7 June 2025
Commemorative ceremony for the crew of Halifax LK840,
with the descendants of Sgt. William S. Sharratt.
Quinquempoix (Oise)
In French 
We had the pleasure of welcoming the descendants of Sgt. William Stanley Sharratt, namely his son John and his grandsons Mark, Derek and Ross.
Coming from different parts of Scotland, they spent the day discovering the various places where their grandfather had been sheltered after parachuting from the Halifax LK840 bomber on the night of 22–23 June 1944. Although they knew that he had been captured and sent to the Buchenwald concentration camp and then to Stalag Luft III, they had no idea how he had previously been rescued and sheltered by the Resistance in the Oise region. ‘Our grandfather never talked about the war. We never knew what really happened to him,’ explained Mark.
In the morning, the tour began at the chateau de La Borde, in Sains-Morainvillers, where we received a warm welcome. At the time, it belonged to Count Jacques de Baynast and his wife Colette, who was the younger sister of the illustrious future Maréchal Leclerc. For William Sharratt, it was the penultimate place where he stayed. Delighted to meet his descendants, Mrs. de Colnet (the granddaughter of the de Baynasts) and her husband gave us a tour of this historic site, where many Allied airmen and resistance fighters were housed.
This was followed by an official ceremony in tribute to the four crew members who are buried in the Quinquempoix cemetery. A few vintage military vehicles were present.
Amidst the many dignitaries and flag bearers, the entire congregation gathered at the cemetery entrance before marching to the graves to the sound of a military march. The formal ceremony could begin.
Mr Alain Baudin, Mayor of Quinquempoix, took the floor, deeply honoured and proud to welcome the Sharratt family, who were particularly moved to be in his village. The ASAA-Oise then recounted the history of this fateful mission, the circumstances of the crash and the fate of the seven crew members of the Halifax.
Mark Sharratt then spoke, visibly moved, about his grandfather's life, his speech being translated by our friend Franck.
"On 23 June 1944, my grandfather was one of the lucky ones. He survived and, despite a very frightening journey, initially helped by the French Resistance and then, after passing through the Buchenwald concentration camp, he was able to regain his freedom and return home. At the time, his girlfriend (who would become my grandmother) received no news for six months and assumed that my grandfather was killed in action. I can only imagine her relief when she finally received a letter from the Red Cross stating that he was safe but a prisoner at Stalag Luft III. Shortly after the war, they married and had two sons: John, my father, and Ian, who later emigrated to Australia. For some twenty years, they watched their children grow up and become young men. My grandfather had a very happy life and worked as a police officer in the villages of Lancashire. One day, while on holiday, my father met a very pretty Scottish girl. They fell in love. She became his wife... and therefore my mother. My grandfather loved to take my grandmother out into the countryside every Sunday. One Sunday in 1972, he leaned over to her and said, “I would love to have grandchildren”. Unfortunately, in 1973, during a friend's wedding, he suffered a heart attack and died at the age of 56. So he never got to meet his five grandsons. I am the eldest of them, born in 1974. It means so much to me, as it does to my brothers Derek and Ross, and Craig, who cannot be here today, to be invited and welcomed here and to share my grandfather's story and adventure. I also think of my father, who was only 26 when my grandfather passed away. And here we are, more than 50 years later, commemorating his life and the fate of his crew members. My grandmother passed away at the age of 102. When she died three years ago, that generation was gone, and that motivated my brothers and me to try to find out more about my grandfather's life. We first visited Stalag Luft III in Poland, where the museum director told us about my grandfather's experience at the Buchenwald concentration camp. It was then that we discovered how close he had come to death. He was one of 168 airmen who were to be executed that week. They were saved by a Luftwaffe colonel who, fortunately, did not like the SS and concentration camps. He arranged for the airmen to be transferred to Stalag Luft III.
During my visit to the Museum, I made a short video that I posted on YouTube for my family. Then, two French historians sent a message: You are the grandsons of William Sharratt. Would you like to learn about his adventures in France?'
We are therefore delighted and honoured to be here to discover the hidden part of our grandfather's story during the war.
