Operation: Blainville

Date: 28/29th June 1944 (Wednesday/Thursday)

Unit: No. 10 Squadron

Type: Halifax III

Serial: LW717

Code: ZA-W

Base: RAF Melbourne, Yorkshire

Location: Near Feigneux, France

Pilot: P/O. Martin Livesey 175822 RAFVR Age 23. Killed

Fl/Eng: Sgt. John Randolph Sissons 1622340 RAFVR Age 20. Killed

Nav: Fl/Sgt. Alfred Gordon Rhodes 1585767 RAFVR Age ? Killed

Air/Bmr: P/O. Thomas Govan Evans J/86832 RCAF Age 21. Killed (1)

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Fl/Sgt. Leonard William Hughes 1442941 RAFVR Age 22. Killed

Air/Gnr: Fl/Sgt. William Tudberry AUS/429161 RAAF Age 20. Killed

Air/Gnr: Sgt. Kenneth Ernest Chandler 1162631 RAFVR Age 24. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Leaving RAF Melbourne at 22:13 hrs. part of a group made up of 202 Halifaxes and a further 28 Pathfinder Lancasters to attack railway yards at both Blainville and Metz. Both targets were hit.

Crew L-R: Fl/Sgt. Alfred Gordon "Dusty" Rhodes, Fl/Sgt. William Tudberry, Sgt. Kenneth Ernest Chandler, P/O. Martin Livesey, P/O. Thomas Govan "Dusty" Evans, Fl/Sgt. Leonard William Hughes, Sgt. John Randolph Sissons. (courtesy Trevor Hughes nephew of Fl/Sgt. Leonard Hughes) Front ground crew - no names available as yet.

(2) The first of 10 claims by Uffz. Siebert, survived the war despite being wounded on the 16th March 1945 in a crash landing at Bayreuth returning from an operation. No further details of what happened to him after this. (See Kracker Archive on this site)

P/O. Martin Livesey. Feigneux Communal Cemetery. Grave Mil.row G.1. From Barnsley, Yorkshire, England. Next of kin details not available - can you assist?

Fl/Eng: Sgt. John Randolph Sissons. Feigneux Communal Cemetery. Grave Mil. row G.2. Son of George Randolph and Winifred Margaret Sissons of Hull, England. Epitaph: 'He Willingly Died That All Shall Be Free; God Grant His Sacrifice Is Not In Vain

Fl/Sgt. Alfred Gordon Rhodes. Feigneux Communal Cemetery. Grave Mil. row G.3. Next of kin details not available - can you assist?

P/O. Thomas Govan Evans. Feigneux Communal Cemetery. Grave Mil. row G.6. Born on the 22nd Apruk1918 in Winnipeg, Mantitoba. Enlistd on the 27th September 1941. Son of William Evans and Eunice Evans (née Harris - died 24th May 2017, age 94). 84 Furby Street, Winnipeg, Mantitoba, Canada.

Fl/Sgt. Leonard William Hughes. Feigneux Communal Cemetery. Grave Mil. row G.4. Son of Florence Hughes of Pentney, Norfolk. Also remembered on a war memorial stone in his home village of Pentney, Norfolk, England. Epiraph: 'Not One Was Saved Of That Brave Crew, My Son Was One, So Kind And True'.

Fl/Sgt. William Tudberrys. Feigneux Communal Cemetery. Grave Mil. row G.3.Son of George William and Lily Tudberry of Willoughby, New South Wales, Australia. Born on 25th October 1923 in Clifton, Queensland, Australia. Enlisted in Sydney, Australia. Epitaph: 'Duty Nobly Done. Ever Remembered By His Loving Mother And Jim

Sgt. Kenneth Ernest Chandler. Feigneux Communal Cemetery. Grave Mil. row G.7. Son of Ernest Albert and Ethel Chandler of Derby and husband of Hilda Chandler of Littleover, Derby, England. Epitaph: 'Our Only Son Kenneth. Lovingly Remembered By His Sorrowing Mother And Father'.

Researched by Aircrew Remembered, researcher and specialist genealogist Linda Ibrom for relatives of this crew. Special thanks to Ken Kemp for Pentney War Memorial stone photo. Also to Trevor Hughes who sent in the crew photograph - March 2017.

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