Balmer, James
Personal Information
Rank | F/S |
Forename(s) | James |
Surname | Balmer |
Gender | M |
Age | 24 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 08-07-1944 |
Next of Kin | Son of James and Bessie Balmer. Husband of Sadie Balmer, of Eighton Banks, Co. Durham. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Avro Lancaster III |
Serial Number | JB641 |
Markings | ZN-X X-tra Weight |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | France |
Burial/Memorial Place | St. Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen |
Grave Reference | Block "S". Plot 1. Row I. Coll. grave 6-7. |
Epitaph | SWEET MEMORIES OF A DEARLY LOVED ONE. ON THIS GRAVE OUR THOUGHTS WILL ALWAYS BE |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 1 |
Panel Number | 5 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | 1589924 |
Service | Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve |
Group | 5 |
Squadron | 106 |
Trade | Air Gunner |
Country of Origin | United Kingdom |
Other Memorials
Location | Holy Trinity Church, Martin, Lincolnshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Stone Tablet & Roll of Honour in Wooden Case |
Memorial Text | To the memory of the Airmen of 106 Sqn who gave their lives in the 1939-45 War |
Location | Former Airfield Site, Martin Moor, Lincolnshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Brick moument with inscribed Slate Tablets & Plaques |
Memorial Text | Dedicated to the airmen and airwomen who served on 106 Sqn in WW2. 995 gave their lives |
Miscellaneous Information
A book has been published about this crew- Seven Short Lives by S. B. Potter and published by Tucann Books. ISBN 978-1-907516-24-5 |
The crew trained together with 1662 HCU (on the Short Stirling) at RAF Swinderby and then at 5 LFS (on Lancasters) at RAF Syserston. They were lost on their 27th operational sortie. |
Many sources state this aircraft crashed at Quetteville (Calvados), 12 km ENE from Pont-l'Évêque, this being due to an administrative error in original documentation. In fcat it was LM641 that crashed at this location, not JB641. |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/834/14 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/834/13 |
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 07-07-1944 |
End Date | 08-07-1944 |
Takeoff Station | Metheringham |
Day/Night Raid | Night (96% moon) |
Operation | St. Leu |
Reason for Loss | Crashed onto a wooded hill near Bures-en-Bray in High Normandy, France |