I would like to thank Franck and Dominique for their research, the mayor and the organising committee of Quinquempoix for this ceremony and, on behalf of my grandfather, all the French people, who took such good care of him with kindness and compassion and supported him on his journey to freedom. Thank you very much."
Then Mr Denis Pype (regional councillor) and Ms Nicole Cordier (departmental councillor), Mr Olivier Paccaud, senator, and Ms Claire Marais-Beuil, member of parliament, took turns to speak. They spoke of the essential, and sometimes forgotten, role of Allied airmen, often from distant countries, who sacrificed their lives so that we could live in freedom, while reminding everyone to remember the past and remain vigilant in the face of new threats looming over Europe today.
Wreaths were laid on the graves of the four crew members. After the Last Post and a minute of silence, the national anthems of Canada, Great Britain and France were played.
wore the military medals awarded to his grandfather.
The ceremony concluded with a convivial gathering and exchanges at the village town hall. An exhibition, prepared by the municipality, was on display.
In the early afternoon, the visit continued in Wavignies, where we were welcomed by the mayor, Mr André Renaux. The château where William Sharratt was housed by the Vincenot family was destroyed before the Germans fled in 1944. Only a few remains of the surrounding wall and pillars decorated with motifs are left.
In 2010, Henri Vincenot Street was inaugurated.
Then we headed to Ansauvillers, where the mayor, Mr. Dominique Dufresnes, accompanied us. With the kind permission of the current owner, who was visibly very moved to learn that an airman had been housed in her home, we were able to visit the house where the Hennon family lived during the war. Surrounded by high brick walls, the large garden would certainly have allowed William Sharratt to “get some fresh air” away from prying eyes. At the presumed location where he was photographed in July 1944, a photo was reproduced with his descendants.
Ansauvillers
Welcomed by Mr Philippe Gheeraert, Mayor of Le Mesnil-Saint-Firmin, we went to the place where William Sharratt was captured. The school itself no longer exists today. The classroom has been converted into a dwelling. Thanks to a local resident who brought along old class photos, we were able to see the face of the teacher, Christiane Cauvel, among her schoolchildren.
The Sharratt family in front of the old school with Mr Philippe Gheeraert.
This wonderful day ended with a return to Quinquempoix, as requested by the Sharratt family, first to the cemetery and then to the site of the Halifax crash.
19, 20 and 21 October 2024
Visit of the descendants of the Johnston and Gwilliam families
Rubescourt (Somme)
Le Frestoy-Vaux, Maignelay, Coivrel, Beauvais (Oise)
Pantin (Seine-Saint-Denis)
In French
This visit having been postponed since 2020 because of the pandemic, we finally had the honour of welcoming Colin Johnston and Bradley from Melbourne (son and grandson of F/Sgt. Eric L. Johnston) as well as Erin Sharp (daughter-in-law of F/Sgt. James P. Gwilliam) from Sydney who was accompanied by her niece Tara. These families had made the long journey from Australia to try to shed light on their fathers' adventures.
Their visit began in the morning in Rubescourt (Somme), a small village of 135 inhabitants, near to where the Halifax bomber MZ692, RAF 78 Squadron, crashed on the night of 22 to 23 June 1944.
Mme Chantal Desprez, the village's mayor, members of the municipal council and many people interested in the history of the event and the arrival of these Australian families welcomed us. Two vintage vehicles (a Jeep and a Dodge) then took us to the crash site in a pasture near la ferme de Pas.
To the great surprise of our Australian friends, Mr Moreau, the owner of the site, handed over pieces of aluminium from the bomber that had been found over the years.
Mr Moreau handing a piece of the Halifax to Colin Johnston.
Erin Sharp, also holding another piece of the aircraft.
Souvenir photo with some of the descendants of the families who sheltered the airmen.
Colin driving the Dodge that took us back to the heart of the village.
This was followed by a reception at the town hall, where Mme Chantal Desprez and her council invited us to drinks.
One of the villagers was moved to hand over a dictionary that had been found among the wreckage of the plane in 1944 and kept ever since.
