Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Below is a transcript of a letter written by my father, Flt/Sgt Leonard Charles Mayhew, to his wife Margaret who he lovingly nicknamed “Sally” after the darling in the song “Sally in Our Alley”.

May 10th 1944
Coningsby, Lincs
Tonight has been the nearest to death for myself and the whole crew, 6 of us returned after being given up for lost. Flying Officer Ward, Australian Mid-Upper Gunner was killed when we were hit by three heavy shells over Lille.
We dragged him from the wrecked turret and laid him on the rest bed, gave him oxygen, bandaged his wounds and made him as comfortable as possible taking turns to sit by him. I felt his heart and pulse – he died without knowing what had happened. I said the Lord’s Prayer and covered his head.
We struggled on for home with no lights, compass or radio; the elevators and rudder badly damaged and difficult to control. The inter-communication system had been put out of action and beyond repair. We had to shout in each other’s ears above the noise of the engines to make ourselves heard. One of the engines had been hit and in danger of catching fire, but we got back 55 minutes late.
We buried Harry in the colonial cemetery at Cambridge. Nobody said much but I guess we all thought alike – he was one of the best and we would square the debt, I hope we get the chance.
Even while we were expecting to be shot down that night I still found time to think of Sally and the kids. I know that if it ever does happen dearest, I shall be thinking of you and the children.
God Bless You
One month after this letter, my father was shot down and lost his life over France.
Flt/Sgt Leonard Charles Mayhew is buried in a village churchyard at Marles-sur-Canche in the Pas-de-Calais.


Written By Mike Mayhew
Born in Suffolk and now living in Norfolk, Mike spends his retirement enjoying gardening and sharing his lifelong passion for wildlife and nature in general.

Henry (Harry) Thomas Ward. Turns out that after 13 raids with 57 Sqdn the crew transferred to 97 (PFF) Sqdn on his 23rd birthday (23 April 1921). On his first Op with 97, on 11 May 1944, a flak burst by his mid upper turret, fatally wounding him. ND764 made it back to UK badly damaged (only to be lost with different crew on 9/10 June 1944) and Harry was buried with full military honours at 2:30 pm on 15 May in Cambridge City Cemetery.

ORB report reads:- Lancaster Mk III. ND764 (E) F/L William Mollison Walton, F/Sgt Leonard Charles George Mayhew, F/Sgt W. Williams, P/O Emlyn Rees, P/O Frank Douglas Roberts, F/O Henry Thomas Ward, F/Sgt John Douglas Hadlington. Up 2202 Down 0142. 6 x 7” clusters, 1 x 4000lb HC, 8 x 500lb MC, 3 x 4.5” reco flares. Weather clear over Lille, smoke haze. Target identified on H2S. First marker, soon after original illumination, was seen obscured, and bombing was stopped while further flares were dropped to aid re-marking. After we had dropped our reco flares, we orbited until instructions were clearly understood to bomb. There was considerable interference on VHF making communications exceedingly difficult. Bombing round second markers appeared very good. No apparent scatter.

At position 51.09N 02.45E (near Alveringham, Belgium, between Ostend and Dunkirk) at 0023 hours at 9,000 ft on homeward run, predicted heavy flak damaged mid upper turret, blew off left hand gun, damaged hydraulics, rear of fuselage, tail unit, DR compass, navigation light, intercom; all u/s as a result. Mid upper gunner found to be hit and was removed from turret. Reasonable landing made without intercom. Flying Officer Ward’s injuries fatal.

Posting to 97 Squadron:-
Aus418599 P/O H.T. Ward GDG To 97 Sqn from 57 Sqn 16.4.44
156103 F/O A/F/L W.M. Walton GD To 97 Sqn from 57 Sqn 16.4.44
975391 F/Sgt L.C.G. Mayhew FE To 97 Sqn from 1660 CU 20.4.44
1303654 F/Sgt J.W. McLaren AG To 97 Sqn from PFF Warboys 2.4.44
1303266 F/Sgt J.D. Hadlington AG To 97 Sqn from 57 Sqn 14.4.44
1321413 Sgt F.D. Roberts W/Op Ditto

Personal family link.
Disclaimer: All information has been collated from freely available internet sources and forums. All copyright remains vested in the original sources. This was collected purely for private and family research, not for profit. Any errors are mine, so if any expansion or corrections required, please contact me.
Kevin Regan, Ninfield, England, August 2021