Date: 13/14th July 1943
Time: 02.10 hrs
Unit: No. 115 Squadron R.A.F.
Type: Avro Lancaster Mk. II
Serial No. DS690
Code: ?
Base: East Wretham, Norfolk.
Location: Les Hayons, Luxembourg, 5 km NE of Bouillon, Belgium.
CREW:
Squadron Leader Robert Alexander Graville Baird 70789 Age 33 Killed
Sergeant J. E. C. Odendaal POW (From southern Rhodesia.)
Flying Officer William James Moorcroft R.A.F.V.R. 127974 Age 22. Killed
Sergeant Robert Alfred Walker R.A.F.V.R. 1235107 Age 21. Killed
Sergeant Edwin Smith R.A.F.V.R. 1330882 Age ? Killed
Flight Sergeant Nicholas Auber Benjamin Robinson 406795 Age 31. Killed
Sergeant Harold Matthews R.A.F.V.R. 1318179 Age 19. Killed
REASON FOR LOSS:
Lancaster DS 690 took-off from its base at East Wretham at 23.59 hours to attack Aachen, Germany.
The following account extracted from the Bomber Command War Diaries;
A strong tail wind brought the first waves of the main force into the target area before zero hour with the result that, when the first Pathfinder markers were released, an unusually large number of aircraft bombed in the first minutes of the raid. Visibility was good and large areas of Aachen appeared to burst into flames at once. 2,927 individual buildings were destroyed, 294 people were killed and 745 injured, 28,000 people appear to have fled the town and were still absent when the new ration cards were issued nearly 7 weeks later.
R.A.F. aircraft lost were 15 Halifaxes, 2 Lancasters, 2 Wellingtons and 1 Stirling.
From the time given to the loss of S/L Baird's Lancaster we can assume that the aircraft was returning home from the target. German night-fighter pilot's were very active during the defence of Aachen. Lancaster DS690 was claimed by Hptm August Geiger of III/NJG1.
Approximately 10 weeks after the loss of Lancaster DS690, Hptm August Geiger (aged 23) with his Radio/Op Fw Dietrich Koch (aged 22) lost their lives when their Messerschmitt Bf 110G-4 with the Wnr.5477 was shot down by an R.A.F. Beaufighter night fighter. The machine crashed 10 km NW of Harderwijk, Holland.
Sergeant Harold Matthews killed in action (via Emma Loveridge) The graves at Les Hayons Churchyard Belgium. Photograph courtesy of Jean-Michel Dominique (Inmemories-Belgium - See links)
Burial details:
Those who lost their lives lie in a collective grave at the Les Hayons Cemetery, Belgium.
Squadron Leader Robert Alexander Graville Baird 70789
D.O.B. 15/04/1910. The Hon. Son of John Lawrence Baird, P.C., G.C.M.G., D.S.O., 1st Viscount Stonehaven, and of Ethel Countess of Kintore (nee Ethel Sydney Keith Falconer); husband of Dorviegelda Malvina Baird (Nee MacGregor), of Great Waltham.
Flying Officer William James Moorcroft R.A.F.V.R. 127974
Son of Robert and Elizabeth Margaret Moorcroft, of Maghull, Lancashire.
Sergeant Robert Alfred Walker R.A.F.V.R. 1235107
Son of Horace Thomas Walker and Alice Isobel Walker, of Ramsey, Isle of Man.
Sergeant Edwin Smith R.A.F.V.R. 1330882
No further details as yet.
Flight Sergeant Nicholas Auber Benjamin Robinson 406795
Son of Auber Benjamin and Elizabeth Margaret Ivy Robinson, of Esperence, Western Australia.
Sergeant Harold Matthews R.A.F.V.R. 1318179
Son of George and Alice M. Matthews, of South Croydon, Surrey.
With thanks to the following: Bill Chorley - "Bomber Command Losses Vol 3", Martin Middlebrook "Bomber Command War Diaries". The C.W.G.C.
