78 Sqdn. 'Preston's Own'. Halifax MZ763 EY-'S' FTR 23-24 Sept. 1944. Details of Sortie: Airborne: Took off from Breighton (Yorkshire) at 1902 hrs. Shortly after turning for home, after bombing Neuss, the Halifax was attacked from below by an Me 110 night-fighter. The rear gunner returned fire and shot the night-fighter down. It crashed on a railway line near Weert, in Holland. The German pilot survived but the German navigator was killed. Moments later, the engine of the Halifax caught fire ... (text missing - causing the loss of the bomber?). Crashed between the town of Weert (Limburg) where three of those killed are buried in the Molenpoort Roman Catholic Cemetery and the village of Nederweert, just over 4 km to the NE. The Crew: (details from 78 Sqdn's ORB) Pilot: F/O J.S.R.'Johnny' Swanson. RAF (VR) 161665. KIA. (+) Neederweert War Cemetery. From Scotland. Believed posted to 78 Sqdn 4 Aug from 41 Base. (+) Molenport Cemetery. F/Eng: Sgt Robert L.'Bob' Nutbrown. RAF (VR) 1394041. KIA. (+) Neederweert War Cemetery. Age 37. Posted to 78 Sqdn 4 Aug from 41 Base. Married with one child. Nav: F/S A.T.'Curley' Barnes. RAF (VR) 1579507. Pow. Interned in Camp L7. Pow 1015. Posted to 78 Sqdn 4 Aug from 41 Base. Wounded in this air action. (+) in the 1970s. B/A: Sgt P.F.'Louis' Robert. (alias of Pierre Davreux). RAF (VR) 1424879. Evd. SPG nfd. Posted to 78 Sqdn 16 August 1944 from 41 Base. W/Op: Sgt A.'Jock' Campbell. RAF (VR) 2208436. KIA. (+) Neederweert War Cemetery. Posted to 78 Sqdn 4 Aug from 41 Base. MUG: Sgt John S.'Yorky' Bennett. RAF (VR) 553903. Evd . SPG nfd. R/G: F/O W.T.Grew. RAF (VR) 159102. KIA. (+) Neederweert War Cemetery. Posted to 78 Sqdn 23 Aug from 41 Base. Crew background. Involved in Air Combat 24 July 1944. Target Stuttgart, Germany. As per John Bennett: Your records of my crew are correct. Why can I still remember my service number, 553903, when I forget my telephone and phone number.? All of my crew have passed away with the possible exception of 'Roberts', it would look as though I alone live to tell the tale. As a crew we did not go out much together. I think there was an age barrier. Bob Nutbrown, the F/Eng and 'Curley' Barnes, the B/A, were both about 37. I suppose we were like children to them. Also, Bob had a wife and child and lived in York , so was home every stand down. Our W/Op, Jock Campbell, was a loner and I do not think enjoyed a drink ... but I cannot remember much about him. As per John Bennett: Sgt Harry C. 'Nigger' Barker. RAF (VR) 1783208. A/G. posted to 78 Sqdn 14 Aug from 41 Base. The crews regular air gunner. Sgt Harry C. 'Nigger' Barker got his nickname because of his jet-black hair. He was not on this trip due to sickness. Harry Barker, also died of a heart attack about 4 years ago. We use to meet fairly often in York for days out. His wife was a WAAF at Breighton. Harry and I had an arrangement whereby we exchanged turrets each trip. On that fateful night I asked F/O Grew which turret he preferred and he voted for the rear. - fate again? Anyway, he did shoot the B ----- down and killed it's navigator. We only hear about this 10 years ago when Harry was over in Holland. As per John Bennett: Sgt A.'Jock' Campbell was a replacement W/Op, as the crew regular W/Op, John Groves was posted sick due to flu. I kept in touch with him (Groves) till his death in 1991. As per John Bennett: F/Eng: Sgt Robert.L.'Bob' Nutbrown. I remained in close contact with Bob's widow, who lives in York. Sadly, she is now in sheltered accommodation having to leave her lovely home. When Harry Barker died, some of his ashes were taken to Breighton and some were taken to Holland to the graves. Harry said our F/Eng, had landed OK, but was taken prisoner and shot with some Airborne types, but of course that can neither be proved nor disproved. John Bennett Story: 'Shortly after turning for home, after bombing Neuss, we were attacked from below an Me 100 night-fighter. Being in the mid-upper turret, I could not return fire but the rear gunner did. I learned later that the enemy aircraft crashed on a railway line near Weert, in Holland, killing the navigator. Moments