Intro Lancaster LL902 EM-A

[Gail1701]

Recently unearthed this photograph of our dear Uncle Derek Brundle who was involved in the St Leu D’Esserent Raid 8 July 1944 with 207 Squadron. One crewman sadly lost his life as they were attacked by 2 night fighters. Can anybody put names to faces?Derek is standing far left. I believe George Dewhurst Chesworth is the tall gent standing far right.

 

[Bombardier]

I found this piece of info

In addition to the 5 crews that failed to return, there was a further fatality. Sgt John Butterworth, mid-upper gunner of LL902/EM-A (F/O Eric Oakes) was killed in an attack by two nightfighters and is buried in Manchester Southern Cemetery; the aircraft returned safely with the rest of the crew, including were the late Association members George Chesworth and Derek Brundle (uncle of the motor racing tv commentator Martin Brundle).

As a result of the attacks on the 4th/5th and 7th/8th July a total of 92 downed aircrew were on the run in northern France, of whom 52 successfully evaded.

Just as a point of interest I live in Manchester and not far from Southern Cemetery, I will see if I can visit his grave, take a photo and see what other information is available.

Rest in peace Sgt Butterworth and thank you for your service

 

[Bombardier]

 

[Bombardier]

Although this picture was post the original incident it describes the later fate of LL902-EMA

Avro Lancaster Mk I LL902 EM-A

• sas
• Feb 2, 2014
• 10
• 207 squadron raf avro lancaster bomber bomber command royal air force world war two

 

[BCNTM]

View attachment 372307
View attachment 372308

Recently unearthed this photograph of our dear Uncle Derek Brundle who was involved in the St Leu D’Esserent Raid 8 July 1944 with 207 Squadron. One crewman sadly lost his life as they were attacked by 2 night fighters. Can anybody put names to faces?Derek is standing far left. I believe George Dewhurst Chesworth is the tall gent standing far right.

Eric Oakes is the one in the middle back row - he is sporting wings on his uniform - Pilot

George Chesworth is more than likely the gentleman on the front row kneeling and to the left - his Sergeant stripes have a crown above them indicating Flight Sergeant

The second one in from the right and the bottom right are the two gunners?

GWJ Ainsworth is probably far right - back row - as his badge is slightly smaller than the others and thinner - bomb aimer

It is a pity the badges are all the same shape, just with the initial of their job in the roundel at the bottom

 

[Gail1701]

I found this piece of info

In addition to the 5 crews that failed to return, there was a further fatality. Sgt John Butterworth, mid-upper gunner of LL902/EM-A (F/O Eric Oakes) was killed in an attack by two nightfighters and is buried in Manchester Southern Cemetery; the aircraft returned safely with the rest of the crew, including were the late Association members George Chesworth and Derek Brundle (uncle of the motor racing tv commentator Martin Brundle).

As a result of the attacks on the 4th/5th and 7th/8th July a total of 92 downed aircrew were on the run in northern France, of whom 52 successfully evaded.

Just as a point of interest I live in Manchester and not far from Southern Cemetery, I will see if I can visit his grave, take a photo and see what other information is available.

Rest in peace Sgt Butterworth and thank you for your service

Thank you so much! That would be absolutely awesome. I know our Uncle Derek and John Butterworth were great friends. Thank you for such a lovely gesture.

 

[Gail1701]

Eric Oakes is the one in the middle back row - he is sporting wings on his uniform - Pilot

George Chesworth is more than likely the gentleman on the front row kneeling and to the left - his Sergeant stripes have a crown above them indicating Flight Sergeant

The second one in from the right and the bottom right are the two gunners?

GWJ Ainsworth is probably far right - back row - as his badge is slightly smaller than the others and thinner - bomb aimer

It is a pity the badges are all the same shape, just with the initial of their job in the roundel at the bottom

Many thanks for this. I had thought that the man kneeling in the front row would be the wireless operator due to the shoulder badge. I have several other photos of the crew which I will post and I feel that GWJ Ainsworth is the man standing second left. The other photo I have shows him holding a bomb of some sort in his hand.

 

[Ainsworth]

Eric Oakes is the one in the middle back row - he is sporting wings on his uniform - Pilot

George Chesworth is more than likely the gentleman on the front row kneeling and to the left - his Sergeant stripes have a crown above them indicating Flight Sergeant

The second one in from the right and the bottom right are the two gunners?

