Date: 3/4th May 1944
Unit: No. 460 Squadron (R.A.A.F.)
Type: Lancaster III
Serial: JB741
Code: AR-J
Base: Binbrook
Location: Dommartin-Lettree, Marne
Pilot: P/O. Francis William Baker 54076 R.A.F. Age ? Killed
Fl/Eng: Sgt. James William Ranger 1832973 R.A.F.V.R. Age 19. Killed
Nav: P/O. Willis Henry Thompson J/88089 R.C.A.F. Age 27. Killed
Air/Bmr: Fl/Sgt. Wilfred Bernard Martin (Barney) R/176165 R.C.A.F. Age 23. Killed (1)
W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. George Edward O'Neill 1713620 R.A.F.V.R. Age ? Killed
Air/Gnr: Sgt. William Cochrane Maxwell 1345994 R.A.F.V.R. Age 21. Killed
Air/Gnr: Sgt. Harry Penrice Black 1823613 R.A.F.V.R. Age 19. Killed
REASON FOR LOSS:
JB741 took off at 21.56 hrs from Binbrook, Lincolnshire to join an attack on a German tank training and repair facility near the town of Mailly-le-Camp, France. Seventeen aircraft from 460 (RAAF) Squadron were briefed. 17 x 4000 lb. bombs and 270 x 500 lb. bombs were carried. JB741 was one of six 460 Squadron Lancaster's lost on the Mailly operation.
The other five were ME728; ME740; LM531; ND630; ND860. The attack destroyed 114 barrack buildings, 47 transport sheds, several ammunition buildings and 102 vehicles that included 37 tanks. 218 German soldiers were killed and 156 injured. Most of the casualties were Panzer N.C.O.s. There were no French casualties through bombing but some people were killed when a Lancaster crashed on their house.
Fl/Sgt. Wilfred Bernard Martin (Barney) (Courtesy Gordon Forrest)
The control of this raid in the target area failed to operate according to plan. The initial low-level markers were accurate and were well backed up by Lancaster marker aircraft.
The 'Marker Leader', Wing Commander Cheshire, ordered the Main Force to come in and bomb but the 'Main Force Controller', Wing Commander L.C.Deane, could not transmit the order to do so to the waiting Lancaster's because his V.H.F. radio set was being drowned by an American forces broadcast and his wireless transmitter was wrongly tuned.
The main attack eventually started when the Deputy Controller, Squadron Leader E.N.M. Sparks took over. German fighters arrived during the delay and bomber casualties were heavy.
Actual crash site of Lancaster III JB741. Gentleman inside the 30 Mtr. crater is Henri Moussy who was the school teacher at Dommartin-Lettree. Crashing with full bomb load made positive identification of most of the crew impossible. (Courtesy Gordon Forrest)
Night-fighter attacks continued over the target and on the return route.
Among the aircraft shot down was that of Squadron Leader Sparks, who stayed over the target to the end. Sparks evaded capture and soon returned to England. A total of 42 Lancaster's were lost, 11.6% of the force. Of the two attack waves, the second (including JB741), consisting of 173 aircraft, suffered the most casualties - 28 aircraft were lost. Most heavily hit was No. 460 (Australian) Squadron, stationed at Binbrook. They lost 5 out of the 17 aircraft dispatched. The book "Battle Under the Moon" notes that JB741 was hit while on its bombing run to the target.
The kill is credited to Oblt. Richard Delakowitz from 7./NJG4. Combat took place 20 kilometres SSW of Chalons-Sur-Marne at a very low height of 100 metres. Time: 00.31 hrs. Oblt. Richard Delakowitz had 3 kills in the area that night and finished the war with a total of 7 night fighter kills. Eye witnesses reported the aircraft on fire with the night fighter in pursuit and still shooting. It lost a wing before crashing. The wing was found much later standing vertically between two pine trees.
(1) Bernard Lake in Saskatchewan is named after Flt/Sgt. Martin
Burial details:
P/O. Francis William Baker. Dommartin-Lettree Churchyard Collective grave 2-3
No further details as yet.
Sgt. James William Ranger. Dommartin-Lettree Churchyard Collective grave 2-3
Son of George Palmer Ranger and Ellen Edith Ranger, of Bethnal Green, London.
P/O. Willis Henry Thompson. Dommartin-Lettree Churchyard Collective grave 2-3
Son of John Henry and Marie J. Thompson, of Windsor, Ontario Canada.
Fl/Sgt. Wilfred Bernard Martin (Barney). Dommartin-Lettree Churchyard Collective grave 2-3
Son of Thomas and Marie Therese Martin, of Daylesford, Saskatchewan, Canada.
Sgt. George Edward O'Neill. Dommartin-Lettree Churchyard Collective grave 2-3
No further details as yet.
Sgt. William Cochrane Maxwell. Dommartin-Lettree Churchyard Collective grave 2-3
Son of William Cochrane Maxwell, and of Mary Andrew Maxwell, of Glasgow.
Sgt. Harry Penrice Black. Dommartin-Lettree Churchyard Grave 1
Son of Harry Leadbetter Black and Mary Alexander Penrice Black, of Edinburgh.
For Gordon Forrest relative of Fl/Sgt. Wilfred Bernard Martin (Barney) Who also supplied extensive exhumation details of the crew.
With thanks to the following: Bill Chorley - "Bomber Command Losses Vol 3", Martin Middlebrook "Bomber Command War Diaries". The Commonwealth Graves Commission.
