Operation: Laon (Marshalling yards), France

Date: 22nd/23rd April 1944 (Saturday/Sunday)

Unit No: 218 (Gold Coast) Squadron

Type: Stirling III

Serial: EH942

Code: HA:M

Base: RAF Woolfox Lodge, Leicestershire

Location: 19 km South West Soissons, Northern France

Pilot: Sqn Ldr. Cecil Wardman Poulter MiD 39755 RAF Age 30. KiA (1)

Flt Eng: Flt Sgt. Harry Bossick 1803126 RAFVR Age 21. Evader (2)

Nav: Fg Off. Hugh Dowling Thomas J21187 RCAF Age 20 Evader (3)

Bomb Aimer: WO2. Archibald James McPhee R130527 RCAF Age 29 Evader (4)

WOp/Air Gnr: Plt Off. Harry Hamilton Jack Fisher 169870 RAFVR Age 23. Evader (5)

Air Gnr (Mid Upp): Flt Sgt. Frederick Walter Lambert 1387055 RAFVR Age 21. KiA

Air Gnr (Rear): Flt Sgt. Lawrence 'Larry' Clay 1575438 RAFVR Age 21. Evader (6)

REASON FOR LOSS:

Took-off at 22.03 hrs from Woolfox Lodge, Leicestershire to bomb the railway yards at Laon. A bomber stream made up from 181 aircraft including 69 Halifax's, 52 Lancaster's, 48 Stirling's and 12 Mosquitoes. The raid caused massive destruction after the attack had been made in 2 waves.

A total of 9 aircraft were lost on this operation and 46 crewman were killed with a further 3 mad PoW, 15 managed to evade capture and return to England.

218 (Gold Coast) Squadron Stirlings at Downham Market (courtesy IWM)

After successfully dropping their bombs on the target and some five minutes later, homebound they were attacked by a night-fighter setting an engine ablaze. A few minutes after midnight the crew were ordered to bale out.

EH942 was claimed by Lt. Otto Heinrich Fries, his 10th Abschuss, from Stab II./NJG1, 19 km SW of Soissons at 4000m. at 23:38 hrs. (Nachtjagd Combat Archive (16 March 1944 - 11 May 1944) Part 2 - Theo Boiten)

Lt. Fries survived the war and was credited with 11 confirmed Abschüsse with 4 awaiting confirmation. (Nachtjagd Combat Archive - Biographies - Theo Boiten)

Lt. Fries and his Bordfunker became the first men in history to employ ejector seats in a combat situation when his He219 was shot down on the night of the 19th/20th May 1944. He was shot down a total of four (4) times. After the war he became a doctor in Berlin (Luftwaffe ACES - Biographies and Victory Claims (Mathews and Foreman) - Volume 1)

(1) Plt Off. Poulter was involved in a flying accident on the 24th January 1938 as 2nd pilot on 51 Sqn Anson I K6277 (1 KiA, 3 Inj).

His Mentioned in Despatches (MiD) was promulgated in the London Gazette on the 24th September 1941.

(2) The initial details of Flt Sgt. Bossick’s escape and evasion are not known at this time. However, the later part of his story from arriving in Paris is described for WO2. McPhee (see (4) below).

Harry Bossick was born on the 9th August 1922 in Holborn, Middlesex. Harry passed away on the 11th April 1991 in Los Angeles, California, USA.

(3) Fg Off. Thomas was the second to leave the aircraft and landed in a tree in some woods about 8 km (5 mls) NE of Attichy. It took him about 1½ hrs to disentangle himself and his parachute together with his Mae West and harness before setting off walking in south-westerly using the stars.

He intended to approach an isolated farmhouse and ask for help but did not come across any on his way. Eventually he reached a small collection of houses and knocked at the doors of two of them but was turned away each time.

He decided to continued on to Attichy which he reached at about 05:30 hrs. He approached one house and asked for assistance, but again received no help. 30 mins later he approached at another house in the town and was immediately invited inside and given some food. After briefly being questioned to establish his identity he was provided with civilian clothing and told that he could remain there for a while.

The following day, on the 24th April, his host went to Paris to try to contact an organisation for him. On next day his host took him by lorry to his brother’s house in Compiègne, some 16 km (10 mls) to the west, where he remained for two (2) nights.

On the 27th April the two men drove him to Paris some 69 km (43 mls) to the SSW, by lorry while a friend drove ahead to warn them of the approach of any German patrols. The journey was uneventful and as soon as he reached Paris he was taken to a store, where his photograph was taken. That night he stayed at a house near Le Bourget aerodrome. From this point onward his journey was arranged. The detail of his evasion are not known but what is known he evaded via Spain and Gibraltar from where he left on the 10th July 1944 arriving at Whitchurch the next day.

