Cass, Ernest George Died

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Personal Information

Rank F/S
Forename(s) Ernest George
Surname Cass
Gender M
Age 21
Date of Death 27-04-1944
Next of Kin Son of Henry James Cass and Thirza Cass, Husband of Barbara Eileen Cass, of Sherwood, Nottingham.
CASS EG

Aircraft Information

Aircraft Avro Lancaster I
Serial Number LL919
Markings PG-W W-Willie

Memorial Information

Burial/Memorial Country France
Burial/Memorial Place Landeville Churchyard
Grave Reference Grave 4.
Epitaph IN LOVING REMEMBRANCE OF MY DEAR HUSBAND WHO GAVE HIS LIFE FOR ENGLAND
Ribbon Stone 0051 (Block 1, Column 14, Row 2)

IBCC Memorial Information

Map
Directions to panel 18
CASS EG

Location

Row -
Panel 18
Column -
Line -

Directions From the Chadwick Centre, take the central path towards The Spire.

Phase 1
Panel Number 18

Enlistment Information

Service Number 573138
Service Royal Air Force
Group 5
Squadron 619
Trade Flight engineer
Country of Origin United Kingdom

Other Memorials

Location Dunholme Lodge Farm, Dunholme, Lincolnshire
Country United Kingdom
Memorial Type Inscribed Metal Plaque
Memorial Text In memory of 6 crew members of Lancaster LL919 of 619 Sqn RAF, shot down on 27 April 1944
Location Thorpe Camp, Tattershall Thorpe, Lincolnshire
Country United Kingdom
Memorial Type Inscribed Metal Plaque
Memorial Text In memory of 6 crew members of Lancaster LL919 of 619 Sqn RAF, shot down on 27 April 1944
Location International Bomber Command Centre, Canwick Avenue, Lincoln LN4 2HQ
Country United Kingdom
Memorial Type Inscribed stone tablet
Memorial Text The crew of LL919 PG-W 619 Sqn
Location Dunholme Lodge Farm, Dunholme, Lincolnshire
Country United Kingdom
Memorial Type Brick Pillar with Inscribed Stone Tablet & Metal Lancaster Sculpture
Memorial Text R.A.F. Dunholme Lodge In memory of those who served here 1942 - 1946
Location William Farr School, Welton, Lincolnshire
Country United Kingdom
Memorial Type Information Board
Memorial Text Site of RAF Dunholme Lodge 1942 - 1945
Location St. Peter's Church, Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire
Country United Kingdom
Memorial Type Inscribed Metal Plaque
Memorial Text A memorial to all those who served with 619 Sqn during WW2
Location In front of the mess esplanade, Mailly-le-Camp, 10 - Aube Prefecture
Country France
Memorial Type Stone memorial sculpture, inscribed marble tablets and inscribed metal plaque
Memorial Text En souvenir des heros de la RAF. Qui ont participe au bombardment du camp de Mailly. Unites de la RAF engagees dans le raid sur Mailly-le-Camp, la nuit du 3 au 4 May 1944. N° 9-12-44-49-50-57 61-83-97-100-101 Special Duties Flight-103-105-106-166- 169-192-207-460 (RAAF)-463 (RAAF)-467 (RAAF)-550-576-617- 619-625-626-627-654
Translation "In memory of the RAF heroes who took part in the bombing of Mailly Camp. RAF units engaged in the raid on Mailly-le-Camp, the night of 3-4 May 1944. Squadrons that took part: N° 9-12-44-49-50-57 61-83-97-100-101 Special Duties Flight-103-105-106-166- 169-192-207-460 (RAAF)-463 (RAAF)-467 (RAAF)-550-576-617-619-625-626-627-654"
Location On village war memorial, Salbris, 41 - Loir-et-Choir Prefecture
Country France
Memorial Type Inscribed marble tablet
Memorial Text En reconnaissance aux 49 aviateurs des Sqn's 44, 49, 106 en 619 de la RAF morts pour notre liberte le 8 Mai 1947
Translation "Thank you to the 49 airmen of 44, 49, 106 and 619 Sqn's RAF who died for our freedom on May 8 1947"
Location Lincoln County Hospital Chapel, Lincoln, Lincolnshire
Country United Kingdom
Memorial Type Inscribed Metal Plaque
Memorial Text In memory of Officers, NCO's & Other Ranks of 5 (Bomber) Group RAF who gave their lives Sept 1939 - May 1945

Miscellaneous Information

Many sources state that this aircraft was attacked over Dijon but this is not correct. Every year since 1944, a commemoration ceremony has been held in the churchyard in Landéville, which many people from all over the area attend. Presided over by the mayor, standard bearers from French veterans’ associations, local military officials and politicians, as well as local people and (in the past) a veteran from 619 Squadron attended the wreath-laying at the graves before a vin d’honneur in the Town Hall.
The Last Flight of Lancaster LL919 - a book written and published by Anne Grimshaw, tells the story of this aircraft's last operation

The National Archives

Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/2131/22
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/2131/22

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.

