We posted the initial details of this event on the Day-By-Day pages here
Many years ago I came across an entry in a short book about the 1st KOSB in Normandy and it mentioned that in August 1944 they, 'played the pipes in honour of an American airman shot by the SS'.
This intrigued me but, with all the other research I was doing, I had to put it to one side.
Years later, whilst gathering information on the wounded, our researcher, Jenny, sent me a newspaper clipping that gave some more detail.
This set me on a quest to tie up the loose ends and discover who this poor young lad was, and what the circumstances were around the events.
From what we can gather so far:
The US Airman in question was 2nd Lt Thomas Lee Crow Jr (navigator) aboard US B17 (Flying Fortress) serial No. 42-97353 named 'BEV' after the pilot's wife, Beverley, flying out of Chelveston, Northants, UK with the 305th Bomb group/366th Bomber Squadron.
His crew were:
Co-pilot/Flight Officer, 2nd Lt. Joe Robichaud
2nd Lt. Wendell Terry (Pilot) Taken POW
Bombadier: 2nd Lt. Henry Schienhold Taken POW
Flight Engineer/Top Turret Gunner: T/Sgt. Chas Kittle
Radio Operator: Sgt. Frank Holland
Ball Turret Gunner: S/Sgt. John Lanz
Waist Gunner: Sgt. Theo Meek
Tail Gunner: Sgt. Henry Richardson
They failed to return from a 'battle area support' mission when their aircraft was hit by flak over Flers - where the 1st KOSB and American Rainbow Division were meeting heavy resistance.
According to the French locals, Lt Crow was shot by German SS troops after parachuting out of the stricken aircraft and then furtively buried in a field close by the village of La Chappelle Au Moine. (2 others of the crew were taken prisoner but 6 escaped and were returned to duty).
When 1st KOSB moved into the village of La Chappelle Au Moine and were told about what had happened, they set about finding Thomas' body and giving him a proper burial.
Captain Edward Dishington and members of the Support Company of 1st KOSB carried his body to the local church, flanked by pipers, and gave him a military burial and both a Catholic and Protestant service.
Finally, after some digging on Ancestry and some great help from: Joe Baugher's site, Robert Houston in the US, FindaGrave, Ancestry and Vincent in Normandy, ANSA 39 45 (association Normande Souvenir Aerien Orne Maine), we have found a photo of both Thomas and his grave in Birmingham Alabama. (His body was repatriated after the War).
I like to think that my Grandad, David Morrison, was one of the pipers who played the lament, Lochaber No More, as Thomas was carried to the churchyard, guess we'll never know for certain though. *Update 16/1/25 - well now we do!
Or his best man, James Adamson.
Whilst not necessarily a story about the 1st KOSB's actions in War, I feel this story shows the other side of soldiers that is seldom reported, and the mutual respect shown to their allies.
Wendell Terry wrote a book called 'Lt. Terry's Christmas Fudge' which he apparently made from Red Cross packages whilst in a German POW Camp. Information from the book states, 'Sheinhold was taken POW with Terry. They were being held together and when the opportunity arose, Terry gave Sheinhold a 5 minute head start to escape and planned to meet when Terry got free. Like the two prisoners, their guards were exhausted and fell asleep when they escaped. Sheinhold made it, but Terry was recaptured and beaten severely. He escaped a second time, but was turned in by an older Frenchman then spent the rest of the war in Stalag Luft 1. Sheinhold contacted Terry’s wife after getting back to the states and was pessimistic, telling her Terry had been killed'.
*Terry was slightly wounded during his first escape by the guard who later beat him. The guard was killed in a P-47 strafing run the next day, which was a common part of the trip while the SS men were trying to get the two out of France.
UPDATE 9th Jan 2025: After the War, Bombardier, 2nd Lt. Henry Schienhold visited Tom's mother. A relative stated that she hadn't believed he was really dead until that visit...
UPDATE 15th Jan 2025: From Wendell's Great Great Grandson, "I do know that Henry Sheingold was a POW. I shared the information with my Mother. She said she remembered that Henry sent flowers to Tom’s mother every year on Mother’s Day for several years".
Huge thanks again to Rob Houston for chasing down these details.
We posted the initial details of this event on the Day-By-Day pages here
Richard Grayling 2nd January 2025
RIP Joe Baugher, thank you for your work.
If you have any further information, please comment our use our contact form.
Comments