Operation: Stuttgart

Date: 28/29th July 1944

Unit: No. 90 Squadron

Type: Lancaster III

Serial: PB198

Code: WP-M

Base: RAF Tuddenham, Suffolk

Location: Saulxures-les-Bulgneville

Pilot: P/O. John Donald Morton J/88266 RCAF Age 21. Killed

Fl/Eng: Sgt. Dennis James Ingram 1711742 RAFVR Age 20. Killed

Nav: P/O. Myron Fetchison J/88486 RCAF Age 23. Killed

Air/Bmr: W/O II Joseph Wilfred Jean Paul Huot R/159901 RCAF Age 22. Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Walter Charles Pomfret 1392396 RAFVR Age 23. Killed

Air/Gnr: Fl/Sgt. Hugh Donald Hilts R/256204 RCAF Age 18. Killed

Air/Gnr: Fl/Sgt. Edward Laverne Eitel R/191621 RCAF Age 19. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Took off at 21:50 hrs from RAF Tuddenham in Suffolk to attack the city of Stuttgart. A total of 494 Lancasters joined this operation together with 2 Mosquitoes. German night-fighters engaged the bomber stream on the outward flight over France and as there was a bright moon huge losses were incurred. Such was the ferocity of the engagement very few positive claims by the German fighters were made.

Crash site today (courtesy Stephane Muret)

No certain details regarding the loss of Lancaster PB198 can be ascertained but it would seem that it was another victim of the German night-fighter force.

Fl/Sgt. Edward Eitel received his wings from No.3 B and GS McDonald, Manitoba on August 20th 1943.

Graves of the 7 crew members (courtesy Stephane Muret)

P/O. John Donald Morton. Saulxures-les-Bulgneville Communal Cemetery Grave 6. Son of Mr and Mrs J.G. Morton of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Sgt. Dennis James Ingram. Saulxures-les-Bulgneville Communal Cemetery Collective Grave 3-5. Son of Robert and Katherine Ingram, of Redhill, Surrey, England.

P/O. Myron Fetchison. Saulxures-les-Bulgneville Communal Cemetery Collective Grave 3-5. Son of Michael and Josephine Fetchison, Oshawa, Canada.

W/O II Joseph Wilfred Jean Paul Huot. Saulxures-les-Bulgneville Communal Cemetery Grave 7. Son of Wilfrid and Marguerite Huot, of Montreal, Province of Quebec, Canada.

Sgt. Walter Charles Pomfret. Saulxures-les-Bulgneville Communal Cemetery Grave 2. Son of James George and Florence Mary Ann Pomfret; husband of Joyce Gladys Pomfret, of Camberwell, London, England.

Fl/Sgt. Hugh Donald Hilts. Saulxures-les-Bulgneville Communal Cemetery Collective Grave 3-5. Son of James E. Hilts and Millie Saunders Hilts of Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada.

Fl/Sgt. Edward Laverne Eitel. Saulxures-les-Bulgneville Communal Cemetery Grave 1. Son of G.E. Eitel, Tillsonburg, Ontario, Canada.

Researched for the nephew of the navigator P/O. Myron Fetchison - Mr. Jim Fetchison and all the relatives of the crew. With thanks to the following: Stephane Muret for visiting the crash site and showing respect by sending these photographs. Other sources as quoted below.