5/7/44 shot down France

[Ausgirl44]

Hi!

Help please, if possible. 
Morning of 5th July 1944 Lancaster bomber LM125 was shot down near Apremont, France.
Story goes that it narrowly missed a house and landed in a tree. 
All crew died and are buried at Creil. 
The house occupants were witnesses and apparently there is a photograph in existance.
I have read somewhere that the witnesses gave their story but I cannot find it.  Some members of my family did, at some point, go out there but of the surviving ones, cannot remember any details.
Can anyone help me with where to go track down the witness statements and, very unlikely I know, any chance of finding the photograph?

Thanks!
Kate

[Istrice]

Kate,
I don't know if you have seen this brief report of the raid that LM125 was lost on, or even if this French site is still active, but it might be worthwhile trying to contact its moderators, even after 10 years.
There are supposed to be photographs on the site, but I couldn't open themhttp://www.picardie-1939-1945.org/phpBB2new/viewtopic.php?t=122.
Istrice

[nanny jan]

You might get some help/advice from this site:

http://aircrewremembered.com/indexmobile.html

Or this one:

http://www.aircrewremembrancesociety.co.uk/

[DavidJP]

Hi,

Info re Lancaster LM125 here: http://www.aircrewremembered.com/BomberCommandDatabaseSearch/?q=LM125

The crew of 7 in Lancaster Mark 1 LM125 took off from RAF Spilsby in Lincolnshire at 2337 hrs on 4th Jul 1944 on a mission to St Leu & crashed at Apremont, France on 5th. All 7 crewmembers sadly killed. The aircraft & crew belonged to 207 Squadron.

Link to find a grave record for Flt Sgt Henry George West here: https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=56138512 this includes a photo of West with links to the other crew members & also has extra info re the mission.

Some more info here: http://www.picardie-1939-1945.org/phpBB2new/viewtopic.php?t=122

From the above website (my 3rd link) the mission appears to have been to attack a V1 supply depot at St Leu D'esserant.

Just noticed that Istrice had already posted the 3rd link, apologies for that! Must read the full posts before I reply!

Little more info here, 2 bits on page 1 only: http://ww2talk.com/index.php?threads/antiques-roadshow.3964/

Hope this all helps.

Kind regards

David

[IMBER]

There may be something here. The MREU units referred to gathered all the information they could from the site and this may have included the sort of things you are looking for:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/ww2-raf-casualty-packs-archived

You might also enquire here:

https://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/research/research-enquiries.aspx

Imber

[Ausgirl44]

Thanks to everyone for your replies, help and links!
Sorry I am so late in getting back to you all. 
My g uncle was p/o John H Wilson and I was able to show his son your links and sites.  Unfortunately there was no new information, nothing I didn't already have but we both appreciate all your input and ideas.
My latest thinking is that if I can find a way to contact 207 sqdn and see if they have anything.

Thanks again!!
Kate

[derbycobbler]

Hello.  My uncle Sgt Cyril Stapleton was Mid Upper Gunner on this aircraft LM125 EM-G of 207 Squadron that fatefukl evening. I have a copy of a photograph of the crashed Lancaster in Apremont Forest.  It is reported have came sown near to a building La Faisanderie which is in this forest.  I have further information from 207 squadron records regarding the crew of Pilot John Horsburgh Wilson and the events of 4/5 July 1944.

[Thudnut]

Hi Kate,

I'm sure you have this already, but have you contacted the page editor (bottom left of page) to see if he has anything additional to that you already have?

http://www.207squadron.rafinfo.org.uk/default.htm

Good luck,
Thudders

[derbycobbler]

The information I have is from the 207 squadron association.
 There is an article on the site giving an account of a raid made by P/O Wilson to Wessling by the late Dennis Dear who one flew with Wilson on this raid. This was my uncles first op with Wilsons crew.

http://www.207squadron.rafinfo.org.uk/wesseling/go_to_207wess.html