Lancaster Bomber 514 Squadron

Cheers Wayne! As a matter of coincidence I met the familly who helped Jo Peloquin last month. The Frenchman is about 85 (the father deceased many years ago) and still driving a WWII areaCitroen traction and proudly dipslayed the award he got from Eisenhower for having helped allied soldiers.

 

a very good video and a glowing tribute to the bomber command of which my father was one of them

 

Welcome Paulh. Glad you enjoyed your first visit to this thread. As you will see we have a lot of knowledgeable folks out there who have put in much effort to bring this story into being.. Alex Campbell Skipper of A2 C Charlie

 

Hi, I came across this forum whilst looking for more information regarding my Dad (F/S E.G. Rippingale) who was in Squadron 514 (RAF Waterbeach) He was the bomber in Lancaster LL727 J1-C2 and was on the plane's last mission as it was shot down over Massy Palaissau and crashed in Amiens.

If posting in this thread is not appropriate I can start another thread up.

Any one who has got any information I would love to hear from them. I have a lot to share for people interested in the bombing raid of 7/8th June 1944 and him being hidden by the resistance (my uncle) to evade capture.

His crew were Lou Greenburgh DFC (pilot), Sgt R Fox (nav), F/S Gordon Stromberg (radio ops), F/O LJW Sutton

Mark Rippingale

 

Hi Mark you are more than welcome to join in here . Starting your own thread would be the best way I think . Im' sure people will be able to help. Was your dad helped by Comete?

 

Hello Mark - We knew Lou Greenburgh quite well. Last saw him on our liberation day in Freteval Forest while boarding out bound transport. He and our bombaimer,Jack Chapman, were good friends. We were not on Ops June 7/44. You can see my log book by typing in to Google " e a campbell log book". Look up freteval forest and you can find Lou's name there as well. good to hear from you - Alex Campbell , skipper of Lancaster A2 C

 

Hi again Alex,

As records go (until I can verify with national archives and my Father's log book) They took off on the evening of 8th June to Massy Palaiseau. Just before the target, a German fighter came up from behind and started firing, Lou kept the plane on course until my Dad had the target in site and let the bombs go. Just then the fighter opened fire and hit the Lancaster. Lou shouted to bail out in which my dad and the rear gunner did, Lou then shouted to hold on as he thought he could keep control of the plane but too late they had jumped. Lou kept control of the plane until it crashed at St Eusoye 20km NE of Beauvais. He and the rest of the crew bailed out. My Dad landed in a forest in Saulx-Les-Chartres and wandered round all night not knowing where he was going. In the morning he was spotted by a young boy called Claude who shouted to him "English?" My Dad nodded and the boy run off, returning later with Serge Boldrini (my Uncle) who was French resistance. He took my dad back to a house called "La Tours Prends Garde" which was a safe house and also used for prisoners on parole. My Mother used to visit the house to bring food and supplies and thats where she met my Dad. He survived a raid on the house by German officers looking for him but they failed to spot a small room hidden by a hanging tapestry. Unfortunately my uncle Serge was shot in the Metro Pasteur by the Germans. There is a plaque there and at La Tours Prends Garde in his memory.

I visited the house in August which has been renovated. The hiding place is still there. Amazing! I couldn't imagine what it was like.

I am now trying to find the exact crash site of LL727 so I can go visit the area next year with my Wife and Mother. The information I have is Amiens Map reference B5/N15 which without the map is useless. If anyone has this map and could translate the coords to Lat and Lon would be appreciated.

I spoke to Lou about 10 years ago when he gave me a copy of the book his son wrote (A son's tribute to his Father DFC and Bar). I lost Lou's address and never found it so have lost touch but I am worried he may no longer be with us now.

Mark

 

Hi Mark have you visted Freteval ?

 

Hi,

No I haven't visited Freteval yet, but I plan to next year hopefully

Mark

 

Dear Mr Campbell and all
I have read with interest the notices posted on this forum regarding the crash of Lancaster LL692.

