Birth Date: unkown date
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Service
RAFVR
Unit
635 (PFF) Sqn- Squadron (RAF)
Nos Ducimus Ceteri Secunter We lead, others follow
Base
RAF Downham Market
Rank
Sergeant
Position
Flight Engineer
Service Numbers
1806151
PoW: 551
Lens France
Sergeant Benson evaded for a time until captured 1944-06-26 and was sent to Stalag Luft 7
Footprints on the Sands of Time, RAF Bomber Command Prisoners of War in Germany 1939-45 by Oliver Clutton-Brock, page 244
The Long Road, Trials and Tribulations of Airmen Prisoners from Stalag Luft VII (Bankau) to Berlin, June 1944-May 1945 by Oliver Clutton-Brock and Raymond Crompton, page 289
635 Squadron (Nos ducimus ceteri secunter) Pathfinder Force, RAF Downham Market. Lancaster III aircraft JB 728 F2-B was lost on an operation against railway yards at Lens, France in support of the D-Day landings, cause unknown. The Lancaster crashed near Beaurains, Pas-de-Calais, France
Flying Officer James Caterer (RAFVR) was killed in action and was buried in France
Sergeant William Joseph Beeson (RAFVR), Sergeant Dennis Farrall (RAFVR) and Sergeant Harold Skutt (RAFVR) were all missing, presumed killed in action
The missing have no known grave and all are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial
Sergeant Lawrence Benson (RAFVR) survived and evaded for about 10 days but was captured and taken as a Prisoner of War
Flying Officer William Clarence Shepherd (RCAF) and Sergeant Michael F Haberlin (RAFVR) both survived and escaped capture as Evaders
130 Halifaxes from 420, 424, 425, 426, 427, 429,431, 432, 433, and 434 squadrons were joined by 32 Lancasters from 408,419, and 428 squadrons on an attack of the dock and harbour area of Boulogne.Crews were over the target at between 9,000 and 17,000 feet, releasing1,623,000 lbs of high explosives. Richard Koval (6bombergroup.ca)
635 Squadron (Nos ducimus ceteri secunter) Pathfinder Force, RAF Downham Market. Lancaster III aircraft JB 728 F2-B was lost on an operation against railway yards at Lens, France in support of the D-Day landings, cause unknown. The Lancaster crashed near Beaurains, Pas-de-Calais, France
Flying Officer James Caterer (RAFVR) was killed in action and was buried in France
Sergeant William Joseph Beeson (RAFVR), Sergeant Dennis Farrall (RAFVR) and Sergeant Harold Skutt (RAFVR) were all missing, presumed killed in action
The missing have no known grave and all are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial
Sergeant Lawrence Benson (RAFVR) survived and evaded for about 10 days but was captured and taken as a Prisoner of War
Flying Officer William Clarence Shepherd (RCAF) and Sergeant Michael F Haberlin (RAFVR) both survived and escaped capture as Evaders
Royal Air Force Serial and Image Database