419 Squadron RCAF 1941 to 1945 Crew of Lancaster KB755

Crew of Lancaster KB755

Night of August 7/8, 1944 -France

The almost constant streams of bombers passing over their village kept the people of Auberville la Renault from their sleep. Bomber Command would make its third showing over the Caen battle field on this night in August. A large show of force with greater than 1,000 of heavy bombers involved.
The bombers flew not only over this village but spread out in the skies all around them. The squadrons were pointed at five main target areas in support of the Canadian Army who were engaged in heavy actions with German forces.
The Anglo-Canadian ground units were forcing the German Army to throw all their resources including the reserve units into the battle. Drawing German Army units away from the front lines where the U.S. forces were working their way through the now thinned out lines of the defenders.
419 Squadron's 15 crews flying their Lancasters in support of the troops hit roads and junctions near the Caen area. One of these was Lancaster KB755, VR-F, captained by F/O Bruce Walker on his fourteenth trip over enemy territory.
For the sleepless villagers of Auberville la Renault as the hour of midnight came and began to leave, new sounds in the air drew their attention, the clatter of machine gun fire. They knew the German night fighters were patrolling over head as well. The night fighters of Nachtjagdgeschwaden 2 were active over this sector of countryside. Six Lancasters were brought down in this sector on this night.
As described by the witnesses a new terrifying sound was heard, a noise like an engine falling directly down on the school. At first it was thought to be part of the Allied attack, a rocket attack on the German Headquarters for the Pays de Caux who had used the school for serving meals.

The Realization

The rush of a fiery object seen through a window and with the dull thud of large object hitting the gound and then exploding it no longer became the fear of an attack on the village but the realizaion that soehing more tragic had occured.
The brightness of the fire only 500 meters from the witnesses lit up the sky, allowing them the glimpse of a parachute falling somewhere near the crashed bomber.
The witness M. Berkelmans, Chief of the local Defense Passive, and our source for details of the events of that night, tried to go out to the still burning aircraft. He was held back by the German officer in charge, the officers reasons were unclear and certainly not to be questioned.
Even the next morning he related in his letter, the Gendarmes and the Mayor were prevented from going to the sight of the crash. As the witness remembered they were told by the Germans "it was no business of ours ( the French) to meddle in this Canadian pilots affair, but that they would do things by themselves". So now at least the people knew it was a Canadian aircraft.
My late afternoon, after searching the crash for anything useful to German Intelligence, the Defense Passive was given a little over two hours to construct coffins for the burial of men of KB755.
The burial was planned by the Germans, stating to the Defence Passive members only the number and time for the burial. Questions as to where the men were to be buried and what ceremonies would be allowed, only the place of burial was answered.

F/S William Longmore

As time lengthened on into late evening, M. George Berkelmans left for the farm house where the airmen in the parachute had come down.
On Berkelmans arrival he was led to where the body of F/S Longmore was laid out covered and on straw bale. M. Berkelmans describes being very moved at the young man of 19 he saw before him, but he and the other Frenchmen with him had to keep their emotions hidden from the German guards.
The farmers related to him how the man in the parachute had landed on a slope close to the farm. The German troops had spent twenty minutes looking for him. They found him unconscious and moaning in pain. The young man, later to be identified as William Longmore, was moved to a sick ward setup in the farm. He only came conscious long enough to say he was a Canadian before he passed away.
The troops then led M. Berkelmans to the body of WO Joseph Schryer in a nearby field, he had been identified by his ring and ID found with him.
The French continued on with their sad task of collecting the crew men of KB755 in the most respectful way they could while the German guards watched.

An Act of Defiance

Eventually M. Berkelmans was allowed to choose the resting place of the seven airmen and he choose a place he felt most fitting, opposite the monument of the dead the last war.
The German officer refused to allow the Mayor, the Cure of the church permission to give the service and for anyone else from being at the Military style funeral. The German chaplain said a vague prayer and the troops attending gave a Nazi salute.

It was only now that the names of the five identified men were passed on to M. Berkelmans. It would not until much later that the names of the other two crewmen were to be known to the people of Auberville la Renault. And although the Canadians were now buried in French soil the Nazis would not allow the people of the village to honor the brave young men who had given their lives in the struggle to bring Freedom to the people of France.
During the night many of the French villagers braved the curfew and placed flowers and crosses on the graves, so that by the morning the graves were covered in flowers and tributes to the Canadian airmen of 419 Squadron.

The Germans moved out of the area and a few days later Canadian and British tanks captured the district town of Goderville.
As M. Berkelmans wrote
"A few days later, the British were billeted in the village. We were going to be able to commemorate the memory of 'our' airmen. On September 12, high mass was said in the Church. All the commune was there and the people of the neighbourhood as well.
There was a splendid raised platform for the coffins, a Canadian flag, about twenty British officers in uniform. We went to the tomb, we put bunches of flowers on it."
"The Maire and myself said how thankful we all felt and made a solemn promise before our British friends to keep up their tombs.
"We will keep in good order your burial with piety as good as your family were we share the affliction through the space(sic)"
"Sleep in peace, you shall not be forgotten(sic)".
"They died for liberty, for their country and also for us French people. The whole community is at heart with them. Their tomb is kept in order, we never forgot them on November 11, on May 8th, and on August 8 last a commemorate service was said for the anniversary of their death. We will do the same this year if they are still here."

