Mission to Rilly-la-Montagne, 31st July 1944, Lancaster ME557/KC-S:
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On 31 July 1944, 617 Squadron was linked with 9 Squadron for a "Tallboy" deep penetration bomb attack on a V-weapon storage dump at Rilly-la-Montagne, near Rheims. As Reid, flying in Lancaster Mk.I ME557 KC-S, released his bomb over the target at 12,000 ft at 20:18hrs, he felt his aircraft shudder under the impact of a bomb dropped by another Lancaster 6,000 ft above.
The bomb ploughed through his aeroplane's fuselage, severing all control cables and fatally weakening its structure, and Reid gave the order to bail out. As members of his crew scrambled out, the plane went into a dive, pinning Reid to his seat. Reaching overhead, he managed to release the escape hatch panel and struggled out just as the Lancaster broke in two. He landed heavily by parachute, breaking his arm in the fall.
Within an hour he was captured by a German patrol and taken prisoner. After various transfers, he ended the war in Stalag III-A prisoner of war camp at Luckenwalde, west of Berlin. |
| Donald George William Stewart |
 |
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Flight Sergeant (Flight Engineer)
909536
13 October 1918, Redhill, Surrey, England
31 July 1944
25
617 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Germaine Communal Cemetery, France
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| Joseph Ovila Peltier |
 |
 |
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Flying Officer (Navigator)
J/17546
12 April 1918, Maine, U. S. A.
31 July 1944
26
617 (R. A. F.) Sqdn. Royal Canadian Air Force
Dieppe Canadian War Cemetery, Hautot-sur-Mer, France
Son of Rene and Emilie Renaud Peltier,
of Windsor, Ontario, Canada,
husband of Lillian Ilene Peltier,
of Windsor. |
A local newspaper reported:
FO. Peltier
FO. Joseph O. Peltier, 26, a veteran of more than seventy air operations and a member of the famous "dambusting" squadron, reported missing in July 1944, has now been listed as missing, presumed dead, his wife, Mrs. Lillian Peltier of 1097 Moy avenue, was informed yesterday.
German information received by the International Red Cross stated that FO. Peltier lost his life July 31.
A graduate of Kennedy Collegite, he enlisted with the R. C. A. F., in June 1941 and received his wings at Fingal, Ont. in February 1942. He went overseas in May of the same year and received his commission in March 1943.
An observer, FO. Peltier had taken part in operations over Germany, France, Italy and Czechoslovakia before being reported missing.
Beside his widow and parents he is survived by four sisters, Mrs. Norma Sheldon, Marguerite, Mrs. Rena Robinson and Eileen, two brothers James and Roger. |
| Leslie George Rolton |
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Flying Officer (Air Bomber)
171066
Distinguished Flying Cross
April 1922, West Ham, Essex
31 July 1944
22
617 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Clichy Northern Cemetery, France
Son of Olander Rolton,
and of Elizabeth Rolton,
of Romford, Essex. |
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| Albert Arthur Holt |
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Flight Sergeant (Air Gunner)
1159886
abt. 1913
31 July 1944
31
617 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Clichy Northern Cemetery, France
Son of Henry and Florence Elizabeth Holt,
husband of Gladys Maude Holt,
of Douglas, Isle of Man. |
| John William Hutton |
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Warrant Officer (Air Gunner)
1378696
Distinguished Flying Cross
31 July 1944
617 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Clichy Northern Cemetery, France
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Mission to Brest, 5th August 1944, Lancaster JB139/KC-V:
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Construction of the U-boat pens at Brest started in the first month of 1941 and by September of that year it was ready for it's very first submarine. The bunkers themselves were constructed from reinforced concrete with a roof thickness of nearly 7 metres, they had an overall length of 333 metres and a width of 192 metres.
The first attacks on the U-boat pens by 617 & 9 Squadrons was on the 5th August 1944. Previous attacks had failed to inflict any damage on the pens due to their massive construction.
