Unknown airman identified

[dan35]

Hello,
We found a few minutes of the French gendarmerie.
August 15, 1944, body a British airman was found in a stream, a channel from the sea in Lancieux. The US military being present recovered the identity papers found on the body. Leaving only the gendarme the nameplate : 1.614. 168 CE - RL. EE
The body could have stayed between ten days in water. The body still carried on his back his parachute.

[PeteT]

One possibility

If 1614168 is his service number, then the details on the CWGC site for LEE, RAYMOND LESLIE fit the scenario in terms of date, original burial by the Americans etc.

Regards

Pete

[Dick]

Hi Dan
If Peter has the right man then he was lost as the w/op of 138 Sqn, Halifax V, LL387, NF-P during 19/07/44. The a/c was engaged on Operation Shipwright for SOE. The a/c crashed in the sea off the Normandy coast(which may fit in with his having been found in a coastal stream after baling out,from the sound of it too low for the parachute to help him) and coming down in the stream or being washed ashore from the sea. I think the CE on his I.D Tag indicates his religion(Church of England). The details come from Chorley Bomber Command Losses Vol 5. He reports that Lee, and Sgt J Allison(rear gunner) were buried at Avranches (CWGC report Lee as in Bayeux War Cemetary which may indicate a post war move). The mid-upper gunner Sgt W L Dalgleish RCAF is reported by Chorley as buried in the Canadian War Cemetary at Beny-sur Mer. The other 4 crew members have no known grave and are commemorated at Runnymede
Regards
Dick