A Village Fights for its Heroes

Sometime later Allied authorities wanted to have the Canadian airmen moved to one of the large military cemeteries.
With all energy and determination that drove the people of Auberville la Renault to defy the Germans and decorate their graves the morning after the funeral, the same people pressed hard to keep even to the Canadian Ambassador to France to be able to keep their "heroes" with them, rather then "in a big cemetery they might be a little neglected."
George Berkelmans phrased it best when he wrote in his letter
"tell them that they died like heroes and that their memory is not forgotten, that we protect them and that our hearts share the sorrow of their parents or of their wives and of their families. "
F/O Walker and his crew:
Sgt Willaim Longmore A/G
F/S John C. Durrant Navigator
P/O Peter W. Merrick Bomb Aimer
WO Joseph A.R. Schrayer Wireless Op.
Sgt. J.L. Hinsparger Rear Gunner
Sgt. Basil Jones F/E
came to 419 Squadron on May 22 1944 from Base 61 Topcliffe.

F/O Walker,F/O Merrick, F/S Longmore and P/O Durrant flew ten opertions together in addition to two aborted missions.
Sgt. Hinsperger the crews original rear gunner became ill on one of ops. and they had to return to base. Hinsperger flew two more operations after this with the crew.
Sgt. Jones flew 8 ops, with Walker.
WO Schryer flew on ten ops with the crew As well as one of the aborted ops.
F/L Wilson who was on his tenth op. in his 2nd. Tour, was the Squadron Gunnery Leader.

Crew of Lancaster KB755

Night of August 7/8, 1944 -France

The Realization

F/S William Longmore

An Act of Defiance

A Village Fights for its Heroes

Flight Sergeant

William Longmore RAF

Upper Gunner Age 19
Killed in Action August 8th 1944
From Brierley Hill Staffordshire, England
Burial Auberville la Renault, France

Flying Officer

Bruce Douglas Walker
AFM

Pilot Age 22
Killed in Action August 8th 1944
From Kisbey Saskatchewan
Burial Auberville la Renault, France

Pilot Officer

John Chetwynd Durrant

Navigator Age 30
Killed in Action August 8th 1944
From Regina Saskatchewan
Burial Auberville la Renault, France

Flying Officer

Peter William Merrick

Bomb Aimer Age 20
Killed in Action August 8th 1944
From Toronto Ontario
Burial Auberville la Renault, France

Flight Lieutenant

Murray Gray Wilson

Rear Gunner Age 21
Killed in Action August 8th 1944
From Port Arthur Ontario
Burial Auberville la Renault, France

Warrant Officer

Joseph Albert Roland Schryer

WAG Age 24
Killed in Action August 8th 1944
From Hull Quebec
Burial Auberville la Renault, France

Sergeant

Basil Jones RAF

Flight Engineer
Killed in Action August 8th 1944
From Crewe , Cheshire
Burial Auberville la Renault, France

Crew of Lancaster KB755

Night of August 7/8, 1944 -France

The Realization

F/S William Longmore

An Act of Defiance

A Village Fights for its Heroes

Flight Sergeant

William Longmore RAF

Upper Gunner Age 19 Killed in Action August 8th 1944 From Brierley Hill Staffordshire, England Burial Auberville la Renault, France

Flying Officer

Bruce Douglas WalkerAFM

Pilot Age 22 Killed in Action August 8th 1944 From Kisbey Saskatchewan Burial Auberville la Renault, France

Pilot Officer

John Chetwynd Durrant

Navigator Age 30 Killed in Action August 8th 1944 From Regina Saskatchewan Burial Auberville la Renault, France

Flying Officer

Peter William Merrick

Bomb Aimer Age 20 Killed in Action August 8th 1944 From Toronto Ontario Burial Auberville la Renault, France

Flight Lieutenant

Murray Gray Wilson

Rear Gunner Age 21 Killed in Action August 8th 1944 From Port Arthur Ontario Burial Auberville la Renault, France

Warrant Officer

Joseph Albert Roland Schryer

WAG Age 24 Killed in Action August 8th 1944 From Hull Quebec Burial Auberville la Renault, France

Sergeant

Basil Jones RAF

Flight Engineer Killed in Action August 8th 1944 From Crewe , Cheshire Burial Auberville la Renault, France

Upper Gunner Age 19
Killed in Action August 8th 1944
From Brierley Hill Staffordshire, England
Burial Auberville la Renault, France

Bruce Douglas Walker
AFM

Pilot Age 22
Killed in Action August 8th 1944
From Kisbey Saskatchewan
Burial Auberville la Renault, France

Navigator Age 30
Killed in Action August 8th 1944
From Regina Saskatchewan
Burial Auberville la Renault, France

Bomb Aimer Age 20
Killed in Action August 8th 1944
From Toronto Ontario
Burial Auberville la Renault, France

Rear Gunner Age 21
Killed in Action August 8th 1944
From Port Arthur Ontario
Burial Auberville la Renault, France

WAG Age 24
Killed in Action August 8th 1944
From Hull Quebec
Burial Auberville la Renault, France

Flight Engineer
Killed in Action August 8th 1944
From Crewe , Cheshire
Burial Auberville la Renault, France