Mission: Milan, Italy

Date: 24th October 1942 (Saturday)

Unit No: 207 Squadron, 5 Group, Bomber Command

Type: Lancaster I

Serial: W4121

Code: EM:B

Base: RAF Langar, Nottinghamshire

Location: Crashed in the sea off of Cabourg, France.

Pilot: Flt Sgt. Lawrence Ritelli Wright, 1378917 RAFVR Age 21. MiA

Flt Eng: Sgt. William Bell, 953518 RAFVR Age 24. KiA

Nav: Flt Sgt. Sydney Douglas Gowshall Roberts, 924483 RAFVR Age 24. MiA

Bomb Aimer/ Air Gnr: Flt Sgt. Dennis Kilvington Potter, 628018 RAFVR Age 21 KiA

WOp/Air Gnr: Bomb Aimer: Sgt. Lionel Horace Bell 1164373 RAFVR Age 22 KiA

WOp/Air Gnr: Sgt. Albert John Victor Hunt 405489 RNZAF Age 24. MiA

WOp/Air Gnr: Flt Sgt. John Francis McCallum, R75315 RCAF Age 21. MiA (1)

Air Gnr (Mid Upper): Sgt. William Clifford Colwill, R90227 RCAF Age 23. KiA (2)

Air Gnr (Rear): Sgt. Walter George Woodhouse, 1436485 RAFVR Age 20. KiA

Above Flt Sgt. John Francis McCallum (from his service record)

REASON FOR LOSS

Ten (10) Lancasters from 207 Squadron were detailed to be part of an eighty-eight (88) bomber daylight raid on the city of Milan.

For this operation, the normal procedure where the attacking force would form up into the bomber stream at some point over the UK was not to be followed. Each crew was to make their way separately under cloud cover across the English Channel and by a direct route over France to Lake Annecy where they would rendezvous before crossing the Alps to their target 150 miles further east.

Captain Wright and crew took off from RAF Langar at 12:41 p.m. and according to the squadron records, nothing further was heard from the aircraft.

The MRES report of the investigation into the crash carried out in October 1945 states that the Lancaster which was on its first operation with a total of eight hours flying time, crashed on the sea front at Cabourg and indeed one crew member, Sgt. Lionel Bell is buried in the cemetery there his body being washed ashore on 30 December 1942.

Chorley (1994) however, in his Volume 3 RAF Bomber Command Losses 1942, states that the crash occurred “in the sea off Blainville sur Mer, France, and some 30km SE of Jersey in the Channel Islands” (p. 249). To this writer, it would seem rather unlikely given that all the bodies that were eventually washed up were found in the waters of the bay located between Le Harve to the east and the Contentin Peninsular to the west on the French coast, whereas, Blainville sur Mer lies some 75 miles to the west of Cabourg on the other side of the Contentin Peninsular.

W4121 was believed to have been claimed by Uffz. Walter Leber, his 1st Abscuss of 3./JG 2, over Villers-sur-Mer at 100 m. at 15.30 hrs (Film C. 2035/II Anerk: Nr.149). (Courtesy of Tomáš Bouzek)

(1) John Francis McCallum was the eldest of two sisters and a brother and worked for the Star Phoenix newspaper until his enlistment on the 22nd November 1940.

Choosing to be trained as a pilot or an air gunner, John was posted to No. 2 Wireless School, Calgary, Alberta on the 28th April 1941 graduating with his wireless operators flash on the 14th September that year. His training was completed at No. 5 Bombing and Gunnery School at Dafoe, Saskatchewan on the 13th October 1941.

Posted to the UK he arrived at No. 3 Personnel Relocation Centre (PRC) Bournemouth on the 14th November 1941 and was attached to No.14 Initial Training Wing (ITW), Hastings, and then for further training as a wireless operator, to No.1 Signal School at Cranwell North in Lincolnshire from the 9th December 1941 to the 17th February 1942. Posted to 25 Operational Training Unit (OTU) at RAF Finningley near Doncaster, South Yorkshire for training as a member of a night bomber crew.

Whilst at 25 OTU, McCallum was called upon to participate in the first of the “1000 Bomber Raids” against Cologne on the night of 30th/31st May 1942. After taking off and setting course for the target, the starboard engine of their Wellington failed after only 15 minutes of flying time and they were forced to land at RAF Binbrook on one engine with a full bomb load.

His next posting was to 83 Squadron on the 7th July 1942 and then to No.1654 Heavy Conversion Unit (HCU). Posted to 207 Squadron on the 3rd September.

John had successfully completed two trips prior to being lost on the trip to Milan. 13th/14th September, Bremen and 16th17th September, Essen.