In the afternoon, our next stop was Le Frestoy-Vaux, a village divided into three parts: Le Frestoy, Vaux and Le Tronquoy. It was on the territory of this village that three members of the crew, Eric Johnston, James Gwilliam and pilot Robert Mills, fell separately by parachute. At Le Frestoy, the descendants of the Dufeu family showed us the farm where Robert Mills had stayed with their grandfather.
The barn next to the farm where Robert Mills was hidden.
Photo with descendants of the Dufeu family in front of the former family farm.
We then moved on to Vaux but, alas, the slate-roofed house on which Eric Johnston had landed no longer exists and has been replaced by a new house.
Finally, Le Tronquoy. It was near this hamlet that James Gwilliam landed in a tree before being put up temporarily in a small house. The owner of the farm gave us the location of le bois du Tronquoy, where the airman had hung for some time from his parachute entangled in the branches.
Bradley, Colin, Tara and Erin near Le bois du Tronquoy.
One of the houses near the farm where James Gwilliam was probably taken in.
Via Le Ployron, where unfortunately the ‘75’ level crossing no longer exists, as does Germaine Carlier's house, we reached Maignelay, where we were joined by several descendants of the families who had come to the aid of the airmen in the various surrounding villages. In addition to the Dufeu family, the Levasseur, Floury, Duriez, Horb and Lherminier families were represented. We visited the former home of Pierre Gager, who provided shelter to Eric Johnson and Robert Mills.
In front of Pierre Gager's house
At each place, explanations were given, translated into English by our friend Franck Signorile.
Last stop of the day: Coivrel, first in the cemetery for a particularly emotional moment in front of the grave of the Creton couple, owners of the café that gave shelter to the Australian airmen. Guy Pieronne, their grandson, who should have been with us, had asked Colin Johnston to make a symbolic gesture of great importance to him.
At the end of July 1944, the Creton couple let the airmen go after having forged a strong bond of friendship with them. The four Australians were to join another group of Resistance fighters and then be flown back to England that same evening. They had agreed before their departure that a coded message would be broadcast on the BBC, proving that they had arrived safely in London. That evening and in the days that followed, the Cretons listened to the programme "Les Français parlent aux Français" on Radio-London, but the message was not broadcast. It never was. The reason was that the airmen had fallen into a trap and had been arrested by the Germans.
The Cretons died without knowing what had happened to their protégés.
80 years later, in front of the graves of Mr Pieronne's grandparents, Colin Johnston, overcome with emotion, was finally able to utter the coded phrase that they would so have liked to hear on the BBC: "Kings are crowned".
We then wandered through the village streets, discovering the various houses where Robert Mills, Keith Mills, Eric Johnston and James Gwilliam had taken refuge.
First up was the former home of Paul Omnès. According to Eric Johnston's recollections, it was at the back of his house that the photo of the airmen with their helpers was taken before they left Coivrel at the end of July 1944. The current owner of the house kindly allowed us into her garden to reproduce, 80 years later, a photo similar to the one taken in 1944.
In the garden of the Paul Omnès house,
the Horb, Lherminier and Dufeu families with the Australians.
We then stopped in front of the former café-grocery that was run by the Creton family during the war. The façade has changed little, except that it is no longer a café. Surprised but delighted by this unusual visit by our Australian friends to their usually quiet village, the owners exceptionally allowed them to visit the inside of their house.
After a stop at the war memorial, where a wreath was laid by the municipality and a minute's silence observed, we were invited to the town hall by Mrs Aline Larue, mayor of the village, and her municipal council, where a reception was organised.
The town hall was also the school where Fernande Horb lived and taught, and where she and her husband helped the airmen. The multi-purpose hall where we gathered was in fact her classroom. An exhibition of photos and documents, prepared by the municipality, was on display.
In the presence of Patrice Fontaine, departmental councillor and mayor of Le Frestoy-Vaux, Mme Chantal Desprez, mayor of Rubescourt, descendants of the families who came to the aid of the airmen and many friends, Aline Larue, after welcoming our Australian friends and all those present, declared: "We are bringing to light a painful part of our village's history, but one that does us great honour....".
Patrice Fontaine said a few words, followed by a description of the Australian airmen' adventure. This was followed by a message from Guy Pieronne, grandson of the Creton family, who was unfortunately absent.
