Operation: Vierzon

Date: June 30-July 1, 1944

Unit: No. 625 Squadron

Type: Lancaster III

Serial: ND459

Code: CF-M

Base: Kelstern

Location: Crashed at Genouilly (Cher)

Pilot: F/O Eric Wright 159508 RAFVR Age 25 Killed (1)

Fl/Eng: Sgt Kenneth Gordon Barnett 1624095 RAFVR Age 20 Killed (2)

Nav: P/O James Adrian Cunningham J92036 RCAF Age 29 Killed (3)

Air/Bmr: Sgt Frank Meade 1582825 RAFVR Age 22 Killed (4)

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt John Thomas Ash 1399276 RAFVR Age 21 Killed (5)

Air/Gnr: Sgt Richard Peter Gatensbury 18581986 RAFVR Age 21 Killed (6)

Air/Gnr: Sgt Leonard Charles B. Ekers 1585302 RAFVR Age 20 Kiled (7)

INTRODUCTION:

On June 8, 1944, P/O Eric Wright and his crew were posted from 11 Base to 625 Squadron to acclimatize to life on an operational base and start their tour of duty.

By June 22 they were deemed fit for their introduction to baptism under fire with the crew of seasoned pilot, P/O R.A. Burford, his nav, F/Sgt G. Hood, bomb aimer and rear gunner, F/Sgt E.W. Gilbert. This was P/O Wright’s second ‘dickey’ trip with the rest of his crew. Their five hour trip to Reims, in Lanc LM163, was uneventful. P/O Burford’s crew would survive their tour. Sadly, the fate of the Wright crew would be much shorter.

Between June 27 and 30 this crew would see their names on the Battle Order to attack three French ‘milk-run’ targets. On June 27 and 29th the targets at Vaires and Siracourt (daylight raid) would live up to expectation. However, the target for the 30th, railway marshalling yards at Vierzon, turned into a bit of a nightmare for Bomber Command and the Squadron in particular, with the loss of fourteen Lancs (12%). For 625 Squadron this would mark the nadir of the war with the loss of three aircraft and four crews on a single raid: PB126, JB743, ND459 and ND975 (Special Duties Flight RAF Binbrook).

The ORB debriefing note for ND459 from this raid is succinct and sobering.

30.6.44 ND459 Lanc III P/O Wright and Crew Up- 22:20 Down—

Target: Vierzon, no news after take off—missing

ND459 Target and Crash Site. Courtesy of Kelvin Youngs.

SQUADRON ORB SUMMARY for this raid:

30.6.44 OPERATIONS. 19 aircraft were detailed for Operations, the target being VIERZON. The railway yards were the centre of the attack, and from observations by the crew, it would appear that yet one more railway yard has been badly damaged, if not even put out of operation for some considerable time. The flak over the target was very heavy, which would probably explain the loss of three of our aircraft on this operation. A fairly heavy bomb load was delivered, and great satisfaction was felt by all that a very successful month of Operations had been carried out, also bearing in mind the fact that never before since the formation of the Squadron had this Squadron taken part in daylight Operations.

REASON FOR LOSS:

Theo Boiten

I only have a short and amended claim for this loss:

Obstlt. Günther Radusch: 64 Stab NJG2 4-mot 30 km SW target (Vierzon): 3.000 m. 01.14 625 Sqn Lancaster ND459

Obstlt. Radusch would survive the war with 1 day and 65 night victories.

The Zorner claim is as follows:

Hptm. Paul Zorner: 52 Stab III./NJG5 Lancaster 15 km SW Bourges: 2.400 m. 01.21 625 Sqn Lancaster JB743. Note: also claimed by Flak of 1./lei. Flak Abt. 673 (‘Lancaster 500 m. W. La Pommaille 01.18 hrs’), victory Hptm. Zorner confirmed on 30.10.1944

AFTERMATH:

Official confirmation from French authorities: Edited translation.

