Before the guide, here's a forward to outline how it all came about:

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I was asked by a neighbour to find out what happened to a
relative of his, Sgt Frank Cooney.

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From the 178 Squadron, RAF Volunteer Reserves who died in 1944.

With help from yorkshiretyke on WW2 People's War. I found he had flown from Foggia No 1, Celone, Italy.

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Following searches on the web,

Found Malcom Charlish whose site was very helpfull

And with assistance from Linzee WW2

All the pieces started to fit together and the story was taking shape.

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The Last Mission of EW277

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On the 13th June, 1944 some 90 planes, part of the 205 Group

Were taking off on a mission to bomb the railway yards at Munich.

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There where:-

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32 - Wellingtons - 231-wing

13 - Wellingtons - 236-wing

22 - Wellingtons - 330-wing

10 - Pathfinder Halifax's - 614 Squadron

And 13 - Liberators - from the airfield at Foggia No 1, Celone, Italy (including number EW277).

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The crew of EW277.

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Sgt. Stephen Thomas Geraint Gill : Pilot
RAF number - 1452957.

Parents Henry (Harry) Gill, Catherine Mary (Kate) Gill (born Wallace)

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Sgt. Patrick Cameron : Air Gunner RAF number - 573311.

Patrick Cameron was the son of Dr Patrick and Mrs Jenny Cameron of Perth.

He was among with the RAF in December 1937

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Sgt. Robert McLean : Air Bomber
RAF number - 1671314.

SON OF WILLIAM AND ISABELLA GRAHAM SQUAIR MCLEAN, OF EDINBURGH.

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Sgt. Malcolm Charlish : Flight Engineer
RAF number - 2202796.

Sergeant Malcolm Charlish, Flight Engineer RAFVR (2202796), age 19

Son of Fred and Margaret Charlish, of Bedale,
Yorkshire

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Sergeant Frank Cooney, Wireless Air Gunner, (1684744) RAFVR

age 21. Son of James and Margaret Cooney, of Westgate, Bradford, Yorkshire

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Namely, Billing and Craig, however, Found the following entry for June, 1944

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In the POW Camp Stalag Luft 7, Bankau, Nr. Kreulberg, Upper Silesia, Poland.

Camp L7 146 : A. W. Billing RAF number - 1355714.

Camp L7 155 : P. H. Craig RAF number -578239.

On the19.1.1945,Over 1,500 pows where marched to a
camp

About 25 miles from berlin stalag luft 111a,they arrived on

8.2.1945,after 21 days force march still trying to find if billing and craig where in the pows transfered

Two members of that fateful mission Still to accounted
for,are not to view looks as if sealed by courts as war crimes

On the 14th June 1944, EW277 did not return from its mission and was listed as missing in action.

It was not until after the war had finished, when the Americans returned to recover lost servicemen

That the 5 crew members from EW277, mistaken for Americans, probably because both countries flew Liberators,

were removed from their burial place in Furtenfeldbruck.

Germany to St. Avoid in France.

Later when the mistake was found the five were then moved once again to Choloy Memorial Cemetery

Nr. Nancy, France in collective grave 4 (1-5) where they now lie at rest.

My personal thanks to Malcolm Charlish, Linzee from WW2

Yorkshiretyke and also Tom Cranmer from 205 Group (Middle East and Italy)

44, Gorringe Valley Road, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN20 9SS. Telephone : 01323 484 824 [e-mail [email protected]]

Full permission has been given to supply the personal details included.

Without their valued help would never have been able to piece together the chain of events and of course.

To pass the information on to my Neighbour who started off the search in the first place.

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Other Airmen and Aircraft on the same Mission, From Foggia no1,Celone.Italy.From the Liberator Squadron,178.

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'A' Flight :

EW266 (L for Love)

W/Cdr. Steele, Sgt. Holmes, F/O Edwards, F/S Richardson, Sgt. Peryer, Sgt. Heizby, F/S Davies.

EV974 (D for Dog)

Lt. Van der Merge, F/O Bootham, Sgt. Blunt,
F/L Lindsey, F/O Wood, F/S Basten, Sgt. Halsall,
W/O Farthing.

KG828 (F for Fox)

P/O Blanckenburg, Sgt. Garner, F/O Davies, Sgt. Pain,
F/S McGuffie, F/S Symes.

EV961 (C for Charlie)

Sgt. Nichols, Sgt. Dirch, Lt. Shtein, Sgt. Elgar
Sgt. Hampton, Sgt. Penhaligon, Sgt. Woodsford.

EW260 (B for Baker)

Lt. Rosenthal, Sgt. Brown, Lt. Steel, Sgt. Cam,
Sgt. Horell, Sgt. Wilson, Sgt. Garbut.

EW233 (H for How)

F/L Eardley, Sgt. Watson, Sgt. Dalrymple, P/O White, F/O Rasmuslen,F/S Fanish, F/S Sutcliffe, sgt.Bulgen

'B' Flight :

EW139 (G for George)

W/Cdr Smythe, F/O Melton, F/O Ohrt, F/O Anselmo,
W/O Griffin, W/O Fedorchuk, P/O Johnstone, Sgt. Jones.

EW106 (U for Uncle)

Lt. Knight, Sgt. Graves, F/S Green, Sgt. Allen, F/S Holdup,
Sgt. Paul, F/S Bradshaw.

EW277 (W for William)

Sgt. Gill, Sgt. Charlish, Sgt. Craig, Sgt. Cooney, Sgt. Billing, Sgt. McLean, Sgt. Cameron.

EV022 (V for Victor)

Lt. Hoskin , Sgt. Scott, F/S Warner, Sgt. Exton, Sgt. Cooper,
F/S Hoshbaire , Sgt. Oxford.

EW231 (R for Roger)

Sgt. Rush, Sgt. Cowan, Lt. Nurmay, Sgt. Coates, Sgt. Green, Sgt. Dobie, Sgt. Hillson.

EV959 (T for Tare)

Lt. Gibson, Sgt. Durie F/S Ellis, Sgt. Young, F/S Heel, Sgt. Jones, sgt.Allam

BZ947 (N for Nab)

F/O McNaughton, Sgt. Johnstone , F/O Ellis, W/O Brothers, Sgt. Pratt, F/S Barrington, Sgt. Mitchell

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May the 5 Crew Members of EW277 be remembered and left to rest in the Choloy Memorial Cemetery.

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Near. Nancy, France. Grave-4-1 to 5

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Written by Jimcracker7. with help along the journey by many people

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