Lancaster Bomber 514 Squadron

Your quick replies are just great. Our navigator was put to test rather early in our tour. I think it was when we had just set course to Angers May 28/44. We had not yet reached the enemy coast when Judy anounced that his "Gee" navigation system had completely packed up with no chance of recovery. He asked me if I would abort the trip or should he attempt to DR (dead reckoning) all the way. A quick survey showed the entire crew agreed to trust our navigator. His non-stop calculations,with few if any landmarks to confirm them, brought us within sight of the target some 20 miles ahead and off to port about 8 degrees. This was gratifying and we bombed on target less than a minute late. Now to get back home. Weather prevented using astro navigation. Finally Chappy's anouncement was cheered when he said "There's the white cliffs of Dover". Again after several hours of tension we were no more than 8 degrees off course and about 20 minutes later the navigator said "There's the Reading beam Skipper-and don't wake me up with your landing". "Roger nav". Another op done.
Skipper good luck in your travels and don't go swimming at Blois. Alex Campbell

 

"Judy" must have been a hell of a Navigator. It's incredible to navigate without any electronic instruments at night with no clues ! Blois should be fine , no swimming for me during the winter months.

 

Hello Alex.
I finally made it to the Blois museum (see Loire valley threat) . I asked for the Freteval and Vendome pannels. I was a bit disappointed at first sight because I saw many pictures that we have both already seen before , then I went in another room and saw something incredible. There were large parts of a Lancaster. By checking the crash place, I realised It was Joe foreman's Lancaster's wing (for those who don't know him, Joe was with Alex at Freteval) , a large part which the roundel included. There is also part of an engine hood. I was amazed! I managed to gert some pictures, though due to a small space I could not get the whole wing.

 

Skipper that's just great. Imagine being able to identify those parts after all the years. You have done it again. I remember Joe well. It's a strange feeling. Thanks again Alex.

 

I may be able to get more on this lead. I met a man who saw Joe at a ceremony some years ago, so I will focuss on this too.

 

Skipper,
Just checked in to find your images of Joe Foremans Lanc. Amazing.
Thanks for doing this.

Wayne

 

Alex, a page or two ago you mentioned combat with LW single engines, when you have the time could you post dates please.........for a little fun research ?

E ~

 

"roger wilco" Erich

 

Erich a bit more about LW encounters. May 19/44. Target Le Mans, Take -off 22:50 land 03:30. Two separate attacks nearing target by Me 109"s. One attack by FW 190. I referred to this one as being sharp. Don"t know why.
May 22/44. Target Dortmund. T/O 22:55 land 03:20. Can"t give sequence of events Had many attacks approaching and leaving target area. Mostly by Me 109"s. One FW 190was seen plunging down on fire near centre of target.
July 30 or 31 daytime Outside Arthur"s safe house. Three Me 109"s in loose vic formation at tree-top height heading to ward Chateaudun. Can recall no outstanding markings or camouflage possibly drab. One lone Spitfire 8000 feet above maybe not related to this trio.
July 20/44. Target Homburg. T/O 23:20 land 02:45. This was the dual attack by Me 109"s as related on page 9.
A long wait for a short but not quick reply. Cheers Alex Campbell

 

It was pprobably July 30th . On July 31st the fights in the Chateadun area involved FW190S from 6/JG2 (one was even lost at Droué east of Chateaudun). I also have a P-38 lost near Blois probably in the same fight.

But let's go back to July 31th. There must have been a huge fight in the Chateaudun , Chartres , DREUX area. I have at least 4 ME109 crashes in this area from JG1, JG2, and JG5 . (one + , two wounded and one safe) In fact there are three other unknown crash places for JG27 aircrafts too (two MIA , one wounded) . If you are interested I can get more details (names , profiles , time , mission etc.. ) but I'm certain Erich would be delighted to add more too.

 

Thanks Skipper for the extra input. We'll see what Erich can come up with. It is mostly re-runs I gave you to work with. Am still puzzled about the different writings and ink colours in Judy's log book plus the different assessments of events. Especially so many FW 190"s
reported. Alex Campbell

 

For July 31st I have traced some of the JG1 near LE MANS but those were FWs from the Stab, so I will concentrate on JG2 :
JG2 Ofhr Schraper from 6/jg2 got apparently shot down by friendly flak near Chateaudun (Droué). time?
two U.S. aircrafts are shot down west of Chateaudun around 7.30pm.

 

More about Freteval!

I have found information about an Australian airman called Noel Eliot, 218 Squadron . Eliot crashed near Poix on May 1st 1944 and was led from safe to safe house from northern France to Freteval.
He apparently stayed there with you . I have also the names of the leader of the airmen who was Peter BURY (RAF) . Eliot returned to France in 1962 and in 1980. In 1980 he returned to Freteval and visited the Forest again. He also visited the farmhouse of MR FOUCHARD . At this place stayed Charles "Jock" WEIR F/O Kevin John O'Neill (Jack) Lynch RAAF, ROY RICE USAAF. Eliot also visited Baron Blomaert in Belgium. By an extraordinary coincidence I happen to know one of the ex-Resistants ladies who now lives near Beauvais and who belonged ot the Comete network which helped Eliot. She is not the lady who housed him, but she used to pick up airmen at the same mill in Northern France and remembered the names and places. Most of the men mentionned here went through her network, via Paris to Freteval. She only found out the names after 60 years because each connection was not supposed to know anything about the others.

 

Well Skipper I don't know what you could do for an encore. Your discoveries become more and more amazing. Yes I recall promising Pete Berry I would visit him at the Green Lantern in London. Sorry Pete, haven't made it there yet.
Would this lady of whom you speak have been called "DD"? If not then she may have known such a brave young girl. She was at one time betrayed at a rail station and detained for questioning. But somehow avoided further arrest and was released due to her youthfulness. She alerted her small group of fliers in time for them to evade capture.
One of these chaps was a Flt/Engineer in the RAF Who later became a neighbour of mine here in Canada. Jimmy passed away some 15 years ago. Some of the other names definitely ring a bell also. All I can say is thank you Skipper. Alex Campbell

 

I will have to dig this further, but this brigns me back to the lady I wrote to in 2006 and who could not identify you because she was not told names of the airman she escorted. She may however know who D.D. was . You are not talking about the american lady called Virginia, are you? She was arrested and deported to Ravensbruck, but she survived the war. I hope to find out more soon. I still have to drive there again. The best would be for the annual commemoration meeting, I would certainly find the last survivors there.

 

I'm not certain that I ever met Virginia. DD and her father were quite active in the Comete line. Her father did not survive the collapse of the line. She obviously did as her photo appears in Airey Neave's "Saturday at MI9" some years later.

 

I will go after that and try to find out if Virginia and D.D. are the same woman or two different women.

 

time for me to check the NJG or should say the single engine JG listings again for JG 300 and 301. most likely NJGr 10 and it's Fw 190A's did not come into play as they were on the east side of Berlin protecting the capital. Though I have to say that 4./NJGr 10 with Fw 190A-8's flew out of Holland but never claimed 1 victory as far as I am aware. NJG 11 and it's single engines did not come to operations till August of 44

be back with more ........

 

My grandfather, Sgt Lawrence Casey, was the tail gunner for 115 squadron (Lancasters). He was shot down near Stuttgart on March 15th, 1944 by Heinz Rokker. He survived and was captured and later released from Stalag Luft VI (Heydekrug) after the war ended.

My family would very much like to get in touch with Mr. Rokker to try to find more of the story! I've tried to search for his contact details, but I've not had any luck so far. Any help would be greatly appreciated, as my uncles are very keen to find out more about their father!