6 June 1944. No.620 Squadron Stirling IV EF295 The aircraft was carrying the officer commanding 591 Parachute Sqn RE (Major A Wood) and his HQ party. Shortly after crossing the coast it was hit by enemy AA fire, caught fire and began to lose height rapidly. Major Wood, Lieutenant Bartlett and two sappers were able to jump from the aircraft but another soldier was killed when his parachute caught fire. The remainder of the stick were still aboard the aircraft, as were the crew, when it crashed.at Chateau de Granguesn near Dives sur Mare. Lieutenant Shinner and three soldiers escaped from the downed aircraft, as did the aircraft's wireless operator and rear gunner, and despite their own injuries attempted to rescue the others. Unfortunately, enemy troops arrived and fired into the aircraft and it became impossible to continue the rescue attempt. Squadron Leader Pettit's OBE, an unusal award for a squadron leader, was made in recognition of his brave conduct, rather than for conspicuous service. He was responsible for rescuing the crew of an aircraft which had crashed into marshy ground near the home base and caught fire, whilst night flying. His DFC was awarded for pressing home an attack on Berlin despite his aircraft being badly damaged before reaching the target. Casualties. Squadron Leader Wilmot Reginald PETTIT 32 OBE DFC RCAF Pilot Flying Officer Richard George WATKINS 23 Navigator Flight Sergeant Edward Harry Frederick ATKINSON 22 Bomb Aimer RNZAF Sergeant Geoffrey Albert MAUND 19 Flight Engineer Sapper John Joseph EVANS 24 591 Parachute Sqn RE Sapper John YOUELL 20 Sapper Albert Edwin AUSTIN Lance Corporal Kenneth William BRANSTON Lance Corporal Thomas Andrew FRASER Driver Arthur HANDLEY Corporal William Alexander KELLY Driver George THOMSON Sapper David Henry WHEELER Sapper Frank WOLFE Sapper Peter GUARD Lance Corporal John Readon PARKER died of injuries 7 June Source - Though Without Anger - C. Cummings
Hi I am a relative of Driver Arthur Handley, just reading through this post can you clarify why his name is on this list as him being present with the situation doesn’t quite match up with the information I currently know, which being that he was a member of 2 troop and dropped from a Dakota during the assault and ‘he was killed during a lone gallant fight’ Thanks Jack
Jack, I've checked a couple of other listings for EF295 and Driver Arthur Handley is not on them. So his appearance in the above casualty list is most likely in error. I have him on a 512 Squadron Dakota (KG354, Chalk 358) out of RAF Broadwell, Op Tonga with the same passengers as in Ludo's thread. Regards ...
Thank you for clarifying that and theres some fascinating information that I didn’t have before, do you know if it would be possible to track down what happened to the Dakota following dday and weather is survived the war ? Thanks again
Jack, I'll put some info on KG354 over on Ludo's thread. It could be still flying as a working aircraft? Regards ...
My father, Cpl William A Kelly, escaped from EF295 only to be killed by an officer of 744 Grenadiers on 6 Jun 44. He died with 5 other sappers from 591 Sqn RE, a sapper from HQ RE, and a glider pilot. I am interested in how the glider pilot, CN74, was captured by the 744 Grenadiers but 5 other survivors from CN74 were captured by others and survived.