Genouilly (Cher) 11 December, 1944.

Excellency,

I have the honor to bring to your knowledge the following facts:

During the night of June 30th to July 1st, 1944, during a raid over Vierzon, a British airplane has fallen on the territory on the Common of Genouilly and has been destroyed by an explosion. It has been possible, however, to establish from different pieces of uniforms, that this aircraft was flown by Canadian airmen. The bodies of the members of the crew were carbonized or cut in pieces by the explosion. I took care, in agreement with the municipality, to reassemble all the fragments thrown all around; the bodies at this time had to be buried on the spot, by order of the Germans. Right the next day, I asked the clandestine radio station to advise the British military authorities and I gave the exact situation of the place on the map from the Headquarters.

During the following days I made researches from certain pieces of metal for elements that could allow to identify the aircraft and the crew. On the morning of the 8th of July, I was surprised by an enemy detachment that came with a truck and a large platform to take what was left of the aircraft. I hardly escaped without abandoning the object that I had unscrewed, and as our groups of maquis were holding the next forest, the clearing party was interrupted by shooting; the Germans ran away losing successively on their way the wreckage they had charged on the platform.

The aircraft, (apparently a Lancaster) was matriculated R 3 L B Serial No. 230538, type No. D.318910 (unless these figures and indications concern only a part?)

A fragment of shoe found near the aircraft had inside the following inscription in handwriting:

1624095 BARNETT.

I have besides a small parcel containing: 2 french 500 francs bills, 5, 100 fr. bills, 1 dutch 20 florins bill, 2, 10 florins bills and 2 maps, everything almost burnt.

Besides, Mr. Tarrene, 14 Place de la République, Vierzon (Cher) has declared that his son had found on the place of the accident 3 French 100 francs bills.

I have given all these informations above in a letter addressed on the 24th of November to Madame Lieutenant Pauline (our intermediary with the British authorities), at Valencay.

Because of the absence of instructions from the said British authorities, I have thought better not to delay any longer the transfer of the bodies of the Common’s Cemetery. After an agreement with the mayor, the ceremony took place on the 5th of November. The funeral procession was as follows:-

The children of the schools, each one with a wreath of flowers. The hearse with the coffin covered with the Canadian flag, around which were the “sapeurs-pompiers” (French regiment) From the Common, and an armed section of the F.F.I.

A delegation from Bourges’ Air base, under the command of the Commanding Officer of the base. The municipal authorities and the members of the Resistance movement.

The local societies and the largest part of the population.

I had prepared the elocution for the “adieu”, whose copy is included, and which was pronounced in front of the coffin. The Superior Officer, named above, made also a speech. The F.F.I. section fired the salvo.

Being hindered from going to Paris where I expected to have this question settled in your office (this explains the delay and of which I am sorry). I would be very obliged, Excellency, to let me know the destination to those cards and values I have with me.

I remain at your complete disposition, as at the disposition of the victims families. For all other information that might be judged necessary, and I beg your Excellency, to accept the homage of my respectful and devoted sentiments.

(Signed) D.A. Chevalier.
D.A. CHEVALIER, honorary Director in the War Ministry.
(Member and Conseillor in the Resistance movement) Genouilly, (Cher)

(Translation)

Commanding Officer. My dear citizens. My dear comrades

We have all been gathered together today to pay the last duties to some brave soldiers, to some Friends who came from over the ocean to help us to chase out of France the invader and to erase the humiliation of 1940.

Are not these Canadians, victims of a tragic fate, almost relatives of ours because so many of them have French ancestors?…We proclaim them with no less sadness than relatives.

They have fallen in accomplishing courageously their duty, a duty that was made more difficult in thinking that the enemy was not the only one to be exposed to their bombs, but that these bombs could also have destroyed French lives and French homes…whose fault if not those who invented the collaboration and transformed France in a vast military objective and condemned us, this way, to receive hits from our friends without being able to give them back to our enemies.

