Memorial Avro Lancaster II DS784 JI-C 514 Sqn

On November 18, 2000, a memorial stone was inaugurated for the crew of the bomber Lancaster "JI-C" of the 514th Squadron of the Royal Air Force, which was shot down by a night fighter on November 18, 1943 during their second war assignment.

The crew consisted of:
P/O Stanley P.I. Thomas (pilot),
Sgt Harry H. Stagg (flight engineer),
Sgt James L. Brent (navigator),
Sgt Ronald W. Fontaine (bomb aimer),
Sgt Frank Thomas (radio operator),
Sgt Henry A. Lucas (gunner, escaped),
F/S Bernard S. Haines RAAF (gunner, POW).

Five crew members died, they were buried by the occupying forces in the cemetery of Assesse where they still rest today. At the entrance to the cemetery there is an information board about the fallen crew,

Sgt Henry Lucas landed at Spy and was protected by a resistance group. He then spent two months in Brussels, then went into hiding in the woods around Walcourt where he waited for the liberation until September 3, 1944. On September 17, 1944 he was flown back to Great Britain from Melsbroek.

The Australian tail gunner, F/Sgt Bernard Haines, landed on a building at the quarry at Vedrin. He received food, clothing and shelter from some workers. The next day he was taken to Liège and later to Brussels, but the Australian was arrested en route.
After a number of failed escape attempts in Stalag IVB Mühlberg, he was able to reach his own lines after the fifth attempt in 1945.
After 57 years, this San Francisco veteran returned to Assesse to unveil a memorial stone for his crew on November 18, 2000.
(Aviation history)

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Source

• Text: Traces of War
• Photos: Marie-Christine Vinck