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F/L Reginald Bibby RAFVR and crew – 576 Sqn – RAF Elsham Wolds - 1944
Failed to Return – 18th August 1944 – Lancaster III - LM439 – Op Wemars Cappel
Roy Bibby and his crew were posted to 576 Squadron from 11 Base in July 1944. They completed 5 operations being lost on their 6th. See details below
10/08/1944 – Dugny - Oil – ME792 – F/L R Bibby
11/08/1944 – Douai – Railway Yards – PD400 – F/L R Bibby
14/08/1944 – Fontaine-le-Pin – Army Support - ME800 – F/L R Bibby
15/08/1944 - Le Culot – Airfield - JB555 – F/L R Bibby
16/08/1944 – Stettin – PD232 – F/L R Bibby
18/08/1944 - Wemars Cappel – V Weapon - LM439 – F/L R Bibby – FTR – Flak victim.
The target was a V weapons site in the Pas de Calais area. The aircraft was hit by flak and exploded in mid air. The tail broke away and fell in a field where F/S Johnson’s remains were found. The main section of the aircraft fell upside down in a swamp south east of Ambleteuse about 1 km from the tail. The Germans had opened the sluice gates and flooded the area several days before and the depth of water at that time was approx 10 ft. The remains of Sgt Backler and Sgt Maiden were recovered, the later with some difficulty. The remains of Duerr and Allen were recovered later when the water subsided.
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F/L Reginald Bibby RAFVR – 576 Sqn - POW - Camp L3 – POW No N/K
Sgt Leonard Maiden RAF ( pictured below ) – Flight Engineer – 23 – 576 Sqn - Son of Leonard and Elsie Maiden of Airedale, Castleford, Yorkshire - Marquise Communal Cemetery, France.
F/O Ernest Augustus Duerr RAFVR – Air Bomber - 35 – 576 Sqn - Son of Augustus and Mary Duerr; husband of Violet Susie Doris Duerr of Seven King's, Essex – Calais Southern Cemetery, France.
F/O JA Armstrong RCAF – 576 Sqn - POW - Camp L3 - POW No 7600
F/S Francis Allen RAFVR - Wireless Operator – 576 Sqn - Son of John and Mary Ann Allen; husband of Mary Gavin Allen of Edinburgh – Calais Southern Cemetery, France.
F/S Lloyd Johnston RCAF ( pictured below ) – Air Gunner – 26 – 576 Sqn - Son of Leonard and Hazel Johnston of Dalkeith, Ontario - Calais Canadian War Cemetery, Leubringhen, France
F/S Herman Backler RCAF ( pictured below ) – Air Gunner – 21 – 576 Sqn - Son of Louis and Gertrude Novich Backler of Montreal, Province of Quebec – Calais Canadian War Cemetery, Leubringhen, France
Sgt Leonard Maiden RAF
F/S Lloyd Johnston RCAF
Johnston grave marker
F/S Herman Backler RCAF
Backler grave marker at Calais Canadian War Cemetery, Leubringhen, France
The original Backler grave front left at the Ambleteux before he was exhumed and reburied at the Calais Canadian War Cemetery
Herman Backler was one of several Jewish airmen to serve with 576 Squadron. Others that spring to mind are Reuban Ainzstein of Clarence Pegg’s crew and Mark Leslie Abramson of Ernest Presland’s crew
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18 August 44 – Wemars Cappel – France – V weapon site – Day. 4 aircraft detailed. No fighter cover or marking was provided. Clear weather as far as the south coast where 10/10ths cloud forced crews to descend to 5,000 ft. Ground detail was clearly visible and the target identified.
Intense light flak encountered in the target area which spoilt several bombing runs.
F/O Mortel, Air Bomber in F/O Mulrooney's crew was slightly hurt by flying perspex and bombs were dropped by Sgt Beale the Flight Engineer.
All aircraft suffered flak damage and F/L Bibby and crew did not return
(32 aircraft. Several small V weapon sites were attacked. No reports from this attack )
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Lancaster LM439
This machine completed 53 operations being lost on its 54th. Its first sortie was on the 27/28th January 1944 to Berlin with F/O G S Morgan and crew.
Compiled and written by David Fell. Photos courtesy of the Canadian Virtual War Memorial. Thanks also to John Jones for additional info and photos. Ambleteux photo courtesy of Philippe Goldstein
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