Air Force Lookups - if you need help

[Shogun]

Hi I'm after any information on 576 Squadron Lancaster Bomber Serial Number    PB253 - Crashed 29th July 1944. that anyone may have, I am the Nephew of Alex Milne - Rear Gunner on the Lancaster.

Thanks

[liverpool annie]

Hi Shogun and welcome to RootsChat ! 

I can't answer your question I'm afraid but I found another flyer who died the same day .... looks like they may have been on the same flight !

In Memory of

Sergeant ALEXANDER MILNE
1697372, 576 Sqdn., Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
who died age 20
on 29 July 1944
Son of George and Mary H. Milne, of Fallowfield, Manchester.

Remembered with honour
CHAUMOUSEY COMMUNAL CEMETERY

In Memory of

Sergeant JOHN ROWLAND CUTHBERT
1470775, 576 Sqdn., Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
who died age 23
on 29 July 1944
Son of John and Annie Cuthbert, of High Kelling, Norfolk.

Remembered with honour
CHAUMOUSEY COMMUNAL CEMETERY


Annie

[liverpool annie]

And a Canadian .... and as there are only 6 Commonwealth graves there ... they must have all been together !

In Memory of

Flying Officer PETER JOSEPH BIOLLO
J/26543, 576 (R.A.F.) Sqdn., Royal Canadian Air Force
who died age 20
on 29 July 1944
Son of Peter Paul Biollo and of Doris May Biollo (nee Caswell), of Edmonton. Alberta, Canada.

Remembered with honour
CHAUMOUSEY COMMUNAL CEMETERY

And I found this ....

Chaumousy par Girancourt
(Voges) France
September 8th, 1945.

Mr. Germain Carpentier,

In answer to your letter, I am sending you a few details concerning the airplane accident, in which lieutenant Peter Biollo was a victim, on the 29th July 1944.

His plane was chased by a German plane for about fifty kilometres, (about 31 miles). It ell to the earth in the forst of Renauvoid; a little hamlet about twelve kilometres (about 7� miles) from Epinal. Epinal is the chief town of Vosges. The hamlet of Renauvoid is a part of Chaumosy parish, therefore, the burial of the five victims took place in the Catholic cemetery of Chaumousy.

The fall of the airplane and the explosion of its bombs drew immediately, all the people to the place of the accident. The Germans forbade the people to go near, as two bombs had not exploded. There was no fire, no burning. Four bodies were identified. One was Mr. Peter. The fifth could not be identified as it was head-less and no identification ticket was found. The sixth victim escaped death - Caught in his parachute, in the branches of a tree, he was taken down, made prisoner by the Germans and treated for a broken leg, at the military hospital of Golbery, a few kilometres from here. Each victim was placed in a casket. The funeral took place on July 31st 1944, in the Church of Chaumousey, in the afternoon.

A very large, recollected number of people formed the funeral procession of these heroes, whose caskets were covered with flowers and in spite of the interdiction of the Germans, this big crowd went to the cemetery and joined in the final prayers at the graves.

I can assure you, that these graves are constantly covered with flowers and at each patriotic and religious feast, the parishioners with their pastor, visit them, thus replacing as far as they can, the families that are sorrowing, far away.

All these graves have crosses. The photos enclosed were taken before the crosses were erected.

You will find at the side of this page the place of each of these five graves, in the order they follow in the cemetery. Perhaps these details will be appreciated by other grief-stricken families.

Kindly express my sincere sympathy to the family of Mr. Peter Biollo.

Sincerely yours,

(signed) M.J. Mercier

Abbe Albert Mercier
Cure de Chaumousey
Par Geraucourt
Viges, France

(This is signed by the parish priest of Chaumousey)

http://www.canadianletters.ca/letters.php?letterid=9258&warid=4&docid=1&collectionid=364

http://www.canadianletters.ca/letters.php?letterid=9259&warid=4&docid=1&collectionid=364

http://www.canadianletters.ca/letters.php?letterid=9232&warid=4&docid=1&collectionid=364

[liverpool annie]

Heres a picture of the 6 graves ....... hard to see the names ... I don't have a magnifying glass ... but maybe you can see them !

[liverpool annie]

And ... I just found this ......

Lancaster PB253 Information

Type   Lancaster
Serial Number   PB253
Squadron   576
X1D   UL-A2
Operation   Stuttgart
Date 1   28th July 1944
Date 2   29th July 1944

Further Information

"Serial Range PA964 - PD196 This aircxraft was one of 800 Lancasters ordered from A.V.Roe (Chadderton) Apr43 of which 756 were delivered as 255 Mk.1s, 500 Mk.111s and one Lancastrian between May44 and Mar45 mainly from Chadderton with 87 from Yeadon. The Mk.111s had Merlin 38 engines initially installed except for the late production models with Merlin 224 engines. PB253 was a Mk.111 and was delivered to 576 Sqdn Jul44 When lost this aircraft had a total of 67 hours.
No other operational history PB253 was one of four 576 Sqdn Lancaster lost on this operation. See: LL799; LL905; PB128. Airborne 2118 28Jul44 from Elsham Wolds. Crashed circa 0230 29Jul44 near Chaumousey (Vosges), 8 km w of epinal. Six are buried in Chaumousey Communal Cemetery. F/O Archibald survived and probably evaded capture. This is yet to be substantiated. F/O J.Archibald RNZAF Sgt J.R.Cuthbert KIA Sgt J.e.Kearney KIA F/O P.J.Biollo RCAF KIA Sgt L.Fielding KIA W/O T.P.Barry KIA Sgt A.Milne KIA "

http://www.lostbombers.co.uk/bomber.php?id=3663

[liverpool annie]

F/O J.Archibald RNZAF must have been a POW !

In Memory of

Flight Sergeant LESLIE FIELDING
1035033, 576 Sqdn., Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
who died age 22
on 29 July 1944
Son of John and Lily Fielding, of Blackburn, Lancashire.

Remembered with honour
CHAUMOUSEY COMMUNAL CEMETERY

In Memory of

Warrant Officer TERENCE PATRICK BARRY
1391654, 576 Sqdn., Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
who died age 22
on 29 July 1944
Son of Daniel and Bridget Barry, of Woolwich, London.

Remembered with honour
CHAUMOUSEY COMMUNAL CEMETERY

In Memory of

Sergeant JOHN EDWARD KEARNEY
 1584132, 576 Sqdn., Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
who died age 31
on 29 July 1944
Son of John and Edith Kearney; husband of Betty Kearney, of Southall, Middlesex.

Remembered with honour
CHAUMOUSEY COMMUNAL CEMETERY

[David Layne]

I'm sure you have looked but I can find no Archibald listed in "Footprints"  or in the "RAF Commands" forum listing of POW's.

http://www.rafcommands.com/Air%20Force%20PoWs/RAF%20POWs%20Index.html

[liverpool annie]

With my limited knowledge ... I can't find him either David ..... 

Annie

[annsa]

Hi David,

I am not sure if Ross' list of PoWs is actually 100% complete. Also, the airman in question may have changed identities with another PoW which sometimes leads to confusion. The other alternative is that he managed to escape whilst in transit and therfore there may be an E&E report.

Regards,

Ann