Hi Martin,

the following luftwaffe claim for LL908 can be found in Theo Boiten's Nachtjagd War Diaries vol 2:

26-27 April 1944:

Hptm. Helmut Bergmann: 28      8./NJG4       Lancaster 

near Ugny, 15km.  S.W. Toul:  4.000 m.   01.01   49 Sqn Lancaster LL908

 

Mike. 

 

 

Hi again Mike - the bit I mentioned coming from a French web site is below - from http://ugny-sur-meuse.asso-web.com/52+un-avion-secrase-a-ugny-sur-meuse.html

My main queries on this bit concern the paragraph : "But this night of April 27, 1944, the population d' UGNY and of GERMAN St is awaked by a deafening noise doubled d' a plugging light. L' plane, a AVRO LANCASTER was touched by the intense shooting of the DCA, with its loading of incendiary bombs and with phosphorus".

So any idea what they mean by a "deafening noise doubled d' a plugging light".
They said the Lancaster was "touched by the intense shooting of the DCA, with its loading of incendiary bombs and with phosphorus". Any idea what they mean by 'the DCA' ? Maybe this is a term for some type of German plane, or could it mean anti-aircraft fire ? Or maybe things have been lost in translation.
The refer to "its loading of incendiary bombs and with phosphorus". I wonder if this means the Lancaster was stil full of incendiaries and phosphorous, or does this refer to German firepower ?

Any thoughts ?


Full info and translation is here :


This French information crudely translates as :
A plane s' crush in Ugny On Meuse APRIL 1944, an ENGLISH PLANE S' CRUSH ON the D' TERRITORY; UGNY ON MEUSE

Each night we heard the humming of the English planes which were going to pour their loadings of bombs on the ground German and returned their mission accomplished jusqu' at their base of FIKERSTON, located in the south of l' England, bases which n' exist now.

But this night of April 27, 1944, the population d' UGNY and of GERMAN St is awaked by a deafening noise doubled d' a plugging light. L' plane, a AVRO LANCASTER was touched by the intense shooting of the DCA, with its loading of incendiary bombs and with phosphorus.

Seven members of l' crew perished:
Pilot officer: J.R. DICKINSON 21 years
Engineer of flight: R.B. HAINSWORTH 20 years
Navigator: F.W. WALE 19 years
Radio operator operator: C.W. SIZER 20 years
Back machine gunner: JOHN. ELLENOR 33 years
Bomber: N.F. Mc KENZIE (Canadian) 23 years
Machine gunner: R.J. HUDSON 21 years

C' was their 25th mission and the rule was qu' after 25 missions they had 15 days of rest to recover. Much villager went on the place of the crash landing, but also a motorcyclist of the German police force which gave l' order to dig a hole and to put all the bodies of the aviators inside. An elected official who spoke German, s' there is then opposite rétorquant to him that any combatant was entitled to an individual burial. L' burial was celebrated clandestinely, the children of the village made the guet to prevent of any danger. Since the end of the war, the family members came to collect themselves on the tomb of, that is to say their uncle, brother, friend, but also of his father.

On May 8, 2001 and 2002, the niece and the sister of machine gunner R.J HUDSON came and were nicely lodged by a family of the village.

On May 9, 2002, Barbara, the girl of the machine gunner postpones John ELLENOR came to the Cemetery, and could obtain heaps of information on the crash landing. She was four years old then, and appreciated the fact that its dad rests in this small cemetery rather than in these great extents of cross that l' one can see that and there.

On July 22, 2008 Michael FANTUZ came from Canada to reueillir on the tomb of his/her uncle Bombardier N.F Mc KENSIE, and it could bring back to his brother (the brother of the Bomber) a ground handle of the field or l' plane s' was spit. Ceremonies take place each year on May 8 with deposit of sheaf and homages to the aviators, celebrated by the successive mayors.

In May 2008, British representatives of the 49 ème squadron to which l' belonged; crew came to pay homage to their deaths, but also to show their recognition with the inhabitants of the villages, of the respect qu' they granted to those which died for the freedom of much. The images show Geoff Brunton, an engineer of flight with 49Sqn, to present its homages to l' Dickinson crew.


