Parent Unit:
101 Sqn
Mission: Bomb raid on Mailley Le Camp.
At the outbreak of World War II, the squadron was equipped
with Blenheim IVs and was involved in attacks against enemy barge concentrations
in the Channel Ports. In mid-1941, No. 101 Sqn became part of Bomber Command's
medium-bomber force with Wellingtons and flew many night sorties against Germany
and Italy. These aircraft were replaced barely 18 months later by the Lancaster
and became specialised in airborne radar jamming to disrupt German
night-fighters interceptions. After the war, Lincolns replaced the Lancasters
and the unit moved to Binbrook. In June 1951, No. 101 became the RAF's first
jet-bomber squadron when it received Canberras, and it was with this aircraft
that the squadron was involved in operations in both Malaya and Suez before once
again disbanding on 1 Feb 1957.
It was during the 1st week of May when the squadron were sent
on mission to raid Mailley Le Camp.
Heavy attack on Mailly-Le-Camp (1700 tons of bombs dropped).
During preparations for the Normandy invasion (Operation Overlord), 346 Avro
Lancasters and fourteen de Havilland Mosquitoes of RAF Bomber Command attacked
the German military camp situated near the French village of Mailly-le-Camp.
Although the target was accurately marked, communications difficulties led to a
delay in the Main Force attack, during which Luftwaffe fighters intercepted the
force. Subsequently, 1,500 tons of bombs were dropped on the camp, causing
considerable damage to the weapons and equipment held there and heavy
casualties; forty-two Lancasters - some 11.6% of the attacking force - were shot
down – accounting for approx 300 personnel. No French civilians were killed in
the bombing, although there were a small number of casualties when one of the
Lancasters shot down crashed on their house
One such Avro Lancaster Mk III was carrying Nigel Arthur
Lacey-Johnson who was employed as the Flt Sergeant Navigator in 101 Squadron
along with 7 other colleagues listed below.
From carrying out further research and a process of elimination
we can tell the name of the German Luftwaffe pilot who shot the aircraft down.
We did this by pinpointing their claims of victory and the exact locations where
the aircrew were buried.
In this case it was this man
Hauptman Martin
Drewes
Who claims to have shot down the Lancaster at a position North
East of Troyes.
His aircraft at that time was the
Bf 110 G-4 III./NJG 1
pictured below
This plane
was used by Martin Drewes as "Gruppenkommandeur till the end of war.
Drewes's plane has four MG 17 machine guns in the nose, instead of regular 2 MK
108,
and the 2 MG FF "Schräge Musik" were just after the pilot's seat and not in the
rear of cockpit, as usual in 110 nightfighters
Martin Drewes began his formidable Luftwaffe career operating with 4./ZG76
from 1940 to 1941 and during this period he scored his first two victories. In
November of 1941 he was transferred to Night Fighters and operated with
III./NJG1 and ended the war as Gruppen Kommandeur of this unit. It is said of
him that he could symbolise the typical young fighter pilot; he was energetic,
aggressive and optimistic. At the end of hostilities his Me 110 tail displayed a
total of 47 victory markings, most of them achieved together with his radio
operator Oberfeldwebel Petz. Four of his victories were American 4-engined
bombers shot down in daylight operations.
Martin returned to France in 1997 to salute his past enemies of
another aircraft crash. This time it was a Halifax.
Nigel Arthur Lacey-Johnson and his comrades are buried in the
Voue churchyard and Voue is a small village due north of Troyes
Nigel's family tree can be seen below as well as the trees of
the other 7 crew who were on the same ill fated flight.
The Crew
Flying Officer (Pilot) Kenneth William Angus Muir
CWGC Details
Family History
Birth Registration Index
Death Record Index
Paternal
Census:
1911 ~
1901 ~
1891 ~
1881 ~
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1861
~
1851 ~
1841
Maternal
Census:
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Pilot Officer (W.Op) John Joseph Gorman
CWGC Details
Family History
Birth Registration Index
Marriage Record Index
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Paternal
Census:
1911 ~
1901 ~
1891 ~
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1861
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1841
Maternal
Census:
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Flight Sergeant (Navigator) Nigel Arthur Lacey-Johnson
CWGC Details
Family History
Birth Registration Index
Marriage Record Index
Death Record Index
Paternal
Census:
1911 ~
1901 ~
1891 ~
1881 ~
1871 ~
1861
~
1851 ~
1841
Maternal
Census:
1911 ~
1911 ~
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Sergeant (W.Op.) John Gregory Woods
CWGC Details
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Birth Registration Index
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Paternal
Census:
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1901 ~
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1881 ~
1871 ~
1861
~
1851 ~
1841
Maternal
Census:
1911 ~
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Sergeant (Air Gunner) Arthur James Bowles
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Birth Registration Index
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Paternal
Census:
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1901 ~
1891 ~
1881 ~
1871 ~
1861
~
1851 ~
1841
Maternal
Census:
1911 ~
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Sergeant (Air Gunner) Eric Edward Borton
CWGC Details
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Birth Registration Index
Marriage Record Index
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Paternal
Census:
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1891 ~
1881 ~
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1861
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Maternal
Census:
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Sergeant ( Air Bomber) Norman Reginald Bishop
CWGC Details
Family History
Birth Registration Index
Marriage Record Index
Death Record Index
Paternal
Census:
1911 ~
1901 ~
1891 ~
1881 ~
1871 ~
1861
~
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1841
Maternal
Census:
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1861
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Sergeant (Flight Engineer) James Bailey
CWGC Details
Family History
Birth Registration Index
Marriage Record Index
Death Record Index
Paternal
Census:
1911 ~
1901 ~
1891 ~
1881 ~
1871 ~
1861
~
1851 ~
1841
Maternal
Census:
1911 ~
1901 ~
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1861
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All the above are buried in Grave 2 in Voue, Aube, France
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