I am trying to get more information on a friendly fire incident as follows. 1.9.44. Between Harbarcq (15 km west of Arras) and Aubigny a distance of 7 km. At approximately 19.00 hours. Jeep attacked 'by British fighter', one person killed. Any help or assistance in locating operations on that day would be gratefully received. Thanks, Peter
Well, there were 60+ deaths in France that day, but two were drivers, one in Marseilles, so "might" be your man... BUSS, HUBERT ERNEST. Rank: Driver. Service No: T/125831. Date of Death: 01/09/1944. Age: 28. Regiment/Service: Royal Army Service Corps 779 Corps Car Coy. Grave Reference: Row 1. Grave 4. Cemetery: AIRAINES COMMUNAL CEMETERY. Additional Information:Son of Ernest Victor and May Louise Buss; husband of Iris Lilian Buss, of Seven Kings, Essex. Airaines is a town 20 kilometres south-east of Abbeville on the D901 road to Beauvais. In the centre of the town, at the Hotel de Ville, take the direction Eglise St Denis, pass the church and continue up the hill. Turn left into Cite at the brow of the hill. None of those 60+ seem connected to Baxterwood..... you'll no doubt be able to supply more info??????
The serviceman who was killed was; Maj. C J C Bowen, 62533, Off. Cdg. 612 Field Squadron, R. E. 11th Armoured Division, from Selborne, Hamshire, age 29.
It might make it easier for others to help you IF you provide what you know in your first post. What would you think if someone just answered "Yes, I have the answer" without giving it? Please note his Service Number is 63533. BOWEN, CHRISTOPHER JAMES CROASAILE (should this actually be Crosdaile?). Rank: Major. Service No: 63533. Date of Death: 01/09/1944. Age: 29. Regiment/Service: Royal Engineers Offr. Cdg. 612 Field Sqn. Grave Reference: Plot 4. Row AA. Grave 1. Cemetery: AUBIGNY COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION. Additional Information:B.A. (Cantab.). Son of Charles Henry Croasdaile Bowen and of Frances Sybil Bowen (nee Danson), of Selborne, Hampshire; husband of Helen Florence Anderton Bowen (nee Lyon), of Selborne. http://www.lavoixdunord.fr/region/le-1er-septembre-1944-les-liberateurs-delivraient-ia653b16301n2363366 Google translation: At the beginning of the afternoon, the English arrived (with the 159th Infantry Brigade) to take possession before crossing the village. A tragic event near the intersection of Cabaret Blanc, a cross road between the current RD 939 and the road to Hermaville in Aubigny: "The scout car of the officer who has the only card Staff of the regiment and directed by radio the rest of the column was strafed by 2 aggressive Spitfires. Major C J C Bowen, Royal Engineers was killed before a smoke canister is lit to signal that they are friendly vehicles.
Many thanks for the reply, my interest in this action was due to my late father telling me, years ago, his OC was killed 'by friendly fire' in Normandy in 1944 apparently as they had 'taken the wrong road' and therefore a legitimate target to Allied a/c. I knew he was C.J.C. Bowen ( I miss typed his service no! ), he was a good officer well liked by his men including my father who was of a very similar age. I did some limited research using the CWGC website finding the same information Kevin has listed above. I visited Kew last week and copied 612 FS War Diaries, including the one for 1944. The entry for 1.9.44 reads; Harbarcq. 1.9.1944. 1900 hrs (approx.) Maj. Bowen set out for Div. H.Q.to visit C.R.E. at Aubigny 3408 en route his Jeep was attacked by Br. fighter aircraft. Maj. Bowen was killed. Profound shock to the whole Sqn which he had commanded for almost 3 years (since October 1941) Having read the translation account above and referred to the map for the location I find it hard to believe that they 'had taken the wrong road' they were almost within the village limits of Aubigny despite what my late father recounted - justifiable cover up? What is 'card staff of the regiment'? Thanks KevinBattle, Peter
You'd need someone better than Google to translate the original French website details to get a better understanding. I wonder if it means staff car, but that's not how I'd describe a jeep. Unfortunately in the fluid situation shortly after D Day, many similar instances must have occurred, artillery and air support not quite knowing where the "front line" was. Often a village would be cleared, then before follow up troops arrived the Germans would infiltrate back and ambush, so the ground situation was at best "fluid". Again, as the French information is based on eyewitness reports, most British (and American) fighters might simply be described as Spitfires. There were obviously all sorts of Allied aircraft pouncing on perceived German movements, Mustangs, Typhoons and Tempests, plus Thunderbolts etc. To a young untrained eye and possibly only a fleeting glimpse any fighter might be described as a Spitfire. The time variance also makes the eyewitness account less than reliable if their description was "early afternoon" when the War Diary gives the time as 1900 hours, bringing in the possibility of early dusk making vehicle recognition difficult for the pilots. There must be some records though if it was a friendly fire, killing a CO of a RE unit. I doubt there would be a "cover up" as that implies a deliberate attack on a known friendly vehicle. I think it simply an accident of war, tragic though it was. Sorry, I don't think I can help further, maybe there is a record in a TAF Squadron ORB for the day?
