Re: Australian Aircrew Crew Losses - WW2 Files
Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2014 8:58 pm
Short Stirling & RAF Bomber Command Forum
Lancaster I R5493 KM-M RAF 44 Squadron
Operation Gardening24/25th March 1942
The crew of this Lancaster took off from RAF Conningsby at 1950 hours from
RAF Waddington. A Frenchman, Pierre Penhoet,who was attached to the
Royal Navy M.T.B. Flotilla,observed R5493 being hit by flax,and then explode
in mid air,and crashing into the sea in the vicinity of the north east coast of
the Isle de Groix.
A young French boy in a canoe found the wallet beloning to Sergeant Clifford,
which he found in a part uniform pocket.In the wallet he found snapshots,and
a RAF Form 1250.
Pierre Penhoet who was on leave in Brittany at the time was given the wallet
and its contents,which he handed over to his Royal Royal Navy Officer when
he returned to duty.Who then forwarded them to Air Ministry.
The remains of Sergeant Clifford were buried on the Island,and some kind
villagers placed flowers on his grave,and for their humanity were given six
months imprisonment by the Germans.
As for the opther seven members of this crew,their bodies were never found.
found.
After the war the grave of Sergeant Clifford could not be located and he and
his fellow crew members are all remembered with honour on The Air Forces
Memorial Runnymede.
The crew:
Flight Sergeant L. Warren-Smith RAFVR +
Sergeant R.A.Marston RAFVR +
Sergeant A.F.Murdock RAFVR +
Sergeant C.E.W. Clfford RAAF +
Sergeant J.Boyd RAFVR +
Sergeant E.B.Cluff RAFVR +
Sergeant W.H.Flower RAFVR +
Flight Sergeant J.McN. Davidson RAFVR +
We Shall Remember Them
Lancaster I R5493 KM-M RAF 44 Squadron
Operation Gardening24/25th March 1942
The crew of this Lancaster took off from RAF Conningsby at 1950 hours from
RAF Waddington. A Frenchman, Pierre Penhoet,who was attached to the
Royal Navy M.T.B. Flotilla,observed R5493 being hit by flax,and then explode
in mid air,and crashing into the sea in the vicinity of the north east coast of
the Isle de Groix.
A young French boy in a canoe found the wallet beloning to Sergeant Clifford,
which he found in a part uniform pocket.In the wallet he found snapshots,and
a RAF Form 1250.
Pierre Penhoet who was on leave in Brittany at the time was given the wallet
and its contents,which he handed over to his Royal Royal Navy Officer when
he returned to duty.Who then forwarded them to Air Ministry.
The remains of Sergeant Clifford were buried on the Island,and some kind
villagers placed flowers on his grave,and for their humanity were given six
months imprisonment by the Germans.
As for the opther seven members of this crew,their bodies were never found.
found.
After the war the grave of Sergeant Clifford could not be located and he and
his fellow crew members are all remembered with honour on The Air Forces
Memorial Runnymede.
The crew:
Flight Sergeant L. Warren-Smith RAFVR +
Sergeant R.A.Marston RAFVR +
Sergeant A.F.Murdock RAFVR +
Sergeant C.E.W. Clfford RAAF +
Sergeant J.Boyd RAFVR +
Sergeant E.B.Cluff RAFVR +
Sergeant W.H.Flower RAFVR +
Flight Sergeant J.McN. Davidson RAFVR +
We Shall Remember Them