15 Lancasters and 2 Mosquitos attacked the Pens and six direct hits were reported. Three hits penetrated the pens and the break water outside the pens was also damaged. Lost on this attack was Lancaster JB139 KC-V piloted by Flying Officer Don Cheney, RCAF. After the aircraft was hit by flak two of his crew Flight Sergeant Reginald Howard Pool and Pilot Officer Robert Welsh sustained severe injuries. After a short time F/O Cheney gave the order to bale out of the aircraft. P/O Welsh was shot by the Germans while still descending on his parachute, F/S Pool's body was found on the shore by the French underground and the body of P/O William Noel Watt was found in the sea. Three other crew members managed of survive and were looked after by the French underground. The final crew member, Curtis, was captured by the Germans and sent to a POW camp. |
The crew was:
Flying Officer D. Cheney, R. C. A. F. (Evaded Capture)
Flight Sergeant J. Rosher (Evaded Capture)
Pilot Officer R. Welch
Flight Sergeant A. Curtis (Prisoner of War)
Flight Sergeant R. H. Pool
Warrant Officer 2Cl. K. R. Porter, R. C. A. F. (Evaded Capture)
Pilot Officer W. N. Wait |
| Robert Welch |
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Pilot Officer (Navigator)
175644
abt. 1923
05 August 1944
21
617 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Douarnenez Communal Cemetery, France
Son of William Turnbull Welch and
Isobel Welch, of Greenock, Renfrewshire. |
| A memorial stone reminds at Robert Welch: |
 |
Robert Welch
(Roy)
Pilot Officer R. A. F. V. R.
Killed on operations
over France
7th August 1944
in his 22nd year.
Interred Douarnenez
Brittany
Elder son of
Wm. T. & Isobel Welch |
| Reginald Howard Pool |
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Flight Sergeant (Wireless Op./Air Gunner)
1382229
20 August 1922
05 August 1944
21
617 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Douarnenez Communal Cemetery, France
Son of Reginald Kingsley Pool and Rose Mabel Pool,
of Hornsey, Middlesex. |
| William Noel Wait |
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Pilot Officer (Air Gunner)
178240
abt. 1923
05 August 1944
21
617 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Douarnenez Communal Cemetery, France
Son of William Arthur and
Winifred Florence Wait,
of Lichfield, Staffordshire. |
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Training Flight, 07th August 1944, Mosquito NT202/AJ-N:
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Taking off at 10.50 hrs. from RAF Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire. Completed three runs over the Wainfleet bombing range and at 11.12 hrs. whilst pulling up in a climbing turn to port the starboard engine failed, followed immediately by structural failure of the starboard wing. Out of control, the Mosquito plunged into shallow water by the foreshore.
F/O. Duffy had just completed his operational tour and is buried at Harrogate, his navigator F/O. Ingleby, for this training sortie, rests at Coningsby.
Text taken from "Aircrew Remembered". |
| Warren Alvin Duffy |
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Flight Lieutenant (Pilot)
J/7073
Distinguished Flying Cross
25 August 1923, Pulme, Nova Scotia, Canada
07 August 1944
21
617 (R. A. F.) Sqdn. Royal Canadian Air Force
Harrogate (Stonefall) Cemetery, Yorkshire, UK
Son of Leon Levett Duffy and Gertrude Lois M. Duffy,
of Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada. |
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| Philip Ingleby |
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Flying Officer (Navigator)
137140
abt. 1921
07 August 1944
23
617 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Coningsby Cemetery, Lincolnshire, UK
Son of Bernard and Annie Ingleby,
of Sale, Cheshire. |
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Operation "Cruiser Gueydon", Brest, 13th/14th August 1944, Lancaster LM485/KC-N:
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. . . The return mission on the 13th of August saw the force split, with some crews carrying Tallboys to destroy the pens, while the rest attacked the veteran French warship "Gueydon" at its mooring with 1000-lb bombs so as to prevent it being sunk by the Germans in the mouth of Brest harbour, in turn blocking its use by the Allies. Although both targets were hit. Gueydon remained afloat, and so the unit returned on the 14th with 2000-lb armour piercing bombs, which left both it and the warship Clementau sunk at their moorings.