We owe the brave Canadians the expression of our gratitude for their contribution to free us from the oppressors and their accomplices; thanks to them and also to our Allies from England, United States, Russia, that we have recovered freedom and have re-established the democratic institutions, the basis of our common civilization.

Their end was atrocious: imagine the pilot crisped on his controls in an uncontrolled plane in fire, looking in vain in the night for a favourable place for a landing; imagine his companions powerless against the fatality, imprisoned in the same circle of fire, waiting for the undoubtable death…

At last this is the fall, the explosion that destroyed the machine, lacerates the bodies and spreads the wreckage all around at a distance of more than 100 metres; those who stay at the falling point are carbonized…Poor debris, fragments sometimes so minimized that they escaped to the researches…

This was the dramatic destiny of a crew who, without any doubt, was dreaming of glory and victory, was dreaming of a victorious return to the far homeland….

Now we say Adieu to these heroes; may they rest in peace in this earth of France, where somewhere, some of their ancestors perhaps rest already in their last sleep.

Adieu, dear Canadian friends, we shall never forget your sacrifice, your memory shall be honored by us, by our children; some pious hands shall flourish your tomb.

And may the ideal for which you have been fighting be realised, in a world free from despotism, where shall be saved for ever the rights of the man and the dignity of the mind.

Alain Charpentier, French ‘Ambassador’ for 625 Squadron and Bomber Command:

ND459 fell in the border of a little wood near the farm La Grand'Rue. Daniel Belliard, farmer and local chief of a small group of Francs Tireurs and Partisans (FTP), saw the bomber during the night in flame and crashing.

He went very early in the morning with Mr Chevalier and a cousin, they discovered the bodies, in pieces. The Germans arrived with some coffins, and ordered to bury the rest of the crew near the crash site ....The Germans did not want to see the locals gathered and making an homage to the crew.

Crash Site today. Courtesy of Alain Charpentier.

It is only 5 month later that the crew was buried in the cemetery of Genouilly, with official honours. They were not brought to the church because the local prior did not know their religion ....(!!). (must have been a vichist ??)

The first relative to come on the grave were those of the Air Gunner Sgt Gatensbury, in 1946 . When they came back in England they wrote to Daniel Belliard, Mr Chevalier, Mr Josset and to the village for their kindness:

" Naturally it was for us a time of great sadness but after the visit we were pleased that our son and his friends stay in your lovely cemetery.
We would be no more happy if he was in our cemetery. We hope that the memory of these seven brave airmen will be for ever in us and in the brave people of Genouilly ."

Leonard and Florence Ekers came also to the village, they said in a letter:

"We keep as a treasure the photo that you have sent of the grave of our son, it is the better Christmas card that we ever got. We will never give you the same homage that you have done to our son and his friends in their efforts to liberate your marvellous country from the four years of labour ...
Our thanks to all the community of Genouilly ...."

There was some other correspondence, as Mr et Mme Mouniè with the Cunningham family in Canada ...

I went myself on the crash site in 1993, I found some small pieces of the bomber, apparently a part of a wing stayed a long time in the wood and disappeared, I went to the cemetery, at the time there were three blades of propeller, brought back by the villagers and put on the head of the grave.

Later one was stolen ....I cannot say something about as it is so ....

I have had some news about The Lancaster JB743 CF-C, the grand daughter of Sgt Dickinson posted a photo on Facebook lately, searching to know more about him, his sister is still alive ...This Lanc fell at St Pierre de Jards, at La pomaille in the corner of a field. I found many pieces of the bomber, apparently a lot are still buried, engines and perhaps bodies are still there …

THE BOMBER COMMAND WAR DIARIES

30 June/1 July 1944

VIERZON

118 Lancasters of 1 Group attacked railway yards at this small town south of Orléans and bombed with great accuracy, a success for 1 Group’s own marking flight. 14 Lancaster’s were lost, nearly 12% of the force.