"Carte" is map in this instance and 'carte d'état-major' is a French ordnance survey map - so the scout car of the only officer who possesses an accurate map directs the column by radio - not only Major Bowen's vehicle but a tanker sent to refuel three broken down tanks is hit. The witness recalls that 'the English' arrived at the start of the afternoon - the incident could have happened later - he remembers the column of tanks tearing up cobblestones in the town and being sent by the priest to find the body of Major Bowen, because he was an altar boy. Of course memory is suspect - but here's the thing; "As we have seen, 'memory' includes second-hand accounts of the past - that is, history; 'history' relies on eyewitness and other recollections - that is, memory."(David Lowenthal - The Past is a Foreign Country. Cambridge University Press 1985.) I doubt the young man's prowess as an aircraft observer necessarily diminishes all of his recollections - I have had many brushes with the supposed precision of war diaries - they are by no means always monuments to accuracy - and the treatment of 'blue on blue' incidents in latter day wars might give rise to the notion that such events are often described in a somewhat sympathetic light. I would have to agree that this sounds like a possible map reading mistake or an over-eager pilot or a fatal combination of both.
Phew! Many thanks Brian for better translating the events than Google! That clarifies and makes much more sense than my feeble attempts to unscramble the computer translation. Your input makes so much more sense of the report that it might be possible to get closer to an answer for Peter.
Yes I agree Kevin many thanks Brian for the translation - it does make more sense now. Picking up on what Kevin put earlier the War Diary (of 612FS) also relates; 6.8.44. 16.00 hours Le Beny Bocage. Two Troop harbour at 681400, attacked by Thunderbolt a/c bearing allied markings, two bombs fall in harbour, one scoring direct hit on troop latrine, no casualties, no damage, one windscreen smashed and latrine destroyed. All written up by Major C J C Bowen and I bet after the incident and the dust etc! had settled they all had a good laugh. They were, I have to add, not only hit by allied a/c but earlier in June at Le Mesnil Patry an FW 190 flew a number of attanking passes with machine gun fire causing some damage to a number of vehicles but was repelled by much AA fire. Peter
Google Translate is great and I've used it to unscramble many a German account, but it tends to use the most common usage or definition, or even the first one in the dictionary and you then have to go back and unpack the passage into smaller pieces to get nearer the correct sense. And one little slip - an accent missing or a 'de' for 'du' or miss out a 'ne' and you have entirely the wrong sense. I tend to use it first to see if it's worth getting a favour or even paying for translation. My French isn't great, but I have French speaking mates - and the more research I've done, the more military terms I've garnered.
That's close! The actual third given name seems to be Croasdaile, just like his father's. See: https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/34083/page/5523 which announces his graduating to 2nd Lt as of 30 Aug 34. His promotion to Capt exactly eight years later is gazetted here: https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/35685/supplement/3805 Brian, your translation is excellent! The three tanks had run out of fuel ("panne sèche" = "dry breakdown", i.e. the fuel tank had run dry). This must have been a common predicament at this time, because the next witness account in the article mentions an "American" tank in Béthonsart which, although out of fuel, shoots at retreating German soldiers. Michel
By chance I was given a printout of the forum yesterday. It concerns the death of my father, Major Christopher (aka Kit) James Croasdaile (spelling is correct) Bowen. I have visited his grave at Aubigny, the first time in 1960 when memories were fresh, but alas at that time I was unaware that he had been killed by friendly fire, and anyway my French wasn't really good enough for a proper question and answer. What little I know was gleaned from my father's driver, Frank Moody, and then his wife. I am unclear whether my grandparents would have known that it was a friendly fire incident; certainly it was never referred to in my youth. It was only very much later that the 'secret' was divulged. However, now aged 72 and with my mother still alive aged 93 I would be interested in trying to research matters further. However, I'm a debutante at this and don't quite know where to start and would be grateful for a bit of help. Whilst I have no interest in knowing who shot him, in that we can all make a mistake in a messy situation, there must be a record from the air side so to speak and where would I find that? With my thanks in advance.
