ST. AGNAN COMMUNAL CEMETERY
Yonne
France
GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 48.30793, Longitude: 3.05102
Location Information
St Agnan is a village and commune 30 kilometres east-south-east of Fontainebleau, and 20 kilometres north-west of Sens. The Cemetery is on the north side of the village on a minor road leading north (direction of Villeneuve-la-Guyard) from the church. There are 5 Commonwealth war graves of the 1939-1945 war buried in a plot to the right of the entrance.
Flight Details:
Base: R.A.F. Kelstern, Lincolnshire
Unit: 625 Sqdn. Bomber Command
Aircraft: Lancaster Mk I, serial ME697
Target: Mailly-le-Camp, Aube, France
Incident: The aircraft crashed at St. Agnan. Five of the seven crew died but Sgt. P. J. Evans survived the crash and escaped. Sqdn. Leader R. W. H. Gray survived but was taken prisoner.
Notes:
Take off 21.52 Kelstern. Part of a force of 360 aircraft – 346 Lancasters, 14 Mosquitoes, tasked to attack the German military camp situated close to the French village of Mailly. Two master bombers were used to control the raid; the first “Market Leader” assessed the initial target marking to be accurate and transmitted this to the “Main Force Controller” and advised that the main force bomber should come in to bomb. However, “Main Force Controller’s” VHF radio could not transmit as it had been incorrectly tuned and was being drowned out by an American forces broadcast.
The main force by this time had arrived on schedule and began to circle awaiting the “Main Force Controller’s” order to bomb, which he could not transmit. Finally, the “Deputy Main Force Controller” took over the raid and accurate bombing was attained and resulted in heavy damage. The delay however, gave adequate time for the German night-fighters to arrive and combats began even as the force was circling, and that continued along the homebound leg. 42 aircraft, 11.6% of the force was lost (42 Lancasters). While returning to base the aircraft was shot down and crashed at St-Agnan, Yonne, approximately 20km NW of Sens. Those of the crew who died are buried in the St-Agnan Communal cemetery.
Crew Names and positions:
Pilot: S/L R. W. H. Gray – prisoner of war
Flight Engineer: F/O D.C. Martin, MID – killed
Navigator: F/O L. F. Medway – killed
Bomb Aimer: F/Sgt W. A. C. Footman – killed
Wireless Operator: Sgt P. J. Evans – evaded capture
M/U Gunner: P/O J. G. Johnson, RCAF – killed
Rear Gunner: Sgt B. Escritt – killed
The Navigator and Bomb Aimer are in a joint grave with separate headstones.
Previous ops:
Nuremberg 30/31 March 1944
Schweinfurt 26/27 April 1944
Pictures of Cemetery and Memorial © Barry Cuttell and Yvonne Kinsella
St Agnan is a village and commune 30 kilometres east-south-east of Fontainebleau, and 20 kilometres north-west of Sens. The Cemetery is on the north side of the village on a minor road leading north (direction of Villeneuve-la-Guyard) from the church. There are 5 Commonwealth war graves of the 1939-1945 war buried in a plot to the right of the entrance.
Flight Details:
Base: R.A.F. Kelstern, Lincolnshire
Unit: 625 Sqdn. Bomber Command
Aircraft: Lancaster Mk I, serial ME697
Target: Mailly-le-Camp, Aube, France
Incident: The aircraft crashed at St. Agnan. Five of the seven crew died but Sgt. P. J. Evans survived the crash and escaped. Sqdn. Leader R. W. H. Gray survived but was taken prisoner.
Notes:
Take off 21.52 Kelstern. Part of a force of 360 aircraft – 346 Lancasters, 14 Mosquitoes, tasked to attack the German military camp situated close to the French village of Mailly. Two master bombers were used to control the raid; the first “Market Leader” assessed the initial target marking to be accurate and transmitted this to the “Main Force Controller” and advised that the main force bomber should come in to bomb. However, “Main Force Controller’s” VHF radio could not transmit as it had been incorrectly tuned and was being drowned out by an American forces broadcast.
