419 Squadron RCAF 1941 to 1945 Crew of Halifax LW240

Crew of Halifax LW240

September 16/17 1943- Modane

It was the first operation for Halifax LW240. She was the replacement for JD210 the previous VR-S. F/L A.N. Quaile had been the captain of JD210 nick named Happy Valley Sally for seventeen operations. While Quaile and his crew were on leave Happy Valley Sally was flown on an operation on September 5/6. LW240 had just arrived at 419 Squadron and now as VR-S was on it's way to Modane.
The operation took place during severe weather, as it was reported in the logs. VR-S and F/L Quaile crew were homeward bound when a series of sessions of Monica giving alarms for friendly aircraft near Quaile's aircraft Monica which was used to alert crews to enemy aircraft approaching from astern once again alerted Quaile as the French coast could be seen. F/L Quaile took no evasive action at this signal which remained at a steady pitch then began to quicken.
The Bomb Aimer P/O Graham asked if anyone could see an aircraft in their vicinity. The rear gunner, who was also the Squadron Gunnery Leader, replied that he could see nothing. But also advised everyone to be sharp.
Bullets began to hit the port wings and engines. rear gunner F/L Kenyon fired a burst where he saw the tracer came from but could not actually see the enemy aircraft. He had also called for a corkscrew to starboard He eventually did catch sight briefly of a twin engine aircraft breaking away from directly astern and to port down.
A second burst of bullets hit the port wing and set it on fire. Kenyon was now convinced that there were two attackers. (Later he would find out that he was correct. A F/O Wally of one of the other aircraft near them saw the attack and did see the first attacker go down. F/L Quaile later would also confirm he saw the attacker go done and hit the ground.)

From P/O Graham's report the skipper then called out, "Both port engines are on fire and we're lit up like a beacon Prepare to bailout, "Open hatches" Then a loud crashing sound came as the port engines began to self-destruct.

The Bail Out
The crew's Navigator P/O Aspinall was having problems getting the escape hatch open. Both he and F/S Bright tried kicking it open without any luck. The hatch was then released by Graham, a heavily built man, jumping on it. He not only managed to dislodge the troublesome hatch but also fell unpreparedly through the opening. His head set still attached to his helmet. He did land softly in the river south of Lisieux although he did sprain his left leg. Whether that was from the landing or the jumping on the hatch is not made clear. What was clear was that his stiff neck that bothered him for a week was from not removing the headset.
The crew all managed to escape the flaming Halifax. Although not all had an easy time of it. When it came time for Quaile to bail the Halifax was side slipping towards the ground and once he let go of the controls the actions of the falling aircraft threw Quaile against the throttle quadrant, his parachute release ring became caught on one of the throttle handles. The Chute opened, he then had to gather up the chute folds and get to the hatch. He then became stuck in the hatch, luck was with him and the parachute folds which had made it through the hatch were caught in the airstream and pulled him out. The actions caused injuries to his shoulder and a finger.
Quaile along with two others of his crew were captured almost immediately. The 2nd. Pilot Sgt. E.E. Bowden was also captured.
P/O Aspinall is mentioned as having been a prisoner at the infamous Fresnes Prison South of Paris. There is no mention of any of the other members of the captured crew being sent there. The prison was used to hold captured members of the British SOE and members of the French Resistance. Aspinall may have been with Resistance members when he was captured. He spent three weeks at the prison before being sent on to a Luftwaffe POW camp at Barth. He was captured Sept 18th 1943 at St. Flouvier, which I could not locate on any maps. (By some coincidence there is a Peter Aspinall mentioned in the manuscripts and documents of Lord Kenyon in 1894)

Five Evaders

Of the five evaders the story of F/S Thomas J. Bright DFM is the only one which I have only a few details. His return journey came through over Pyrenees Spain and Gibraltar. Arriving back to Britain in March of 1944.

The Quaile Crew

From June 19th 1943 to July 9th.
Navigator P/O Lawrence Aspinall
Bomb Aimer F/O George Graham
WAG Sgt. L.F. Mitchell
F/E P/O Leonard Martin
A/G P/O E.G. Gray
A/G Sgt.B.J. Rook

From July 9th 1943 to July 29th.
Navigator P/O Lawrence Aspinall
Bomb Aimer F/O George Graham
WAG Sgt. L.F. Mitchell
F/E P/O Leonard Martin
A/G P/O E.G. Gray
A/G F/O Harry Smith

Sgt. Mitchell was replaced by a series of Wireless Operators, F/S Bright was on his second sortie with the Quaile crew. P/O Gray was replaced by a number of other Air Gunners. On this op. Smith took the Mid-Upper Gun position and Kenyon took Smith's Rear Gunner position.

F/L Bennett Ley Kenyon DFC
Sergeant Leonard Frank Martin DFM
F/O George Thomas Graham DFC
F/O Harry Frederick Smith DFC

Crew of Halifax LW240

September 16/17 1943- Modane

The Bail Out

Five Evaders

The Quaile Crew

Flight Lieutenant

A.N. Quaile RAF

Pilot - Deputy Commander "B" Flight 26th op.
POW #2540 Stalag Luft III

Pilot Officer

Lawrence E. Aspinall

Navigator
POW #1356 Fresnes Prison for 3 weeks - then Stalag Luft I

Sergeant

E.E. Bowden

2nd. Pilot
POW #523 Stalag Luft VI and Stalag Luft IV

Flight Lieutenant

Bennett Ley Kenyon DFC RAF

Rear Gunner Sqn. Gunnery Leader
Evaded capture before being caught near Dax POW #2540 Stalag Luft III

Flying Officer

George Thomas Graham DFC

Bomb Aimer
Evader

Flight Sergeant

Thomas J. Bright DFM RAF

WAG
Evader

Pilot Officer

Leonard Francis Martin DFM

Flight Engineer
Evader

Flying Officer

Henry Frederick Ernest Smith DFC

"B' Flight Gunnery Leader
Evader

Crew of Halifax LW240

September 16/17 1943- Modane

The Bail Out

Five Evaders

The Quaile Crew

Flight Lieutenant

A.N. Quaile RAF

Pilot - Deputy Commander "B" Flight 26th op.POW #2540 Stalag Luft III

Pilot Officer

Lawrence E. Aspinall

Navigator POW #1356 Fresnes Prison for 3 weeks - then Stalag Luft I

Sergeant

E.E. Bowden

2nd. Pilot POW #523 Stalag Luft VI and Stalag Luft IV

Flight Lieutenant

Bennett Ley Kenyon DFC RAF

Rear Gunner Sqn. Gunnery Leader Evaded capture before being caught near Dax POW #2540 Stalag Luft III

Flying Officer

George Thomas Graham DFC

Bomb Aimer Evader

Flight Sergeant

Thomas J. Bright DFM RAF

WAG Evader

Pilot Officer

Leonard Francis Martin DFM

Flight Engineer Evader

Flying Officer

Henry Frederick Ernest Smith DFC

"B' Flight Gunnery Leader Evader

Pilot - Deputy Commander "B" Flight 26th op.
POW #2540 Stalag Luft III

Navigator
POW #1356 Fresnes Prison for 3 weeks - then Stalag Luft I

2nd. Pilot
POW #523 Stalag Luft VI and Stalag Luft IV

Rear Gunner Sqn. Gunnery Leader
Evaded capture before being caught near Dax POW #2540 Stalag Luft III

Bomb Aimer
Evader

WAG
Evader

Flight Engineer
Evader

"B' Flight Gunnery Leader
Evader