Minor operations: 40 Mosquitoes to Homberg oil plant, 6 R.C.M. sorties, 29 Mosquitoes on fighter patrols. 6 Stirlings minelaying in the River Scheldt. 1 Mosquito lost from the Homberg raid.

NACHTJAGD WAR DIARIES VOLUME TWO APRIL 1944 - MAY 1945

The bomber stream was first detected before crossing the French coast, north of Le Havre, at 23:50 hours. The fighter controller directed five Gruppen of Tame Boar fighters to orbit between Dieppe and Rouen.

The scene was set for a catastrophic encounter. Then for reasons unknown the fighters were vectored to intercept the stream, further east and nearer Paris.

Three of the Gruppen were sent to the north of Paris. At 00:20 hours, this was followed by an intercept vector of 240 (west) degrees. Another Gruppen was sent further north until 00:29 hours when a vector of 190 (south) was given.

At 00:35 hours the Laufende Reportage announced the bomber stream to be NW of Paris and nine minutes later SW, heading towards Orléans.

Remarkably, the bomber stream had been over French territory for 54 minutes, when at 00:44 hours a productive intercept order was given to fly south to FF Venus, near Orléans.

As a result of this mixup by the German controllers the bomber crews reached the target unmolested and relatively intact.

It was not until 01:08 hours, three minutes after the attack opened the first heavy would fall victim to a Nachtjager crew. At 01:12 the German controllers reported the bombers over Vierzon!

The majority of Tame Boar crews identified the target by the first fires on the ground as bombers crashed. Converging on this cue, visual contact was established with the bomber stream—in brilliant moonlight, holding it in their claws for the first 140 km of their homeward journey. It was here the majority of bomber crews were lost.

The weather condition of clear moonlight was a dream for the Nachtjagd crews and a nightmare for the bombers. The Tame Boar crews were tenacious and relentless in their attacks—one Ju 88 harassed a Lanc crew, attacking 10 times over 43 minutes. It is a wonder they survived to tell the tale.

The last combat occurred at 02:00 hours, fifteen minutes before the stream recrossed the French coast.

The 54 minute delay in interception was a godsend for many bomber crews who managed to drop their loads before being exposed to the fury of the Tame Boars. For 625 Squadron this was catastrophic, drawing the short straw losing four of its crews— caught at the wrong place at the wrong time.

As a result this meant that all crews were able to inflict maximal damage on the target, even though a considerable number failed to return.

It is sobering to think of the extrapolated number of bomber crews that could have been lost on this raid, if the Tame Boar crews had an extra 54 minutes between the French coast and target. Considering they were able to dispatch 14 heavies in 36 minutes from 01:08 to 01:44 hours, theoretically they could have dispatched an additional 21 aircraft for a grand total of 30% of the main force.

It is noteworthy the Nachtjagd crews did not go scot-free into the night, with one Ju88 forced to crash-land due to battle damage and two others shot down in flames as a result of the Mosquitoes on fighter patrols.

Theo Boiten has provided this report from the victim of one of these attacks:

12 Mosquitoes were active on Serrate and intruder patrols, one crew of 239 Squadron destroying Ju88 G-1 4R+IN of 5./NJG2 in the hands of Hptm. Naroska near Dieppe during the bombers’ outward-bound flight. The Nachtjagd crew baled out at 00.40 hrs, the Bordschütze with injuries. Uffz. Otto Eicher, veteran Bordfunker to Naroska who was engaged in his 26th Feindflug, recalls: “We were supposed to carry out a reconnaissance near Dieppe. We’d barely gotten back over dry land when there was a terrible banging and crashing. Our machine was ablaze immediately. It’s practically a miracle that all three of us were able to get out. As I was hanging in my parachute, it was raining fire. Erich Pollmer was badly wounded and was taken to hospital in Paris”.