later, the port outer-engine went on fire. And though the engine was feathered and the Gravenor system used, the fire spread. Soon, the flames spread to the port outer engine and we were ordered to bail out. Leaving the turret, I collected my chute and went to the forward escape hatch in the nose. Sitting on the edge of the hatch, I felt a hefty shove in the back and I was airborne! Somehow, I found the release handle on the cute and pulled. Floating down did not seem too unpleasant an experience until I felt how cold my feet were. My flying boots and socks had vanished! I have no memory of landing but did in a ploughed field. On trying to stand, I found my left ankle was un- serviceable and I was unable to walk. Realizing I would have to hide my chute etc, as per training instructions, etc, I crawled until I came to a hedge row and finding a convenient hollow I pushed the equipment into it.. It then dawned on me that I could not walk and there was a long night ahead. I would need something to keep me warm, so out came the chute and after 'ticking' it around me, I tried to get comfortable. I cannot recall really how the night passed except to say I was cold and various parts of me were beginning to hurt. Eventually, the night sky became a shade lighter and I began to wonder what country I was in. Then, I heard footsteps and waited for someone to find me. Instead, it was a number of cows having breakfast in the next field. Gosh, I was hungry! Once again I hid the equipment and started to crawl to the edge of the field. After what seemed to be hours, but probably wasn't, I saw an open gate in the hedgerow and passed through. I saw some farm buildings in the nearest field. After waiting for awhile, I crawled towards them and just as I reached the first wall I found a shot gun pointed at my face. The man behind the gun was not in uniform and after saying 'RAF', a few times, he put the gun down and helped me into the building. This turned out to be the farm house. Soon a woman arrived and shortly she had a fire roaring and handed me a cup of coffee. It wasn't exactly 'Nescafe' but very serviceable just the same. There was much talk between the two of them and the man went and made a brief phone call. Fully expecting a load to 'Bosh' to arrive, I was surprised when an old van arrived at the door and I was lifted into the back. Shortly the van stopped and I was lifted into a stretcher which was placed between two large wooden wheels. A cloth was placed over me. And I was wheeled over a cobbled area. Thank goodness that didn't last long! I was soon lifted off the stretcher and placed on a bunk type frame. Then, a nun came to see me and placed a finger to her lips, warning me not to speak. I thought it was a 'Silent Order'. Of course, I soon realized that all the people passing were in German uniform. I close my eyes - tight! There seemed to be some bangs outside and nearby. I never worked out that this was noise from shells falling. I was in the firing line! I was lifted into a small room and a white coated man started to examine me. My foot was X-rayed and the damage to my head and arm was attended to. Then, I was given what looked like Sherry to drink. Sleep came and when I woke up, there standing by the bed were two British Army types. I then realized I was in the firing line for the British had overrun the position. Thank goodness they knew where we were now. I knew I was in Holland. Once again I was lifted by the army and taken to what I supposed was temporary Head Quarters. After many questions, and some food, into the room walked my bomb aimer, 'Louis'. He was able to tell me the skipper, Rear Gunner, and the W/Op were all dead. We were taken to an ambulance and then, after many hours, arrived at a field hospital. Later, the next day, we were moved again by ambulance filled with wounded soldiers and taken to a hospital in Brussels. From there, 'Louis' went on his own to namur to get news of his family. From Brussels, I was flown by Dakota, to Croydon airfield. There, I found an AST girl driver and car awaiting me and I was whisked off to some office in the center of