Halifax L9619, this photograph appears in many books and on many websites as an
example of a Halifax because of the quality of the photograph.
On the 15th of February 1942 this aircraft took off from Leeming for Ops to St. Nazaire. The crew spent too long over the target area
and after being unable to locate their airfield on the return after becoming lost after the wireless set failed. They eventually ran out of fuel and
abandoned the aircraft. Different sources quote different times for the crash, from 23.30hrs on the 15th February,
to 01.40hrs on the 16th February (quoted on the Form AM1180). The crew escaped injury. The crew appear not to have released their bombs over the target.
Pilot - F/Sgt E O S Lloyd (522279).
2nd Pilot - P/O Laurence David Hillier RCAF (J/6380). Of La Tuque, Province of Quebec, Canada.
Sgt Thain
Sgt Mapes
F/Sgt Guertin
Sgt Mathias
Sgt Clifford
F/Lt David (as he was known) Hillier was later appointed B Flight Commander of 405 Sqdn at Topcliffe. He was killed on 3rd September 1942 whilst serving
with 405 Squadron. Halifax DT487 which he was on Ops to Karlsruhe, Germany was shot down by a German night-fighter
(piloted by Oblt Martinek of 1/NJG4) which then crashed
at 01.46hrs near Lesves, 7 miles south-west of Namur, Belgium. He was initially buried locally in the
Communal Cemetery Lesves, Belgium but was later exhumed and reburied in the War Cemetery, Hotton, Belgium. He was 24 years old. My thanks to
My thanks to Bernard LeJeune of La Tuque, Quebec for contacting me regarding F/Lt Hillier and for the photograph show above, F/Lt Hillier is the airman in the centre.
The aircaft shown appears to carry the coding "M" and could be the aircraft in which he was to loose his life.
I have yet to visit the site but small remains are said to remain there. For years a sign used to stand
near the site warning of there being
bombs remaining under the surface. This sign has now gone but the post may still remain at the location.
