Lancaster LL922 help please

Thanks a lot for all this interesting information. I would certainly be interested in reading Sgt Firth’s account. I sent you my email address by email. Thanks in advance.

Till 1981, I lived next to a chemist and that chemist was already there during the war (I remember the lady telling some German soldiers were canteened at their place including one whose first name was Adolf :)). Not very likely there could have been two chemists in such a small place back then… If you have more information regarding that ME109, I would be very much interested.

Hello Philippe ,

That night four RAF bombers crashed east Le Havre . Oblt Heinz Rökker ( 2./NJG2 ) claimed three , Uffz Rolf Koch claimed one. Crashes were at Auberville-la-Renault ( Lancaster KB755 , 419 Sq ) , St-Vigor-d’Ymonville ( Lancaster ND817 , 582 Sq ) , Touffreville-la-Cable ( Lancaster LL922 , 50 Sq ) and Bolbec ( Halifax ND460 , 7 Sq ) . Claims were made from 23.29 to 00.06 . A fifth also claimed by Ofw. Strassner same area but not identified .
If you are studying crashes in your area at Notre Dame de Gravenchon there are several . For example on 22 Aug. 43 , a polish Spitfire which crashed hamlet Les Haies , while a Me109 crashed just near the chemist’s , both pilots killed. Also a german bomber lost in Dec. 1940 with casualties.

About LL922 I have Sgt Firth ( pow ) hand written account if requested. Mr Leveque ( whose brother was killed when the bomb load exploded ) was living near the crash-site and had collected many parts from the Lancaster , even a tyre .

Regards .

PS: I doubt Uffz Koch could be the killer as he was killed in action in 1943. See photo of his grave in Brighton:

http://books.google.com/books?id=q1zfo63_KRYC&pg=PA220&lpg=PA220&dq=Uffz+Koch&source=bl&ots=rXNm7xffmk&sig=CD5hytTkyChodAY-WJPl-wgK87k&hl=en&ei=AXaWTvavB8Ww8QPG6bnCBQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CBoQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=Uffz%20Koch&f=false

This Lancaster actually crashed half a mile from where my parents currently live. During my childhood I have always been puzzled by a crater in a field not knowing whether it was a bomb crater or a small marlstone pit. I now know it was the bombs inside the Lancaster that exploded the day after the crash killing two kids who were playing in the wreck. War is such a terrible thing…
You will find on the pages below the information I could gather on that Lancaster crash.
Escape reports:
http://www.xn--armes-dsa.com/rapports-evasion/f3322r2228-251-hearn-en.htm
http://www.xn--armes-dsa.com/rapports-evasion/f3322r2263-219-johnson-en.htm
http://www.xn--armes-dsa.com/rapports-evasion/f3323r2352-meredith-en.htm
Other information:
http://jwappleton.com/genealogy/histories/Reginald_Owen/History_RegOwen.htm
http://www.xn--armes-dsa.com/lancaster-lafrenaye-en.htm

I would be grateful if you could share any information you may have. Could you find evidence that Uffz Koch is the German who shot down the airplane?

Three of the crew evaded and their MI9 statements are in the WO 208 series at Kew.
F/Lt E. H. E. HEARN…. WO 208 3322(-)2228.
Sgt W. JOHNSON…. WO 208 3322(-)2263.
F/Sgt A. R. MEREDITH…. WO 208 3323(-)2352.
I have made brief notes from these and only one of the crew said the a/c was shot down, but he did not elaborate. If he did, I missed it.
Have fun.

Someone might be able to give you more specific details about exactly where to look at the National Archives for the files of the particular men you are researching if you post a request on RAF Commands forum http://www.rafcommands.com/cgi-bin/dcforum/dcboard.cgi?az=list&forum=DCForumID6&conf=DCConfID1

Plenty people on that forum have waded through the Escape and Evasion papers and POW Questionnaires so may be able to point you in a more certain direction.

Regards
Linzee

Thanks Linzee – will do.

There may be Escape and Evasion Reports for the crew who escaped and similarly there may be POW questionnaires completed after release for the ones who were POW.

Wade through the screeds on this page of info from the National Archives at Kew. I expect you would have to visit the archives in person in order to obtain copies or get someone to go hunting on your behalf.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/RdLeaflet.asp?sLeafletID=303&j=1

Regards
Linzee