This provides the graphic reality of a devastating Mossie attack. It would be interesting to know the success rate of such an attack. We suspect it would be similar to an attack by a Me 110 or Ju 88 equipped with Schräge Musik weapons. The only difference would be the chances of the crew surviving such an attack. We propose they would have been better for the bomber crew, with the aiming point being the wing, with engines and fuel tanks, giving the crew more time to bale out. However, the Nachtjagd crews were less fortunate with the aiming point being the engines and fuselage with its vulnerable crew members—and the concentrated barrage of eight 20 mm cannons at close range.

Mossie’s 'Business End'! JEA photo.

BIOGRAPHICAL DETAILS OF THE CREW

1. F/O Eric Wright: If you have additional information or photos to contribute please contact the HELPDESK.

2. Sgt Kenneth Gordon Barnett was born on 21 August, 1923 at 8 Stukely Cottage, Holbeach, Lincolnshire. He had an older sister, Bessie Joyce b. 1922 and a younger brother, Geoffrey William b. 1926.

Service Record. He enlisted in the RAF on 21 February, 1942 with rank of Aircraftsman Second Class (AC2). On 17 September he was posted to Technical Training School, St Athan, for crew position of Flight Engineer. This was followed by postings to 105T (Transport) O.T.U. and 18 O.T.U. On June 8, 1944, he was posted from 11Base to 625 Squadron.

Sgt Kenneth Barnett in RAF uniform. Courtesy of Peter Chamberlain.

3. P/O James Adrian Cunningham was born on July 26, 1914 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He was married to Helen McKinnon and they had a son, Gary Wayne, born on October 5, 1941.

He received his education at Dufferin School, Toronto and Glenlawn Collegiate, Grade X. He completed a correspondence course through the University of Chicago, Institute of Meat Packing, Pork Operations Course.

His athletic interests included baseball, hockey, swimming and golf.

Before enlisting on June 9, 1942, he was employed by Standard Dairies as a Milk Salesman.

Promotions: AC2 29/6/42, LAC 20/2/43, T/Sgt 23/7/43, T/F/Sgt 23/4/44 and P/O Nav 29/6/44.

Navigator Badge 23/7/44.

P/O James Adrain Cunningham photo montage. Courtesy of LAC/Ancestry website: File for Sgt. James Adrian Cunningham R177884/J92036 Pages 370-371 RG24 25148.

4. Sgt Frank Meade: If you have additional information or photos to contribute please contact the HELPDESK.

5. Sgt John Thomas Ash: If you have additional information or photos to contribute please contact the HELPDESK.

6. Sgt Richard Peter Gatensbury was born March 1923 in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire. He enlisted at age 18. He had two brothers called Keith and Gary, also a sister called Rita (all deceased). My grandad used to tell me that none of them had children. Source: cousin, Matthew Lockett.

7. Sgt Leonard Charles B. Ekers: If you have additional information or photos to contribute please contact the HELPDESK.

BURIAL DETAILS

1. F/O Eric Wright is buried in the Genouilly Communal Cemetery, South Row, Coll. Grave 35; son of Cecil Walter and Ivy Gwendolyn Wright of York. N.D.A., L.D.A.

His epitaph reads:

“He is not dead,
He doth not sleep-
He hath awakened
From the dream of life”

2. Sgt Kenneth Gordon Barnett is buried in the Genouilly Communal Cemetery, South Row, Coll. Grave 35; son of John Thomas and Elizabeth Barnet of Holbeach, Lincolnshire.

His epitaph reads:

A silent thought
and secret tear
Keep his memory ever dear

Holbeach St. Mark’s Memorial and Ceremony with citation. Courtesy of Peter Chamberlain.

Surviving relatives of Sgt. Kenneth Barnett, Valetta Egar and Mary Barnett, prepare to lay a wreath watched by other members of the congregation in Holbeach St. Mark’s who attended a special service dedicated to Sgt. Kenneth Barnett whose name has just been added to the village memorial.

