Operation: Villiers-Bocage, France

Date: 30th June 1944 (Friday)

Unit No: 514 Squadron, 3 Group, Bomber Command

Type: Lancaster III

Serial: PB178

Code: JI:P

Base: RAF Waterbeach, Cambridgeshire

Location: Pittsham Farm, near Midhurst, Sussex

Pilot: Flt Sgt. Jack Edward Kristjan Hannesson R162636 RCAF Age 21. Killed

Flt Eng: Sgt. Kenneth Edward Arthur Fox 2201592 RAFVR Age 20. Killed

Nav: Flt Sgt. Beverley Gordon Lee 426753 RAAF Age 31. Killed

Bomb Aimer: Sgt. Thomas C. Colbeck R118427 RCAF Age 21. Survived (1)

WOp/Air Gnr: Sgt. Bert A. Brown 1126909 RAFVR Age? Survived

Air Gnr (Mid Upper): Sgt. Andrew Lorne George R178139 RCAF Age 30. Killed

Air Gnr (Rear): Sgt. Harry James Morgan 646041 RAF Age 24. Killed

Above left to right: Flt Sgt. Jack E.K. Hannesson, Flt Sgt. Beverley G. Lee, Sgt. Andrew L. George (Courtesy of their service records)

We are indebted to Grant Workman for sending us details of Thomas Colbeck in November 2014. Grant had been a family friend of Thomas - see credits.

REASON FOR LOSS:

PB178 took-off from RAF Waterbeach, Cambridgeshire at 18:18 hrs to join a force of two-hundred and sixty-six (266) heavy bombers to attack a large formation of enemy armour at Villers Bocage (Normandy Landings).

The formation was scheduled to assemble over Luton but they arrived late, with no there aircraft visible Plt Off. Hannesson headed south to catch up and join the formation at another designated point. The rear gunner Sgt. Morgan spotted a group of Lancasters approaching from the rear so the pilot turned to formate on the group to identify them approaching from starboard.

Tom, reported that another aircraft was closing in, so the pilot dived to avoid a collision. At that moment another aircraft was seen slightly below this first, causing Plt Off. Hannesson to steepen his dive.

At about at 19:25 hrs as they passed under the second aircraft the cockpit area of PB178 struck the underside of the tailplane fin of the second aircraft instantly killing Plt Off. Hannesson and the Flight Engineer, Sgt. Fox. Immediately afterwards the Port Inner propellor cut off the Starboard Fin and the Port Outer propeller removed the rear turret.

The second aircraft was 15 Sqn Lancaster I ME695 LS:Z. The collision damaged the starboard tail wing, rudder and rear turret killing the Rear Gunner. The Wireless Operator, Engineer, Bomb Aimer and Mid Upper Gunner baled out. The Pilot and Navigator crash-landed the aircraft at RAF Ford.

Sgt. Colbeck and Sgt. Brown managed to bale, and they landed in some apple trees. Sgt. Colbeck suffered minor scratches and bruises but Sgt. Brown received a large cut. Both of whom were treated at the King Edward VII Sanitoreum and released shortly afterwards. All the other crew were lost as the aircraft crashed at Pittsham Farm, near Midhurst, Sussex.

The operation was considered very successful and bombing (carried out at low level) classed as very accurate. 1,100 tons were dropped, with the effect that the German attack failed to take place.

A second aircraft from the squadron failed to return:

Lancaster I LL620 JI:T – Flown by Fg Off. Woods 420731 RAAF. He and his crew were KiA and are buried at Coulvain Churchyard in France.

(1) Tom Colbeck married Mary Davies in 1950, they had 3 sons, 3 daughters and 2 daughters. After leaving the RCAF Tom joined the Vancouver Fire Department, retiring as the District chief after 36 years of service in 1982.

Above: Tom Colbeck (courtesy Grant Workman)

Sadly, Tom passed away on the 13th November 2013 age 91. At the time he had been living at the George Derby Centre in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada. He had 3 sons, 2 daughters and 15 grandchildren.

Burial details:

Plt Off. Jack Edward Kristjan Hannesson. Brookwood Military Cemetery, Grave 54.A.3. Grave inscription: "THERE IS A LINK DEATH CANNOT SEVER, LOVE AND REMEMBRANCE LAST FOR EVER". Born on the 13th November 1922 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Son of Kari Oscar and Dorothy Constance (née Pritchard) Hannesson and brother to Dorothy of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Flt Sgt. Hannesson was posthumously appointed to a commission and promoted to J87269 Plt Off. with effect 14th June 1944.

Sgt. Kenneth Edward Arthur Fox. Acomb (St. Stephen Churchyard. Row G. Grave 31. Born in 1st Qtr of 1924 in Leeds, West Yorkshire. Son of George Edward and Amy (née Armitage) Fox of Acomb, York, England.

Flt Sgt. Beverley Gordon Lee. Brookwood Military Cemetery, Grave 4.L.13. Grave inscription: "BELOVED ONE, FAREWELL. GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN". Born on the 29th May 1913 in Mareeba, Queensland. Son of Albert Y. Gordon and Maude Catherine Lee. Husband of G. Madge Sylvester Lee of Cairns, Queensland, Australia.

Plt Off. Andrew Lorne George. Brookwood Military Cemetery, Grave 54.A.2. Born on the 23rd June 1914 in Calgary, Alberta. Son of Frank Thomas and Martha (née Gemmil - deceased in July 1938) George of Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

Sgt. George was posthumously appointed to a commission and promoted to J89894 Plt Off. with effect 29th June 1944.

Sgt. Harry James Morgan. West Alvington (All Saints) Churchyard, near North Boundary. Born on the 20th October 1919 in South Milton. Son of Henry Heath and Kathleen Maria (née Murphy) Morgan of Kingsbridge. Husband of Dorothy May (née Bean) Morgan of Kingsbridge, Devon, England.

Researched by Kelvin Youngs (Webmaster) and dedicated to the crew and their families. With thanks to Grant Workman, (Grant’s website). Tara Colbeck , relative of Tom Colbeck. Also thanks to “Critical Moments” Profiles of Members of the Greater Vancouver Branch of the Aircrew Association. Reviewed, corrected and updated by Aircrew Remembered (Mar 2026)

Striking Through Clouds - The war diaries of 514 Squadron Written by Simon Hepworth and Andrew Porelli. ISBN: 978-1495440489 546 Pages.

Formed on 1st September 1943 as part of the expansion of Bomber Command's No. 3 Group, 514 Squadron specialised in blind bombing techniques in the drawn out and bloody campaign against Nazi Germany. For the vast majority of its war, 514 Squadron was stationed at RAF Waterbeach, Cambridgeshire, operating Lancaster bombers. Aircrew members were drawn not just from Britain but also Canada, Australia and New Zealand amongst others. Over four hundred members of the squadron were to lose their lives in the two years of the squadron's existence, which saw the loss on operations of 66 aircraft, with another 14 being written off in accidents. Thrown into the Battle of Berlin in the winter of 1943/4, 514 Squadron also played a pivotal role in supporting the Allied bridgehead in Normandy after D-Day, before reverting to attacks on German infrastructure, including transport facilities and oil production plants. Drawing on the squadron's Operational Record Book, previously only available as microfiche or poor quality print, Simon Hepworth and Andrew Porrelli have produced the first comprehensive record of 514 Squadron's war.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember them. - Laurence Binyon
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