Thread: Jamaicans in the RAF

Originally Posted by Kyt

Lancaster NE121 30th July 1944 Mission to Cahagnes

T/O 05.45 from Coningsby to attack enemy strong-points in the Normandy Battle Zone. Set on fire in the port inner engine, the blaze soon spreading to engulf the entire wing. The order to bale out was given and at 0800 the Lancaster crashed SE of St Lo in the Department of Manche.

Of those killed three have no known graves, while the others are buried in the Bayeux War cemetery. Those holding the DFM had their Awards promulgated 12Jan43, 7Dec43, 15Feb44 and 16Nov43 for service with No.142 Sqdn, No.619 Sqdn, No.51 Sqdn and No.158 Sqdns respectively.

F/L Baker, a veteran of 51 sorties, was the son of the Revd. E.A.C.B.Baker of Kellitts in Jamaica.

F/L H A B Baker
W/O W H Hunter PoW
S/L P A Stevens DFC & Bar RAAF PoW ('B' Flight Commander was flying as P2)
F/O J W Oldham DFM +
P/O E H F Moore DFM Inj (confined to hospital due to injuries)
P/O H Glasby DFC RAAF +
F/O G E W.Howells +
F/S J S Mitchell DFM +
F/S L A Lenox DFM +

GLASBY, HARVEY Pilot Officer 414785 97 (STRAITS SETTLE SQDN) 30/07/1944 23 Royal Australian Air Force
Bayeux War Cemetery Glasby Mitchell RAF Knox RAF.jpg

Originally Posted by Kyt

Seems to be Mosquito NS820 107 Missing from patrol E of Paris 8.8.44

Also killed

Name: TAYLOR, WILBURN MACMILNE
Initials: W M
Nationality: Canadian
Rank: Flying Officer (Pilot)
Regiment/Service: Royal Canadian Air Force
Unit Text: 107 (R.A.F.) Sqdn.
Age: 24
Date of Death: 08/08/1944
Service No: J/ 13398
Additional information: Son of Miller H. Taylor, and of Marjory Taylor, of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. B.A. University of Saskatchewan.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Cemetery: CONNANTRE COMMUNAL CEMETERY

I have just had communication from Aitkin's nephew who wrote

I have some information on the death of my uncle, Jamaican F/O Aston Karl Aiken, service number 153221, navigator on Dehavilland Mosquito type FBVI aircraft #NS280 (OM-P) killed on night-time offensive patrol with Canadian pilot F/O Wilburn M. Taylor of RAF 107 squadron in the early hours of 8/8/1944.

Records in possession of our family indicate that IO7 squadron was undertaking railway patrols on the night of 07 August, 1944. My uncle's aircraft took off at 0215 hrs (08/08/1944) and flew Route 2, which was Villiers-Fonteney-Tressigny-Chartronges-Sezanne-SommeSous-Vitry Le Francois.

Each of nine squadron aircraft was carrying 4 x 500 lb 11 x second delay bombs, in addition to their normal armament of 4 x .303 machineguns and 2 x 20mm cannon in the nose. Five trains were hit, causing fires and explosions and at one time fires were reported one mile long, engulfing a considerable portion of sidings. Squadron records report that their aircraft was belived to have hit the ground during the attack on trains killing both instantly.

Canadian records of the loss of F/O Taylor, however, show that "...Mosquito aircraft NS280 was attacking enemy communications in northern France when it crashed into an electrical pole and burst into flames twenty miles south-east of Montmirall, Marne". Squadronmate F/O L. DeRosier remembers seeing what appeared to be an aircraft on fire off to one side during the attack.

Records of the ages of these two airmen are unfortunately reversed in some of the accounts and on the "Caribbean aircrew in WW2" website. F/O Aiken was in fact 24 years of age and F/O taylor was 29 years old.

I was named in honour of my uncle, who was my Dad's family's wartime "hero", when I came along in 1949. Some of the information supplied here came from communications from british researcher Ms. Audrey Elcome and from RAF 107 squadronmate F/O Leo DeRosier.

Karl

Thank you, Karl. We hope to see you on the forum soon

I originally obtained the casualty data from CWGC and which states FO Aiken's age as 29. Karl has already written to caribbean aircrew and Hans has corrected the age on the website and I have done so on my database, citing Karl as the source and authority for the correction - mea culpa