5./NJG 4, Oblt. SCHULTE, 26 or 27.07.1944

[dahiot daniel]

Sans doute cela Pierre !


25-26/07/44, mission sur Givors. Loss Lancaster LM484.

JOSEPH HARRY GILLIVER - born 31 August 1913. Married Margaret Aileen HOSKINS 4 July 1942. They had one daughter. Was a bell ringer at Enderby Church. Served in WWII in the Royal Air Force. Trained in Canada. First and last official flight was in a Lancaster bomber. Lancaster LM484 of 619 Squadron based at Royal Air Force Dunholme Lodge in Lincolnshire. Aircraft took off at 21.26 hours on 26th July 1944 to attack Givor Railway Centre and Junction. 161 Lancasters and 1 Mosquito's attacked between 01.45 and 02.29 hours from 3,500/8,000 feet, dropping approximately 610 tons of H.E. and 8 x 1000lb marker bombs. A number of flares were also dropped. Severe thunderstorms, lightning and rain prevented marking the Northern attack point. Attack was therefore directed on the Southern point.
Of the 187 aircraft involved, four Lancasters and two Mosqitos are missing. The Lancaster bomber in which Joseph Gilliver was flying was shot down at 00.46 hours on 27th July 1944 by night fighters whilst returning to base. The aircraft crashed 5 km NE of Maisontiers in the neighbourhood of Parthenay in SW France. Joseph Gilliver was buried with six crew members in Maisontiers Communal Cemetery. He was later re-interred in Pornic British Cemetery.

Dan