An emotional Colin Johnston then took the floor, with Franck Signorile translating into French:
On a more personal note from me to Guy Pieronne, who could not make it today, Merci, merci beaucoup".
Erin Sharp also expressed her emotion by paying tribute to the families who had helped the airmen.
I would also like to express my sincere gratitude to Franck Signorile and Dominique Lecomte for their dedication in researching this important historical event. Thank you".
This intense day ended with drinks and a profusion of cakes and other treats offered by the municipality. This moment of conviviality was the occasion for many exchanges and sharing between all.
On the left, Mrs Aline Larue, Mayor of Coivrel.
Descendants of the families who sheltered the airmen surround our Australian friends.
On 20 October, we went to the road leading from Chepoix to Breteuil, where the four airmen had been captured by the Germans after being betrayed. Then on to Beauvais, on the site of the former Agel barracks where they were held. All that remains today is a memorial.
On 21 October, we travelled to Pantin to meet Pierre Gernez, secretary of the Association des Amis du Musée de la Résistance nationale de Seine-Saint-Denis, and Cynthia Beaufils, head of the Pôle Mémoire et Patrimoine at the town of Pantin. They were accompanied by an interpreter and a number of journalists. With permission from the SNCF, we were given access to the 'Quai aux Bestiaux' alongside the railway tracks. This historic site is usually private and off-limits to the public. It was here, on 15 August 1944, that the airmen, among more than 2,200 deportees, boarded the convoy bound for the Buchenwald concentration camp.
An exceptional, emotionally-charged visit.
"When they came back to Australia, nobody believed them. They didn't have tattoos and normally airmen should never have gone to concentration camps" said Erin.
The day ended in a room at the town hall, where Franck presented his research into deported Allied airmen.
A few days earlier, Colin and Bradley had visited the Buchenwald concentration camp in Germany.
Colin concluded: "The whole visit was a mixture of astonishment and extreme emotions such as excitement, happiness and sadness. There's no doubt that we filled in the blanks, even more than I thought possible".
17th August 2024
Ceremony in memory of the crew of Lancaster LL727
514 RAF Squadron
Sainte-Eusoye (Oise)
Copyright © 2024 - Association des Sauveteurs d'Aviateurs Alliés- All rights reserved -
En français
In the hamlet of Sauveleux, near the crash site of Lancaster LL727, 514 RAF Squadron, which fell in June 1944, a ceremony in honour of its crew was organised by the Hauts de France Region, the Communauté de Communes de l'Oise Picarde, Pierre Dugrosprez, Mayor of Sainte-Eusoye and his municipality, and the ASAA-Oise.
Guests and members of the public who attended the ceremony also included Mady Dorchies-Brillon, regional councillor responsible for heritage and remembrance, Eric Tribout, vice-president of the Communauté de Communes de l'Oise Picarde and Denis Pype, regional and departmental councillor, as well as numerous flag bearers from patriotic associations.
For this tribute, we had the great honour of welcoming Roland Rippingale, (one of the sons of F/Sgt. Eric Rippingale), and his wife Lynn, who had come from England.
On the right : Lynn and Roland Rippingale
After a few words of welcome from Mr Dugrosprez, the village mayor, the ceremony began.
The story of the mission and the fate of the eight members of the crew were recounted to the entire audience. Micheline Levieille-Lefèbvre, who was 12 years old in 1944 honoured us with her presence. It was at Micheline's parents that the Canadian pilot, Louis Greenburg, found refuge after landing by parachute.
Mme Micheline Lefèbvre
The elected representatives then spoke in turn. Mme Dorchies underlined her respect and admiration for the British people, who had been able to create an air force in the midst of a world conflict to defend the freedom of invaded countries, adding ‘this ceremony is the mark of the deep friendship that forever unites our nations.
The stele in memory of the crew was then unveiled by the village children. The names of the eight airmen were read out. After a minute's silence, the Canadian, British and French national anthems were played.
This day of tribute to the airmen of the Royal Air Force ended with a glass of friendship offered by the municipality of Sainte-Eusoye.
