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P/O Claude (Joe) Hart RAF VR - Sergeant E Mitchell RAFVR - Sergeant C L Jones, RAFVR

Peter Keeler describes the final moments thus;
'As I recall it everything went relatively well until we got near the target where a big cloud formation sat over the whole target area down to about 2000ft. The whole bunch of Lancs were circling around loosing height over the target to try to get below the cloud. No word from the Master Bomber.
During this descent we witnessed a collison of two Lancs which blew up over the target. We got under the clouds but still no word from the Master Bomber, a lot of angry chatter from different crews, then we heard the word to break off the attack which we did with our bombs on board still.
We then flew directly over St Dizierand and I could see the JU88s taking off on the runway which was all lit up. Not long after this I saw one Lanc being shot down on our port side and astern.
I was just talking to Joe about this when I saw a tracer coming our way and I shouted to Joe to corkscrew. I fired but we got hit up front and the starboard wing and intercom went U.S.
I suppose the petrol tanks were badly on fire. At this point I went up to the mid upper turret to see if Cliff Glenny knew what happened. He had a job to get out of his turret, I said what about the blokes up front and he said they were done for we have to jump out the back'
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The dead airmen were buried by the villagers in the village cemetery where their grave is maintained by The Commonwealth War Graves Commission. The two gunners, Sgt Glenny and Sgt Keeler were captured and imprisoned until the end of the war. Clifford Glenny died in 1999 in Durham, Canada. Peter Keeler is now enjoying retirement in Australia, following twenty five years he also spent in Canada. Les aviateurs morts ont été enterrés par les villageois dans le village cimetière où leur tombe est mis à jour par la Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Les deux tireurs, le sergent et le sergent Glenny Keeler ont été capturés et emprisonnés jusqu'à la fin de la guerre.
Clifford Glenny died in 1999 in Durham, Canada. Clifford Glenny est mort en 1999 à Durham, au Canada.
Peter Keeler est à la retraite en Australie, à la suite de vingt cinq ans passés au Canada.

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Article et photos sur le site LaCroixTorcenay (Page communiqué par JM Gravaud)
Stèle sur le site Aerosteles
Page sur le crash en français avec photos sur lacroix.torcenay.monsite-orange.fr(Lien transmis par Claude Dannau)