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Operation: Railway Yards, Glos-sur-Risle, Eure, France
Date: 23rd July 1944 (Sunday)
Unit No: 98 Squadron
Type: American Mitchell Mk II
Serial: FW122
Code: VO:R
Base: RAF Dunsfold, Surrey
Location: Glos-sur-Risle, Eure, France
Pilot: Flt Lt. William Derek St.Clair Weeks 116077 RAFVR Age 22. KiA
Nav: Fg Off. Eric Robert Mills 131825 RAFVR Age 24. KiA
WOp/Air Gnr: Flt Sgt. William Taylor 1074957 RAFVR Age 22. KiA
Air Gnr: Sgt. Charles Walter Ernest Wilfred Eldred Thomas 1182832 RAFVR Age 22. KiA
REASON FOR LOSS:
This day 15 B-17s from 98 Sqn were detailed to attack the railway yards at Gros Montfort.
The second box of the formation was led by Sqn Ldr. Paynter. Just on bomb release his aircraft, Mitchell II FV985 VO:S, exploded due to what is thought to be the premature detonation of its bombs. FW122 was hit by shrapnel from the explosion and set on fire and was last seen diving into the cloud layer.
FL186 VO:G was also damaged and crash landed in the American sector in Normandy, wounding two of the crew with one losing a hand. FV931 VO:H was also damaged but managed to limp back to RAF Tangmere when it crashed landed wounding one of the crew.
Above: American Mitchell Mk II of 98 Squadron
Above: Flt Lt. Weeks (Courtesy of Helen Weeks)
Above: Fg Off. Eric Robert Mills (courtesy Helen Jackson niece of Fg Off. E. R Mills) Sgt. Charles E. Thomas (courtesy Rosemary Thomas)
Burial details:
Fg Off. Mills, Flt Sgt. Taylor, Sgt. Thomas and Flt Lt. Weeks. (pictures courtesy of Kate Tame)
All the crew are buried in a collective grave in Glos-Sur-Risle Churchyard, Eure, France. The grave is near the centre of the western wall.
Flt Lt. William Derek St.Clair Weeks. Grave inscription reads: “HIS LIFE WAS BEAUTIFUL, HIS MEMORY TREASURED, HIS PRESENCE WITH US ALWAYS”. Son of William Clifford St.Clair Weeks and Julia Eleanor Weeks of Leicester. William was born in 1921 in Willesdon, Oxfordshire. At the time of his death William's address was 8 Camberly Avenue, West Wimbledon, London, England.
Above: The medal collection of Fg Off. Eric Mills - on an auction website, October 2017.
Note: Auction now cancelled - details to follow!
Fg Off. Eric Robert Mills. Son of John and Clara Mills of Bingley, Yorkshire. Grave inscription reads: “TO LIVE IN THE HEARTS OF THOSE WE LOVE IS NOT TO DIE”. At the time of his death Eric's address was 11 Longwood Avenue, Bingley, Yorkshire, England.
Flt Sgt. William Taylor. Son of William and Margaret Taylor of Leyland, Lancashire, England.
Sgt. Charles Walter Ernest Wilfred Eldred Thomas. Born on the 3rd June 1921, the son of Charles William and Marian Edith Thomas of Blackheath, South East London, England.
Researched by Kate Tame for Aircrew Remembered and for all the relatives and friends of this crew. Special thanks to Helen Jackson niece of Fg Off. E.R. Mills and to Rosemary Thomas for photo of Sgt. C.E. Taylor (Mar 2017). Thanks to Helen Weeks for the photograph of her Great Uncle, Flt Lt. Weeks (Oct 2022)
Other sources listed below:
RS 20.10.2022 - Picture of Flt Lt. Weeks added
KT. Original informal not known
KT 07.03.2016 - Picture of Fg Off Mills added
RS 20.10.2022 - Picture of Flt Lt. Weeks added
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember
them. - Laurence
Binyon
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Last Modified: 21 October 2022, 05:18