F/O Stanley F Durrant RAFVR and crew - 576 Sqn - RAF Elsham Wolds - 1944.
Failed to Return - 24/25th September 1944 - Lancaster III - NN711 - Op Neuss.
Stanley Durrant ( pictured above ) was born in 1923 and hailed from Dorset on the south coast. He attended Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Wimborne where he excelled at athletics, cricket and football. He was also a member of the 1069 Wimborne Squadron Air Training Corps which he greatly enjoyed. When he left for the RAF proper in 1943 he had attained the rank of corporal.
Durrant trained as a pilot in Saskatchewan Canada under the BCATP and returned to the UK where he went through the usual bomber crew training. He was posted to 576 Squadron at Elsham Wolds in July 1944 from 11 Base and flew his first operation on the 10th August 1944 to Dugny which was an aviation storage fuel depot near Paris.
Durrant's crew flew unchanged throughout and is shown below.
Tour details
10/08/1944 - Dugny - LM227 - F/O SF Durrant
11/08/1944 - Douai - ME801 - F/O SF Durrant - ER - Intercom U/S.
14/08/1944 - Fontaine-le-Pin - ME801 - F/O SF Durrant
15/08/1944 - Le Culot - Airfield - ME801 - F/O SF Durrant
18/08/1944 - Wemars Cappel - ME800 - F/O SF Durrant - Forced to make 4 bombing runs
25/08/1944 - Russelheim - LM594 - F/O SF Durrant
29/08/1944 - Stettin - PD232 - F/O SF Durrant
03/09/1944 - Eindhoven - NN711 - F/O SF Durrant
05/09/1944 - Le Havre - NN711 - F/O SF Durrant
06/09/1944 - Le Havre - NN711 - F/O SF Durrant
08/09/1944 - Le Havre - NN711 - F/O SF Durrant
10/09/1944 - Le Havre - NN711 - F/O SF Durrant
12/09/1944 - Frankfurt - NN711 - F/O SF Durrant
15/09/1944 - Oslo, Kattegat and River Elbe - Mine laying - NN711 - F/O SF Durrant
16/09/1944 - Leeuwarden - NN711 - F/O SF Durrant
20/09/1944 - Calais - NN711 - F/O SF Durrant
23/09/1944 - Neuss - NN711 - F/O SF Durrant – FTR - Crashed on outskirts of Moers, Germany.
The attack on Neuss in the Ruhr area of Germany and was a aimed at the dock and factory area of the town. NN711 crashed at Moers which is north of Neuss. Probably a night fighter victim but who knows. All the crew were killed and rest at the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery.
Per John Jones - Claim by Oblt Lothar Jarsch 4/NJG2 - FuF. Ida: 3.500m at 22.29 (Film C. 2027/II Anerk: Nr. -) Crashed South East of Kapellen southern outskirts of Moers The crew were initially buried in Kapellen Communal Cemetery as unknown Graves 1-7 Reinterred 16 October 1947 - Boiten.
F/O Stanley Frederick Durrant RAFVR – Pilot - 21 – 576 Sqn - Son of Sydney John and Gertrude Mary Durrant of West Moors, Dorsetshire - Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Germany.
Sgt Ronald Ernest Pearce RAFVR - Flight Engineer – 33 – 576 Sqn - Son of George Ernest and Annie Pearce; husband of Marion Bridget Pearce of Streatham, London -Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Germany.
Sgt Charles John Brady RCAF ( pictured below ) – Air Bomber - 25 – 576 Sqn - Son of William Henry and Elizabeth Brady of Peterborough, Ontario, Canada - Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Germany.
F/O James Johnstone RAFVR - Navigator - 22 – 576 Sqn - Son of James Johnstone, and of Margaret Johnstone of Laurieston, Kirkcudbrightshire - Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Germany.
F/S James Robert McIntyre RAAF – Wireless Operator - 21 – 576 Sqn - Son of James Phair McIntyre and May Helen McIntyre of Manly, Queensland, Australia - Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Germany.
Sgt James Gordon Mackey RCAF ( pictured below ) - Air Gunner - 27 – 576 Sqn - Son of James William and Eliza Jamieson Mackey of Verdun, Province of Quebec, Canada - Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Germany.
Sgt David Spowart RAFVR – Air Gunner– 576 Sqn - Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Germany.
Sgt Charles John Brady RCAF
Sgt James Gordon Mackey RCAF
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Training in Canada
Stan trained in Saskatchewan Canada and was a very good friend of a Canadian student pilot called David Bowen. he got to know David very well. Stephen, the son of David, has sent this excellent collection of photos taken of Stan and his father during their training.
Likely Carberry RCAF base during SFTS. Stan Durrant is in the first row, 3rd from right
Stan Durrant in barracks. I believe as a Pilot Officer at this point. No VR on collar.
Vulcan Alberta, at Oran. L. McPherson Ranch. Stan Durrant at right. O. L. McPherson was an MLA (Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta) in the 1920's in Alberta, Canada.
David Bowen and Stan Durrant at John Canyon in the Canadian Rockies, Alberta, Canada.
Vulcan Alberta, O. L. McPherson Ranch. Stan Durrant at left, David Bowen in the centre, and P/O Kevin (unknown) RAAF.
Alberta Rockies. Stan Durrant second from left. David Bowen is fourth from left.
Hutterite Family Farm, Canada. David Bowen with lambs and Stan Durrant to left.
Likely SFTS in Carberry, Manitoba, Canada - Stan Durrant (wearing sunglasses) is at wing root, below and to the right of the man on the wing.
Item compiled by David Fell with photo courtesy of the Durrant family as far as I can recall but I have had that pic for many years. Also particular thanks to Stephen Bowen for the photos of Stan taken during his training in Canada. Background info from the Wimborne Grammar School website. Dixon photo courtesy of Canadian Virtual War Memorial. Thanks to John Jones for additional info.
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