GWJ Ainsworth is probably far right - back row - as his badge is slightly smaller than the others and thinner - bomb aimer

It is a pity the badges are all the same shape, just with the initial of their job in the roundel at the bottom

GW Ainsworth is 2nd from the left, back row. He is my father.

 

[Ainsworth]

View attachment 372307
View attachment 372308

Recently unearthed this photograph of our dear Uncle Derek Brundle who was involved in the St Leu D’Esserent Raid 8 July 1944 with 207 Squadron. One crewman sadly lost his life as they were attacked by 2 night fighters. Can anybody put names to faces?Derek is standing far left. I believe George Dewhurst Chesworth is the tall gent standing far right.

GW Ainsworth is the second man from the left in the back row.

 

[Robert Oakes]

I came across this series of posts whilst researching the war records of my late father, namely Eric Oakes.
I found the contents very interesting and I had never seen the photo of the crew.
I have his logbook which details the flights he made, including all the bombing raids carried out by the crew.
After he retired he wrote his war memoirs which did not progress beyond the draft stage.
Just in case anyone is interested I have written below a brief resume of his recollections of the period when the crew were together.

Pilot Officer Oakes returned to the UK in October‭ ‬1943‭ ‬and commenced final training at‭ ‬“82‭ ‬Operational Training Unit‭ (‬OTU‭)‬,‭ ‬RAF Ossington‭”‬.‭ ‬It was here that the crew came together and they remained together during operational duties..‭ ‬The aircraft flown was the Vickers Wellington.

The crew then moved to‭ ‬“1657‭ ‬Stirling Conversion Unit at Stradishall,‭ ‬Suffolk‭”‬ where the aircraft flown was the Short Stirling four-engined bomber.

In March‭ ‬1944‭ the crew moved to No.3‭ ‬Lancaster Finishing School at RAF Feltwell‭ ‬and then onto‭ ‬207‭ ‬Squadron at RAF Spilsby to commence operational duties.

The crew was on operations between‭ ‬7th April‭ ‬1944‭ ‬and‭ ‬25‭ ‬August‭ ‬1944.‭ ‬During this period only one member of his original crew was killed following a bombing raid on St.‭ ‬Leu d‭’‬Esserent.

St.‭ ‬Leu d‭’‬Esserent was a complex of caves near the town of the same name in the Oise valley some‭ ‬30‭ ‬miles north of Paris.‭ ‬Originally created by the extraction of limestone,‭ ‬these caves had for two years been enlarged by the Germans to become their largest V1‭ ‬assembly and storage facility.‭ ‬The roof was‭ ‬25‭ ‬feet thick,‭ ‬mostly of stone‭; ‬the underground store had three entrances and was conveniently near a railway line.
After an attack on St.‭ ‬Leu by the‭ ‬8th USAAF in June‭ ‬1944‭ ‬four further attacks were carried out by the RAF to deny the Germans the use of the caves.‭ ‬The crew were part of the first and third attacks.‭ ‬The third raid was on the night of‭ ‬7th/8th July‭ ‬1944‭ ‬when‭ ‬221‭ ‬aircraft,‭ ‬mostly‭ ‬5‭ ‬Group Lancasters,‭ ‬but with some Pathfinders,‭ ‬carried out a night attack‭;‬ 16‭ ‬Lancasters from‭ ‬207‭ ‬Sqn took off from Spilsby just after midnight.‭ ‬The bombing was accurately directed on to the access tunnels and approach roads.‭ ‬German fighters inflicted heavy losses on this raid‭ ‬-‭ ‬31‭ ‬aircraft failed to return,‭ ‬including‭ ‬5‭ ‬from‭ ‬207‭ ‬Squadron.‭ ‬This was the crews‭ ‬25‭ ‬operation.
The aircraft had completed the raid and was halfway back across the English Channel when it was attacked by two German fighters.‭ The Lancaster was manoeuvred toward the sea and eventually the two fighters left the area presumably assuming it would crash.‭ ‬The mid-upper gunner had been killed and the aircraft was badly damaged leaving only one engine and no undercarriage.‭ Radio contact was eventually made and the aircraft crashed landed at an American Naval Air Base at Ford on the south coast west of Brighton.
There were no further casualties.‭ ‬

In total,‭ The crew flew‭ ‬34‭ ‬bombing missions in Lancaster Bombers over Germany and France.‭

 

[Bombardier]

Thanks for the info @Robert Oakes and welcome aboard

 

[Robert Oakes]

I have found a number of photos of the crew before flying.

the crew.