Above. Clipping for Sgt. John Francis McCallum (Courtesy of the Insert Star Phoenix, dated 1st December 1943)

McCallum Lake, Saskatchewan was named after Flt Sgt. McCallum in 2003

(2) After graduating from The St. Thomas Collegiate Institute in 1940, William Clifford Colwill was working as a news carrier until he enlisted on the 14th February 1941. Selected for aircrew training he was posted to Elementary Flying School at Goderich, Ontario. William however, struggled to complete his training as a pilot and after reassignment to Composite Training School, Trenton he was posted to No.1 Air Observers School at London, Ontario. He was then remustered as an air gunner and posted to the Bombing and Gunnery School at Fingal, Ontario where he graduated with his air gunners brevet on the 27th April 1942.

Posted to the UK in June and sent to No. 7 Air Gunners School, RAF Stormy Down, Wales, until joining 1654 Heavy Conversion Unit (HCU) on the 10th August 1942. Posted to 207 Squadron on the 3rd September 1942.

William successfully completed two sorties, 16th/17th September, Essen, and 17th September, Le Creusot. His third to Genoa returned early due to a fuel leak on their regular Lancaster R5908. He was lost on his next sortie to Milan.

Colwill Lake, Thunder Bay, Ontario was named after Sgt. Colwill in 1960

Burial Details:

The bodies of Sgts. Colwill and Woodhouse were washed ashore at Valognes on the 16th November 1942 and originally buried in the Communal Cemetery, Maupertus before being reinterred at Cherbourg. Flt Sgt. Potter was found on the 17th November washed ashore at Ravenoville and was also buried at Maupertus before reinterment at Cherbourg. Sgt. William Bell was not found until 31st December washed ashore near Blonville sur Mer and he remains there buried in the Municipal Cemetery. Sgt. McCallum is buried at Ouistreham on the French coast to the west of Cabourg and in all likelihood was washed ashore near there.

Flt Sgt. Lawrence Ritelli Wright. Runnymede Memorial Panel 77. Born in the 2nd Qtr of 1920 in Lambeth, London. Son of Robert and Mary (née Williams) Wright. Husband of Margaret Joan (née Tipple) Wright of Boston Spa, Yorkshire, England.

Sgt. William Bell. Blonville sur Mer Churchyard. Grave Inscription: "HOW BRIGHT THESE GLORIOUS SPIRITS SHINE!". Son of Thomas and Mary Bell of Ardrossan, Ayrshire, Scotland.

Above a stained glass window in St. Mathew’s Church, Worthing, West Sussex commemorating Flt. Sgt. Roberts. Courtesy of The IVM and © Susan Featherstone (WMR-90550)

Flt Sgt. Sydney Douglas Gowshall Roberts. Runnymede Memorial Panel 76. Born on the 28th October 1920 in East Preston, Worthing, Sussex. Son of Sydney Proctor and Alice (née Challen) Roberts of Worthing, Sussex. Husband of Kathleen May (née Jarvis) Roberts of Worthing, England.

Flt Sgt. Dennis Kilvington Potter. Cherbourg Old Communal Cemetery Plot 6 Row D Grave 13. Grave Inscription: 'LIFE IS NOTHING MUCH TO LOSE; BUT YOUNG MEN THINK IT IS AND WE WERE YOUNG'. Son of Eric Kilvington Potter and Doris Potter of Acomb, York, England.

Sgt. Lionel Horace Bell. Cabourg Communal Cemetery Mil. Plot Row 7 Grave 1. Grave Inscription: 'AT THE GOING DOWN OF THE SUN AND IN THE MORNING WE WILL REMEMBER THEM'. Born on the 5th October 1919. Son of Charles Harold and Daisy Victoria (née Silverwood) Bell of Hythe, Kent, England.

Sgt. Albert John Victor Hunt. Runnymede Memorial Panel 117. Born on the 27th May 1918 in Methven, Canterbury, Son of Albert Edward Hunt and of Rosa Elizabeth Hunt (née Coulson) of Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand.

Flt Sgt. John Francis McCallum. Ouistreham-Riva-Bella Communal Cemetery Calvados, France Grave 57. Born on the 2nd February 1922 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Son of Andre and Myrtle Sophia (née Cooksley) McCallum of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.

Sgt. William Clifford Colwill. Cherbourg Old Communal Cemetery Plot 6 Row D Grave 12. Grave Inscription: 'IN LOVING MEMORY OF OUR DEAR SON, WHO GAVE HIS LIFE THAT OTHERS MIGHT LIVE'. Born on the 23rd September 1919 in St. Thomas, Ontario. Son of William Mervin and Gladys Mavoureen (née Lacey) Colwill of St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada.

Sgt. Walter George Woodhouse. Cherbourg Old Communal Cemetery Plot 6 Row D Grave 11. Grave Inscription: 'GOODNIGHT, GOD BLESS WALT'. Born on the 11th July 1922. Son of Bertram and Florence (née Clarke) Woodhouse of Erdington, Birmingham, England.

Researched by Colin Bamford and dedicated to the crew and their families (Nov 2022). Thanks to Richard Maddox for the information regarding the commemoration window for Flt Sgt. Roberts. (Jun 2023). Reviewed and updated with thanks to Tomáš Bouzek for the German fighter claim information (Nov 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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