FS Keeler was captured 1944-08-16 and became a Prisoner of War. He survived the war and went to live in Canada and later retired in Australia
Footprints on the Sands of Time, RAF Bomber Command Prisoners of War in Germany 1939-45 by Oliver Clutton-Brock page 333 The Long Road, Trials and Tribulations of Airmen Prisoners from Stalag Luft VII (Bankau) to Berlin, June 1944-May 1945 by Oliver Clutton-Brock page 315Keeler, Peter Hammerton ( Flight Sergeant)
Prisoner of War 1944-July-13
Birth Date: unkown date
Born:
Parents:
Spouse:
Home:
Enlistment:
Enlistment Date: unkown date
Service
RAFVR
Unit
576 (B) Sqn- Squadron (RAF)
Carpe Diem Seize the opportunity
Base
RAF Elsham Wolds
Rank
Flight Sergeant
Position
Air Gunner (Rear)
Service Numbers
1388476
PoW: 745
Target
Revigny-Sur-Ornain France
Crew or Other Personnel
Lancaster ND859
Mission
Lancaster Mk.III ND859
Bombing Revigny-Sur-Ornain France 1944-July-12 to 1944-July-13
576 (B) Sqn (RAF) RAF Elsham Wolds
576 Squadron RAF Elsham Wolds Lancaster III ND 859 UL-L2 was lost during an operation against rail facilities at Revigny-sur-Ornain, France in support of the D-Day landings. Circling in cloud cover trying to find the target area, ND 859 was involved in a mid-air collision with 44 Squadron RAF Lancaster LM 638 KM-P that was returning from it's operation against the railway junction at Culmont-Chalindrey, France
Lancaster ND 859 crashed at Giey-sur-Aujon, Haute-Marne and LM 638 crashed near Auberive, Haute-Marne France
Sergeant WHM Greig (RAFVR), Pilot Officer C Hart (RAFVR), Sergeant CL Jones (RAFVR), Sergeant E Mitchell (RAFVR) and Sergeant JF McHugh (RAFVR) were all killed in action
Pilot Officer CJ Glenny (RCAF) and Sergeant PH Keeler (RAFVR) survived, Evaded for a time but both were captured and taken as Prisoners of War
Sadly, local school teacher Max Duville had tried to help these airmen evade by giving the German authorities false information about their crash. His deception was discovered and he was shot
[Royal Air Force Serial and Image Database]...Lancaster ND859 Mk.III - Bombing Revigny-Sur-Ornain France - 1944-07-12 to 1944-07-13
Squadron: 576 (B) Sqn (RAF)
Start Date: 1944-07-12
Completion Date: 1944-07-13
Mission: Bombing
Operation: unspecified
Target City: Revigny-Sur-Ornain France
Target Specific: rail facilities
Base: RAF Elsham Wolds
Take Off Time: 21:25
Squadron Code: UL-L2
Radio Code:
Return Base:
Return Time:
Crash City: France
Crash Specifics: Giey-sur-Aujon, Haute-Marne
Crash Latitude: 0.00000000
Crash Longitude: 0.00000000
Crash Reason: midair
Flak Battery:
Enemy Claim:
War Diary Unavailable
6 Bomber Group July 12/13, 1944
91 Halifaxes from 424, 427, 429, 431, 433, and 434 squadrons were joined by 8 Lancasters from 428 squadron on an attack of 2 V-1 launching sites at Bremont and Acquet. The crews were over the targets at between 9,000and 10,000 feet, releasing 780,000 lbs of high explosives. According to reports both targets were well hit. Richard Koval (6bombergroup.ca)
576 Squadron RAF Elsham Wolds Lancaster III ND 859 UL-L2 was lost during an operation against rail facilities at Revigny-sur-Ornain, France in support of the D-Day landings. Circling in cloud cover trying to find the target area, ND 859 was involved in a mid-air collision with 44 Squadron RAF Lancaster LM 638 KM-P that was returning from it's operation against the railway junction at Culmont-Chalindrey, France
Lancaster ND 859 crashed at Giey-sur-Aujon, Haute-Marne and LM 638 crashed near Auberive, Haute-Marne France
Sergeant WHM Greig (RAFVR), Pilot Officer C Hart (RAFVR), Sergeant CL Jones (RAFVR), Sergeant E Mitchell (RAFVR) and Sergeant JF McHugh (RAFVR) were all killed in action
Pilot Officer CJ Glenny (RCAF) and Sergeant PH Keeler (RAFVR) survived, Evaded for a time but both were captured and taken as Prisoners of War
Sadly, local school teacher Max Duville had tried to help these airmen evade by giving the German authorities false information about their crash. His deception was discovered and he was shot