Operation 'Villeneuve' took off from Skipton-on-Swale in England at 10:16 pm on July 4th, 1944. They were to fly over France (in the dark, to avoid German anti-aircraft cannons and night fighter planes), and attack railway yards at Villeneuve-St-Georges, in France. Here is the crew list of that last flight: Flying Officer William Gordon Baird, pilot, age 20, of Calgary, Alberta. Sgt. James Henry Marler, flight engineer, age 32, of Birmingham, U.K. Pilot Officer Donald Frederick Wilson, bomb aimer, age 23, of Montreal, Que. Flying Officer J.D. Harvie, navigator, became a P.O.W. Pilot Officer Robert William Longley, Radio, Air Gunner, of Winnipeg, Man Pilot Officer Thomas Corson Jenkins, Air Gunner, age 21, of Esquimalt. B.C. Pilot Officer William Henry Winder, Air Gunner, age 21, of Quesnel, B.C. Notice the ages of most of the crew. They were in their early twenties, barely out of high school, and yet they were responsible for flying and defending a huge plane while it made its way over enemy territory. The crews were over the target at between 9,000 and 13,000 feet, where they successfully released 791,000 lbs of high explosives. According to reports, the target was accurately bombed with severe damage to the rail yards. While over France, their bomber was shot down by a German night fighter ...      [continued...] First Page | Resources