Form 540 report on loss of 626 Squadron crew

Form 540 report on loss of 626 Squadron crew

Notes that Lancaster RF159 crashed on 7 August 1945 at Lamontelaire France. Gives details of crew members and their arrival dates on 626 Squadron. Gives latitude and longitude of crash site near Toulouse. Crew initially buried at Angles and notes that crash site is in remote area some 88 km east/north east of Toulouse. Note that two crew members including Sgt I T Handley and Sgt R M marshall were not flying on that operation. Crew buried in Mazargues Cemetery Extension, Marseilles.

1945-08

One page printed document

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MHandleyIT2205484-170924-02

[underlined] AIR 27-2145 [/underlined] [underlined] FORM 541 [/underlined] [underlined] 626 SQDN [/underlined] [underlined] AUGUST 1945 [/underlined]

[underlined] 7/8/45 EXERCISE “DODGE” [/underlined]
[underlined] Lanc I RF 159 (UM - “C2”) [/underlined] [underlined] T/O: 07.14[/underlined] [underlined] Crash site: “LAMONTELAIRE” ( [symbol 1] )
Capt 198111 P/O CHANCELLOR C.R. (*) Killed Grave 67 (Plot 3; Row E) ( [symbol 2] )
2nd pilot 172785 F/O PHILLIPS N.S. (**) Killed Grave 64 (Plot 3; Row E) ( [symbol 2] )
Nav 1801143 F/S KIRK J.F. (*) Killed Grave 65 (Plot 3; Row E) ( [symbol 2] )
W/T 1322196 W/O COOK D.R. (*) Killed Grave 66 (Plot 3; Row E) ( [symbol 2] )
P/F/E 198723 P/O BRANCH C.R. (*) Killed Grave 63 (Plot 3; Row E) ( [symbol 2] )
M/U 2206001 F/S WILKINSON J.E. (*) Killed Grave 62 (Plot 3; Row E) ( [symbol 2] )

(*) These 5 crew members were posted to 626 Sqdn from 1667 C.U. on 26/3/45.
(**) F/O Phillips was posted to 626 Sqdn from 1656 C.U. on 28/6/45.
( [symbol 2] ) All 6 crew members are buried in Mazargues Cemetery Extension. Marseilles (Fr. 1751)
( [symbol 1] ) Crash Site is variously given as “Lamonelenia” (AHB); “near Toulouse” (AIR 27-2145); “near Carcassonne” & “ near Lamont Farnand, nr Farbes” (AIR 28-945). This latter documt [sic] also states “final position approx. 43.35N/02.35E, near village of Lamontelenia”. The crew was initially buried at “ANGLÈS” at 43.35N/02.35E (AIR 280945 incorrectly states “ANGLE protestant Cemetery). The village of LAMONTÉLARIÉ is some 10kms N/N.E of ANGLÈS, in very remote and rugged terrain which, allowing for mis-spellings, matches with the above “final crash site position”. The correct crash site is undoubtedly “The village of LAMONTÉLARIÉ (43.35N/02.35E), some 88kms east/north-east of Toulouse”.

[underlined] NOTE: [/underlined] The B/A (1671296, Sgt R.M. Marshall) and R/G (2205484, Sgt I.T. Handley, now W/R 386) who were original members of this crew, were not on the above operation. Both are recorded as being posted out from 626 Sqdn in October 1945.
Fuller details of this incident can be found on Form 540 entries for 7, 8 & 10 August 1945 in document “AIR 28-945” (“RAF Station, Wickenby”).