Steve Bond
September 1, 2014 at 4:27 pm

44 Sqn Lancaster lost 24 June 1944

I am researching the loss of 44 Sqn Lancaster ME628 this aircraft which was shot down while attacking the V1 site at Pommerval on 24 June 1944. I am particularly looking for a phorograph of the pilot, Flt Sgt Roy Oswald and/or any of his crew. I would also like to make contact with any relatives of the crew who may still be around. The other members were:

Sgt J A Hurley, WO2 A R Shoebottom RCAF, FlLt Sgt T W White, WO A J Richardson, Sgt L J H Hutchinson, Sgt R H Sargent. Hurley, Shoebottom and White survived, the rest of the crew sadly did not.

Thanks in anticipation.

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By: KJShoebottom - 28th October 2014 at 19:48

Steve:

My Uncle was Archie Ronald Shoebottom. I knew that he was shot down. Since he never talked about it, I did not know the story. After reading what he went through, now I can understand why he never put a foot on a plane!

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By: BobKat - 12th September 2014 at 16:46

Excellent news, Steve – glad he was able to help.

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By: Steve Bond - 12th September 2014 at 15:06

Thanks to BobKat’s French contact, I now have a photograph of W/O Shoebottom RCAF, the navigator who successfully evaded.

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By: BobKat - 1st September 2014 at 17:13

Steve,

My interest is in Lancaster ED908, shot down nearby attacking the V1 site at the Foret du Croc on 20 July 1944. In the course of my research a local resident, I think living in Bellencombre, contacted me about the crew in which you are interested.

On his behalf, I have searched the index at the National Archives with the following results:

The following records have been digitised and are available at a cost of £3.30 each

Thomas W White: Escape WO 208/3322/2298
Archie R Shoebottom: Escape WO 208/3322/2299
Richard Mosley and AG Ross: Escape WO 208/3324/73

WJ Hardisty: Escape WO 208/3350/1055 – this report has not been digitised but can be ordered

GA Price: Escape WO 208/3350/1225 – this report has not survived.

If you would like to be put in touch with the chap in France, please send me a private message and I will see what I can do. You will probably need to correspond in French – I use Google Translate!!

…………………..

There seems to be some inconsistency with the crew names! However I believe he was researching two crews one from ME628 (KM-V) and the other ND339 (ZN-U). I hope this helps.