• Kracker Archive
• Allied Losses
• Archiwum Polish
• Paradie Canadian
• RCAF
• RAAF
• RNZAF
• USA
• Searchable Lists
Operation: Bois de Cassan
Date: 4th August 1944 (Friday)
Unit: No. 434 Squadron (RCAF)
Type: Halifax III
Serial: LW436
Code: WL-Y
Base: RAF Croft, Yorkshire.
Location: Drosay, Seine-Maritime, France
Pilot: F/O. R.J. Lang J/25389 RCAF Evaded capture.
Fl/Eng: Sgt. Norman Marley 1592882 RAFVR Age 22. Killed
Nav: F/O. Jack Arthur Kelly J/37186 RCAF Age 20. Killed
Air/Bmr: P/O. Raymond Glen Bruegeman J/88569 RCAF Age 22. Killed
W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Gerald Henry Donovan R/190192 RCAF Evaded capture.
Air/Gnr: F/O. George Gordon Perkins J/28280 RCAF Age 27. Killed
Air/Gnr: Sgt. A. Nelles Boyd R/212438 RCAF Evaded capture.
REASON FOR LOSS:
Taking off at 10.29 hrs from the northern airfield at RAF Croft, Yorkshire to attack the flying bomb site at Bois de Cassan.
Huge daylight operation with over 1,100 aircraft taking part - 601 Lancasters, 492 Halifaxes, 21 Mosquitos - carried out major raids on the Bois de Cassan, Forêt de Nieppe and Trossy St Maxim flying-bomb stores. The weather was clear and all raids were successful.
Although the pilot reported later that he thought they had been hit by anti-aircraft fire, Halifax III LW436 was shot down by Hmtm. Gustav Tham (1) flying a Me110 at 13.35 hrs. with the aircraft crashing in Drosay, Seine-Maritime, France.
Three of the crew managed to either bale out or thrown from the aircraft following the explosion of the fuel tanks, the remainder of the crew were found near where the aircraft crash site.
The crew who survived were helped by locals and returned to England in September 1944.
(1) Survived the war with a total of 15 kills, mostly as a night fighter.
Information courtesy Kracker Archives.
Crew graves photographed by our Kate Tame during her visit in 2012. At the time they were carrying out repairs to the Church wall and the grave of P/O. Bruegeman was under the protection of scaffolding. Any relative who would like a higher resolution copy of the graves please contact us as we would be happy to email them.
Above: original graves (courtesy John Jones)
Burial details:Sgt. Norman Marley. Drosay Churchyard. Grave 2. Son of Norman and Bertha M. Marley, of Washington, Co. Durham, England. Grave inscription: 'God Be With You Till We Meet Again'.
F/O. Jack Arthur Kelly. Drosay Churchyard. Grave 3. Born on the 02nd June 1924 in Toronto. Son of William Joseph and Margaret Kelly (née Moran), of 225 Christie Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Grave inscription: 'He Hath Loved God, And Shall Obtain Pardon For His Sins'.
P/O. Raymond Glen Bruegeman. Drosay Churchyard. Grave 1. Son of Reuben Ezra and Mary Alma Bruegeman, of Hanover, Ontario, Canada, husband of Dorothy Priscilla Bruegeman, of Hanover, Canada. Grave inscription: 'Beloved Son Of Reuben & Mary Bruegeman, Hanover, Ontario, Canada "Thy Kingdom Come".
F/O. George Gordon Perkins. Drosay Churchyard. Grave 4. Son of Harold and Edna Perkins, of St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada. Grave inscription: 'Jesus Said, I Am The Resurrection, And The Life St.John Xi.25'.Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to Kate Tame, John Jones, Bill Chorley - 'Bomber Command Losses' Vol. 5, Dr. Theo E.W. Boiten and Mr. Roderick J. Mackenzie - 'Nightfighter War Diaries Vol's. 1 and 2', Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt - 'Bomber Command War Diaries', Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Tom Kracker - 'Kracker Luftwaffe Archives'.
KTY Aircraft serial number amended following advice from Jack Brook, October 2015
KTY 21-07-2021 New information added courtesy John Jones
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: 21 July 2021, 14:57