3. P/O James Adrian Cunningham is buried in the Genouilly Communal Cemetery, South Row, Coll. Grave 35; son of Charles W. and Margaret Cunningham; husband of Helen Mckinnon of St. Vital, Alberta, Canada.

4. Sgt Frank Meade is buried in the Genouilly Communal Cemetery, South Row, Coll. Grave 35; son of Edward and Ada Meade of Barnsley, Yorkshire.

His epitaph reads:

Dearer still
As the years depart
His memory lives
Within our hearts

5. Sgt John Thomas Ash is buried in the Genouilly Communal Cemetery, South Row, Coll. Grave 35; son of Edward and Mary Ann Ash of Depford, London; husband of Audrey Alice Ash of Deptford, London.

His epitaph reads:

In memory of my husband John
“Doomed not to know winter
Only spring”
Audrey

6. Sgt Richard Peter Gatensbury is buried in the Genouilly Communal Cemetery, South Row, Coll. Grave 35; son of Frederick George and Elsie Gatensbury of Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire.

His epitaph reads:

“O valiant hearts”

7. Sgt Leonard Charles B. Ekers is buried in the Genouilly Communal Cemetery, South Row, Coll. Grave 35; son of Leonard and Florence Lillian Jessie Ekers of East Sheen, Surrey.

His epitaph reads:

God keep you, Len.
You fought for his kingdom

In process of researching the burial details we noted the rather unusual format of three headstones, with one headstone dedicated to one or three crew members. We queried the CWGC via email regarding this and to date have not received a response. We are aware of similar situations where crews in the vicinity, buried collectively, are represented by seven recumbent slabs and are curious why the crew of ND459 was treated differently.

ND459 Headstones and Prop Blades. Courtesy of Peter Chamberlain.

DECORATION RECOMMENDATIONS

1.F/O E. Wright 159508: DFC
2. Sgt K.G. Barnett 1624095: DFM
3. P/O J.A. Cunningham J92036: DFC
4. Sgt F. Meade 1582825: DFM
5. Sgt J.T. Ash 1399276: DFM
6. Sgt R.P. Gatensbury 18581986: DFM
7. Sgt L.C.B. Ekers 1585302: DFM

AUTHOR’S NOTES

The June 30/July 1, 1944 Vierzon raid would prove to be the nail in the coffin of Bomber Command’s edict to credit a fraction of an op for each ‘milk-run’ excursion over Occupied France. Following the Squadron’s triple losses with missions to Mailly-le-Camp and Achéres, the Vierzon catastrophe left crews on the verge of mutiny. There was no option other than to rescind this decision.

625 Squadron would lose three aircraft and a fourth crew on this raid: PB126, F/L J.C. Elmhurst-Baxter and crew with 2 KIA and 5 evaders; JB743, P/O H. Hale and crew: ND459,

F/O E. Wright and crew and ND975 Special Duties Flight Binbrook, P/O W.M. Knowles and crew—with the entire loss of all three crews!

For further information:
PB126: Further details here.
JB743: Further details here,
https://aircrewremembered.com/knowles-wilfred-martin.html

The sudden catastrophic loss of ND459 and her young crew exemplifies the fate of the majority of Squadron crews who failed to return—no survivors to recount the final moments. The magnitude of the destructive forces is reflected in the fact that final identification came from serial numbers of aircraft components, a Canadian insignia and the flight engineer’s service number on a flying boot fragment.

The eulogy delivered by a leader of the French Resistance is stirring and poignant, focusing on a crew from across the ocean who made the ultimate sacrifice to liberate them from the enemy.

It is noteworthy French citizens were tasked with collecting the remains of the crew for burial in a single coffin. Relatives back home were protected from the grim reality of the fate of their loved ones.

