18 avril 1944 158 Squadron - LY-FONTAINE


Une semaine après un premier raid sur les installations ferroviaires de Tergnier, les bombardiers du 4 group de la Royal Air Force reviennent sur le même objectif pour achever la mission qui s'inscrit dans le plan "Transportation" opération de bombardement stratégique de ponts, routes, tunnels, voies navigables, voies ferrées et gares ferroviaires prévoyant la paralysie maximale de tous les moyens de transport et d'acheminement de renforts allemands vers l'endroit où le débarquement des troupes alliées doit avoir lieu.


Base de Lissett dans le Yorkshire (UK). - Le Halifax type B III - s/n LV946 appartenant au 158 Squadron - NP # K, décolle à 20 h 59. Il participe au bombardement mais entre en collision avec un autre quadrimoteur Halifax du 51 squadron (LW522).

Le Halifax type B III - s/n LV946 (158 Squadron - NP # K) s'écrase sur le territoire de Ly-Fontaine à 13 km au sud de Saint-Quentin. Les sept membres d'équipage n'ont pas survécu. Ils seront inhumés par la suite dans le cimetière britannique de Seraucourt-le-Grand, à quelques kilomètres du crash.


Equipage :

F/O William Adrian HUGUES pilote, de la Royal Canadian Air Force

Flying Officer WILLIAM ADRIAN HUGHES
Service Number: J/14859
Royal Canadian Air Force
158 (R.A.F.) Sqdn.
Date of Death : Died 18 April 1944
Age 31 years old
Buried at GRAND-SERAUCOURT BRITISH CEMETERY (Aisne)
7. G. 8.
Country of Service Canadian
Additional Info : Son of Richard and Anthonia Hughes; husband of Annetta A. Hughes, of Hollywood, California, U.S.A.
Personal Inscription : TO ONE WHO LOVED HIS COUNTRY AND FREEDOM ENOUGH TO FIGHT AND DIE FOR THEM

"F/O HUGUES RCAF was an american from Hollywood in California. He was engaged on his tenth sortie."
in : Royal Air Force Bomber Command Losses, W R CHORLEY, année 1944

voir également :

https://www.veterans.gc.ca/en/remembran ... il/2689395

&

158 Squadron Association "Strength in Unity"
https://www.158squadron.co.uk/personnel/detail/1130



Sergeant Owen McDavid BROWN, mécanicien,

Sergeant OWEN MCDAVID BROWN
Service Number: 1822937
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
158 Sqdn.
Date of Death : Died 18 April 1944
Age 19 years old
Buried at
GRAND-SERAUCOURT BRITISH CEMETERY (Aisne)
7. G. 7.
Country of Service : United Kingdom
Additional Info : Son of Owen J. Brown and Janet Brown, of Dumfries.
Personal Inscription : TO LIVE IN THE HEARTS OF THOSE WE LOVE IS NOT TO DIE


F/Sergeant Frank SALMOND, navigateur,

Flight Sergeant FRANK SALMOND
Service Number: 657616
Royal Air Force
158 Sqdn.
Date of Death : Died 18 April 1944
Age 28 years old
Buried at
GRAND-SERAUCOURT BRITISH CEMETERY (Aisne)
7. G. 16.
Country of Service : United Kingdom
Additional Info : Son of James and Johan R. Salmond, of Craigiebank, Dundee.


F/O Bertram Alfonso TREWIN, bombardier,

Flying Officer BERTRAM ALFONSO TREWIN
Service Number: J/25701
Royal Canadian Air Force
158 (R.A.F.) Sqdn.
Date of Death : Died 18 April 1944
Buried at
GRAND-SERAUCOURT BRITISH CEMETERY (Aisne)
7. G. 11.
Country of Service : Canadian


W/O James Alfred LEAVER, radio,

Warrant Officer JAMES ALFRED LEAVER
Service Number: 412455
Royal Australian Air Force
Date of Death : Died 18 April 1944
Age 22 years old
Buried at
GRAND-SERAUCOURT BRITISH CEMETERY (Aisne)
7. G. 5.
Country of Service : Australian
Additional Info : Son of Alfred Ernest and Florence Margaret Leaver, of Yenda, New South Wales, Australia.
Personal Inscription : HIS DUTY NOBLY AND FEARLESSLY DONE


F/Sgt James HEYES, mitrailleur,

Flight Sergeant JAMES HEYES
Service Number: 547937
Royal Air Force
158 Sqdn.
Date of Death : Died 18 April 1944
Buried at GRAND-SERAUCOURT BRITISH CEMETERY (Aisne)
7. G. 4.
Country of Service : United Kingdom


F/O Ronald STAKES, mitrailleur,

Flying Officer RONALD STAKES
Service Number: 132016
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
158 Sqdn.
Date of Death : Died 18 April 1944
Age 23 years old
Buried at
GRAND-SERAUCOURT BRITISH CEMETERY (Aisne)
7. G. 17.
Country of Service : United Kingdom
Additional Info : Son of Harold and Elsie May Stakes, of Wakefield, Yorkshire; husband of Rose Edith Stakes, of Wakefield.
Personal Inscription : DIED FOR HIS COUNTRY. REMEMBERED BY ALL


Sources : Commonwealth war graves commission



Cordialement
Eric Abadie