Archard, Theodore Edward
Personal Information
Rank | F/O |
Forename(s) | Theodore Edward |
Surname | Archard |
Gender | M |
Age | 32 |
Date of Death | 04-05-1944 |
Next of Kin | Son of Edward Francis Archard, and of Maude Elizabeth Archard, of Worcester. M.Sc. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Avro Lancaster III |
Serial Number | ED870 |
Markings | VN-J |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | France |
Burial/Memorial Place | Poivres Churchyard |
Grave Reference | Joint grave 22-23. |
Epitaph | IN MEMORY OF A VERY DEAR SON R.I.P. MOTHER |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 1 |
Panel Number | 3 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | 135740 |
Service | Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve |
Group | 5 |
Squadron | 50 |
Squadron Motto | Sic fidem servamus (Thus we keep faith) |
Trade | Navigator |
Country of Origin | United Kingdom |
Other Memorials
Location | Birchwood Way, Birchwood Estate, Lincoln, Lincolnshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Brick Memorial & Inscribed Marble Obolisk |
Memorial Text | To the memory of the Air Crews and Ground Staff who gave their lives whilst serving with No 50 Squadron and No 61 Squadron, 5 group, Bomber Command The Royal Air Force 2nd World War 1939 to 1945. No 50 Squadron "From defence to attack" Operated from Waddi |
Location | Memorial Gardens, Skellingthorpe, Lincolnshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Brick Memorial with Inscribed Marble Stone |
Memorial Text | Royal Air Force Skellingthorpe. My brief sweet life is over, My eyes no longer see, No Christmas Trees, No summer walks, No pretty girls for me, I've got the chop - I've had it, My nightly ops are done, Yet in another 100 years I'll still be twenty one. R |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/488/10 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/488/9 |
Fellow Servicemen
Please note that this list gives all the losses aboard the quoted aircraft and occasionally these may have occurred on an earlier date when the aircraft was not itself lost. Please check the dates of death carefully.
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 03-05-1944 |
End Date | 04-05-1944 |
Takeoff Station | Skellingthorpe |
Day/Night Raid | Night (83% moon) |
Operation | Mailly-le-Camp |
Reason for Loss | Airborne 21:58 on 3 May 1944 from Skellingthorpe to bomb a Waffen-SS armoured division depot and garrison at Mailly-le-Camp, south of Reims, in preparation for the D-Day landings. Aircraft was shot down approaching the AP and crashed at Poivres (Aube), 20 km NNE of Arcis-sur-Aube. |