The story
On Sunday 16 July 1944, a member of the 207 Sqdn, Flight Lieutenant G L Jones, took off from Spilsby in the United Kingdom. His mission is mentioned elsewhere on WW2 History Europe. You can find the other details of this mission by searching here. Training and cargo flights are not separately mentioned as a mission. The plane left at 22:14.
He flew with a Avro Lancaster (type I, serial ME807, code EM-S).
Thank you for taking on this mission to preserve the past and honor those who server and gave the ultimate sacrifice.Pilot Officer Graham is my wife’s uncle and we have been planning a trip to visit his grave. So I have started some researce15 July 1944 bombing mission;Avro Lancaster Mark 1-EM-S, serial number: ME807Flight Lt Jones, G.L. Pilot RAFFlight Officer Dalgleish, E 2nd Pilot RAFFlight Officer Tickle, F. Navigator RAAFPilot Officer Woodland, B. Flight Engineer RAFPilot Officer Graham, F. G. Air Bomber RCAFSergeant Fellows, J. T. Wireless, Air Gunner RAFSergeant Gaut, R. A. Mid-Upper Gunner RAFPilot Officer Cantwell, M. J. W. Rear Gunner RCAF (20th operation)Mission to attack Nevers Rail Yards; consisted of 222 Lancaster ( from 207 and 467 Squadrons) and 7 Mosquitoes. 207 Squadron took off at 22:14 from Splilsby and 467 Squadron took off approx 22:30 from Waddington. Group split-up at the French coast. Half of the force headed for Nevers, 130 mile south of Paris, the other half headed to Chalons sur Marne 90 miles east of ParisCollision with ME 851 at 03:00 hours 16 July 1944Crashed Lignieres-de-Touraine. The town accounts state at 0130 hours people were awoken by terrible explosions and saw fire balls falling from the sky. They recovered 15 victims of the collisionCrew Buried in old town Cemetery at Church in Lignieres-de- Touraine. The town has conducted a ceremony every July 16 since the crash to honor their memory.Michael McLaughlinCampaign report of the USAAF:
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS
(Eighth Air Force): Mission 476: 1,087 bombers and 712 fighters are dispatched to hit targets in Germany; 11 bombers and 3 fighters are lost:
1. Of 407 B-17s, 213 hit an aircraft engine plant at Munich, 54 hit Augsburg, 52 hit Stuttgart and 50 hit 2 targets of opportunity; they claim 2-3-2 Luftwaffe aircraft; 10 B-17s are lost, 2 damaged beyond repair and 112 damaged; 2 airmen are KIA, 7 WIA and 81 MIA.
Escort is provided by 240 P-38s, P-47s and P-51s; 1 P-51 is lost (pilot is MIA).
2. Of 238 B-17s, 206 hit Stuttgart and 2 hit a target of opportunity; 1 B-17 is lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 45 damaged; 1 airman is WIA and 10 MIA.
Escort is provided by 214 P-38s, P-47s and P-51s; 1 P-51 is lost (pilot is MIA).
3. 407 of 442 B-24s hit the marshalling yards at Saarbrucken; 2 B-24s are damaged beyond repair and 45 damaged; 1 airman is KIA and 3 WIA.
Escort is provided by 169 P-38s and P-47s; 1 P-38 is lost and 1 damaged beyond repair.
Mission 477: 5 of 5 B-17s drop leaflets in France during the night.
24 B-24s fly CARPETBAGGER missions during the night.
TACTICAL OPERATIONS
(Ninth Air Force): Major General Paul L Williams, Commanding General IX Troop Carrier Command, arrives in Italy from the UK, and activates the Provisional Troop Carrier Division which will take part in the invasion of S France.
In France, about 375 B-26s and A-20s, during morning and evening operations, bomb strongpoints in the Saint-Lo area, bridges in the frontline area, and bridges and a fuel dump SE of Rennes; and fighters escort the bombers and fly armed reconnaissance over the frontlines in the Chateaudun- Orleans-Tours areas.
In England, a detachment of the 422d Night Fighter Squadron, 71st Fighter Wing, based at Scorton, begins operating from Ford with P-61s.
Campaign report of the RAF:
15/16 July 1944
234 aircraft - 162 Halifaxes, 58 Lancasters, 14 Mosquitos - carried out accurate attacks in the Bois des Jardins flying bomb launch site and the Nucourt supply dump. 1 Halifax lost.
222 Lancasters and 7 Mosquitos attacked railway yards at Chalons sur Marne and Nevers. Both raids were successful. 3 aircraft lost, 2 Lancasters from the Nevers raid and 1 Lancaster from Chalons.
Support and 162 aircraft from 7 different groups on a diversionary sweep over the North Sea, 36 Mosquitos to Berlin, 25 RCM sorties, 45 Mosquito patrols, 6 Lancasters minelaying off Denmark, 11 aircraft on Resistance operations. 1 minelaying Lancaster lost.
Total effort for the night: 748 sorties, 5 aircraft (0.7 per cent) lost.
16 July 1944
30 Lancasters and 3 Mosquitos of No 8 Group bombed the flying-bomb launching site at St Philibert Ferme through thick cloud. No aircraft lost.
16/17 July 1944
38 Mosquitos attacked the synthetic-oil plant at Homberg without loss.
4 Stirlings minelaying off Brest, 5 OTU sorties, 8 Mosquitos on flying-bomb patrols. No aircraft lost.
With thanks to the RAF and USAAF.net!This record can also be found on the maps of WW2 History Europe with Google coordinates. You can find the maps by clicking on this link on this location.
There are several possibilities to investigate the flight records on WW2 History Europe. All the flights are plotted on maps, sorted "day by day", "by squadron", "by type aircraft", "by year or month", "by location" and much more! Don't miss this!!!
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