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This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War site by Ian Ellis on behalf of Greg Drozdz, David Guyett, Remco Immerzeel, Albert Nuttall and Andrew White. The stories and pictures have been added to the site with their permission. The authors fully understand the site's terms and conditions.

This is Chapter 1 of 6 chapters telling the story of The Lancaster Crash at Rebr茅chien

The complete story includes the following contents arranged in these parts as folows:

The Lancaster Crash at Rebr茅chien - Chapter 1 - A4342826

The Lancaster Crash at Rebr茅chien - Chapter 2 - A4356038

The Lancaster Crash at Rebr茅chien - Chapter 3 - A4369377

The Lancaster Crash at Rebr茅chien - Chapter 4 - A4369395

The Lancaster Crash at Rebr茅chien - Chapter 5 - A4369403

The Lancaster Crash at Rebr茅chien - Chapter 6 - A4459197

ABC Lancaster Crash at Rebrechien 28/29 July 1944 - A2607626

Comments from researching the Lancaster Crash at Rebr茅chien - A4214693

The Lancaster Crash at Rebr茅chien - The Ties That Bind Us -
A8940008

Chapter 2
Testimonies of Eye-Witnesses to the Crash (continued)
The grave of the "Liberators of France"
Arthur Harris and Bomber Command
The SR-V2 LM462 Lancaster
The Ludford Magna aifield

Chapter 3
German night fighters
Airborne Cigar
The operation on Stuttgart
The last days of the SR-V2 LM-462 crew

Chapter 4
Searching for the Families

Chapter 5
Further stories about the crew.

Chapter 6
Further stories about the crew.

Chapter 1 - THE LANCASTER OF REBRECHIEN

Contributions and Translation by R. Immerzeel & M-C Guy (except the Baratin, Camus, Melon and M茅nard testimonies by J. Potter and by kind permission of the SAHL).
Mapping: C. NUTTALL.

漏 Soci茅t茅 Arch茅ologique et Historique de Loury
Place Antoine Masson 45470 LOURY
02 38 65 42 07
Siret 444.210.025.00011

On July 28th 1944, at around 11.30pm a British Lancaster bomber, call sign SR-V2, from the 101st squadron of the RAF crashed in Rebr茅chien in the La Cour neighbourhood at a place called 鈥淟e Mauvais Puits鈥� (the bad well). None of the eight crew members aged between 21 and 30 survived the resulting explosion. Seven were British, one was Canadian. They were:

Pilot Officer Peter, Joseph Hyland , the
Pilot, 21, from Argentina.

Sergeant John Hodgson, the Flight Engineer, 27, from Leeds Yorkshire.

Sergeant Thomas Crane, the Bomb Aimer and the Front Gunner, 22, from Belfast, Ulster.

Sergeant John, Thomas, Victor Moore, the radio Operator, 21, from Hinckley, Leistershire.

Flight Sergeant Clifford, Ernest Smith, the Navigator, from Torquay, Devon.

Sergeant Wolf, Herman Engelhardt, the ABC Radio Operator, 24, from London.

Sergeant, Eric, Ronald Brown, the Upper Turret Gunner, 21, from Upper Norwood, London.

Sergeant Albert, William Tuuri, 30, the Rear Gunner, from Ontario, Canada.

This story written as a 60-page commemorative brochure is meant to be a tribute to these eight heroes, for we want them never to be forgotten. Since 1944, the people of Rebr茅chien have always shown respect to the airmen, but the 60th anniversary shall remain engraved in our memories as having been something special. It is distinctive, for after 60 years the living relatives and descendants of the airmen will have the opportunity to meet for the first time and we can imagine the emotion of such an encounter. Unforgettable because this meeting has been made possible through an international collaboration between Rebr茅chien and the family members who will come here from as far away as Argentina, Canada, the United States of America, Spain and of course England. The preparation of this commemoration was also a great opportunity to create emotional ties with the elder people from Rebr茅chien who are our living memory. This event is therefore all the more precious, for some of these eye witnesses, brothers and sisters of the airmen, will be still be among us, many visiting the grave of their loved one for the first time.
We could not have accomplished this enriching and poignant task as a tribute to the fallen without the encouragement, gratitude and support we encountered along the way. What started out to be a small inauguration at the crash site, has turned into quite a formidable event, this with the progressive addition of a religious ceremony, a tribute at the cemetery, an exhibition and of course the compilation and publication of this brochure.

Acknowledgements
Something on the scale of the search for the families of Lancaster SR-V2 has involved scores of people literally across the world, who gave of their time and creative ideas to assist us. This was all channelled into making enquiries and compiling this commemorative brochure. What stands out above all, is that people care, people want to be involved. Even people unconnected with our families, with Rebr茅chien or the RAF, even people born long after the dark years of the war recognise the sacrifice of the Lancaster crew, and value their flight and fight for freedom. Some of their names are listed here, but inevitably many others worthy of recognition and our gratitude have been omitted. To them our apologies, to all our most grateful thanks.

