Operation: St. Nazaire, France

Date: 15/16th February 1940 (Sunday/Monday)

Unit: No. 77 Squadron 4 Group (motto - Esse potius quam videri - 'To be, rather than seem')

Type: Whitley V

Serial: Z9231

Code: KN-U

Base: RAF Leeming, Yorkshire

Location: RAF Colerne, Wiltshire

Pilot: Fl/Sgt. George Ronald Millar R/62407 RCAF Age 25. Killed

Pilot: Sgt. George Albert Anson 1017913 RAFVR Age 29. Killed

Obs: Sgt. Reginald Andrew Kemp NZ/404494 RNZAF Age 21. Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Colin David Evander Campbell 798508 RAFVR Age 20. Killed

Air/Gnr. Sgt. Walter Powell 936328 RAFVR Age 30. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off at approximately 18:00 hrs on an operation to St. Nazaire in France. 26 aircraft taking part.

Having bombed the target and on return to England a failed engine forced the pilot to make an emergency landing at RAF Colerne in Witshire. During the attempt the aircraft crashed at 00:20 hrs - killing all the crew.

Burial details:

Fl/Sgt. George Ronald Millar. Colerne Churchyard (St. John The Baptist). Grave 106. Born on the 18th December 1916 at Bethune, the son of Thomas Goode Millar and Ann Shiell Millar (née Aitken), of Bethune, Saskatchewan, Canada. A teacher prior to service. Grave inscription reads: "Well Done, Thou Good And Faithful Servant".

Millar Lake in Saskatchewan was named after Fl/Sgt. George Ronald Millar.

Sgt. George Albert Anson. Selby Cemetery. Grave 2735. Son of John Charles and Rose Anson, of Selby, Yorkshire. Grave inscription reads: "A Life Of Great Promise Now Lived To The Full In The Master's Presence".

Sgt. Reginald Andrew Kemp. Colerne Churchyard (St. John The Baptist). Grave 107. Son of Albert Reginald and Catherine McFadyen Kemp, of Eltham, Taranaki, New Zealand. A total of 295 flying hours logged and having completed 9 operational sorties.

Sgt. Colin David Evander Campbell. Aberdeen Cemetery (Allenvale). Section H, Grave 25. Son of Evander and Margaret Jane Campbell, of Grand Falls, Newfoundland, Canada.

Sgt. Walter Powell. Shrewsbury General Cemetery Extn. Plot 10. Grave 34. Son of John Phillips Powell and Frances Evelyn Powell and husband of E. M. Powell, of Shrewsbury. From Canada. Grave inscription reads: "Hereby Know We Love, Because He Laid Down His Life For Us".

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this pilot with thanks to the research by Errol Martyn and his publications: “For Your Tomorrow Vols. 1-3”, Auckland War Memorial Museum, Weekly News of New Zealand, other sources as quoted below:

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