No. 617 Sqn. did not escape unscathed on the latter date, however, with intense flak damaging several aircraft. Flt. Lt. John Pryor' LM485/KC-N was hit as it approached the target, shrapnel smashing the bomber's compass and hitting the throat of bomb aimer Flg. Off. Cecil Pesme, killing him instantly. Regaining contral, Pryor jettisoned his bomb load and returned to base without further incident.
Text taken from the book "No 617 `Dambuster´ Sqn" written by Alex Bateman (ISBN-13: 978-1-84603-429-9). |
| Cecil Percy Pesme |
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Flying Officer (Air Bomber)
J/21539
22 August 1921, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
14 August 1944
22
617 (R. A. F.) Sqdn. Royal Canadian Air Force
Harrogate (Stonefall) Cemetery, Yorkshire, UK
Son of Percy N. Pesme and Annie E. Pesme,
of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. |
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Transfer from Russia to UK, 17th September 1944, Lancaster PB416/KC-V:
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. . . the squadron was notified that Flg. Off. Frank Levy (in Lancaster PB416/KC-V) had flown into high ground near Nesbyn, about 100 miles north west of Oslo, with the loss of all on board. Amongst those killed were two members of Drew Wyness' crew, who had been hitching a lift home as their aircraft was stranded in the USSR. It had been their first operation with No. 617 Sqn.
Text taken from the book "No 617 `Dambuster´ Sqn" written by Alex Bateman (ISBN-13: 978-1-84603-429-9). |
| Frank Levy |
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Flying Officer (Pilot)
160142
April 1917
17 September 1944
27
617 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Nesbyen Churchyard, Norway
Son of Haiavt and Marie Levy, nee Fermon. |
| Peter William Groom |
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Sergeant (Flight Engineer)
1814429
abt. 1925
17 September 1944
19
617 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Nesbyen Churchyard, Norway
Son of Arthur William and Ethel May Groom,
of Egham, Surrey. |
| Charles Lawrence Fox |
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Flying Officer (Navigator)
138131
June 1922, Hackney, Middlesex, UK
17 September 1944
22
617 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
formerly of 44 (Rhodesia) Sqdn.
Nesbyen Churchyard, Norway
Son of Julius and Marie Fox,
of Wembley, Middlesex.
Captain of Latymer Upper School, 1940.
Scholar of Trinity College, Cambridge.
Southern Counties Junior Athletic record
for 440 yards, 1940. |
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R. A. F. V. R.
In unfading memory of
F/O Charles L. Fox
killed while flying, aged 22.
Buried in Norway.
Septr. 17th 1944.
"His sacrifice, our freedom."
ש ל ר ט |
Cherished husband of Marie (Mim)
dear father of Donald and Charles
"Safe in God's keeping." |
| George Muir McGuire |
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Flight Sergeant (Wireless Op./Air Gunner)
1345937
01 January 1921, Paisley, Renfrewshire, UK
17 September 1944
22
617 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Nesbyen Churchyard, Norway
Son of George and Sophia McGuire,
of Paisley, Renfrewshire. |
| Eric Edward Stephen Peck |
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Flight Sergeant (Air Bomber)
1338511
16 September 1920
17 September 1944
24
617 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Nesbyen Churchyard, Norway
Son of Stephen Charles and Victoria Dorothy Peck,
husband of May Peck,
of West Molesey, Surrey. |
| Allan Frank McNally |
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Pilot Officer (Air Gunner)
J/88571
28 June 1923, Minaki, Ontario, Canada
17 September 1944
21
617 (R. A. F.) Sqdn. Royal Canadian Air Force
Nesbyen Churchyard, Norway
Son of Ben and Wanda McNally,
of Minaki, Ontario, Canada. |
| Daniel Goronwy Thomas |
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Flight Sergeant (Air Gunner)
1499060
abt. 1921
17 September 1944
22
617 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Nesbyen Churchyard, Norway