London for de-briefing, Explaining that 'Louis' had vanished, whilst I was in hospital caused a certain amount of consternation. I was then told to go on leave and eventually arrived home one morning. Never thinking, I walked into the house. Thank heavens no one had a weak heart - my father thought I was a ghost! As per John Bennett re: B/A: Sgt P.F.'Louis' Robert. B/A: Sgt P.F.'Louis' Robert, also known as Davereaux (sic for Davreux) was from Namur. (Devereraux as per 78 Sqdn records). His real name was changed due to his mother being caught in Brussels (sic) and imprisoned in Ravensbruck concentration camp. I can remember being called into the CO's office (Markland), to be told of the name change and was pulled short a few times by 'Louis' for not remembering his 'new' name. Roberts and I escaped managed to escape by good luck and the kind Dutch people. He was not wounded for he carried me on his back into a hospital in Brussels. (I was only 7 stone in those days) He was a Belgian and therefore felt at home. In fact, after handing me over to the tender loving care, he vanished and I next net him at a convalescent home in Cheshire. Two months later. He went home to Namur to find news of his family. His mother and family had been helping an RAF type and ended up in Ravensbruck concentration camp, where his mother died. His real name was Louis Deveraux, if my memory is correct. One queer twist of fate - he and I were the only two of the crew to take part in an evasion exercise (not by choice) whilst at OUT Kinross and we were the only two to return after the real thing. We met twice after the war, once in Scotland at the Skipper's home and then in Leeds station as he was being de-mobbed. Though we have tried through the RAFA, the Caterpillar Club, and the press, he has vanished again. (MML Note: After the exchange of letters between myself, Bennett and a Belgian historian, Jean Louis Roba, I was in contact with (ca early-mid 1990's ) we were able to locate 'Louis' and arrange a re-union between these two men).. Louis' mother, Marie-Loise Davreux, was a member of the Namur branch of the now famous Comete Escape Line. Age 64, Mme Davreux, died in Ravensbruch concentration camp on Christmas Eve 1944, having been arrested as a consequence of Comete's infamous Melot-Marechal affair. See: The Comete Line History for more information. As per Edouard Reniere. René Romainville (Guest) (176 posts) 21-Jan-03, 04:34 PM (GMT) "Obituary of Warrant Officer Pierre Davreux Alias Louis Robert / 78 Squadron" Warrant Officer Pierre Davreux is born in Buenos-Aires/Argentine on 7 September 1912. He stayed there till 1923 and then back to Belgium to finish his schooling. Upon declaration of the War, he left Argentine for Canada. He joined and was transferred to "Camp La Joliette" near Montreal. In April 1942 he asked to be transferred to the Air Force. It was agreed on June 1942. For security reasons he changed his name in order to protect his family in case of being shot down over ennemy territory, members of his family being with the "Résistance" . He became "Louis Robert". In August 1942 he was with A Flight-2Sqn-17 ITW / Scarborough. then posted to 6 EFTS at Sywell and then back to Canada 31 EFTS/ Dewinton. Following RAF regulation, he was 31, he could not become a pilot. After a lot of "fighting" he was sent to Mocton to follow a bomb aimer course. Begin 1943 he was back to UK, most probably Harrogate. A little later he obtained his Bomb aimer qualification at "Pfelli" in Cornwall/ Wales. Then Robert was transferred to 19 OTU/Kinloss and then to 1663 HCU/ Ruffort where he followed a conversion course on Halifax. He finally was posted to 78 Squadron at Breighton. With this squadron Robert made 6 bombing operations and on the last one ( 24/9/44) he was shot down. He managed with the help of the Dutch Resistance to come back. 1 October 1944 he was promoted to Warrant Officer and posted to Sneewell (area of Cambridge). He left the Air Force after the war. He died on 17 January 2003 and his funeral took place on 21 January 2003. I had the occasion to meet him several times, he was a gentleman.