Operation: Saint-Leu-d’Esserent, France

Date: 7th/8th July 1944 (Friday/Saturday)

Unit No: 207 Squadron, 5 Group, Bomber Command

Type: Lancaster I

Serial: LM129

Code: EM:Y

Base: RAF Spilsby, Lincolnshire

Location: Near the road leading from Auvers-sur-Oise to Hérouville, France

Pilot: Fg Off. Charles Edward Stamp 152464 RAFVR Age 34. KiA

Flt Eng: Flt Sgt. Edward Keith ‘Peter’ Phelps 1836304 RAFVR Age 19. Id No: 78356 *, PoW No. 8112 ** (1)

Nav: Sgt. Kenneth Anthony Ward 904302 RAFVR Age 23. PoW No: 421 *** (2)

Bomb Aimer: Fg Off. Arthur Eric James Gilby 147121 RAFVR Age 22. Evader (3)

WOp/Air Gnr: Flt Sgt. John Eric Fisher 1338557 RAFVR Age 21. PoW No. 576 *** (4)

Air Gnr (Mid Upp): Sgt. Richard Gerard Seddon 1005463 RAFVR Age 22. KiA

Air Gnr (Rear): Sgt. John Marwood 1819771 RAFVR Age 20. KiA

* Buchenwald concentration camp established on Ettersberg hill near Weimer, Germany in July 1937.

** Stalag Luft 3 Sagan-Silesia, Germany, now Żagań in Poland.

*** Stalag Luft 7, Bankau nr. Kreuzburg O.S." (O.S. standing for Oberschlesien, Upper Silesia). Today called Bąków nr. Kluczbork (Poland).

Above left Fg Off. Charles E. Stamp (Royal Aero Club Aviator’ Certificate); right Flt Sgt. Edward K. Phelps (Courtesy of Martin Phelps)

REASON FOR LOSS:

On the night of the 7th July 1944 15 aircraft from the Squadron took off from RAF Spilsby commencing at 23:21 hrs. They joined a force comprising 208 Lancasters and 13 Mosquitos on a mission to bomb the V-1 (Vergeltungswaffe) flying bomb storage site located in the underground quarry at Saint-Leu-d’Esserent, France.

The site was named by the Germans as the Leopold Low 1106 Feldmulag (Leopold Field Munitions Camp/Depot).

ND866 and four other aircraft from the Squadron failed to return. This was the second month in 1944 that the Squadron had suffered this number of losses on a single operation:

Lancaster I ND866 EM:B (3 KiA, 3 PoW, 1 Evd);
Lancaster I LM218 EM:N (5 KiA, 2 Evd);
Lancaster I ME805 EM:J (2 PoW, 5 Evd);
Lancaster III ND567 EM:Y (5 KiA, 1 PoW, 1 Evd).

LM129 was claimed by Fw. Johann Kurz his 4th Abschuss from 5./NJG2 over Pontoise/Poissy, NW of Paris at 3.400 m. at 01:12 hrs. (Nachtjagd Combat Archive (12 May 1944 - 23 July 1944) Part 3 - Theo Boiten).

Ofw. Johann (Hans) Kurz became a PoW after his Ju88 G-6 4R+EN was shot down by light AAA on the night of the 31st December 1944/1st January 1945 near Charleroi. He was credited with four (4) Abschüsse. (Nachtjagd Combat Archive - Biographies - Theo Boiten)

The aircraft crashed near the road leading from Auvers-sur-Oise to Hérouville.

(1) Flt Sgt. Phelps landed in a cornfield and then walked into the village where he met a Frenchman who took him to the home of a women. He was hidden on a farm in the village and was provided with civilian clothes, food etc. He remained there for 4 days and then was taken by his helpers by train to Paris and was hidden in their flat. They did not appear to be members of any organisation.

