Memorial Halifax III NR129 MH and Halifax III NA557 H7-L

On 21 November 2004, a monument was inaugurated in Thynes for the 14 crew members who died in the collision of the Handley Page Halifax III of 51 Squadron (NR129 MH-M) and 346 Squadron 'Groupe Guyenne' (NA557 H7-L).
The mid-flight collision happened exactly 60 years ago, on November 21, 1944.

November 21, 1944 was a terrible day for the inhabitants of the village of Thynes. An Allied plane with French and British pilots on board, returning from a bombing raid in Germany, crashed at the entrance to the village. The accident, which resulted in no casualties, the villagers, was the result of the very bad weather conditions. The small village was completely shocked by the scale of the tragedy. When they arrived at the scene of the accident, the first residents could only confirm the death of the 14 crew members.

Killed in action from NR129: F/L Gordon L. CHAPMAN, Sgt Edwin V. WALLIS, W/O William A. PORTER, F/S Michael W. COCKBAINE, F/S Neville E. Lewis RAAF, Sgt John D. CLARK and Sgt Leslie T. CARTER.

Of the NA557 these crew members were killed: Sgt André L. FAUGE Adj Georges E. THIERY, Cne Claude J. LOEW, Sgt Jean GODEFROY, Sgt André M. BOUTILLIER, Adj Francis J. LAFFONT and Adj André FLECK (all from the French Groupe Guyenne).
The blue memorial stone was designed by Elie Noirot. The copper plate with emblems of the 51 Squadron, Group Guyenne and two Halifaxes is by Charles Gustin.

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Source

• Text: TracesOfWar
• Photos: Marie-Christine Vinck