Kit - welcome and good luck with your search. Everyone was a debutante once - lovely choice of word by the way, I do hate 'novice' and the horrendous 'newbie'. I'm sure there will be members of the forum with experience of researching air records along - the material and advice I have gained while here is second to none. There are other possibilities - your father's own service records obviously may not reveal the actual events as you know them now, but may have pointers. There may have been an enquiry into the incident and/or missing persons and casualties files. As well as unit diaries, you can search 'up and down' in a file hierarchy at Kew to find possible reports or mentions in larger or smaller unit files. There are people on here who can help with that. There may have been 'after action' reports - my own father was an assault engineer and Michel Sabarly (see above) and others on this forum provided me with accounts written of my dad's actions on D-Day. I know that a comprehensive history of the Royal Engineers in France and Germany was written after the war. Also, obituaries, regimental reunions and dinners, other private publications that may still lurk in the drawers of regimental associations or local museums. Anniversaries bring up interest and the interest in WW2 is undiminished - and probably much much greater than in 1960 when you first enquired - look for local history groups in Arras and around. My French isn't great but I've found local people terrifically helpful and you can always get someone to translate in exchange for a jaunt to France. The OP (original poster) may also have access to such materials - everyone is pretty helpful on here and generally there are no axes to grind. Best wishes, Brian
Kit, As you will see I was the person who first began this thread on the death of you late father Major. C.J.C. Bowen. My father, Cpl Sam Whitaker, was the ration NCO with 612FS from Dec. 1940 until Oct. 1944 when he was airlifted back to the UK after appendicitis and removal of same in a field hospital in or near Venlo in Holland. My late father often spoke of his time in Normandy and the stories he told me of the action at the time I have since verified by copying the unit war diaries last year at Kew, many of which in your fathers hand, and some make eye watering reading particularly in and around Caen in July/Aug of '44. I have little doubt in saying, from my late fathers testimony, that Maj. Bowen was a well liked C.O certainly my father had great respect for him and maybe, since they were of a similar age, a mutual respect for each other despite my father being an O.R. I know he did tell me of the time when he was attacked and killed it hit them all in the unit very hard indeed particularly since it was by Friendly fire too. The reason for copying the war diaries was for my son and I to visit some of the locations, where they including my father had been, in Normandy last year when we took my 1942 Jeep along for the occasion too. The vehicle I have marked as the Jeep your father would have used, maybe he did have one for his personal use, with '41' on a pale blue square ( 612 FS RE ) on one side and the 'Black Bull' on Yellow ground on the other ( 11th Armd Div ). I have plotted onto maps the entire route that they took, including all the locations of 'harbours', from the Normandy beach head right up to Belgium and into Holland including the location of the attack on your father. Next month were are to go to Belgium on holiday when I intend to visit two CWG sites where two brothers of my wife's grandfather are buried after being KIA in WW1 when we will add poppy wreathes to each. On checking the map I will be passing fairly near to the CWG location where your late father is buried too and, in memory of my father, I was going to do similar at your fathers grave, which I hope you, and your mother, do not mind. It is really good to be able to, hopefully, converse with you on the above - can I ask though do you have any photographs of your father and/or the Unit during his time with them in WW2? If you send me a privete message I will let you have my email address etc. Very kind regards, Peter Whitaker, Cross Hills, Yorkshire.
Brian, Thank you for your warm welcome. It's clear that the next step is a visit to Kew and Regimental HQ. But you will also have seen the entry from Peter below which provides a fast start. Just one quick question though. Would an enquiry into the air side of all this be a new forum or do I pose the question in this thread? Because I have been told that the incident involved a US plane (but that could be unreliable) this suggests records in another country which could be tricky? That said there must have been an enquiry in the UK so perhaps it's back to Kew first of all. But very many thanks for your encouragement. Kit
You could do worse than start here: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/raf-combat-reports-1939-1945/ Brian.
