Operation: Special Duties (SOE)

Date: 17/18th February 1941 (Monday/Tuesday)

Unit: No. 419 Flight (1)

Type: Whitley V

Serial: T4264

Code: 'A' - Full Squadron code not displayed

Base: RAF Stradishall, Suffolk

Location: Cognolée, Belgium

Pilot: Sq/Ldr. Francis John Baptist Keast DFC. 28090 RAF PoW No: 468 Camp: Stalag Luft Sagan (3)

Pilot: F/O. Kenneth Stanley McMurdie 43832 RAF PoW No: 474 Camp: Stalag Luft Sagan (4)

Obs: Sgt. Archibald John Cameron 517909 RAFVR PoW No: 488 Camp: Stalag Luft Sagan

Pilot - but flying as an air gunner: F/O. Eric Neil Baker 41651 RAF PoW No: 463 Camp: Stalag Luft Sagan (2)

Air/Bmr: Sgt. David Harold Bernard 966856 RAFVR PoW No: 481 Camp: Stalag Luft Sagan (5)

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Davud Waldo Davies 904254 RAFVR PoW No: 493 Camp: Stalag Luft Sagan (6)

Page sponsored by the family of Eric Neil Baker

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off at 01:15 hrs, alone on a special duties flight to Namur. Once over the target area in the specially adapted Whitley (an inward opening door to enable paratroopers to exit) they dropped their cargo, a special agent by the name of Gaston Poplimon and proceeded on their return trip.

Very quickly after the drop they were hit by anti-aircraft fire which took out one of the engines. Losing height rapidly the pilot decided the only option was to try and make a forced landing. This they did, close to the village of Cognolée.

The crew all survived unhurt and attempted to destroy the aircraft - which they partially did succeed in. However, the complete crew were shortly captured and taken PoW - remaining in captivity for the rest of the war. All members of various committees to enable others to escape.

Although the Germans were not able to re-use the aircraft - they decanted the remaining fuel as shown below.

(1) When formed in 1940, 419 (SD) Flight consisted of 2 Lysanders and 1 Specially modified Whitley V fitted with long-range fuel tanks and modified for dropping supplies. In February 1941 they added a further 2 Whitleys and the flight was renamed 1419 (SD) Flight. Eventually, in August 1941 they were given Squadron status and renumbered 138 Squadron and in March 1942 moved to their permanent base at RAF Tempsford.

(3) Sq/Ldr. Francis John Baptist Keast DFC also awarded the Coross of Valour by Poland in 1946.

Right: RAF Stradishall 1945

(4) F/O. Kenneth Stanley McMurdie was a member of the clothing department team during his term in Stalag luft 3. Very much involved in the 'Great Escape.

(5) Sgt David Harold Bernard Retired as a W/Cdr on the 23rd May 1975. Awarded the MBE in 1966. An active member in the Stalag luft 3 on the tunnel construction team ('Great Escape' fame).

(6) Sgt Davud Waldo Davies was a member of the propaganda team during his term in Stalag luft 3. Born on the 18th October 1910 in Swansea, Wales.

Burial details:

None - all the crew survived as PoW.

Researched for the family an friends of this crew and the Belgium agent. With thanks to the extensive research carrierried out by the Polish researcher Mr. Sławek Snopek. Also to the National Archives Kew, International Bomber Command Centre in Lincoln (IBCC). Also to the New Zealand family of F/O. Eric Neil Baker who contributed his biography. Also to Phil Hanford and Tim Barber visited the site in May 2024.

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