The Archaeological and Historical Society of Loury (S.A.H.L), particularly: Christian Prudhomme, Fran莽oise and Ma毛l Guillou, Paul Hummel and S茅verine Guillotte,
Dominique Bosquet Mayor of Rebr茅chien and Michel Perdereau deputy Mayor for their financial help, technical support and the welcoming of the families of the airmen,
The volunteers who have helped us, those who have offered hospitality to the foreign guests,
The persons who have accepted to give their testimonies.

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission, ^{About links}

Mr PL Stafford of the RAF Personnel Branch, RAF Innsworth, Gloucester
Wing Commander Jon Ager MA RAF, Officer Commanding 101 Squadron and Gary Weightman, 101 Squadron Liaison Officer, RAF Members and Associate Members of 101 Squadron Association
Mr Jim Edwards and Ms Sole Whitelegg in the British Consulate in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Claudio Gustavo Meunier, author/aviation researcher, Argentina; ^{About links}

Mr David Owen, reporter on the Leicester Mercury.
Mr Gerardo Araya, reporter at the R茅publique du Centre.
Mr Gregory Drozdz, local historian and archivist of War Memorials, Leicestershire, England
Canadian researchers John Scott and Bob Carswell and Dave Nicholson, volunteer researcher in Thunder Bay, Ontario.
Mr Andrew Robinson reporter on the Yorkshire Post News
Ms Rachel Fletcher reporter on the Jewish Chronicle newspaper, London
Mr Andy Cooper and Andrea Foster of the North Devon Journal & Mid Devon Gazette Series
Reporting staff of the Devon Express and Echo Newspaper
Mr Martin Sugarman, researcher ^{About links} for AJEX, the Association of Jewish Ex-Servicemen, ^{About links} Hendon, London
Research and archive staff at the Friends of War memorials; the UK National Inventory of War Memorials at the Imperial War Museum, London: the Yorkshire Evening Post; the Exeter Local Studies Library; Torquay Reference Library, Torbay; the Hinckley Library, the Royal Horticultural School, Wisley, Surrey.

The Family of Thomas Crane, the Family of Wolf Engelhardt, the Family of Peter Hyland,
the Family of Albert Tuuri, the family of Eric Brown and Remco Immerzeel.

From Wing Commander Jon Ager MA RAF
Officer Commanding 101 Squadron

As the Commanding Officer of 101 Squadron in its current form, I have been touched deeply by the strong links that bind us with our past. Our ethos and identity is reinforced through a very active Squadron Association and a proactive team of Squadron historians. In recent months, we have been invited to join the relations and colleagues of those who have given their lives during the latter stages of the Second World War, in pursuit of the freedom that we now all enjoy. Set against a backdrop of our own challenging operational commitments, 101 Squadron and I have travelled far and wide to churchyards and memorials within the UK, and to France and Switzerland.

On the 24th, 25th and 28th July 1944 Bomber Command launched devastating raids on Stuttgart, which destroyed the central districts of the city. Over the 3 nights 1367 Lancasters, 291 Halifaxs and 2 Mosquitoes attacked the target. On the final raid, Luftwaffe night fighters intercepted the outward-bound bomber stream over France in bright moonlight and 39 Lancasters were shot down. The raid on 28th July was Pilot Officer P J Hyland鈥檚 and his crew鈥檚 10th Operation, having first flown together with 101 Squadron on 22nd June 1944 on a raid to Reims. Their Lancaster, SR-V2, took off from Ludford Magna at 2145, as one of a flight of 6 aircraft. It was subsequently one of the 39 Lancasters lost to the German night fighters on the way to the target. The loss the Lancasters in such a number and manner is, sadly, reflective of the way in which many crews just simply did not return from their missions.

Yet, the sacrifice made by Pilot Officer Hyland鈥檚 Crew has not gone unnoticed. Like all the commemorations I have attended, those who were eventually liberated still have the utmost admiration for the men and women who made that supreme sacrifice; the commemoration and dedication of a memorial at Rebr茅chien is clearly evidence of that respect. Those who currently serve on 101 Squadron keep alive the memory of all who have given their lives and our thoughts and with best wishes are with you on this 60th Anniversary.

Wing Commander Jon Ager MA RAF
Officer Commanding 101 Squadron
14 July 2004

Rebr茅chien - a Typical French Village
Rebr茅chien is a cosy little village of about 1.200 inhabitants in the Loiret, in central France. It is located 16 km north east of Orleans, not far from the N152 road. It is only ten minutes away from the Loire valley, it is UNESCO heritage territory and it is world famous for its wines. However local wines are no longer to be found in Rebr茅chien and only a few farmers are left in the area. The name Rebr茅chien stems from Latin aera Bacchi: the wine area, Bacchus being the roman god of wines. Some items dating back to the roman times have been found in the village. In 1817, an antique pot was found in a place called the Bacchus yard and in 1825, parts of Gallo-roman statues, including a head from Apollo and a medal from Trajan, was discovered. The church, Notre-Dame de Rebr茅chien, also dedicated to saint Anne, Saint Nicolas and saint Vincent (saint of the winegrowers) stems back to the 13th century and is quite large for a village, as it may contain up to 600 people.