The original French text as follows :
Un avion s'ecrase à Ugny Sur Meuse

AVRIL 1944, UN AVION ANGLAIS S'ECRASE SUR LE TERRITOIRE D'UGNY SUR MEUSE

Chaque nuit nous entendions le vrombissement des avions Anglais qui allaient déverser leurs chargements de bombes sur le sol Allemands et revenaient leur mission accomplie jusqu'à leur base de FIKERSTON, située dans le sud de l'Angleterre, base qui n'existe plus maintenant.

Mais cette nuit du 27 Avril 1944, la population d'UGNY et de St GERMAIN est réveillée par un bruit assourdissant doublé d'une lumière aveuglante. L'avion, un AVRO LANCASTER a été touché par le tir intense de la DCA, avec son chargement de bombes incendiaires et au phosphore.

Les sept membres de l'équipage ont péri :

Officier Pilote : J.R. DICKINSON 21 ans
Ingénieur de vol : R.B. HAINSWORTH 20 ans
Navigateur : F.W. WALE 19 ans
Operateur radio : C.W. SIZER 20 ans
Mitrailleur arrière : JOHN. ELLENOR 33 ans
Bombardier : N.F. Mc KENZIE (Canadien) 23 ans
Mitrailleur : R.J. HUDSON 21 ans

C'était leur 25 ème mission et la règle était qu'après 25 missions ils avaient 15 jours de repos pour récupèrer. Beaucoup de villageois se sont rendus sur le lieu du crash, mais aussi un motard de la police allemande qui donna l'ordre de « creuser un trou » et de mettre tous les corps des aviateurs dedans. Un élu qui parlait Allemand, s'y est alors opposé lui rétorquant que tout combattant avait droit à une sépulture individuelle. L'enterrement fut célébré clandestinement, les enfants du village faisaient le guet pour prévenir de tout danger. Depuis la fin de la guerre, les membres des familles sont venus se recueillir sur la tombe de, soit leur oncle, frère, ami, mais aussi de son père.
Les 8 Mai 2001 et 2002, la nièce et la sur du mitrailleur R.J HUDSON sont venues et ont été gentiment hébergées par une famille du village.
Le 9 Mai 2002, Barbara, la fille du mitrailleur arrière John ELLENOR est venue au Cimetière, et a pu obtenir des tas de renseignements sur le crash. Elle avait quatre ans alors, et appréciait le fait que son papa repose dans ce petit cimetière plutôt que dans ces grandes étendues de croix que l'on peut voir de ça et là.
Le 22 Juillet 2008 Michael FANTUZ est venu du Canada se reueillir sur la tombe de son oncle le Bombardier N.F Mc KENSIE, et il a pu rapporter à son frère (le frère du Bombardier) une poignée de terre du champ ou l'avion s'était craché.
Des cérémonies ont lieu chaque année les 8 Mai avec dépôt de gerbe et hommages aux aviateurs, célébrées par les maires successifs.
En Mai 2008, des représentants Britanniques du 49 ème escadron auquel appartenait l'équipage sont venus rendre hommage à leurs morts, mais aussi montrer leur reconnaissance aux habitants des villages, du respect qu'ils accordaient à ceux qui sont morts pour la liberté de beaucoup.

Les images montrent Geoff Brunton, un ingénieur de vol avec 49Sqn,
présenter ses hommages à l'équipage Dickinson.

Texte rédigé par Elisabeth BAUMAUX - le 20 Mars 2009.
See also local newspaper article (in French) at :
http://ugny-sur-meuse.asso-web.com/144+ceremonie-du-8-mai.html

Contact details for the Chairman of village activities, M. Regis FIGEL :
Président : FIGEL Régis
25 Grande Rue, Ugny Sur Meuse
Tel : 03 29 89 46 40
Tel Portable : 06 27 01 43 63
Mail : ugnycultureloisirs@free.fr
regisetdom@free.fr

The 2012 Mayor is Marie Thérèse LEFRANC, Maire d'Ugny sur Meuse

Hi

I am the niece of Bill Wale (navigator). My 88 year old mum is his sister. In 1995 or 96 my small son & I together with my parents visited Ugny. We also chatted to the local mayor who recalled  the crash & finding the name tags of the airman. I remember seeing photos of the funerals & my grandmother had a photo of Bill's grave with floral tributes. I believe my grandmother had some contact with the families of other crew members in 1944.

My mother was befriended by Ellen Geffroy who lived in Ugny. Ellen put flowers on the graves and still keeps in touch with my mum, although Ellen now lives in Le Havre.