08/09/1944 Lancaster of n°115 lost with a Free French Flight Engineer

[Bertrand H]

Hi,


On 8 september 1944 a Lancaster I of n°115 sqdn hit by flak over Le Havre ; two crew died : Flight Sergeant Albert Gothain KILSBY (1437393) Pilot and Pilot Officer Donald Carr ODELL (J/95168) Air Gunner. It seems that it was their first ops mission according Air 27/891 and 892

Amongst the other crew we have a Free French sergeant : Edouard Backhouse was Flight Engineer ; he was safe and will died in two years later during an aircrash at La Rochelle.

-Henk gives serial HK579 and ORB HK577 : what is the good one ?

-Does anybody know if Edouard Backhouse was POW or evaded ?

TIA

Bertrand

[Andy Marden]

Bertrand,
HK577 only served with 149 Sqn. It was HK579, as confirmed by the aircraft AM78 card.
If you put HK579 into our database it will give you more detail:
https://www.rafcommands.com/database...php?uniq=HK579
So Backhouse was an evader.
Andy

[alieneyes]

Hi Bertrand,

Oliver Clutton-Brock's "RAF Evaders" has this for Backhouse:

Captured. Liberated when Fort Tourneville, Le Havre surrendered 12 September 1944. Interviewed 14 September 1944

Regards,

Dave

[Bertrand H]

Many thanks Andy and DAve for your replies !

Bertrand

[jossleclercq]

Hello,

In his evasion report, he gives his first name as Edmund, service number matches.

Born 28 August 1903, peacetime profession farmer, date of enlistment 18 August 1941, private adresse 189, Burnham road, Dartford, Kent.

He baled out at 0800 hrs on 8 September 1944 and was captured on landing near the village of Bleville. On the way to a headquarters, met his bomb aimer Sgt Walls, they gave their ID cards. They were then taken to a prison fort on a hill near Le Havre. There they met the wireless operator Sgt Feary. They were freed by allied forces on 12 September 1944.

Interviewed by IS9 on 14 September 1944.

Joss

[Bertrand H]

Thanks for this ; could it be another one ?

"My" E. Backhouse has not the same life ; born on 21/03/1916 ; I wonder whether we have an homonyn ; another check in its personnal files will bring the reply

Bertrand