Souvenirs (memories) of WWII - incl. Lancaster shot down, 1943

Gabriel
You seem to think I'm doubting what you say.
Well, I wonder. The thing remain that we watched a plane that was shot down near our house and the crew is buried à Biarritz's Sabaou cemetery.

The solution is of course that the aircraft was on a mission to the "Elderberry" region for a mining operation and the "Elderberry" region based around Bayonne, would have included Erromardie beach and probably a large proportion of that SW France coast.
John
Sea mining was quite a routine along the coast to disturb german's navy traffic. But it was also a great deal of danger for our fishermen. They were few tragedies because these "floating plumpkins".
We observed often a Junker 52 flying very low above the ocean. Le Ju52 was équiped with a large circle device fixed under the fuselage, apparently for the detection of magnetic mines.

 

Wild Boar

I won't bother you with my souvenirs for awhile. I'm leaving to morrow morning for Medecine Hat (Alberta).
Then sunday we will travel to Helena (Montana) and after a visit of 3 or 4 days, we will take the road again to Bonner's Ferry (Idaho).

About a week or 10 days! B)

 

I was a kid during WWII (born 03/18/1933), living in Southwestern France.
I got many souvenirs of these times.
Hi Gabriel -
One of the crew of the Lancaster ED728 that you saw shot down on 28th April 1943 was my mother's brother, Donald Park. I am of course very intersted in your memoirs and stories, and would love to hear from you.
My grandparents and mother went to Biarritz in about 1946/1947 to go to the grave in Biarritz. I believe that during that time they met a man (a farmer perhaps) who saw the plane crash - could this have been your father ? My mother is now 86 yrs old can't remember his name, and who else was there as well - so I am wondering if it could have been you or your brother ?
They also met a Madame Laurie and a friend of hers who were in the Resistance, and have a photo of her.
I have some photos of buildings that were painted to look like local houses.
My mother and I were going to Biarritz on the 28th April this year as a pilgrimage, but unfortunately were not able to go then - but we will be going in the next month or so.
Looking forward to your reply, and from anyone else as well.

Marilyn

 

Hi Marilyn!

I came back yesterday from my short trip in the States and today I found your post.

My condoleances for your uncle. Too many young people sacrificed their lives during that conflict.

About the visit of your grandparents and mother at the cemetery, the man they met couldn't have been my father. For myself, the first and last time I saw the graves was in 1957.

My story about that tragic night have a sequel that may be of interest to you.

 

Impressive image of the FLAK battery of Erromardie with his four 75mm AAA.

 

Dear Gabriel - thank you for replying so soon. THANK YOU for the picture. Wars are certainly sad and tragic.
My mother and grandparents met and chatted to the chap that I mentioned in a field near St Jean du Luz or near Erromardie - it was a long time ago so my mom is not quite sure - they did not meet in the cemetry.
I would so like to hear your story, as I do so want to know. In the message on this thread I think you mentioned 4 bodies .. I wonder where the others were .. and what happened to the aircraft .. did it just crash or crash and explode ??

 

Dear Gabriel - thank you for replying so soon. THANK YOU for the picture. Wars are certainly sad and tragic.
My mother and grandparents met and chatted to the chap that I mentioned in a field near St Jean du Luz or near Erromardie - it was a long time ago so my mom is not quite sure - they did not meet in the cemetry.
I would so like to hear your story, as I do so want to know. In the message on this thread I think you mentioned 4 bodies .. I wonder where the others were .. and what happened to the aircraft .. did it just crash or crash and explode ??

Hi Marilyn!

Like I said in my post, we saw the plane go down, but from our house we couldn't see the beach, we just heard a loud explosion and saw the flames or a ball of fire, then it was all finished.
The following day we saw 4 bodies laid at the base of the wall (built by the germans along the beach) and one body among the wreckage.

We learn later that 4 members of the crew managed to bail out, but they were to low and crashed on the beach before their chutes deployed. Most likely the 4 deads we saw by the wall. The last 2 bodies were probably still in the wreckage of the Lancaster.

I misunderstood about the chap your mother met, probably one of the local farmers.

 

Hello. I visited the graveyard today. As has been noted, there are indeed 9 graves - the 7 airmen from the crashed plane, Richard Brown, whose body was washed ashore, and an unidentified "Flying Officer", the date for the latter being 27 May 1943.

I can post some photos if there is still any interest in this topic.

 

Paul welcome to the forum please do post

 

Here are some photos. I wonder if anything at all is known about the circumstances of the unidentified airman?