USSY-SUR-MARNE COMMUNAL CEMETERY
Seine-et-Marne
France
GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 48.95929, Longitude: 3.07472
Location Information
Ussy-sur-Marne is a village and commune 36 miles (57 kilometres) north-east of Melun, and 2.5 miles (4 kilometres) west of La Ferte-Sous-Jouarre.
The Cemetery lies on the west of the road leading to the neighbouring village of Jaignes.
Visiting Information
The collective grave of 7 airmen, 4 belonging to the Royal Air Force, 1 to the Royal Canadian Air Force and 2 to the Royal New Zealand Air Force, is south-west of the entrance.
Please note that the commemoration of the war casualties buried at this site is in the form of a memorial erected by the local inhabitants and not the customary 'war pattern headstone'.
Ussy-sur-Marne is a village and commune 36 miles (57 kilometres) north-east of Melun, and 2.5 miles (4 kilometres) west of La Ferte-Sous-Jouarre.
The Cemetery lies on the west of the road leading to the neighbouring village of Jaignes.
Visiting Information
The collective grave of 7 airmen, 4 belonging to the Royal Air Force, 1 to the Royal Canadian Air Force and 2 to the Royal New Zealand Air Force, is south-west of the entrance.
Please note that the commemoration of the war casualties buried at this site is in the form of a memorial erected by the local inhabitants and not the customary 'war pattern headstone'.
Images in gallery below © Johan Pauwels
18 July 1944: After two previous failed attacks when weather had intervened, Bomber Command set out from Dunholm Lodge in Spilsby, Lincolnshire to launch raids on the railway junction and yards at Revigny-sur-Omain in France. Revigny was a transportation target, a French railway junction in a little town. On the night of 18 July the Royal Air Force encountered delay, confusion and lethal night-fighters. It did not help that the planes were routed near an active Luftwaffe night-fighter base. Some 41 Lancaster’s were lost and 231 airmen perished. Today this is known as the “Massacre over the Marne”- from a book written by Oliver Clatton-Brook published 20 June 1994.
All the Airmen were in 619 Squadron and killed on 19th July 1944
405253 Flying Officer
Donald Irving Grant
Royal New Zealand Air Force
19th July 1944, aged 33.
Son of John and Margaret Grant, of Oamaru, North Otago, South Island, New Zealand.
Click on image to enlarge
Donald was the youngest of 4 children born to John and Margaret nee Steel Grant and he was working on the family farm "Kirkliston" at Incholme in North Otago, New Zealand when he enlisted in 1940. He followed his older brother Robert into the airforce and trained at Wigram air base where Robert was later stationed as a Squadron Leader. Donald passed out in June 1941 and was assigned to No. 619 (Lancaster) Squadron, RAF, as Bomb-aimer. His final mission was to a French town, Revigny, to attack a railway junction just after D Day.
All images and additional text provided by Elizabeth Wright
Donald Irving Grant
Royal New Zealand Air Force
19th July 1944, aged 33.
Son of John and Margaret Grant, of Oamaru, North Otago, South Island, New Zealand.
Click on image to enlarge
Donald was the youngest of 4 children born to John and Margaret nee Steel Grant and he was working on the family farm "Kirkliston" at Incholme in North Otago, New Zealand when he enlisted in 1940. He followed his older brother Robert into the airforce and trained at Wigram air base where Robert was later stationed as a Squadron Leader. Donald passed out in June 1941 and was assigned to No. 619 (Lancaster) Squadron, RAF, as Bomb-aimer. His final mission was to a French town, Revigny, to attack a railway junction just after D Day.
All images and additional text provided by Elizabeth Wright
178759 Pilot Officer
Rupert Thomas William Harwood
619 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
19th July 1944, aged 34.
Son of Rupert Charles Harwood and Margaret Myfanwy Harwood, of Slough, Bucks; husband of Winifred Amy Harwood, of Slough, Bucks.
Rupert Thomas William Harwood
619 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
19th July 1944, aged 34.
Son of Rupert Charles Harwood and Margaret Myfanwy Harwood, of Slough, Bucks; husband of Winifred Amy Harwood, of Slough, Bucks.
J/88546 Pilot Officer
James Kitchener Johnson
619 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
19th July 1944, aged 26.
Son of William Hedley Johnson and Annie Johnson, of Kirkland Lake. Ontario. Canada.
James Kitchener Johnson
619 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
19th July 1944, aged 26.
Son of William Hedley Johnson and Annie Johnson, of Kirkland Lake. Ontario. Canada.
Other Burials
422269 Flying Officer Norman Wilfred Donnelly, New Zealand Air Force, aged 32. Son of Jack and Maud Donnelley; husband of Selma A. Donnelley, of Takapuna, Auckland, New Zealand.
1609273 Sergeant Terence Frederick Frogley, D. F. M. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, aged 20. Son of Cecil Lloyd Frogley and Anne May Frogley, of Lymington, Hampshire.
1427911 Sergeant Samuel Wardley Ling.
1378784 Warrant Officer John Frederick Russell Tate.
422269 Flying Officer Norman Wilfred Donnelly, New Zealand Air Force, aged 32. Son of Jack and Maud Donnelley; husband of Selma A. Donnelley, of Takapuna, Auckland, New Zealand.
1609273 Sergeant Terence Frederick Frogley, D. F. M. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, aged 20. Son of Cecil Lloyd Frogley and Anne May Frogley, of Lymington, Hampshire.
1427911 Sergeant Samuel Wardley Ling.
1378784 Warrant Officer John Frederick Russell Tate.
