Flight Lieutenant French, Killed in action, August 1944, Aged 21

The pilot of a Lancaster bomber, Flight Lieutenant French remained at the controls long enough to ensure that every member of his crew had successfully bailed out. He then crash-landed the aircraft and lost his life.

The story of Flight Lieutenant French and his crew was researched by my good friend Roger Brawn, who has a house in Clarbec, France, where the Lancaster came down. Roger brought together testimonies from the descendants of the airmen, alongside extensive historical documentation, and organised a commemoration at the crash site.

I created the website for this project, and working on it touched me deeply. During my own service in the RAF, I once spent time in a small military cemetery and was struck by how many of those buried there were younger than 22.

I also had the extraordinary opportunity to climb into and explore the interior of a derelict Lancaster bomber. Standing inside that aircraft gave me a very different appreciation of what these young airmen faced.

https://flightlieutenantfrench.com