Operation: Foret-de-Nieppe

Date: 31 July/1st August 1944 (Monday/Tuesday)

Unit No: 100 Squadron (motto: Sarang tebuan jangan dijolok - 'Never stir up a hornet's nest') 1 Group

Type: Lancaster III

Serial: LM585

Code: HW:S

Base: RAF Grimsby, Lincolnshire (known as Waltham)

Location: Haverskerque

Pilot: Plt Off. John Robert Tones 39287 RNZAF Age 30. KiA

Flt Eng: Sgt. Frederick James Smith 1455964 RAFVR Age 21. KiA

Nav: Sgt. Lawrence Ayrton Miller 1622551 RAFVR Age 33. KiA

Bomb Aimer: Sgt. Alfred Cecil Edgcumbe Sinclair 1603358 RAFVR Age 34. KiA (1)

WOp/Air Gnr: Flt Sgt. John David Syverston 425182 RNZAF Age 22. KiA

Air Gnr (Mid Upp): Sgt. Arthur Osborn 1880797 RAFVR Age 33. KiA

Air Gnr (Rear): Sgt. George Lewis Copeland 622353 RAFVR Age 23. KiA

REASON FOR LOSS:

Took off from RAF Grimsby at 21:56 hrs with fourteen other aircraft as part of a 1 Group force of 202 aircraft from 1 and 6 Group. They were to attack the concentrations of V1 rocket storage sites in the Foret-de-Nieppe, south of Hazebrouk, France. Although the target was under 10/10ths cloud cover the crews bombed on the markers under the instructions of the master bomber. Only one Lancaster was lost on this raid, LM585 was hit by heavy flak from 1. and 2./gem ABT 651 over the target and went down, crashing at Haverskerque.

One parachute was seen to open before LM 585 hit the ground, but whichever member of the crew did make it out of the stricken aircraft he did not survive.

Just a few nights earlier on the night of 28th/29th July this crew were on an operation to Stuttgart on Lancaster ND356 HW:O. On return they had an engine failure and massive fuel loss, Flt Sgt. Tones was forced to force land the aircraft at Kelsten on the morning of the 29th July - all the crew survived uninjured and the aircraft repaired.

Course 35a, No. 1 Service Flying Training School at Wigram - February 1943.

L-R: Rear; C.J. Allen D3270?, D.R. Bennett, J. Bowler, D.C. Curtis, C.W. Dean, J.P. Dickens, D.J. Fyfe, S. Guthrie.
Centre; C.W. Halford, Norman Horace Hewett 425571 - KiA 5th April 1944, R.C.B. Lamb, Maurice Lambert 425579 - killed 17th June 1944, W.B. Mackenzie, T.C. May, A.D. Meyer, J.N. Mills.
Front; J.B. Poulter, I.G. Richards, Donald Ansley Sandman 425945 - KiA 21st October 1944, EE Smith, RV Signal, John Robert Tones 39287 - KiA 31st July 1944, A.D.J. Uffindell, W.G. Winchester.

Burial details:

Plt Off. John Robert Tones. Haverskerque British Cemetery. Row B. Grave 20. Born on the 9th September 1913 at Winlaton, County Durham in Englan. left for New Zealand around 1931. Worked as a miner for Dobson Colleries prior to service. Enlisted at Burnhamon the 11th September 1940, initially as a parachute packer. Remustered as a pilot under training on the 27th July 1942. Trained with No. 1 Elementary Flying Training School on the 05th September 1942. On the 19th October 1942.

He was injured on the 19th October 1942 after falling out of an aircraft doing a slow roll and made a parachute descent recovering in hospital. Continued training with No. 1 Service Flying Training School on the 06th February 1943 at Wigram. Pilots badge awarder on the 12th April 1943 and promoted to sergeant on the 05th June 1943. Embarked for England on the 20th June 1943. Further training with 11 Operational Training Unit (OTU) and then with 1651 Heavy Conversion Unit (HCU) n the 12th May 1944, before going No. 3 Lancaster Finishing Unit on the 6th July 1944. Joining 100 squadron on the 13th July 1944. Son of William Henry and Mary Ann (née Best) Tones, of Blaydon, Co. Durham, England. Husband of Maisie Ethel (née Clark) Tones, of Wellington City, New Zealand. A total of 491 flying hours logged and on his 4th operational sortie.

Sgt. Frederick James Smith. Haverskerque British Cemetery. Row B. Grave 19. Son of Frederick George and Annie Smith and husband of Patricia Lilian Eileen Smith, of Sheldon, Birmingham, England. Grave inscription: 'You'll Walk Beside Me Thro' The Coming Years. Always In My Thoughts. Wife Pat'.

Sgt. Lawrence Ayrton Miller. Haverskerque British Cemetery. Joint grave. Row B. Grave 22. Son of Ernest Howroyd Miller and Annie Louisa Olga Miller and husband of Doreen Dolly Miller, of Halifax, England. Grave inscription: 'Without Farewell He Fell Asleep, Leaving Only Memories For Us To Keep'.

(1) Sgt. Alfred Cecil Edgcumbe Sinclair. Haverskerque British Cemetery. Row B. Grave 21. Son of Edgcumbe and Florence Amy Sinclair and husband of Joyce Gladys Sinclair, of Holloway, London. Served under the name of Sgt. R.A. Gale - It was common practice for Jewish aircrew on op’s over enemy territory to use a pseudonym, even to the extent that the false name was entered in the squadron operational records. Grave inscription: 'In Loving Memory Of My Darling Husband. You Live Ever In My Heart. Yvonne'.

Flt Sgt. John David Syverston. Haverskerque British Cemetery. Joint grave. Row B. Grave 22. Born on the 05th March 1922 at Masterton. Worked as a truck driver for H.A Harrison prior to service. Enlisted at Hobsonville on the 13th July 1942. Embarked for Canada on the 10th November 1942. Air gunner badge awarded on the 06th September 1943 and promoted to sergeant.

Taking a train to New York he embarked for England on the 8th October 1943. Further training with 11 Operational Training Unit and then with 1651 Heavy Conversion Unit on the 12th May 1944, before going 3 Lancaster Finishing Unit (LFU) on the 6th July 1944. Joining 100 squadron on the 13th July 1944. Son of Berthel Syverston and of Ivy Alice (née Beaney) Syverston, of Masterton, Wellington, New Zealand. A total of 313 flying hours logged and on his 3rd operational sortie.

Sgt. Arthur Osborn. Haverskerque British Cemetery. Row B. Grave 17. Son of John and Louisa Sarah Osborn, of Plaistow and husband of Ruth Mary Osborn, of Plaistow, Essex, England. Grave inscription: 'The Moving Finger Writes; And, Having Writ Moves On...'.

Sgt. George Lewis Copeland. Haverskerque British Cemetery. Row B. Grave 18. Son of George and Mabel Copeland, of Chippenham, Wiltshire, England. Grave inscription: 'He Died That We Might Live In Peace'.

Researched by Kelvin Youngs (Webmaster) and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to the extensive research by Errol Martyn and his publications: “For Your Tomorrow Vols. 1-3”, Auckland Library Heritage Collection, Weekly News of New Zealand (Dec 2022). Thanks to Fiona Condell the grandaughter to Plt Off. Tones for NoK detail update (Feb 2023)

Other sources listed below:

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