419 Squadron RCAF 1941 to 1945 Crew of Lancaster KB761

Crew members of Lancaster KB761

The crew of F/L Metivier were involved in a number of operations prior to March 31 1945. Again it is not fully possible to know from the records if the full crew on KB761 were with F/L Metivier on all his missions with 419.
Operations Logs stopped showing full lists of the crews. Something that may have saved time all those years ago but leaves us with incomplete records.
What is known is that F/L Metivier, F/O Todd, F/O Johnson, Sgt. Matuszewski all arrived together from No. 76 Base along with two other Air Gunners in December 1944.
So based on that; I will say that at least those four were on an operation on the night of February 7/8th when on their way to Goch they were fired upon my their own coastal batteries while crossing the English Coast on the way to the target. Then in the end the sortie was called of prior to the bomb run because of closeness of friendly troops near the cloud covered target.
The out bound attack by their own batteries may have been the cause of the problems on their return journey home when the Outer Port engine gave them problems. The Lancaster they were flying that night had to jettison it's bomb load because of the loss of power.
On the night of March 31st F/L Metivier and his crew found themselves in a mass attack by thirty of the Luftwaffe's new jet fighters the Me-262. KB761 and a group of other bombers were late over the target and found themselves without fighter protection. It became what could be called a major air battle with all of the 28 bombers of various squadrons involved in continuous battles with the swifter, heavily armed jet fighter. Looking at combat reports for the night shows some aircraft in the group were attacked multiple times, fighting off the large number of these swift moving fighters.
Most likely the largest number of Me-262 to attack 419 aircraft. In all eight bombers were shot down, two from "Moose" squadron. The very experienced of KB761 was one of the two 419 squadron aircraft lost that night on the raid on the shipyards of Blohm and Voss near Hamburg. The final resting place of the crew is unknown.
What has come to light recently is that KB761 was not lost to Me262s as mentioned in many sources but instead in mid-air collision
The pilot F/L Metivier had 18 operations completed other members of the crew had neared their half way point in their tours.

The Upper gunner P/O Tulk had only arrived at 419 squadron on March 19th, only twelve days before this his first and last recorded operation. P/O Selby Tulk

	Pilot Officer Hayward Selby Tulk Air Gunner Age 21 1st. Op. Killed In Action March 31 1945 From St. Georges Newfoundland Remembrance Runnymede Memorial
	Flight Leutenant Harry Alfred Metivier Pilot Age23 Killed In Action March 31 1945 From Sault Ste. Marie Ontario Remembrance Runnymede Memorial
	Pilot Officer Earl Edward Morphy Rear Gunner Age 22 Killed In Action March 31 1945 From Oshawa Ontario Remembrance Runnymede Memorial
	Pilot Officer William Muir Sommerville F/E Age 26 Killed In Action March 31 1945 From London Ontario Remembrance Runnymede Memorial
	Flying Officer James Todd Navigator Age21 Killed In Action March 31 1945 From Montreal Quebec Remembrance Runnymede Memorial
	Pilot Officer George Matuszewski Wireless Op. Age19 15th Op. Killed In Action March 31 1945 From Windsor Ontario Remembrance Runnymede Memorial
	Flying Officer Robert Oliver Johnson Bomb Aimer Age22 15th Op. Killed In Action March 31 1945 From Red Deer Alberta Remembrance Runnymede Memorial

Crew members of Lancaster KB761

Pilot Officer

Hayward Selby Tulk

Air Gunner Age 21 1st. Op. Killed In Action March 31 1945 From St. Georges Newfoundland Remembrance Runnymede Memorial

Flight Leutenant

Harry Alfred Metivier

Pilot Age23 Killed In Action March 31 1945 From Sault Ste. Marie Ontario Remembrance Runnymede Memorial

Pilot Officer

Earl Edward Morphy

Rear Gunner Age 22 Killed In Action March 31 1945 From Oshawa Ontario Remembrance Runnymede Memorial

Pilot Officer

William Muir Sommerville

F/E Age 26 Killed In Action March 31 1945 From London Ontario Remembrance Runnymede Memorial

Flying Officer

James Todd

Navigator Age21 Killed In Action March 31 1945 From Montreal Quebec Remembrance Runnymede Memorial

Pilot Officer

George Matuszewski

Wireless Op. Age19 15th Op. Killed In Action March 31 1945 From Windsor Ontario Remembrance Runnymede Memorial

Flying Officer

Robert Oliver Johnson

Bomb Aimer Age22 15th Op. Killed In Action March 31 1945 From Red Deer Alberta Remembrance Runnymede Memorial

Air Gunner Age 21 1st. Op.
Killed In Action March 31 1945
From St. Georges Newfoundland
Remembrance Runnymede Memorial

Pilot Age23
Killed In Action March 31 1945
From Sault Ste. Marie Ontario
Remembrance Runnymede Memorial

Rear Gunner Age 22
Killed In Action March 31 1945
From Oshawa Ontario
Remembrance Runnymede Memorial

F/E Age 26
Killed In Action March 31 1945
From London Ontario
Remembrance Runnymede Memorial

Navigator Age21 Killed In Action March 31 1945
From Montreal Quebec
Remembrance Runnymede Memorial

Wireless Op. Age19 15th Op. Killed In Action March 31 1945
From Windsor Ontario
Remembrance Runnymede Memorial

Bomb Aimer Age22 15th Op. Killed In Action March 31 1945
From Red Deer Alberta
Remembrance Runnymede Memorial