14th April 2011 - Visit of F/Sgt. Eric G. Rippingale family
24 and 25 September 2024
Visit of Laurie and Richard Feingold
Campremy, Saint-Just-en-Chaussée, Clermont,
Noailles and Auneuil (Oise)
In French
In August, we were pleasantly surprised to be contacted by Richard and Laurie Feingold, son and daughter of 2nd Lt. Louis Feingold, who expressed a desire to visit France to retrace their father's escape.
2nd Lt. Louis Feingold was a navigator aboard the Flying Fortress “Destiny's Tot”, which fell at Campremy on December 30, 1943 on its return from a bombing mission over Ludwigshafen, Germany.
Arriving from New Jersey, Richard and Laurie first traveled to Plouha (Côtes d'Armor), to discover the site where their father, taken in by the Shelburn escape network, was exfiltrated to England from the beach at Anse Cochat.
Plouha - Bonaparte Beach
Their visit then continued in the Oise region for two days, first in Campremy, at the crash site, then in the area where their father landed by parachute, and finally in Saint-Just-en-Chaussée.
In Saint-Just-en-Chaussée, they visited the former home of Jean Crouet, who was the first to come to the aid of 2nd Lt. Feingold and his crewmate, 2nd Lt. Tarkington, and then the former bakery run by Leon Hary, where the two airmen stayed from January 1 to 3, 1944, before returning to Jean Crouet's home.
During the visit, Richard and Laurie met Léon Hary's two granddaughters, who gave them a tour of the bakery's backyard and the upstairs cellar where their father was hidden.
The day continued in Clermont. Louis Feingold, still in the company of Warren Tarkington, stayed there from January 6 to 21, 1944, with Odette Sauvage and Gaston Legrand. They were able to meet Jean-Marc Sauvage, one of Odette's grandsons, who was never stingy with anecdotes about the airmen his grandmother hosted during the war.
At the end of the afternoon, Richard and Laurie had the honor of being received in the Salle des Gardes at Clermont town hall. Welcomed by the town council and the Association des Anciens FFI, Lionel Ollivier, the town's mayor, emphasized that he was delighted to welcome them and to see that they, too, were cultivating this all-important duty to remember. Then, with Cécile Grange, deputy mayor in charge of Culture, the Médaille de la Ville was awarded to our two visitors.
Deeply moved, Laurie found it hard to hide her emotion. “We are very grateful to Odette and Gaston. Without them, we wouldn't be here, because our father would never have returned to America".
Richard recalled that his father regularly recounted the adventure that had marked his life. “He considered himself very lucky to have escaped, thanks in particular to all the French people who were willing to help and hide him, like Odette and Gaston. We ourselves are honored to have known them, as they were friends of our parents".
The whole story of 2nd Lt. Louis Feingold's escape was then recounted before sharing a glass of friendship.
Some members of the “N'oublie pas 44” Association were also present, allowing our friends to take a short ride through the streets of the town in a vintage American vehicle after the reception.
Richard and Laurie's visit continued the next day in Noailles. We were warmly welcomed by Gerard Eckert and his family, who still occupy the farmhouse where so many airmen had been billeted by their parents during the Second World War. The Eckert family had prepared a small exhibition, and period documents were shared.
In September 2023, a plaque was unveiled on the porch, bearing the names of the Allied airmen who had taken refuge in Robert and Marthe Eckert's home. Laurie and Richard were thrilled to discover their father's name engraved in marble. He stayed here from January 22 to 24, 1944.
The last stage of the visit took place in Auneuil, where we were kindly received by the current owner of the house occupied by Gilbert Thibault during the war. The founder of the Alsace escape network, he sheltered 2nd Lts Louis Feingold and Warren Tarkington from January 24 to January 27, 1944, when they were transported to Paris.
A reception in honor of the American family's visit was then held at the town hall. In the absence of the mayor, who was excused for personal reasons, Mr. Jean-Marc Rozé, deputy mayor, delivered a welcome speech in honor of the visit by the descendants of 2nd Lt. Louis Feingold.
“...Through you, we honor not only the memory of your father, but also that of all the Allied airmen who were taken in by the French Resistance. This is also an opportunity for us to honor, once again, the memory of Gilbert Thibault, one of the greatest Resistance fighters of the Oise, leader of the “Alsace” network, who sheltered over a hundred of these airmen, like your father in 1944, before repatriating them to England through various channels. Forgotten for too long, our commune paid tribute to him on May 8, 2022, and through him to all those who worked alongside him at the risk of their lives...”
