Sergeant ROBERT WILLIAM WILCOCKSON was 1 of 7 crew onboard Avro Lancaster Mk I, ED498, EM-O, with 207 Squadron, Royal Air Force taking off at 21.32 hrs¹ from RAF Langar, Nottinghamshire, England, United Kingdom.²

Their mission was a bombing raid on Milan, Italy on the night of 15th/16th August 1943. On their return journey their Lancaster was hit by anti-aircraft fire and crashed at Beuzeval, Calvados, Normandy, France. Just over 0.5 miles (1 kilometre) East of Houlgate some 15.5 miles (25 Kilometres) North-East of Caen.

Only 1 man survived the crash, Flying Officer George Blakeman.³

This aircraft was 1 of 199 Lancaster Bombers that were on a mission to bomb war production factories in Milan, Italy. 7 were lost, most to German night fighter aircraft which were waiting for the bombers' return over France.⁴

The 6 men, of the 7 man crew, of Lancaster Mk I, ED498, EM-O, who were killed, were:

Sergeant HARRY CLEMENT R/172270

Sergeant JOHN CHARLES CUNNINGHAM 121245

Sergeant JACK KIRKMAN 1035586

Pilot Officer ROBERT 'Bob' GEORGE PEARCEY 155212

Sergeant JAMES STANLEY WHITE 1397951

Sergeant ROBERT WILLIAM WILCOCKSON 1586239

The 1 crewman who survived was the Navigator Flying officer George Blakeman. After recovering from his wounds, he was taken prisoner and became Prisoner of War No. 2257, in Stalag Luft III.

Flying Officer George Blakeman went on to become Wing Commander George Blakeman, Order of the British Empire (OBE). 

The following is an account of what happened, onboard Lancaster Mk1, ED498, EM-D, taken from a conversation with George Blakeman:


'On their way they passed directly over Cabourg on the Normandy coast north of Caen. After 15 minutes on track for their next turning point - the southern tip of Lac Annecy - they were hit by a nightfighter which inexplicably did not continue its attack. Nevertheless the port inner engine overheated and had to be shut down. They decided it would be safer to continue to Milan than to return on their own to Langar. On their homeward journey, over Cabourg again and almost over the Channel, Flying Officer George Blakeman saw a bright flash down in the bay. The next he knew the aircraft was on fire and in a vertical dive.


With just one buckle of his parachute connected, like the rest of the crew he was pinned by gravity, unable to move. Through a window he watched as the rivets in the wing root changed colour as they melted... He regained consciousness two days later, tended in a French farmhouse, guarded by German soldiers. The other six members of his crew lie together in a cemetery in HOULGATE (BEUZEVAL) COMMUNAL CEMETERY, Calvados, France.'⁸

Today there is a Memorial at Langar Airfield commemorating 207 Squadron, Royal Air Foce, that was stationed there during the Second World War. There is also a website memorial page for Langar Airfield 207 Squadron RAF Memorial.⁹