Son of Elias and Rachel Thomas,
of Llansadwrn, Carmarthenshire. |
| James Fraser Naylor (Passenger) |
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Flying Officer (Flight Engineer)
54372
abt. 1920
17 September 1944
24
617 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Nesbyen Churchyard, Norway
Son of George Henry and Elizabeth Bruce Naylor,
of Innerleithen, Peeblesshire. |
| Denis Charles Shea (Passenger) |
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Flying Officer (Wireless Operator)
146633
Distinguished Flying Cross
abt. 1922
17 September 1944
24
617 Sqdn. Royal Air Force
Nesbyen Churchyard, Norway
Son of John Henry Kilian and Mary Elizabeth Shea,
of Ilford, Essex. |
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Mission to Mönchengladbach, 19th September 1944, Mosquito KB267:
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On 19 September an order came through from Bomber Command for No. 5 Group to prepare for an attack on Bremen. Planes from No. 5 Group would be responsible for all aspects of the operation, including target illumination and marking and control of the raid. Cochrane, the AOC, would be responsible for tactics and route planning. As the day progressed the weather forecast changed, and at 16:45 an order came through to change to the reserve targets at Rheydt and Mönchengladbach.
At the flight planning conference it was decided that three areas would be attacked simultaneously; they were designated as red, green and yellow. The red area was Rheydt town centre, where the attack would be fully controlled by a master bomber who would monitor the marking and coordinate the main force bombing. The tactics - dispersed marking - were untried and unrehearsed, and therefore would require expertise from the controller and markers. The announcement that Gibson would be the controller was met with general incredulity. It was assumed it would be regular controller from No. 54 Base Flight or a qualified one from No. 627 Squadron. Some suspicion started to circulate that the proposed complexity may have come from Gibson and his lack of experience in marking techniques.
As Gibson did not have a regular navigator, one had to be found to fly with him. The first choice was ill, so Squadron Leader Jim Warwick was selected. He was the Station Navigation Officer and therefore screened from operations. There was also no serviceable Mosquito available at Coningsby for Gibson to use, so it was decided to use the reserve aircraft of No. 627 Squadron, located at RAF Woodhall Spa. Gibson and Warwick were driven over. When they arrived about 18:30, for unknown reasons, Gibson rejected the reserve aircraft KB213 and insisted on using the Mosquito B.XX KB267 instead. The crew who were expecting to fly in KB267 were unhappy with the change. As the two crews were performing different functions the bomb loads had to be swapped. They took off at 19:51.
When they arrived at the target, the marking of the red area went badly wrong owing to a series of mishaps. The three markers could not identify the marking point and one aircraft had engine problems. Gibson attempted to mark it himself but his Target Indicators (TIs) did not release. As the illumination from the flares was fading, he called for more flares and warned the red section of the main force not to bomb. He then commanded them to stand by, so they started to turn away from the target. This was potentially dangerous and exposed them to further risk from flak and night fighters. Some started to bomb the green area, either out of confusion or nervousness. He then authorised the remaining aircraft to bomb the green area. The red area was eventually marked, but it was too late to direct any of the main force's aircraft to attack it. The raid concluded at 21:58. He remained calm despite the confusion. The time of Gibson's departure from the target is unknown. It is possible that he loitered in a wide, high orbit to assess the outcome and left around 22:00. One crew from No. 61 Squadron claimed they heard him say he had a damaged engine.