Telegram advising that Flt Sgt. Phelps was missing, dated 8th July 1944 (Courtesy of Martin Phelps)

On the Monday, the 10th July 1944, an unnamed girl came to collect him from the flat and at a metro station he was handed over to a another Frenchman. He was then taken by car to another flat somewhere on the outskirts of Paris.

This flat was occupied by three men and a girl. He stayed there for 2 days but was not very happy to be there especially as they tried to pump him for information with a spurious Red Cross form. They appeared to be well dressed but there was no indication that they did any work.

On the Thursday, the 13th July 1944, he was told that he was leaving for the Spanish Frontier by car. He and another evader named Watson waited outside the flat and were picked up by car. They were driven into the middle of Paris where the driver stopped and told them that they were the Gestapo.

This was S/Sgt. John Pershing Watson Jr. 13057737, the Ball Turret Gunner, from the 838th Bombardment Sqn (H), 487th Bombardment Group (H), B-24H #41-29468 ‘Peg-O-My Heart’, which was shot down on the 11th May 1944 (6 PoW, 5 Evd).

At the point of a revolver they were driven to Gestapo HQ. where they were interrogated very briefly.

They were then transferred to Fresnes prison which was located to the south of Paris and was where French political prisoners were held and ordinarily Allied airmen, after questioning, were moved to a PoW Camp. In the summer of 1944, with the Allies having liberated Paris and closing in, the Gestapo guards started reducing the prison population by execution, and then relocating surviving prisoners to various concentration camps east of France. On the 15th August 1944 they were amongst 169 Allied PoWs and hundreds of French men and women who were packed into a freight train and transported to Buchenwald concentration camp on a journey lasting five days. Buchenwald was located 8 km (5 mls) north of Weimar, in the German province of Thüringen. It was established and administered by the Schutzstaffel (SS).

Fg Off. Joel Mathews ‘Tex’ Stevenson C27788 RCAF, the pilot of 419 (Moose) Squadron, RCAF Lancaster X KB727 VR:H escaped from the train and successfully evaded.

Sqn Ldr. Lamason and Fg Off. Chapman succeeded in getting all but two of the Allied PoWs transferred to Stalag Luft 3. Two airmen, 1st Lt. Levitt Clinton Beck Jr. O-736945, US AAF and Fg Off. Philip Derek Hemmens, 152583, RAFVR died in the sick barrack.

Recognition:

For decades the International Red Cross (IRC) had stated that there were no military personnel in Buchenwald despite the overwhelming documentary and anecdotal evidence. It was not until 1988 that the IRC eventually confirmed the airmen were illegally held at Buchenwald.

The Australian, New Zealand and Canadian governments also consistently denied that any of their service personnel were ever held in concentration camps and refused to investigate the claims made by a 'mere’ handful of men.

Reparations were made to the British airmen who had been illegally held at Buchenwald in 1965. Eventually in 1988 the Australian, New Zealand and it is believed the Canadian governments acknowledged that their airmen had been illegally held in concentration camps.

American airmen were among those receiving compensation and the US Air force have acknowledged the Buchenwald airmen with an exhibit at the Air Force Museum, albeit the airmen are shown in uniform rather than in civilian attire. Furthermore, there is no mention of decades-long denial of their experiences by other branches of the government.

He was transferred to Stalag Luft 3 over the period 15th to 20th October 1944.

Telegram advising that Flt Sgt. Phelps had been found dated 30th December 1944 (Courtesy of Martin Phelps)

On the night of the 27th January 1945, with Soviet troops only 26 km (16 mls) away, orders were received to evacuate the PoWs to Spremberg which is to the West in Germany. The PoW’s were informed of the evacuation, which was on foot, at about 22:00 hrs the same night and were given 30 mins to pack and prepare everything for the March. The weather conditions were very difficult, with freezing temperatures, and it was snowing accompanied by strong winds. There was 15 cm (6 in) of snow and 2000 PoWs were assigned to clear the road ahead of the main groups.