This is one of the reasons European citizens have spent a considerable amount of time connecting with crew’s relatives to show their gratitude and compassion. For they were witness to the final moments of these young airmen, and the significance of their sacrifice. These individuals include Alain Charpentier and Maurice Riviere in France, Mark Veldhuis in The Netherlands and René Schütz and his team in Germany. We are most grateful for their efforts.

Lady Luck or the fickle finger of fate was always an incalculable factor in the predictability of a bomber crew surviving their thirty ops.

The chance of a crew of surviving a tour was known to increase with the greater number of ops flown. However, this was never an ironclad guarantee. It was not unexpected PO Hale on his second op and F/O Wright on his third would fail to return. However, the loss of F/L Elmhurst-Baxter’s crew and that of seasoned P/O Knowles would have been a wakeup call for their Squadron mates. If it could happen to them, we are not immune.

On the evening of Friday July 28/29, 17 of the Squadron’s aircraft were detailed to attack Stuttgart. Two aircraft would fail to return from this raid, marking the Squadron’s 43rd and 44th losses to date. LM546, with F/O Collett and crew, was shot down with all surviving becoming POWs for the duration—the only one of the seventy-four losses to suffer this unique fate!
Further details here,

On the other hand the crew of LL962, skippered by F/O Harry Tuck DFC, age 21, was less fortunate. He had completed twenty-nine sorties and this would have been his last. The remainder of the crew still had eight to go. It is a complicated story and can be reviewed in the link to the archive report below.
https://aircrewremembered.com/tuck-harry-humphrey.html

This crew were designated as PFF Supporters for this mission. After successfully bombing the target they crashed on the return leg in northeast France between the villages of Rauwiller and

Shalbach. Three of the crew perished in the crash, including F/O Tuck, and three would become POWs. Sadly, nineteen year old flight engineer, Sgt Frederick Bert Dean, died from his injuries on August 12, 1944, in a Strasbourg hospital and was buried in the Cronenbourg French National Cemetery.

The Squadron ORB recorded:

‘…Two of our aircraft failed to return from this Operation. One of the aircraft’s Captains- P/O (AFO) Tuck was on his last operational sortie of his tour, and his loss was greatly felt by all the Squadron.’

Only five days prior on Sunday, July 23/24, the Squadron had sustained it’s forty-second loss when F/L Hugh Raymond Harrison DFC, age 22, and crew failed to return from a bombing attack on Kiel. Three of his crew were Canadians. Initially this loss was recorded as lost without a trace as no remains were recovered and the crew are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. However in 2017 Theo Boiten confirmed this aircraft as a Nachtjagd victim:

Fw Wilhelm Marlock: 9 3/NJG1 Lancaster Sea 60 km w.Amrum (SP2) 02.10 625 Sqdn Lancaster LM174

F/L Harrison and his crew were posted from 11 Base to RAF Kelstern on July 13, 1944. This pilot had already participated in eighty-four sorties against the enemy and was on his second tour of operations in Bomber Command.

Indeed, these were dark days for the Squadron with these losses occurring in rapid succession following the Vierzon disaster. Squadron morale could only have been at rock bottom. Who in their right mind could anticipate completing a tour of thirty ops, when these experienced vets had their lives snuffed out on the verge of tour expiring?

Perhaps the most significant factor contributing to Squadron aircrew rebounding from this morale quagmire was the exemplary leadership and boundless courage of W/C ‘Douggie’ Haig DSO DFC* as Squadron Commanding Officer—leading his men to attack nine heavily defended targets. He filled the role of Squadron’s godfather in this time of need,