For some years I have had an interest in and have been researching the operation against Stuttgart on the night of the 28th / 29th of July 1944.
My interest comes by way of a 156 Sqn crew who died on the night of 24th / 25th of February 1944 and who are buried in a village cemetery in eastern France. Alongside them is buried a navigator of a 625 Sqn crew who lost his life on the 29th July whilst returning from Stuttgart (LL962 co-incidently).
These are my principle interests but inevitably my interest widens.
Whilst searching for information in the National Archives (London) for the loss report of a Lancaster that was lost in February ’44 i found the report K.215 (in file AIR14/1442) detailing the cause of the loss of LL692. I would be more than happy to send you this document by email.
Also on my previous visit I copied the evader report attributed to Jones and Donaldson of your crew.
I have been gathering information about the raid in which your aircraft was lost and would be very pleased to pass on the information that I have should it be of interest to you.

Best regards

Michael Wright

 

Micheal, if possible I'd love to have a copy of this report too. As you can notice the July 28th/29th is one of my main interests. The crew in post 676 was also shot down during this night. I arranged for the monument for these brave men. I'd also be interested in a picture of the LL962 member grave.

 

Hello Mike W. Would be most interested in your reply.Please excuse my tardiness.
Thanks Alex Campbell

 

Hi Alex, I asked Slipdigit to activate Mike's pm box and have send him an email a few minutes ago .

 

Kipper , once again thanks for the help. EAC

 

I am interested tracing information about my husband's uncle and in an incident that took place at Waterbeach on the 29 December 1944 in which he was killed. The incident involved a bomb that exploded when it was being either loaded or unloaded onto Lancaster PD325 - TI-L2 (I think). 9 men were killed in this incident. Jim as my mother in law called him was known as Geoff Hayden (full name Geoffrey Graham Hayden) he was in the RAF/VR - service number 1863381. As far as I am aware he had something to do with radar. He came from Holt in Norfolk and attended Gresham School there. He was into radio communication when at home.

The information that we have about his service in the war is very sketchy as my mother-in-law's parents did not share much of what he did or what happened in an attempt to protect her and because his death hit them both very hard.


If anyone knew him and could share any memories or has any info relating to the work that he did at Waterbeach or what happened that day in 1944 I would love to hear from them.

I have the honour of attending the Memoral Garden Service at Westminser Abbey in London this year with my dad - he fought in the Korean War - and I will be placing a cross in the garden in memory of Geoff.

 

PD325 (call code JI-L2) exploded at 10.30. The debris also hit Lancaster NG141 which was parked nearby.

 

Skipper I knew you would come to the rescue. Path Finder I was back home on leave at that time but have seen photos of the damage. Good luck and again thanks Skipper.
Alex Campbell

 

Many thanks Skipper and Alex Campbell for your info. I feel a bit emotional as we have no real info and any tiny piece of info is an added bonus. Alex did you know Geoff Hayden? I'm sorry if I sound a bit nieve but I have no real knowledge of Waterbeach or the amount of people that were stationed there at at that time. I am as you say a novice. Geoff was laid to rest at the War Cemetry in Cambridge along with another who was killed at that time, having visited the cemetry with my husband and two girls we found it a very emotional thing as my eldest daughter is the age that Geoff and many others buried there were killed.

 

Hello Path Finder- I have permission from Wendy Flemming to post her email address to you. She has done a great amount of work in connection with 514 Squadron. She will do what she can to help in your search.You may contact her at "deno11@shaw.ca".
Good luck to you both and thanks again Wendy. Alex Campbell Skipper of Lancaster A2 C.

 

Dear Mr Campbell

If you would kindly email me at;
michael.wright30<at>tesco.net (replace <at> with @)
I will gladly forward the documents from Kew that should interest you.

Best regards

Mike Wright