Name Outcome
Feindell L L (P/O) Died
Frank K (Sgt) Died
Gunzi G G C (F/L) Died
Pickstone A (F/S) Died
Vlassie N (F/O) Died

Last Operation Information

Start Date 26-04-1944
End Date 27-04-1944
Takeoff Station Dunholme Lodge
Day/Night Raid Night (20% moon)
Operation Schweinfurt
Reason for Aircraft Loss Attacked by a night-fighter between Doulaincourt and Joinville flown by Oblt Dietrich Schmitt. An eye-witnesses stated that the aircraft caught fire and then circled twice, as if in search for a place to land, before crashing onto a hillside near Landéville. The sole survivor, 928841 F/S James W. Mills, the Air Bomber, was badly injured as a result of bailing out when the aircraft was too low. He describes the aircraft being hit three times in quick succession before going into a spin. He was cared for by locals before being handed over to the German authorities for medical attention. After treatment he became a PoW for the remainder of the war in Stalag Luft Bankau.
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Casualty Pack

IBCC is delighted to introduce a unique facility to link the Losses Database to the relevant RAF Casualty Pack on the National Archives website. This project is the result of on-going collaboration between IBCC, the MOD Records Office and National Archives, Kew. This document describes what Casualty Packs are, when they were created, the process of making them available to the public and then goes on to describe the process by which you can view the contents of the packs. Casualty Packs (CPs) were created by the RAF whenever there was serious injury or loss of life associated with operational activity within the RAF. This includes operational flying losses, enemy action due to air raids, road accidents either on station or even off-station if they involved RAF vehicles. Deaths due to natural causes in service or accidents that did not involve RAF vehicles did not generally give rise to a CP.

CPs were originally given a unique reference number by the RAF. Each begins with the letter ‘P’ and is followed by six digits, then an oblique (forward slash) and the finally the year in which the incident took place- for example P396154/42.

The CPs are in the process of being made available to the general public as they are passed from the MOD Records Office, Portsmouth to National Archives, Kew. This process requires some rework to the files which is very time consuming, so the process of making them all available to National Archives will take several years. They are being made available in increasing date order.

Once CPs arrive at National Archives they are assigned a unique AIR81 number, so each CP has both a P-number and an AIR81 number. Both are searchable on the National Archives website under ‘Search the catalogue’ and both are included on the IBCC website.

The AIR81 reference on the IBCC website is a link to the file on the National Archives website. When you click on it, the relevant page will open in a new tab on your browser.

There is currently no plan to digitise AIR81 files, partly because they are fragile and partly because the information they contain can at times be sensitive, even harrowing, since they may contain exhumation reports and even photographs of corpses. Family members wishing to read the AIR81 files relating to their ancestors are advised to exercise caution and be guided by National Archives warnings where appropriate.

There are two means for accessing AIR81 files- to attend in person or to order a copy by post.

To attend in person, the attendee should first create a Reader’s Ticket. This can be done online by following this link: https://secure.nationalarchives.gov.uk/login/yourdetails. Then click on the AIR81 reference on the IBCC website and click Order in Advance. Enter your Reader’s Ticket number and state the date on which you intend to visit. National Archives will have the file ready for you when you arrive, saving you time. When you visit Kew, you must quote the Reader’s Ticket number and take along two forms of ID- one bearing your signature and one bearing your address. When you view the files, you are permitted to take photographs of each page, should you wish.

Alternatively, if you wish to order a copy by post, please be aware that there is a charge for this service based on the number of pages in the file. Click on the AIR81 reference on the IBCC website and then click Request a Copy. There is an £8.40 charge for National Archives staff to access the file and give you a quotation for the copying service. The process takes around 24 days to complete and can be expensive.

IBCC wishes to thank the staff at the MOD Records Office and National Archives for their engagement and assistance in making this facility available to our website users.