| Pilot Officer Lewis
Burpee was piloting Lancaster Mk.III
ED-865 coded AJ-S during Operation Chastise on May 16/17, 1943.
The aircraft left
Scampton at
0011
hours as part of
the third and
final wave of
Operation Chastise,
they were
tasked
to bomb the
Sorpe Dam.
The
aircraft was following the Wilhelmina Canal near Eindhoven as a
navigational aid after ariving
safely at the Dutch coast. Pilot Officer
Burpee attempted to avoid the searchlights and flak, but the
Lancaster was hit and caught fire, crashing onto the aerodrome at
Gilze-Rijen, causing a massive explosion to the buildings.
The entire crew was lost.
The crew consisted of:
|
Name |
Service |
Trade |
Hometown |
Age |
|
P/O Lewis Burpee |
RCAF |
Pilot |
Ottawa, Ontario |
25 |
|
Sgt Guy Pegler |
RAFVR |
Flight Engineer |
Bath, Somerset |
21 |
|
Sgt Thoms Jaye |
RAFVR |
Navigator |
Crook Co., Durham |
21 |
|
P/O Leonard Weller |
RAFVR |
W/Op/AG |
Hornsey, Middlesex |
28 |
|
W/O2 James Arthur |
RCAF |
Bomb Aimer |
Coldwater, Ontario |
25 |
|
Sgt William Long |
RAFVR |
Air Gunner |
Bournemouth, Hampshire |
19 |
|
W/O2 Joseph Brady |
RCAF |
Air Gunner |
Ponoka, Alberta |
27 |
Lewis Johnstone Burpee was
born on March 5, 1918 to Lillian and Lewis Burpee of Ottawa,
Ontario. He enlisted in the RCAF on December 17, 1940 and was
awarded his Pilot's wings on July 21, 1941 at No. 13 EFTS St.
Eugene, Ontario. He was originally posted overseas to 106 squadron
and completed 26 operations and earned the Distiguished Flying
Medal prior to joining 617 squadron. His citation reads:
|
"This
airman has successfully completed a number of operational
sorties against targets which include the naval ports of
Wilhelmshaven, Bremen and Hamburg and also industrial
centres in Italy. He has also taken part in raids on
Berlin, Nuremburg, and Stuttgart. He has constantly
displayed the utmost determination to complete his allotted
task, whatever hardships or dangers are encountered. From
raids on Lorient and St.Nazaire he secured valuable
photographs. Flight Sergeant Burpee has invariably
exhibited coolness and courage and has performed his duties
conscientiously and efficiently." |
 Lewis Burpee married while
overseas, he is buried with his crew at Bergen-Op-Zoom War
Cemetery in the Netherlands.
With the
help of the Barnes Wallis Memorial Trust, a propeller blade from
Lancaster ED865 AJ-S was found and is now on display at Hangar 1
in the Newark Air Museum alongside other Lancaster and Dambusters
memorabilia.
|
