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Operation: Dunlop rubber factory, Montluçon, France
Date: 15th/16th September 1943 (Wednesday/Thursday)
Unit No: 15 Squadron (motto: 'Aim Sure'), 3 Group, Bomber Command
Type: Stirling III
Serial: BF569
Code: LS:V
Base: RAF Mildenhall, Suffolk
Location: Ecluse des Roussets, 03190 Vaux, France
Pilot: WO. Alexander William Niall 404928 RNZAF Age 30. KiA (1)
Flt Eng: Sgt. Robert Skillin 1348258 RAFVR Age 20. KiA
Nav: Fg Off. Lindsay David Glenday 417279 RNZAF Age 33. KiA (2)
Bomb Aimer: Fg Off. Ian Sydney Alexander Stevenson 42194 RNZAF Age 27. KiA (3)
WOp/Air Gnr: Sgt. Leonard Everard Scarisbrick 1219656 RAFVR Age 22. KiA
Air Gnr (Mid Upper): Sgt. Thomas Kennedy Prentice Peters 1563653 RAFVR Age 21. KiA
Air Gnr (Rear): Sgt. William 'Bill' Green 1021000 RAFVR Age 23. KiA
Above: Sgt. William ‘Bill’ Green (Courtesy of David Stebbings)
Page constructed only possible with the very kind assistance of Mr. Alain Godignon and Mr. Claude Grimaud with other sources shown below.
REASON FOR LOSS:
370 aircraft were detailed to bomb the Dunlop rubber factory at Montluçon including 5 American B-17s. Bombing taking place between 23:25 hrs and 23:58 hrs. Although the full moon and good visibility favoured enemy fighters they were only encountered on a small scale.
The raid was considered a success. Of the 26 major buildings 12 were destroyed, 12 others seriously damaged with four others suffering slight damage. Although the bombing was fairly accurate sadly 50 civilians were killed with 150 others suffering various degrees of injury. Some bombers inadvertently bombed the village of Tizon, in Saint-Victor causing many fires, possibly due to the markers covered in black smoke.
The Germans only had four or five units of anti-aircraft batteries in Montluçon and the allies felt it to be a soft target. The allies concluded that 14% reduction of vehicle and aircraft tyres for the German war machine would be made.
The French Vichy as well as the Germans made as much propaganda following the raid blaming the allies for killing civilians and making many homeless and of course unemployed.
BF569 took off at 20:39 hrs and was one of three to be shot down by Flak. Another crashed in England on return.
It took the Germans a few days to remove the wreckage from the canal. The crew were all initial buried on the 20th September in Montluçon and later reinterred in Choloy War Cemetery.
(1) Alexander William Niall was educated at Timaru Boys High School. He worked as a barman/lorry driver for the Caledonian Hotel run by his mother.
On the 1st December 1940 he enlisted at Levin as a pilot under training at No. 1 Elementary Flying Training School (EFTS) on the 18th January 1941. Following was No. 1 Service Flying Training School (SFTS) on the 1st March 1941. He was awarded his pilot’s wings on the 12th April 1941 and was promoted to Sgt. on the 24th May 1941.
Above L-R: Rear; R.C. Dunn, P. Durning, P.D. McMillan, Douglas Kenneth Buchanan 404887, L.V. W Dickison, J.C. Finn, V.C. Heddon, James Francis Sheridan 404952, M.K. McLaughlin, Frank Vernon Watkins 404847 ✞.
Centre; J. Lukie, D.A. Cameron, R.O. Foster, Eric Howard Perry 404938, A.F. Brown, P.T. Kippenberger, George Rattray 404409, L.O. Hunter, E.G Grainger, Alexander William Niall ✞.404928l.
Front; A.N. Arnott, D.H. Glengarry, W.R. England, C.H. Baker, Aubrey William Osman 404935 ✞, W.M. Murray, Trevor Bernard Robertson 404948 ✞, T.H Morgan, Noel Bain Rankin 404942 ✞, John Raulston Cooke 404897, P.S. Clark (Courtesy Air Museum of New Zealand)
He embarked for England on the 18th June 1941 and arrived at No. 3 Personnel Reception Centre (PRC) on the 31st July 1941. On the 10th August 1941 he was posted to the Air Observer School (AOS) as a staff pilot then onto an Air Gunner School (AGS) again as a staff pilot on the 17th April 1942.
He then attended a short course in May flying the Hurricane and the Master. From there he was attached to 1414 Beam Approach Training Flight (BATF) over the period 6th to the12th February 1943. He joined No. 11 Operational Training Unit (OTU) flying the Wellington on the 23rd March 1943. After which he was posted to 1657 Heavy Conversion Unit (HCU) flying the Stirling on the 17th June 1943. He and his crew joined 15 Squadron on the 20th July 1943. Carried to 16 operational sorties and accumulated 907 flying hours.
(2) Lindsay David Glenday was educated at Timaru Boys High School and Canterbury University College. He was a teacher for the Taranaki Education Board prior to enlisting as an Air Observer under training on the 28th December 1941.
He embarked for Canada on the 2nd March 1942 and commenced training at No. 1 Air Observer School (AOS) on the12th April 1942.
He was awarded his Air Observer bevet on the 14th August 1942 and was appointed to a commission as a Plt Off . He embarked for England on the 3rd October 1942 and arrived at No. 3 Personnel Reception Centre (PRC) on the 19th October 1942.
