire, Wales.

Fg.Off. Walter Henry Matthews Le Mans West Cemetery. Plot 38. 1939-45 Row C. Coll. grave 38-42. Born on the 13th March 1916 in Greenwood, British Columbia. Son of Lewis Langford and Mary Matthews of Hedley, British Columbia, Canada.

Flt Sgt. Bruce Stanley Richmond. Le Mans West Cemetery. Plot 38. 1939-45 Row C. Grave 33. Grave inscription: "HE GAVE HIS LIFE FOR HIS COUNTRY. "THY WILL BE DONE". Born on the 23rd July 1920 in Rockhampton, Queensland. Son of John and Constance Marie Richmond of Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia.

Plt Off. Joseph Eugene Gerard Desmarais. Le Mans West Cemetery. Plot 38. 1939-45 Row C. Grave 34. Born 19th September 1918, Herbert, Montreal. Son to Armand and Louisa Desmarais of Montreal, Canada. His mother predeceased him in 1932. He was on attachment from 419 (Moose) Squadron, RCAF.

WO2. Desmarais was posthumously appointed to a commission and promoted to J88152 Plt Off. with effect 21st May 1944.

Plt Off. Eric Patrick Boutilier. Le Mans West Cemetery. Plot 38. 1939-45 Row C. Grave 29. Grave inscription :"BELOVED SON OF MAUD AND CHISHOLM BOUTILIER, HALIFAX, N.S. GONE, NEVER FORGOTTEN. MUM, DAD". Born on the 17th March 1922 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Son of Murdoch Chisholm Boutilier and Maude (née Thompson) Boutilier of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.

Sgt. Boutilier was posthumously appointed to a commission and promoted to J88414 Plt Off. with effect 21st May 1944.

Wiwsianski Lake in Manitoba was named after Plt Off. Michael Wiwsianski in 1974

Plt Off. Michael Wiwsianski. Le Mans West Cemetery. Plot 38. 1939-45 Row C. Grave 43. Born 25th August 1924 in Kruzburg, Manitoba. The son of John and Tienie 'Wish' of Mulvihill, Manitoba, Canada. The Town Council of Moncé-en-Belin named a street after Michael in 1978.

Sgt. Wiwsianski was posthumously appointed to a commission and promoted to J90949 Plt Off. with effect 21st May 1944.

Mount Crum in the Peace River Land District, British Columbia was named after Plt Off. Wallace Crum in 1961.

Plt Off. Wallace Watson Crum. Le Mans West Cemetery. Plot 38. 1939-45 Row C. Coll. grave 38-42. Grave inscription: "OUR HERO, CALM, FREE, UNAFRAID WENT FORTH TO MEET HIS GOD. GOD GRANT WE MAY MEET AGAIN". Born on the 24th January 1923 in Ponce Coupe, British Columbia. Son of Roy and Lena Crum of Dawson Creek, British Columbia, Canada.

Sgt. Crum was posthumously appointed to a commission and promoted to J90064 Plt Off. with effect 21st May 1944.

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to sources as shown (Mar 2019). Thanks to Kevin Turner for highlighting the incorrect aircraft serial number (Dec 2019). New images added by Aircrew Remembered (May 2020). Thanks to John Jones for the German Flak claim information (Nov 2020). Addition of Kuleski, Crum and Wiwsianski commemorative geographical features. (Feb 2022). Reviewed and updated by Aircrew Remembered (May 2026)

Other sources listed below:

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember them. - Laurence Binyon
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