Gillingham, Kent, EnglandSergeant Chowne evaded capture until liberated by US troops 1944-08-13
RAF Evaders, The Comprehensive Story of Thousands of Escapers and Their Escape Lines, Western Europe, 1940-1945 by Oliver Clutton-Brock, page 356
Chowne, Henry William (Sergeant)
Evader 1944-June-03
Birth Date: 1922-December-29
Born: Gillingham, Kent, England
Parents:
Spouse:
Home: Gillingham, Kent, England
Enlistment:
Enlistment Date: unkown date
Service
RAFVR
Unit
158 (B) Sqn- Squadron (RAF)
Strength In Unity
Base
RAF Lissett
Rank
Sergeant
Position
Air Gunner (Mid-Upper)
Service Numbers
1585682
158 Squadron Association - Personnel DetailCrew or Other Personnel
Halifax LK877
Mission
Halifax B.Mk.III LK877
Bombing Trappes France 1944-June-02 to 1944-June-03
158 (B) Sqn (RAF) RAF Lissett
D-Day
158 Squadron RAF (Strength in Unity) RAF Lissett. Halifax III aircraft LK 877 NP-A was shot down by Hauptmann Werner Hoffman, Staffelkapitan of 1/NJG-5 during an operation to bomb the railyards at Trappes, France, in preparation for the D-Day landings in Normandy. The Halifax crashed near Beaumont-le-Roger, Eure, France
The pilot, Flying Officer George Harold Dalton (RAFVR) survived and was taken as a Prisoner of War
The rest of the crew: Sergeant Stanley Bernard Jones (RCAF), Flying Officer Robert Maurice Farnbank (RAFVR), Flying Officer Walter Leigh Jones (RAFVR), Sergeant Henry William Chowne (RAFVR), Sergeant George William Heaton (RAFVR) and Sergeant Herbert Matthews (RAFVR) all survived and avoided capture as Evaders
Nachtjager Luftwaffe Night fighter Units 1939-1945 by David P Williams
Halifax LK877 B.Mk.III - Bombing Trappes France - 1944-06-02 to 1944-06-03
Squadron: 158 (B) Sqn (RAF)
Start Date: 1944-06-02
Completion Date: 1944-06-03
Mission: Bombing
Operation: D-Day
Target City: Trappes France
Target Specific: rail yards
Base: RAF Lissett
Take Off Time: 22:12:00
Squadron Code: NP-A
Radio Code:
Return Base:
Return Time:
Crash City: France
Crash Specifics: Beaumont-le-Roger, Eure
Crash Latitude: 0.00000000
Crash Longitude: 0.00000000
Crash Reason: fighter
Flak Battery:
Enemy Claim: Hptm Werner Hoffman of Stfkpt 1/NJG-5
War Diary Unavailable
6 Bomber Group June 2/3, 1944
56 Halifaxes from 420, 425, 426, and 432 squadron joined 14 Lancasters from 408 to attack a heavy gun battery at Neufchatel.The crew were over the target between 6,000 and 8,000 feet, dropping 620,000 lbs of high explosives.
As this was taking place, 24 Halifaxes from 428and 433 squadrons were out mining to Le Havre, Dunkirk and Den Helder areas.76@1500 lb. and 20@1850 lb. mines were sown from between 6,000 and 8,000feet. All crews returned safely to base. Richard Koval (6bombergroup.ca)
158 Squadron RAF (Strength in Unity) RAF Lissett. Halifax III aircraft LK 877 NP-A was shot down by Hauptmann Werner Hoffman, Staffelkapitan of 1/NJG-5 during an operation to bomb the railyards at Trappes, France, in preparation for the D-Day landings in Normandy. The Halifax crashed near Beaumont-le-Roger, Eure, France
The pilot, Flying Officer George Harold Dalton (RAFVR) survived and was taken as a Prisoner of War
The rest of the crew: Sergeant Stanley Bernard Jones (RCAF), Flying Officer Robert Maurice Farnbank (RAFVR), Flying Officer Walter Leigh Jones (RAFVR), Sergeant Henry William Chowne (RAFVR), Sergeant George William Heaton (RAFVR) and Sergeant Herbert Matthews (RAFVR) all survived and avoided capture as Evaders
Nachtjager Luftwaffe Night fighter Units 1939-1945 by David P Williams