He was then posted to No. 9 Advanced Flying Unit on the 15th December 1942. And then onto No. 11 Operational Training Unit (OTU) to join his crew training on the Wellington on 23rd March 1943. After which he was posted to 1657 Heavy Conversion Unit (HCU) flying the Stirling on the 17th June 1943. He and his crew joined 15 Squadron on the 20th July 1943. Carried to 14 operational sorties and accumulated 315 flying hours.
His brother LAC. Neil Macmillan Glenday was killed on the 27th July 1943 during a Flying Training sortie aboard Bollingbroke #9944 from No.7 Bomber and Gunnery School in Canada.
(3) Ian Sydney Alexander Stevenson was educated at Ashburton High School. He was a cloth finisher for Lane Walker Ruskin Ltd prior to enlisting at Rongota on the 7th January 1942.
He embarked for Canada on the 20th July 1942 and the Air Observer School on the 25th October 1942. He was awarded his Air Observer brevet on the 26th November 1942 and was appointed to a commission as a Plt Off on the 4th December 1942. He embarked for England on the 30th December 1942 and arrived at No. 11 Personnel Reception Centre (PRC) on the 15th January 1943.
He joined No. 11 Operational Training Unit (OTU) flying the Wellington on the 23rd March 1943. After which he was posted to 1657 Heavy Conversion Unit (HCU) flying the Stirling on the 17th June 1943. He and his crew joined 15 Squadron on the 20th July 1943. Carried to 14 operational sorties and accumulated 279 flying hours
The memorial (Stele) was originally placed in 1993 but later after it was damaged kept at the town hall. However, the mayor of Vaux (Jérôme Duchalet) decided it should be repaired and reinstated near the crash site. This was unveiled in 2015 on the anniversary of the crash. It now stands beautifully mounted in a public area surrounded in a wooden enclosure.
Burial details:
Above: Choloy War Cemetery courtesy of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission
WO. Alexander William Niall. Choloy War Cemetery. Collective grave 3.F.16-22. Born on the 25th July 1913 in Ashburton. Son of Alexander (died 31st May 1951, age 69) and Ellen Agnes Niall (née Dore - divorced 1945 - died 1st September 1950, age 62 then married to George Philip Miller who died 22nd June 1956) of 46 Bantry Street Alexandra, New Zealand. Husband of Audrey Anne Euphemia Glenday of Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand. (shown left)
Sgt. Robert Skillin. Choloy War Cemetery. Collective grave 3.F.16-22. Grave Inscription: 'HIM THAT COMETH TO ME I WILL IN NO WISE CAST OUT" ST.JOHN VI. 37'. Born on the 7th April 1923 in Motherwell, Scotland. Son of David and Alice Shannon (née Crichton) Skillin of Longniddry, East Lothian, Scotland. (shown right)
Fg Off. Lindsay David Glenday. Choloy War Cemetery. Collective grave 3.F.16-22. Born on the 10th November 1909 in Christchurch. Son of David (died 26th November 1950) and Sarah Martin Glenday (née Smith - died 16th November 1955). Husband of Audrey Anne Euphemia Glenday (née Clarkson - died 29th October 1983, age 77), and father of a daughter of Fendalton, Christchurch, New Zealand. (shown left)
Fg Off. Ian Sydney Alexander Stevenson. Choloy War Cemetery. Collective grave 3.F.16-22. Born on the 18th June 1916 in Ashburton. Son of John Renton Stevenson (died 15th June 1955) and Susan Armstrong Stevenson (née Turnbull) of Ashburton, Canterbury, New Zealand. (shown right)
Sgt. Leonard Everard Scarisbrick. Choloy War Cemetery. Collective grave 3.F.16-22. Born in 1st Qtr of 1921 in St. Helens, Lancashire. Son of James and Amelia (née Parr) Scarisbrick of Speke, Liverpool, England.
Sgt. Thomas Kennedy Prentice Peters. Choloy War Cemetery. Collective grave 3.F.16-22. Grave inscription: 'LOVED, REMEMBERED, LONGED FOR ALWAYS. TILL WE MEET. MUM AND DAD'. Son of Hugh C. and Agnes K. Peters of Maybole, Ayrshire, Scotland. (shown left)
Sgt. William 'Bill' Green. Choloy War Cemetery. Collective grave 3.F.16-22. Born on the 15th July 1920 in Chorley. Son of Thomas and Catherine (née Downs) (deceased in 3rd Qtr of 1933) Thomas of Rangletts Avenue, Chorley, England.
Thomas, who worked at Onsette colliery, remarried to Emma Bibby in March 1945.
William joined the RAF on the same day as his younger brother Gerald (born on the 2nd December 1921), also an Air Gunner, who thankfully returned home after the war. 'Bill' was engaged to be married and was fondly remembered by those. who knew him.
Researched by Kelvin Youngs (Webmaster) and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to Jenifer Lemaire and to the extensive research by Errol Martyn and his publications: “For Your Tomorrow Vols. 1-3”, New Zealand Cenotaph, Weekly News of New Zealand, Air Museum of New Zealand, Museum of Transport and Technology, Auckland, Alain Godignon and Claude Grimaud for photographs and information, James at WW2 Talk, La Montagne Entreprendre. Mr. Alain Godignon who has assisted us greatly with this archive report and modern day photographs had an uncle had been seriously injured by the bombing whilst living in Les Varennes (Oct 2022). Many thanks to David Stebbings, who is the grand-nephew of Bill's fiancé for his photograph and information (Dec 2024). Thanks to David Stebbings for confirming the additional biographical details for Sgt. Green (Dec 2024).
Other sources listed below:
RS 31.12.2024 - Biographical information for Sgt. Green updated
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