The local wine was very famous and highly appreciated by French kings. Henry I would drink nothing else. His soldiers tasted the wine before going to battle, whereas Henry IV would enjoy this beverage when he stayed in the Grandes Bosses chateau. This building was demolished in 1860.
Rebr茅chien had 940 inhabitants in 1755 and 932 in 1869. The population then slowly declined and in 1975 there were only 591 inhabitants. Then things changed and the village had 1.005 inhabitants in 1990, and 1.167 in 1999. Rebr茅chien is located only 120km south of Paris and many new inhabitants have settled in the area, especially in the ten last years. The strategic location of the village, near large factories of the Orleans suburbs, has made this privileged place quite attractive, as the large protected forest of Orl茅ans acts as a buffer zone between the country and the city, allowing positive aspects of both a nice environment and nearby facilities. Rebr茅chien still has a nice central square with old houses and there are several old farms dating back to the 19th century. Some houses are still covered with old vines.

The Crash Of The SR-V2 LM462 At Rebr茅chien
In May 1940, the Germans had overrun France and a Nazi leadership presided over northern and central France. Rebr茅chien was subject to the same curfews and restrictions that applied to occupied France with the flight of allied bombers passing overhead to and from their targets in Germany. German anti-aircraft guns would try to bring down these planes, the British flying at night and the Americans flying in daylight. A German fighter station was based at Bricy that is now home to the French Air Force and this added to the air activity. On January 7 th 1944, several American bombers crashed in the area.
In June 1944, the Allies had landed in Normandy and were slowly advancing south. Paris was not going to be liberated for several weeks yet, but there was a feeling of optimism that perhaps the war might be over by Christmas. The evening of 28th July 1944 was a warm, clear summer evening in Rebr茅chien and there were still people awake late into the night. As on many nights the sounds of aircraft high in the sky were heard, another night-time raid by RAF Bomber Command in support of the Allied liberation armies. No one could have foreseen what was about to happen. As midnight approached people heard the sound of gunfire in the sky. Perhaps the anti-aircraft guns, but more likely it was the feared German Luftwaffe night-fighters seeking out the British bombers.
Out of the sky came a British Lancaster bomber, engulfed in flame. It turned over the village as if trying to return home, but was unable to maintain its height. Eye witnesses then remember it falling just north of the village centre and the most huge explosion and sheet of flame erupted from the sky. The scene that emerged was one of utter destruction. The bomber was on its outward journey and still with most of its fuel and a full load of bombs aboard. It had crashed and then exploded onto farmland at Le Mauvais Puits. It was a miracle that nobody on the ground was killed or even seriously injured. At the point of impact, the explosion of the plane made a crater 12 meters wide and 4 meters deep. Of the plane itself little remained in any recognisable form. The explosion of aviation fuel and bombs had literally blown the Lancaster to pieces. Everywhere were twisted and torn fragments of the plane and its wings were blown out to a distance of hundreds of meters. No parachutes had been seen and it was clear that none of the crew could have survived the crash and explosion.

Testimonies of Eye-Witnesses to the Crash
Francis Paviot, 17 in 1944, living in Marigny-les-Usages
"On the evening of July 28th 1944, a little bit before 11.30, as usual I could hear the noise of waves of bombers flying over the area from the west to the east. Then I heard two distinct noises. There was one very brief machine gun burst. I then realised that a bomber was being chased by a night fighter. A few moments later, I heard a loud noise just above my head. I thought that the aircraft had lit a little light. I then saw the bomber for the first (and unfortunately the last time). I rapidly understood that it wasn鈥檛 a little light but the beginning of a fire. The light then turned into flames as the aircraft arrived above a farm called 鈥淟a Grand Cour鈥� in Marigny and I could easily follow the final route of the bomber going to Vennecy, it then suddenly made a curve towards the north and dived towards Rebr茅chien. Some parts of the cabin and several objects fell from the fuselage as the plane went down. I heard mention of a big piece of Plexiglas on wood and something which could have been a life jacket. I remember that some parts have been found by the Grand Villiers family.
I have always wondered why the airmen hadn鈥檛 bailed out, for the descent seemed to have lasted quite long.鈥�

Gaston Jahier, 23 in 1944, living in Rebr茅chien
"On July 28th 1944, between 11 and 11.30, I was outside with Bernard Pousse guarding the tracks. I was standing not far from the level crossing on the embankment when I heard a machine gun burst. After a few seconds I saw a burning aircraft coming from the west. It passed south of the village and carried on its route for several miles. Suddenly it made a curve towards the north and dived straight towards Rebr茅chien. The explosion scattered parts all around us. As I got to the crash site, I saw the whole area on fire. I can still remember the sheaves of wheat burning in the fields. The next morning, I went back to see the wreckage and found an identification picture 50 metres away from the crash site. It was the photograph of a young brown-haired beardless man, and one could read the name "Smith" written with a pencil on the back.
I kept a spar from the aircraft and donated this to the Loury Museum in 2003, when the nephew of the airman called Engelhardt came to visit me."

Chapter 2 begins with further testimonies of eye-witnesses and the continuing story of the The Lancaster Crash at Rebr茅chien.

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