Date: 30th January 1946. At around 18.15 hrs (1)
Unit: No. 525 Squadron R.A.F. (Transport Command) (+ crews from 187 squadron - we understand that they are either about to transfer to 525 squadron or were attached)
Type: DC-3 Dakota.
Serial: KN500.
Coded: WF-
Location: 7 miles South of Le Mans, France.
Pilot: Flight Lieutenant SHEPHARD, HARRY RAYMOND. 106979. R.A.F.V.R. Age 23. Killed.
Co/Pilot: Flight Lieutenant TUGWELL, STEPHEN MAURICE. 158016. R.A.F.V.R. Age 25. Killed.
Navigator: Flying Officer STEPHEN, JAMES. 181480. R.A.F.V.R. Age 25. Killed.
Passengers:
Wop/AG: Warrant Officer EDWARDS, JOSEPH EDMUND. 1425499. R.A.F.V.R. Age 23. Killed.
Pilot: Flying Officer BAIN, VICTOR ALBERT. 196750. R.A.F.V.R. Age 27. Killed.
Wop: Flight Sergeant BARTLETT, ERIC EDWARD. 1851891. R.A.F.V.R. Age 20. Killed.
Navigator: Flying Officer BROWN, NORMAN LESLIE. 184107. R.A.F.V.R. Age 25. Killed.
Navigator: Flight Lieutenant ELIAS, LANCELOT BENJAMIN ALBERT. D.F.C. 134167. R.A.F.V.R. Age 24. Killed.
Pilot: Flight Lieutenant FUNNELL, VICTOR FRANK. 89804. R.A.F.V.R. Age 31. Killed.
Pilot: Flight Lieutenant KNOWLES, THOMAS. 141092. R.A.F.V.R. Age 24. Killed.
Pilot: Flight Lieutenant SCOTT, ARTHUR WILLIAM ATKINSON. 154713. R.A.F.V.R. Age 22. Killed.
(1) Although this loss occurred post war - many of this crew had distinguished war service we decided to place a special "Honour Page" to them. (We are planning a further section for post war air accidents where further "pages of honour" can be placed for otherwise lost stories)
REASON FOR LOSS:
This aircraft crashed in a storm after entering cloud 7 miles south of Le Mans, returning to its base at Membury, Berkshire, on a flight from North Africa. There were eleven airmen on board all from 525 squadron, 6 pilots, 3 navigators, and 2 Wop/AGs, all were tragically killed.
DC-3
Above: F/O Victor Bain and newspaper reporting the tragic accident
The superb memorial placed to the crew and passengers
Graves 1946
Graves 1994
Funeral for the crew and passengers 1946
BURIAL DETAILS:
All those killed were buried at LE GRAND-LUCE WAR CEMETERY, FRANCE. (Row C is the back row on the right in the photo "graves 1994")
Flying Officer BAIN, VICTOR ALBERT. Row C. Grave 11.
Son of George William and Elenora Emily Bain; husband of Bessie Bain, of Brighton, Sussex.
Flight Sergeant BARTLETT, ERIC EDWARD. Row C. Grave 2.
Son of William John and Bertha Gwendoline Bartlett, of Upper Parkstone, Dorsetshire.
Flying Officer BROWN, NORMAN LESLIE. Row C. Grave 9.
Son of Sidney and Edith Brown, of Walthamstow, Essex; husband of Mary Jane Brown. of Walthamstow.
Warrant Officer EDWARDS, JOSEPH EDMUND. Row C. Grave 7.
Son of Joseph John and Gertrude Alice Edwards, of Loughborough, Leicestershire.
Flight Lieutenant ELIAS, LANCELOT BENJAMIN ALBERT. Row C. Grave 4.
Son of Trevor William and Eleanor Maud Elias, of Hereford.
Flight Lieutenant FUNNELL, VICTOR FRANK. Row C. Grave 5.
Son of Thomas Henry and Kate Elizabeth Funnell, of East Sheen, Surrey; husband of Winifred Madge Funnell.
Flight Lieutenant KNOWLES, THOMAS. Row C. Grave 1.
Son of Thomas Hugill and Constance May Knowles, of Old Trafford, Manchester; husband of Margaret Eve Knowles.
Flight Lieutenant SCOTT, ARTHUR WILLIAM ATKINSON. Row C. Grave 10.
Son of Arthur and Lilian Scott, of Folkestone.
Flight Lieutenant SHEPHARD, HARRY RAYMOND. Row C. Grave 3.
Son of Herbert and Gladys Ethel Shephard, of Tring, Hertfordshire.
Flying Officer STEPHEN, JAMES. Row C. Grave 8.
Son of Thomas and Annie Lavery Stephen of Glasgow; husband of Eliza Gillette Stephen, of Glasgow.
Flight Lieutenant TUGWELL, STEPHEN MAURICE. Row C. Grave 6.
Son of Ernest and Eva Tugwell, of Cardiff; husband of Mary Elizabeth Tugwell, of Alberton, Prince Edward Island, Canada.
We appreciate the great assistance of Colin Bain, son of Victor Bain, for supplying us with a great deal of information and photographs. If any other relative of the crew members would like to contact us and supply information to this loss we would greatly appreciate it.
On the 3rd May 2008 a memorial service was held in memory of this tragic loss. Further information will follow on this but we would like to express our sincere gratitude to Gerard Chartier for the photographs used - we have since received further information on this splendid memorial and a page will be made shortly with some of the information supplied.
Some amazing photographs have recently been sent to the Aircrew Remembrance Society and we are extremely pleased to be able to co-operate with Colin Bain (Son of Victor Bain) and also some superb French Researchers including a Mr. Gérard Chartier. These people donate hours and hours of their time (and indeed money) to assist in the memory of fallen aircrew.
The selection above show the original funeral service and also some of the superb memorial service held this year to the crew and passengers of this tragic accident. The last picture on this page shows Colin at his father's grave in 1994.
Letter below showing the letter sent to Mrs Bain regarding her pension entitlements.
