Black, Bruce Graham (Flying Officer)

158 Squadron (Strength In Unity). Halifax aircraft LV 921 crashed near Emance. Five RAF members of the crew, F/Os W.M. Chant, C.J. Niblett, Sergeants J.K. Dunne, S. Thompson, and W. Wales were also killed. One Canadian, FS Stan Lawrence was an Evader and arrived back in the United Kingdom on August 19, 1944. Stan, now of Toronto, Ontario said, "It was our 11th op. and was a low-level raid on the Marshaling Yards south-west of Paris at Trappes, France. The bombing run was made at about 2,000 feet, and immediately after we were attacked by a German FW-190 night fighter aircraft. Flying Officer Bill Chant (RAF) ordered a bail out as we were on fire. I removed the escape hatch next to my navigators table and jumped - losing one boot. A bone in my foot was broken and I also got a severe bump on my head. Bruce Black was right behind me, but his chute must not have opened or opened only partially. Five of our crew were found in the aircraft and Bruce was found nearby. I got away and ended up with 25 other Canadians and over 100 other Allied airmen in the Freteval Forest. This was an Evaders camp in the middle of the forest to hold Evaders who were on the run until liberation in mid August by the Americans. I got home and ended up as chief engineer in the building of the Toronto subway system. In 1988 I attended the unveiling of a Memorial monument in Emance after part of our aircraft was found nearby. The six of our crew and 4 from a 35 Squadron crash of July 4, 1944 are listed there."