After a 55 km (34 mls) march, the PoWs arrived in Bad Muskau where they rested for 30 hours. The PoWs were then marched the remaining 26 km (16 mls) to Spremberg where they were housed in empty garages, storerooms and in military barracks. There they were provided with warm soup and bread.

During next days, PoWs were divided up according to Compounds, and they were led to railway sidings and loaded into tightly packed carriages. Flt Sgt. Phelps was amongst the PoWs who were transferred to Stalag 3A, Luckenwalde.

As of 1st January 1945, it housed 45,942 PoWs, including 24,996 French, 12,517 Soviet, 4,093 Serbian, 1,499 American, 1,433 British, 1,310 Italian, 86 Polish and 8 Romanian.

On the 22nd April 1945 as the Russians approached the camp the guards fled leaving the prisoners to be liberated by the Red Army. Stalag 3A was turned over to the Americans on the 6th May at which time the Senior American Officers (SAO) took over the running of the camp until all the PoWs were evacuated.

Edward Keith Phelps was born on the 27th December 1924. He was a Coach Builder prior to enlisting in the RAFVR in 1943. Edward Keith Phelps passed away on the 13th January 2009 in Cheltenham, England.

(2) Flt Sgt. Ward sprained his ankle upon landing and was captured 16 km (10 mls) north of Paris. After the statutory visit to Dulag Luft, Oberursel he was sent to Stalag Luft 7, Bankau arriving there on the 23rd July 1944.

On the 19th January 1945, 1,500 prisoners marched out of the camp in the bitter cold. They crossed a bridge over the river Oderon the 21st January, reached Goldberg on 5th February, and were loaded onto a train.

On the 8th February they reached Stalag 3Alocated about 52 km (32 mls) south of Berlinnear Luckenwalde, which already held 20,000 prisoners, consisting mainly of soldiers from Britain, Canada, the US and Russia.

On the 22nd April 1945 as the Russians approached the camp the guards fled leaving the prisoners to be liberated by the Red Army.

Stalag 3A was turned over to the Americans on the 6th May at which time the Senior American Officers (SAO) took over the running of the camp until all the PoWs were evacuated. Flt Sgt. Ward was interviewed on the 15th May 1945.

Kenneth Anthony Ward was born on the 25th May 1921. He was employed as an Accountants Clerk in Bristol prior to enlisting in the RAFVR on the 9th October 1939.

(3) Little is known about the details of the evasion and liberation of Fg Off. Arthur Eric James Gilby because his report has not survived.

(4) While evading in France he received food, clothes and help from Georges Dinot of ‘Establishment G. Dinot’, Pamain L’islé, Odon where he lived for 3 weeks. Also Mdm Diximier of Rue Jean Morias 17, Paris where he lived for 2 weeks.

He and five other evaders were escorted to Gare d’Austerlitz in Paris where they met their guide and caught a train to Étampes. After arriving there they walked 18 kms (11¼ mls) to Angerville to the SW, where they stayed overnight in a hotel.

The next morning they started to walk to Voves, a village about 21 kms (17 mls) to the west. About 2 kms (1¼ mls) from Voves French patriots started fighting and as a result they took refuge in farm house. The Germans retreated on the morning of the 11th August but as they were walking to Voves the Germans returned and all civilians were stopped and questioned. So as not to endanger their guide who had a bicycle they ran ahead and he rode in the opposite direction. He was stopped but was allowed to continue on his way.

All French males between the ages of 8 and 80 were rounded up by a Russian OPA company, and included the six airmen. The Russian officers and would had allowed them to escape, in fact would accompany them to the American lines but for the arrival of the Gestapo. We were lined up again a wall with five French partisans and because they would not give up any information were ready to shoot them. They started shooting the Frenchmen one at a time but before the evaders were shot the Luftwaffe arrived and informed the Gestapo that the evaders were needed to be questioned.

