Failed to Return

F/Lt A J Grain DFM and Crew

F/Lt A J Grain and crew were posted to 550 Sqdn from 1667 C.U. w.e.f. 11/2/44:

F/Lt Grain and crew were killed when Lancaster LL826 was lost on the Mailly raid 3/4 May 1944. On this occasion the crew was not the transferred-in crew, rather it was as listed below:

P/O Large, the crew regular MU/AG was not flying, instead Sgt Dye was in the MU/AG position. Also flying with the crew on this flight as a Passenger/Observer was:

The entry on the 550 Squadron Roll of Honour is available here.

Other information about the flight and the target available here.

Crew Information

550 Squadron F/Lt A J Grain (P)
Photo courtesy of Stefanie Bolzen (via Ed Owen)
From an item in The Guardian, Sunday 26 May 2019 https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/may/26/my-family-at-war-raf-hero-bereaved-uncle-second-wolrd-war-stefanie-bolzen
550 Squadron Sgt John Stanley (F/Eng)
Photo courtesy of Rod Davis (nephew of Sgt Stanley)
550 Squadron Melvyn Robert Oliver RCAF (Nav)

Cheniers Churchyard

The photographs below kindly made available by Rod Davis.

550 Squadron Cheniers Churchyard
with fragment of LL826 panel alongside the graves
550 Squadron Cheniers Churchyard
LL826 panel fragment (rear)
writing believed to have been put on by ground crew whilst servicing or repairing the plane to make re-assembly easier