Hugh Dowling Thomas was born on the 19th February 1924 in Davidson, Saskatchewan, Canada. He was a student prior to enlisting in the RCAF in February 1942. Sqn Ldr. Hugh Dowling Thomas passed away aged 33 on the 16th April 1957.

Above: Courtesy of The Leader Post, dated 22nd April 1957

(4) WO2. McPhee described that after they had dropped their bombs and were leaving the target area the port outer engine was reported to be on fire. He remembered no more until about midday the following day, on the 23rd April, when he found himself suspended by his parachute in a tree about four (4) feet off the ground. He managed to free himself but was unable to disentangle his parachute from the tree.

He found that he had broken two of his teeth and that he had cut his lip, eye and hand. He staggered to a nearby farm somewhere just NE of Vic-sur-Aisne where the farmer removed his Mae West and asked him where he had left his parachute. He walked with the farmer and pointed to where he thought it was entangled and then fainted. When he regained consciousness a doctor was sewing up his lip. After which he was given a draught and slept for the next two (2) days.

Plt Off. Fisher was brought in either that night or the next day. On the 24 April they were moved to a large cave where they stayed for the next eight (8) days. Each day food was brought to them and every second night they went to the farm and shaved, bathed and had supper. During this time they were provided with civilian clothes.

On about the 3rd or 4th May they were taken in a cart into Vic-sur-Aisne where they remained overnight. The next day they were taken on two motor bikes into Morsain where they stayed with some farmers whose name and address he did not remember. These people had sheltered Plt Off. Courtenay whom he later met in Paris.

Plt Off. Donald Harold Courtenay 158785 RAFVR, was the pilot of 635 Sqn Lancaster III ND508 F2:P, which was shot down by night-fighter on a Master Bomber mission to Laon on the night of the 22nd/23rd April 1944. He was the only survivor of the eight (8) crew.

From this point his journey was arranged and is described by the Escape and Evasion report for Plt Off. Courtenay.

Plt Off. Courtenay’s Lancaster was attacked by a German a night-fighter, at about 23:59 hrs and blew up. He managed to open his parachute and landed near VIC-SUR-AISNE and was injured on landing and was unable to move. On the 23rd April he contacted a farm labourer, and was taken to a farm, where he was given clothes and food. Late that night he was taken to a larger farm at MORSAIN. From there he went to Paris by train on 24th April. In Paris he was hidden and received medical attention.

While in Paris he met the following the following other evaders; Flt Sgt. Bossick, WO2. McPhee, Plt Off. Fisher and an American, S/Sgt. G. Miller. False papers were provided, and they were put in touch with an organisation.

S/Sgt. George R. Miller 33237069 USAAF, was the Tail Gunner from B-24H 42-7548 ‘Bull O’The Woods’ from the 66th Bombardment Sqn, 44th Bombardment Grp which was shot down by German fighters on a mission to Ludwigshaven on the 30th December 1943. (2 KiA, 1 PoW, 7 Evd).

On the 25th May a party of ten (10) evaders, including WO2. McPhee, Plt Off. Fisher, Flt Sgt. Bossick and S/Sgt. Miller left Paris by train accompanied by two guides of the organisation.

They arrived at Pau on the 26th May and were handed over to local members of the same organisation. On the 27th May WO2. McPhee, the four allied airmen named above, and an American, S/Sgt. Knopp and another unnamed airman left PAU to attempt to cross the frontier.

S/Sgt. Lester W. Knopp 39184861 USAAF, was the Waist Gunner from B-17F 42-30040 ‘Wabbit Twacks III’ from the 337th Bombardment Sqn, 96th Bombardment Grp which was shot down German fighters on a mission to Schweinfurt on the 14th October 1943. (1 KiA, 5 PoW, 4 Evd).

The party assembled in a barn on the outskirts of Pau, and consisted of about forty (40) people of all ages. On the 2nd June they commenced their attempt, led by professional guides. The airmen of the party had no food, and none was provided, so they became very exhausted. On the 4th June the guide left them, and through straggling their party was reduced to eighteen (18), including the six (6) Allied evaders mentioned above. On the 5th June, about two (2) km from the Spanish village of Isaba, four (4) of the party, Plt Off. Fisher, Flt Sgt. Bossick, S/Sgt. Knopp and Plt Off. Courtenay, were cut off and captured by two German guards. WO2. McPhee and S/Sgt. Miller managed to evade capture and continued to Spain.

WO2. McPhee left Gibraltar on the 10th July 1944 arriving at Whitchurch the next day

The captured airmen were taken back to a small unnamed frontier town, searched, and given a perfunctory interrogation, not which we did not reply. They were held the night in a cell in a private house. On the 6th June they were returned to Pau and from there were sent to Prison Saint-Michel in Toulouse.