The other five evaders were:

Sgt. John Clifford Watkins 1320857 RAFVR was the Navigator from 102 Sqn, Halifax III MZ646, DY:W which was shot down by a German night-fighter on the night of 28th/29th June 1944 on a mission to Blainville in France (5 KiA, 2 PoWs). Sgt. Watkins - PoW No. 641, Stalag Luft 7;

Sgt. George Elgin Dunham R203997 RCAF was the Mid-Upper Gunner from 429 (Bison) Sqn, RCAF, Halifax II MZ302, AL:E which was shot down by a German night-fighter on the night of 28th/29th June 1944 on a mission to Metz, France (3 PoW, 4 Evd). Sgt. Dunham - PoW No. 572, Stalag Luft 7;

The other three who were captured were USAAF Officers, two named and one unnamed. The surnames of the two named Officers are too common to identify who they were.

After the statutory visit to Dulag Luft, Oberursel he was sent to Stalag Luft 7, Bankau arriving there on the 22nd August 1944.

On the 19th January 1945, 1,500 prisoners marched out of the camp in the bitter cold. They crossed a bridge over the river Oderon the 21st January, reached Goldberg on 5th February, and were loaded onto a train.

On the 8th February they reached Stalag 3Alocated about 52 km (32 mls) south of Berlinnear Luckenwalde, which already held 20,000 prisoners, consisting mainly of soldiers from Britain, Canada, the US and Russia.

On the 22nd April 1945 as the Russians approached the camp the guards fled leaving the prisoners to be liberated by the Red Army.

Stalag 3A was turned over to the Americans on the 6th May at which time the Senior American Officers (SAO) took over the running of the camp until all the PoWs were evacuated. Flt Sgt. Fisher was interviewed on the 14th May 1945.

John Eric Fisher was born on the 14th October 1922 in Watford, Herfordshire. He was employed as a Printer in Watford prior to enlisting in the RAFVR on the 6th June 1941. John Eric Fisher passed away on the 15th October 2004 in Uxbridge, Ontario, Canada.

Burial details:

There are only four Commonwealth graves in the Auvers-sur-Oise Communal Cemetery. From left to right: Sgt. Seddon, Joint grave for Sgt. Harwood and Fg Off. Stamp (Courtesy of the Commonwealth War Grave Commission (CWGC)).

Note: The 4th grave is that of 18 year old Private Harry Cosson 5363, 59th Battalion, Australian Infantry who fell in the Great War on the 1st July 1916.

Fg Off. Charles Edward Stamp. Auvers-sur-Oise Communal Cemetery Div.C. Row 12. Joint grave 240. Grave Inscription: ‘"HE WHO LAID DOWN HIS LIFE FOR THEE. HE, IT IS, THAT PRAYETH IN THEE"’. Born on the 25th April 1910 in York. Son of Francis Thompson Stamp and Alice (née Hartley) Stamp of York. Husband of Doris Harriett (née Darley) Stamp of York, Yorkshire East Riding, England.

Sgt. Richard Gerard Seddon. Auvers-sur-Oise Communal Cemetery Div.C. Row 12. Grave 241. Grave Inscription: ‘"IN THINE ARMS, O LORD, EVER LET HIM BE, A STAR OF LOVE, BETWEEN OURSELVES AND THEE"’. Born on the 14th July 1921 in St. Helens, Lancashire. Son of Richard Henry and Martha (née Ashall) Seddon, of St. Helens, Lancashire, England.

Sgt. John Marwood. Auvers-sur-Oise Communal Cemetery Div.C. Row 12. Joint grave 240. Grave Inscription: ‘THE GRIEF WE FEEL NO WORDS CAN TELL LOSING A SON WE LOVED SO WELL’. Born on the 19th November 1924 in Wickenby, Lincolnshire. Son of Charles William and Maggie (née Humberstone) Marwood, of Middle Rasen, Lincolnshire, England.

Researched by Ralph Snape for Aircrew Remembered and dedicated to the relatives of this crew (Jul 2024). Thanks to Martin Phelps the son of Flt Sgt. Phelps for the telegrams and photograph (Jun 2025).

Other sources listed below:

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