TILLEY
with roots in Somerset, England
family
the
Michael William Tilley
The final resting place of 23-year-old Michael and three of his World War 2 bomber crew can be found in a communal cemetery in Belgium. Born on 11 August 1917 in Winchester, Hampshire, Michael was the eldest son of Doris Elizabeth [Anderson] and Harold William Duckett Tilley.
He served as a pilot officer with the Service Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve with RAF 51 Squadron. On Tuesday 5 August 1941 at his base at Dishforth near York, England, Michael prepared for a night raid on Frankfurt, Germany. With him on board his bomber, an Armstrong Whitworth Whitley V, Serial Z6803 MHJ, were a further four crew. Sgt Dennis William Ernest Creedy (wireless operator/air gunner), aged 23; Sgt Kenneth Albert Dean (air observer), aged 24; 18-year-old Sgt Owen Lawrence Mitchell Williams (second pilot); and Canadian Sgt L. W. J. Hart (gunner).
Michael’s Whitley Z6803 took off at 10.10pm. After having avoided the flak batteries scattered all along the route, the Z6803 flew over the Liège metropolitan area. It was attacked by a Luftwaffe night fighter based in Sint-Truiden (Nachtjagd 4 / NJG1). After unloading his bombs, the bomber crashed on Monsin Island near Liège at 1.36am. Three bodies were found lifeless: those of Michael, Creedy and Dean. Williams was transported seriously injured to a military hospital where he died on 10 August. Hart, the only survivor, was helped by locals before taken prisoner, spending the rest of the war in pow camps and repatriated in 1945.
The total force sent on the raid comprised 46 Whitleys and 22 Wellingtons. Eleven of the Whitleys, including Z6803, were from 51 Squadron. One Wellington and one other Whitley that was not from 51 squadron also failed to return.
The four graves of the airmen are at Saint Walburge Communal Cemetery outside Liège in Belgium.
Michael’s father Harold William was a lieutenant in the Royal Field Artillery at the time of his birth in Winchester, Hampshire, England.
Michael’s bomber, an Armstrong Whitworth Whitley V, Serial Z6803 MHJ, was manufactured in 1939 and the aircraft was delivered straight from the factory in early 1940. The “V” meant “Mark V” = “Mark Five”. The “MH” was the code letter group for 51 Squadron. The “J” was the aircraft’s call sign “J for Johnny”.
The Whitley was always intended to be a night bomber but was used not only in northern Europe but also in the desert. Many children’s toys and later modeller’s versions were produced. There were also many photographs and artists depictions of it. These show the aircraft in a wide range of different camouflage schemes, even desert yellow. However, when Z6803 was shot down in mid-1941 it was almost certainly painted in the by then standard RAF northern Europe theatre night bomber camouflage colours; plain black underneath and along both sides of the fuselage, upper surfaces in a mottled dull green and brown pattern.
The Operations Record Book shows Michael and his crew took off at 10.10pm on a bombing raid but nothing more was heard from them.
51 Squadron’s detailed weather forecast for the night of Tuesday 5 August 1941 at Dishforth.
On 28 November 1944 a letter was sent to the Air Ministry in London by Rams Howells of the Welch Regiment which formed part of the British Liberation Army. He was probably the first British person to positively identify the gravesite of at least one of the airmen. A page of his letter and some of the “snaps” he refers to in it are above.
“I hope you will excuse me taking the opportunity of relating a story which was told to me while stationed in Belgium.
While in a village I was told, by a civilian, of an aeroplane which was brought down near the village, in 1941. He then explained about the funeral, the villagers came in crowds to pay homage to the pilot, and the Germans fired a volley over his grave which is in the village churchyard. At the time, it seemed incredible that this should happen, while the enemy were occupying this village, but a few days later, I had definite proof of what occurred.
“One evening in my billet, the lady was showing me some snaps, and I saw the enclosed snaps, and she related the same story as I mentioned previously. I asked her if she would be kind enough to give them to me, hoping I would be able to send them to the pilot’s relations, through your department. The following day, I went to the churchyard to see the grave, hoping to find some particulars regarding the deceased, but I was unlucky, as the only identifications I found was the pilot’s name and the date he died, which is as under: Sgt Williams 7-8-41. On making further inquiries I learnt that all documents were taken by the Germans, but the pilot’s ring and watch were buried with him.
“I am sorry I am unable to give you any further information, but I sincerely hope that you will be able to trace the deceased’s relations and forward the snaps to them as I am sure they would like them, although they will bring tears and sorrow to them for a while, but the thought that full respect was paid to him on his last journey will put their minds at rest, and make them feel very proud of their departed one.”
Liège resident A.R. Goffin put himself in danger during the war to make sure the graves of the airmen were not neglected (see photo above) as he explained in his letter from 2 April 1953 that is transcribed below.
“I take the liberty to send you [Winston Churchill] the enclosed photograph of which I hold the only copy (negative). It shows the graves of the first four English airmen who fell near Liège in 1941 and were buried at Ste. Walburge Cemetery, Liège.
“The Germans had the said airmen buried in the back of the cemetery in an area where no graves existed and which was reserved for the cultivation of cabbages. Having traced the place of the neglected graves I collected money from certain persons in the district together with my wife (I had to be careful to contact only people whose feelings towards the Allies I was sure of) in order to put flowers on the graves as a well deserved tribute to these heroes. After having collected the money, my wife, her two sisters and myself planted the flowers and laid a wreath on each grave and fixed Union Jacks which had been made at our home.
“In order to keep a recollection of that act which was considered as anti-German at the time, I took a photograph of the whole about a week after the inhumation with the intention of forwarding the photograph to England as soon as possible so as to comfort the next-of-kin of the airmen by showing them how we had honoured their dead.
“Owing to successive searches of my premises by the occupying forces I had to hide it and it was so well dissimulated that it was not until the day I moved that I found it again. I hasten to forward it so as to enable you if possible to send it to the relatives of the airmen in question who will then appreciate that at the time their dead were paid the tribute they deserved by giving their lives for the freedom of the world. I should be glad if this evidence could bring the next-of-kin some comfort.”
Michael’s parents, who are living in South Africa, receive confirmation from the Air Council in November 1941 that their son was killed on 6 August. There is confusion as to where the airmen are laid to rest as the letter states that two are buried at Rocourt which will turn out to be untrue.
It is 1946 and Michael’s mother Doris, who is living in Margate, Kent, wants the Missing Research & Enquiry Unit in Belgium to confirm where her son is buried. She has heard that Michael’s remains may have been moved to a military cemetery.
On 19 February 1942 the Air Ministry certifies that Michael is missing and presumed to have lost his life on 6 August 1941 as the result of air operations.
Four years later in 1950, Doris writes from Kenya wanting confirmation that Michael’s body is in St Walburge Cemetery or has he been moved to a military cemetery as she would visit Belgium to find his grave.
Saint Walburge Communal Cemetery just outside Liège.
Cemetery photos © Johan Pauwels
The final resting place of four of the Z6803 MHJ crew.
P/O Michael William Tilley. He is also listed on the war memorial at Christ Church in Rio, Brazil where he grew up.
Air observer Sgt Kenneth Albert Dean.
Wireless operator Sgt Dennis William Ernest Creedy.
Second pilot Sgt Owen Lawrence Mitchell Williams.