The main force by this time had arrived on schedule and began to circle awaiting the “Main Force Controller’s” order to bomb, which he could not transmit. Finally, the “Deputy Main Force Controller” took over the raid and accurate bombing was attained and resulted in heavy damage. The delay however, gave adequate time for the German night-fighters to arrive and combats began even as the force was circling, and that continued along the homebound leg. 42 aircraft, 11.6% of the force was lost (42 Lancasters). While returning to base the aircraft was shot down and crashed at St-Agnan, Yonne, approximately 20km NW of Sens. Those of the crew who died are buried in the St-Agnan Communal cemetery.
Crew Names and positions:
Pilot: S/L R. W. H. Gray – prisoner of war
Flight Engineer: F/O D.C. Martin, MID – killed
Navigator: F/O L. F. Medway – killed
Bomb Aimer: F/Sgt W. A. C. Footman – killed
Wireless Operator: Sgt P. J. Evans – evaded capture
M/U Gunner: P/O J. G. Johnson, RCAF – killed
Rear Gunner: Sgt B. Escritt – killed
The Navigator and Bomb Aimer are in a joint grave with separate headstones.
Previous ops:
Nuremberg 30/31 March 1944
Schweinfurt 26/27 April 1944
Pictures of Cemetery and Memorial © Barry Cuttell and Yvonne Kinsella
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1391733 Flight Sergeant
Walter Alec Clarence Footman
Air Bomber in 625 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
4th May 1944, aged 24.
Son of Walter Ernest and Ella Footman, husband of Phyllis Irene Footman, of Bournville, Birmingham.
Walter Alec Clarence Footman
Air Bomber in 625 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
4th May 1944, aged 24.
Son of Walter Ernest and Ella Footman, husband of Phyllis Irene Footman, of Bournville, Birmingham.
J/85585 Pilot Officer
John George Johnson
Air Gunner in 625 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
4th May 1944, aged 31.
Son of John William and Susan Johnson.
John George Johnson
Air Gunner in 625 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
4th May 1944, aged 31.
Son of John William and Susan Johnson.
143849 Flying Officer
Leslie Frank Medway
Pilot in 625 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
4th May 1944, aged 20.
Son of Frank Stanley and Caroline Alice Medway, of Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire.
His headstone bears the inscription "At The Going Down Of The Sun And In The Morning We Will Remember Them"
Picture courtesy of Jeremy Luff
Leslie Frank Medway
Pilot in 625 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
4th May 1944, aged 20.
Son of Frank Stanley and Caroline Alice Medway, of Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire.
His headstone bears the inscription "At The Going Down Of The Sun And In The Morning We Will Remember Them"
Picture courtesy of Jeremy Luff
Other Burials
1071465 Sergeant Benjamin Escritt, Air Gunner in 625 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 4th May 1944, aged 23. Son of Benjamin and Edith Clara Escritt, of Hull. His headstone bears the inscription "How Well You Stood The Test! One Of England's Bravest And Best. God Bless You"
52312 Flying Officer David Charles Martin, Flight Engineer in 625 Squadron, Royal Air Force, died 4th May 1944, aged 28.
Son of Charles Martin, D.C.M., and Catherine Martin; husband of Anne Martin, of Battersea, London. His headstone bears the inscription "Resting, Where No Shadows Fall"
1071465 Sergeant Benjamin Escritt, Air Gunner in 625 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 4th May 1944, aged 23. Son of Benjamin and Edith Clara Escritt, of Hull. His headstone bears the inscription "How Well You Stood The Test! One Of England's Bravest And Best. God Bless You"
52312 Flying Officer David Charles Martin, Flight Engineer in 625 Squadron, Royal Air Force, died 4th May 1944, aged 28.
Son of Charles Martin, D.C.M., and Catherine Martin; husband of Anne Martin, of Battersea, London. His headstone bears the inscription "Resting, Where No Shadows Fall"
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Village Memorial
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