On the 15th June all of the other prisoners left for Germany except for Plt Off. Fisher, Flt Sgt. Bossick, S/Sgt. Knopp, Fg Off. Lennie RCAF whom they met in prison, and Plt Off. Courtenay. On 19th August the Germans evacuated Toulouse and the French Forces of the Interior (FFI) liberated them. They remained in Toulouse until arrangements were made for their return by air from Galin on 6th September arriving in the UK the same day

Fg Off. Donald Alexander Lennie J24617 RCAF was the navigator from 138 Sqn (on loan from 161 Sqn) Halifax V LL148 which was lost on an SOE mission to Rochechouart, France on the night of 9th/10th May 1944. (2 PoW, 6 Evd).

Archibald James McPhee was born on the 12th December 1915 and was a student prior to enlisting in the RCAF in 4th September 1941. Archibald passed away in Calgary Alberta Canada on the 18th February 1986 and was buried in the Indian Head Cemetery, Indian Head, Saskatchewan, Canada. He is buried beside his wife, Margaret McCorkindale McPhee, who served in the RCAF Women's Division in WWII.

Above: Courtesy of the Calgary Herald, dated 21st February 1986

(5) Plt Off. Fisher baled out at about 00:20 hrs on 23rd April and landed in the vicinity of Vic-sur-Aisne. He was found by a farmer who took him to a nearby farm, where he met the bomb aimer, WO2. McPhee. After being supplied with civilian clothes they were hidden in a cave near the farm until the 2nd May, when they were taken to the house of the chief of the resistance in Vic-sur-Aisne.

On the 3rd May they were taken to a farm at Morsain where they remained until the 8th May. On that date they left for Paris, where a number of evaders were being collected for onward routing. He remained in Paris until the 25th May. While there he met Flt Sgt. Bossick and another pilot Plt Off. Courtenay (see (4) above). They were put in touch with an escape organisation and from here onwards his story is described for WO2. McPhee (see (4) above).

Harry Hamilton Jack Fisher was born on the 7th November 1920 and was a clerk prior to enlisting in the RAFVR on the 26th September 1940. Harry passed away on the 22nd April 2014, aged 93.

A booklet has been printed by the last surviving member of this crew regarding his escape, this is now 'available'. A donation to Bomber Command Memorial Fund would be appreciated. (courtesy Pam Bossick and Harry Fisher)

(6) The details of Sgt. Clay’s escape and evasion are not known at this time. However, what is known is that he made his way to the Allied camp in the Forêt Fréteval near Châteaudun arriving there on the 30th July 1944.

Note: This camp was part of ‘Operation Marathon’ which was a plan to hide evading Allied airmen in secret camps in France and Belgium. The Forêt Fréteval camp was code named ‘Operation Sherwood’ and eventually held more than 130 Allied airmen. The camp was liberated on the 11th August 1944.

It is believed that he left for the UK from the Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) B.14 at Amblie, Calvados. He was interviewed on the 19th August 1944.

Burial Details:

Vivieres Communal Cemetery, Aisne, France (courtesy Pam Bossick)

Vivieres Communal Cemetery holds only the crews of this Stirling and the crew of 90 Squadron crew Stirling III EF159 WP:B that were also shot down on the same operation.

Above: Grave marker for Sqn Ldr. Cecil Wardman Poulter MiD (courtesy Barry Cuttell via WW1 Cemeteries)

Sqn Ldr. Cecil Wardman Poulter MiD. Vivieres Communal Cemetery Grave 1. Grave Inscription: ‘AT THE GOING DOWN OF THE SUN AND IN THE MORNING WE WILL REMEMBER THEM’. Born on the 30th May 1913 in Leeds, Yorkshire. Son of Thomas Henry and Edith (née Wardman) Poulter. Husband of Amy Freda (née Jessel) Poulter of Bedford Park, Middlesex, England.

Above: Grave marker for Flt Sgt. Frederick Walter Lambert (courtesy Barry Cuttell via WW1 Cemeteries)

Flt Sgt. Frederick Walter Lambert. Vivieres Communal Cemetery Joint Grave 8. Grave Inscription: ‘"SAFE IN THE ARMS OF JESUS, SAFE ON HIS GENTLE BREAST DAD, AUNT AND BROTHER DEN’. Born in April 1923 in Croydon, Grater London. Son of Walter and Jessie Julia Frances (née Glover) Lambert of West Byfleet, Surrey, England.

For Pam Bossick and relatives of the crew. With thanks to the following for providing valuable additional information, Pam Bossick and family, Harry Fisher. Updated by Kelvin Youngs (Webmaster) (Sep 2016). Reviewed and updated by Aircrew Remembered (May 2024). Thanks to Pamela Thomas for the next of kin information (Feb 2025). Reviewed and updated with new information and images by Aircrew Remembered (Feb 2025).

Other sources listed below:

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