Gibson's aircraft crashed at Steenbergen in the Netherlands at around 22:30. Witnesses heard an aircraft flying low, saw that its cockpit was illuminated and then it crashed. At first, Gibson's failure to return to Woodhall Spa was not considered out of the ordinary, as it was assumed he had landed at Coningsby. Likewise at Coningsby there was no immediate concern as there was fog and it was assumed he would have landed elsewhere. However, it soon became apparent he had not returned. The rumour spread rapidly around No. 5 Group that he was missing. He was not posted officially as missing until 29 November, although Prime Minister Winston Churchill was informed on 26 September: "The Air Ministry have told us that Wing Commander Gibson, V.C. is reported missing from a recent raid in which he flew a Mosquito to Mönchengladbach".[
Text is published on "Wikipedia". Read much more on that page. |
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Wing Commander (Pilot)
39438
Victoria Cross
Distinguished Service Order
Distinguished Flying Cross
12 August 1918, Simla, India
19 September 1944
26
Cdg. 627 Sqdn. Royal Air Force
Steenbergen-en-Kruisland Roman Catholic Cemetery, Netherlands
Son of Alexander James Gibson and Norah Gibson,
husband of Eve Mary Gibson,
of Westminster, London. |
| In Porthleven, Cornwall can be found a memorial panel about Guy Penrose Gibson: |
 |
In honour of
Wing Commander
Guy Penrose Gibson
VC, DSO & Bar, DFC & Bar
Officer commanding 617 Squadron Bomber Command
Royal Air Force later known as the Dumbusters,
who carried out the daring and successful bombing raid
on the German dams of the Ruhr in 1943.
Guy's mother was a member of an old Porthleven family
of Master Mariners and Porthleven was Guy's English home.
1918 ~ 1944 |
| James Brown Warwick (not mentioned on the memorial) |
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Squadron Leader (Navigator)
1814429
Distinguished Flying Cross
abt. 1921, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
19 September 1944
23
627 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Steenbergen-en-Kruisland Roman Catholic Cemetery, Netherlands
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Operation "Dortmund-Ems Canal", 23th/24th September 1944, Lancaster NF923/KC-M:
Crashed near Lochem, Holland.
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Took off at 19:18 hrs to breach the Dortmund-Ems canal north of Münster. Selected for the fact that the water level at this point was significantly higher than the surrounding land, 136 Lancasters and 5 Mosquitos from No. 5 group RAF Bomber Command attacked this target. Despite the rather heavy and low clouds, the dyke was successfully breached, resulting in the draining of the Nazis' important waterway over a length of 9 km. An important element of this attack was the two direct hits by Tallboy-bombs delivered by 617 Squadron.
On the homeward bound flight, the aircraft was attacked by a night fighter, 3 engines were knocked out, also a fire started in the bomb bay. The pilot instructed the crew to bail out whilst he held the aircraft steady. 6 of the crew did so, one crew member did not survive the jump, P/O. Benting died of his injuries some two days later in Enschede Hospital. The pilot died in the aircraft when it crashed near Lochem.
Text was taken from the site "Aircrew Remembered". Take a look at their interesting page. |
The crew was:
Fl/Lt. Geoffrey Stevenson Stout (Pilot)
P/O. Alan William Benting (Flight Engineer)
F/O. Clyde Euan Miles Graham (Navigator)
F/O. W. A. Rupert (Air Bomber)
F/O. R. J. Allen (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner)
Fl/Sgt. Peter Linn Whittaker (Air Gunner)
F/O. Reginald Herbert Petch (Air Gunner) |
| Geoffrey Stevenson Stout |
 |
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Flight Lieutenant (Pilot)
145510
Distinguished Flying Cross
abt. 1921
23 September 1944
23
617 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Lochem New General Cemetery, Netherlands
Son of Jacob Stevenson Stout and Emma Stout,
of Whitehaven, Cumberland.
B. A. (Cantab.). |
|
| Alan William Benting |
 |
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Pilot Officer (Flight Engineer)
182038
abt. 1922
25 September 1944
22
617 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Enschede Eastern General Cemetery, Netherlands
Son of William and Elizabeth Benting,
of Acocks Green, Birmingham. |
| Clyde Euan Miles Graham |
 |
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Flying Officer (Navigator)
159937
abt. 1921
23 September 1944
23
617 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Arnhem Oosterbeek War Cemetery, Netherlands
Son of Major-General Sir Miles Graham, K. B. E., C. B., M. C.,
and of Lady Evelyn Graham (nee King),
husband of Daphne Marion Graham,
of Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire. |
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