Personnel Index - Detail
Part of the panel at Runnymede
The RHS image is dated 20th November 1941 and was taken at RAF Holton.
(All photographs kindly provided by his nephew, Peter Collier)
Stanley Young from South Shields in the county of Durham, became a 'Halton Brat' when he joined No 4 (apprentice ) Wing (later No 5 Wing) at No 1 School of Technical Training, RAF Halton on the 31 Aug 1937.
After a period as a Fitter at No 30 MU he re-mustered as a Flight Engineer at Calshot.
In July 1942 he was posted to 49 sqn Conversion Unit at Scampton. Stan flew his first operation on 4 September 1942 to Bremen with F/Sgt Heard and crew but later settled into the crew piloted by F/Sgt Miller.
13/14 February, 1943: LORIENT:
On a clear moonlit night 466 heavies set out once again to pound Lorient's U-boat base on the Biscay coast of France.
The squadron supplied 10 aircraft for the raid. In all, Bomber Command lost 7 aircraft including 2 Lancasters - one came from 103 Squadron at Elsham Wolds, the other was from 49 Squadron. F/Sgt Gifford Miller and crew had reached the south coast near Plymouth on return from Lorient, when tragedy struck. In the darkness over the Sound, their aircraft sliced into the unseen steel cable of a barrage balloon. The Lancaster came down on the western end of the breakwater, disintegrating as it fell into the sea. The crews final moments have never been established for sadly they all perished in the crash and their bodies were never recovered.
ED450 (EA-G)
F/Sgt G.B.C. Miller Pilot (Missing)
F/O R. Allin NAV (Missing)
Sgt K. Hands W/AG (Missing)
Sgt W. Noble B/A (Missing)
Sgt S. Young F/E (Missing)
Sgt W. Halsall A/G (Missing)
Sgt F.H. Allen A/G (Missing)
Note: The remains of ED450 are still there today, though the wreckage is now well broken up and scattered by the tides. The site is frequently visited by the local diving club... a sad memorial to a brave crew. The Captain of the Royal Naval Diving School at Bovisand, took Dr John Allin, the son of the navigator, to the scene; then, after dinner, presented him with a fire extinguisher, polished to perfection, from the wreck. Needless to say, John was lost for words.
Click this link to view (in a new window) a YouTube video of the crash remains.