In addition, it would be three months before the Squadron suffered its seventh and final triple loss on the October 23/24, 1944 Essen raid: PB531, F/O Morshead and crew (LWT); PA174, P/O Tweeter and crew, and LM691, S/L Hamilton and crew. S/L Hamilton would be the sole survivor of the Squadron losses and F/Sgt John Maurice Grace would be the sole survivor from F/O Nelder’s crew of Halifax LL599. LM691 and LL599 crashed at Aachen after a mid-air collision. Sufficient time for mental wounds to heal, with the end in sight. Finally a faint light at the end of the very dark tunnel!
https://aircrewremembered.com/morshead-owen-henry.html
https://aircrewremembered.com/AlliedLossesIncidents/?q=pa174&qand=&exc1=&exc2=&search_only=&search_type=exact
Further details here

If not for Lady Luck’s magic wand, the Vierzon raid could have been a debacle making the Nuremberg raid on March 31/April 1, 1944, look like a walk in the park. If the Nachtjagd controller had orchestrated interception with the bomber stream, before or at the French coast, this would have been a very different story.

With an extra 54 minutes the Tame Boar crews would have been able to wreak havoc and destruction on the bomber stream, before they reached their target at Vierzon. An additional 21 Lancs could have been shot down with a total count of 35, or 30% of the bomber force.

At this point one has to consider the Minor Operations in this raid may have played a major role in the success of this raid and minimized bomber losses. It is apparent the Nachtjagd controller was holding his fighters northeast of Paris until he had confirmed the target for the main bomber force: the oil plant at Homberg, being marked and bombed by 40 Mossies or some other unknown target in France. The elastic band was as tight as it could get before realization sunk in and the latter proved to be the case. This was a very successful ruse with the cost of one Mossie and crew from the Homberg force—a near total catastrophe was averted.

On the other hand fate would play a significant role in this record loss for 625 Squadron. This is reflected in the crew’s takeoff times and their contact with the Nachtjagd defenders. The takeoff sequence of the nineteen aircraft participating indicate that PB126 was tenth to get airborne and ND459 and JB743, eighteenth and nineteenth respectively. We do not know the takeoff time for ND975 from Binbrook.

This suggests the first half of the Squadron had bombed and were home free before the Nachtjagd force intercepted the stream. If the Nachtjagd controller had not erred the Squadron might have lost a total of eight to ten crews on this raid!

In addition, this raid exemplifies the fact operational experience did not guarantee a crew’s chances of surviving their tour. Statistics indicate if a crew could survive their first five ops their survival chances were significantly improved. F/O Wright and his crew had been with the Squadron for three weeks and were on their third mission. P/O Hale and his crew were at Kelstern for two weeks and were on their second. On the other hand, battle hardened F/L Elmhurst-Baxter was on his seventeenth and P/O Knowles, his eighteenth.

There was no rhyme or reason—wrong place, wrong time. For surviving crews the options were limited to several defence mechanisms: it will only happen to other crews—not ours, religion/talisman, alcohol or refusing to fly on ops (LMF). The charisma of ‘crewing up’ resulted in the majority of crews pushing on regardless, with the grim odds of survival pegged at 30%. This mindset and the mighty Lanc were instrumental in turning the tide of war, and final victory, with a horrific toll on both sides

JEA

A small group of men, woman (sic) and at least one child stand with heads bowed as the flag of the Royal Air Force is draped over a piece of crumbling brickwork. The picture was taken in the early 1950s at Kelstern at what is left of the airfield. Despite its very short life, it became the first in 1 Group to have a memorial dedicated to its crews who failed to return and annual reunions are still held at the wind-swept crossroads close to the site of the old airfield. One of the men on the extreme left of the photograph is the late C.E.s. (Teddy) Sharpe editor and owner of the Market Rasen Mail.

REFERENCES:

625 Squadron ORB
Bomber Command War Diaries by Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everett
Nachtjadt War Diaries Volume Two by Theo Boiten
Barnett Family Collection courtesy Peter Chamberlain
CWGC Website

CO-AUTHORS:

John Naylor
Maureen Hicks
Mike Evans
Kelvin Youngs - Photo-editing and Maps

Submission by Peter Chamberlain, Matt Lockett, Alain Charpentier and Jack Albrecht

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