Then, on behalf of the mayor, Richard and Laurie were each presented with the Médaille de la Ville, marking not only their time in the town but also the link between Auneuil and their father.
Richard Feingold is passionate about the history of his father's missions and escape to France. He often gives talks in the United States to young and old alike, helping to keep alive the duty of remembrance. The various places he has visited and his encounters with the descendants of French families now enable him to back up his presentations and better understand how his father was able to reach England after two months in hiding among those who came to his aid.
15th June 2024
80th anniversary of the crash of Lancaster HK559
RAF 115 Squadron
Gannes (Oise)
In French
On the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the crash of Lancaster HK559, RAF 115 Squadron, a ceremony was held in memory of the 7 Australian and British airmen who tragically lost their lives during a bombing mission on the night of 17 to 18 June 1944 in the village of Gannes.
We were honoured to have with us Daryl and John Van Cooten, nephews of F/S John W. Van Cooten, accompanied by their wives and friends from Australia, and Ian Duff, nephew of W/O Peter Duff, accompanied by his son and grandson from Scotland.
Both families were meeting for the first time.
The families of the airmen, numerous flag bearers from the patriotic associations, elected representatives and all those present gathered in the cemetery, next to the graves of the seven airmen, in front of which their portraits were affixed.
On behalf of the municipality, a plaque commemorating this 80th anniversary was placed in front of the graves.
Daryl and John Van Cooten, their wives, Ian Duff, his son Mike and grandson Alex.
After welcoming the members of the airmen's families, the mayor Olivier De Beule and our Association laid wreaths of flowers at the foot of the graves. After the Last Post and a minute's silence, the national anthems of Australia, Great Britain and France were played.
Mr Olivier De Beule then retraced the history of this mission on the night of 17 to 18 June 1944, which took place just a few days after the long-awaited Landing of Allied troops in Normandy. He recalled the circumstances of the crash that took the lives of the seven young occupants of the Lancaster, who sacrificed their lives on French soil for our Freedom. Three days later, after a mass in the church, the seven airmen were laid to rest in the local cemetery with great respect and compassion by the people of the village, of the neighbouring villages and many anonymous people, despite the presence of the occupying Germans.
The ASAA-Oise then associated the other families of these airmen who had not been able to make the trip for this 80th anniversary but who were present in their hearts and minds. Among them was Christine Dawson, niece of Sgt. Douglas Dawson, who had written a message that was read out for the occasion.
“I have attended many other commemoration ceremonies in the past and I am saddened not to be able to be with you today but I am thinking of you all. I hope to be able to come back again in the future. I am writing my family history so that my uncle Douglas, whom I never met, will be remembered. His story needs to be told to my grandchildren and other cousins of the younger generation. I have learned so much by going to Gannes, and I must thank you all for the work of remembrance that brings us together, assuring our loved ones that their story will never be forgotten”.
Ian Duff took then the floor, mentioning that this was his 6th visit to Gannes. His first visit was in 1964. Working temporarily in Paris at the time, he travelled to Gannes by train. When he arrived, he asked for directions to the cemetery. An employee suggested that he wait while he went to make a phone call. Soon a car arrived with two young men, one being the son of the mayor. They drove to the town hall, where he met Pierre Naquet, then mayor of the village. The mayor welcomed him for a meal before taking him to the cemetery to pay his respects at the grave of his uncle and the other members of the crew. The visit and the welcome he received that day overwhelmed him with emotion.
Ian Duff also thanked and expressed his gratitude to the municipality and the people of the village for looking after the graves and ensuring that they were well kept and flowered. He was particularly delighted by the presence of his grandson Alex, aged 11, who was visiting Gannes for the first time. This intergenerational presence helps to pass on and preserve the family memory.
The ceremony continued near the crash site. In tribute to the airmen who lost their lives there, flowers were laid at the foot of the small memorial to this tragic event.
This moving day ended at the town hall with a reception offered by the municipality.
