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

Following searches on the web, I found Malcom Charlish whose site was very helpful and with assistance from Linzee WW2, all the pieces started to fit together and the story was taking shape.

The Last Mission of EW277

On the 13^th June, 1944 some 90 planes, part of the 205 Group, were taking off on a mission to bomb the railway yards at Munich.

There were:

• 32 Wellingtons - 231-wing
• 13 - Wellingtons - 236-wing
• 22 - Wellingtons - 330-wing
• 10 - Pathfinder Halifax's - 614 Squadron
• 13 - Liberators - from the airfield at Foggia No 1, Celone, Italy (including number EW277)

The crew of EW277 were as follows:

• Sgt Stephen Thomas Geraint Gill : Pilot RAF number - 1452957
• Sgt Patrick Cameron : Air Gunner RAF number - 573311
• Sgt Robert McLean : Air Bomber RAF number - 1671314
• Sgt Malcolm Charlish : Flight Engineer RAF number - 2202796
• Sgt Frank Cooney : W/Op/Air Gunner RAF number - 1684744

Two members of that fateful mission I still have to account for namely, Billing and Craig, however, I have found the following entry for June, 1944 in the POW Camp Stalag Luft 7, Bankau, Nr Kreulberg, Upper Silesia, Poland.

Camp L7 146: AW Billing RAF number - 1355714

Camp L7 155: PH Craig RAF number - 1578239

This may or may not be the answer to complete my search. However, until it is confirmed, then I shall keep looking.

On the 14^th 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 their 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.

Other Airmen and Aircraft on the same Mission

'A' Flight:

EW266 (L for Love)

W/Cdr Steele, Sgt Holmes, F/O Edwards, F/S Richardson, Sgt Perryer, 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 Farnish, 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 Ellis, WO Brothers, Sgt Pratt, F/S Barrington, Sgt Mitchell.

My personal thanks to Malcolm Charlish, Linzee from WW2, yorkshiretyke and also Tom Cranmer from 205 Group (Middle East and Italy) of Eastbourne, East Sussex¹. Full permission has been given to supply the personal details included. Without their valued help I 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 me off on this search in the first place.

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

jimcracker,7

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