A Remarkable Story of an RNZAF Airman's Funeral

[Dave Homewood]

This comes from the Evening Post, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 55, 2 September 1944, via Papers Past

UNKNOWN AIRMAN

REMARKABLE TRIBUTE

(Special P.A. Correspondent.)

LONDON, August 31.

An astonishing,tribute was paid to an unknown New Zealand airman who crashed in the sea off Roscoff, in Brittany, on July 19 and was buried near the village, states Peter Dufneld in the Evening Standard.

The people defied the Germans in order to pay him a tribute. R.N.Z.A.F. headquarters has at present no information concerning a New Zealander killed in that locality on that date, but inquiries are being made.

"On July 19," say s Mr. Dufneld, "a bomber circled over Roscoff. Its engines were on fire and great plumes of black.smoke rushed from it. It bore British markings, and the people of Roscoff saw it crash into the sea just off their rocky coast. They saw the Germans bring three airmen, two alive and one dead, from the plane. They learned that the Germans'were to bury the dead airman a New Zealander, a mile from their town. The Catholic rector, Abbe Louis Bossennec intervened, and asked the Germans for permission to bury the airman in his churchyard. His request was refused A German military procession carried the body to the appointed burial place It was joined by a vast procession of French people. The entire two thousand people of Roscoff formed a line behind the Nazis, and two thousand more came from nearby villages. More than a hundred children carried bouquets."

The Germans, faced with so large and so devout a crowd were in a panic. They spoke to the rector, and said he was to break up the procession,and-that the burial would take place as he desired next morning. The procession broke up on the rector's orders out the Germans double-crossed the people of Roscoff. Curfew time was 9 p.m. At 11 o'clock, when no civilian could stir beyond his house, they took the body of the airman and buried it. The rector made his decision. On the following day he rang the church bells and everyone turned out. He formed the people into a procession, bade them bring flowers, and held a burial service of his own. The furious Germans summoned the rector. They questioned him, berated him, and. threatened him, but allowed him to go."

[Dave Homewood]

I have looked at Errol Martyn's "For Your Tomorrow for 19th of July 1944 but I cannot work out who this kiwi airman was. Any ideas?

[angelsonefive]

The story has some similarity with the circumstances of the burial of Flt-Lt Basil Gordon Collyns DFC, in that there was an open defiance of the wishes of the German authorities on the part of the French populace.

However, the date does not fit. Collyns was shot down and killed on the 20th of August, 1944. The location, Rouves in the Cherbourg area, does not match either, nor does the aircraft. Basil Collyns was flying a Mustang.

There is a clue though. Assuming the Germans found all the occupants, the crew of three suggests a Douglas Boston.

[ErrolC]

Sounds very much like NZ429376 Flying Officer Frank William McDowell STOUT, with a wrong date reported.
Lost on an anti-submarine patrol as second pilot, 18 June 1944 in Liberator "E", Captain J/17585 Flying Officer, J. W. Hermiston and eight crew.

More details here, including extracts from For Your Tomorrow. I came across this webpage 2-3 months back, and apparently never got around to mentioning it here as I intended.

Given the common elements, perhaps the Evening Standard (the London one, I assume) shared a source or two with Errol Martyn, the later much more likely to be correct in details than a near-contemporary newspaper report.

[kiwijohn]

I can confirm this is a report of Frank Stout's death and burial, of which I have an original news cutting. I hold much material to Stout including log books, medals, memorial cross, letter re Stout's grave, great uncle's WW1 medal (he was named after his Uncle Francis but chose to be called Frank), photos, documents and news reports. I wrote the story up and it was published in New Zealand Memories magazine, Issue 63 December/January 2007. It was also published in NZ Memories book, a collection of articles, in 2007. I have also had this material posted on this website www.absa3945.com/Pertes%20Bretagne/.../liberator-vi_-v897_GB.htm The port town of Roscoff, where he is buried, holds some items retrieved at the time of the crash. The website includes photos taken underwater of the Hermiston/Stout Liberator and material I supplied. This year, in June, a special commemoration (70th year) took place at the Roscoff cemetery where he is buried. A plaque with photo of Stout was unveiled in a moving ceremony. There is a video of this ceremony on Youtube but I don't have the link at my fingertips. This is a remarkable story which I enjoyed retelling as a tribute to Frank Stout. The impact of Franks Stout's death on his family was huge, but also the impact on the Bretons of the area around Roscoff was huge as they rallied to bury their unknown "l'aivatuer Neo Zelandais" as he was termed at the time. Frank Stout was a rallying point for the local people and they have never forgotten him to this day. It was through the British newspaper reports that Frank Stout was initially identified. I have written up many tales of RNZAF personnel but Frank Stout's is one of the most poignant.

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks kiwijohn. Great stuff.