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JONES HB 734
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JONES, Herbert

Aircraft Information
Aircraft Avro Lancaster III
Serial Number ND978
Markings GT-T
Memorial information
Burial/Memorial Country United Kingdom
Burial/Memorial Place Runnymede Memorial
Grave Reference Panel 242..
Epitaph
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase 2
Panel Number 191
Enlistment information
Service Number 1229734
Service Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Group 8
Squadron 156
Trade Ground
Country of origin if different United Kingdom
Last Operation information
Start Date 09-09-1944
End Date 09-09-1944
Takeoff Station Upwood
Day/Night raid Day
Operation Ground
Reason for Loss Exploded while ground crew were removing the bomb load after the aircraft returned from the le Havre raid. The aircraft was skippered by W/C T L Bingham-Hall DFC. Seven ground crew were tragically lost in this incident, four of whom are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial since their remains could not be found. The crew's Fight Engineer, W/O Norman McLennan Piercy, and the rear gunner were walking away from the aircraft when Norman decided to go back to talk to the ground crew. The rear gunner was carrying his guns, which were heavy, so he carried on. There was a large hole in the fuselage due to flak damage and the resultant inflow of air had spun the arming propeller on one of the bombs. As Norman approached the aircraft, the bomb exploded, severing his leg above the knee and killing seven of the ground crew.