Memorial for Allied Air Crew

[30Three]

In our part of France there are several small memorials for Allied crews of Bomber command and the US bomber crews.
Last week we saw a new memorial for a Halifax crew. On the 7th of June 1944; they were shot down during a bombing run on the railway line in Chateaudun.
All seven perished in the crash. In a field Just outside the town; adjacent to a level crossing and main road.
It is great to see the French communities keeping the memory alive.


At that time; the urgency to bomb this particular line; was due to the fact that Messerschmitt 262 jet's were stationed at Chateaudun airfield. But they couldn't be flown without the fuel; which was in short supply. The rail line was the transportation link for the fuel.

The Bombing raids on this line weren't successful; and the rail link was eventually blown by the local Resistance. Who had recovered an unexploded 500lbs bomb; then transported it to the viaduct at Marboue. It was set off with 15kg of plastic explosive. A successful outcome for a very risky job.

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