CREW MEMBER PROFILE |
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Surname: |
DREW |
First Name/s: |
Corbett Norman George "Corb" |
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Service No/s: |
912475 |
Service: |
RAFVR |
Branch: |
Flight Engineer |
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Awards: |
1939-1945 Star with Bomber Command clasp; Air Crew Europe Star; Defence Medal; 1939-1945 War Medal |
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SERVICE RECORDS |
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Date |
Event |
Aircraft Flown |
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26 Jan 1940 |
Enlisted at No.1 Recruiting Centre, Uxbridge, Middlesex, as Aircraftman Second Class (AC2), and mustering as Air Crew Hand/FM or FP |
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02 Feb 1940 |
No.3 Recruit Training Pool, Sutton Bridge, Lincs |
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23 Jul 1940 |
Attached to No.150 Squadron, Newton, Nottinghamshire. |
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27 Jul 1940 |
Attached to No. 88 Squadron, Sydenham, Belfast, Northern Ireland. |
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01 Nov 1940 |
Promoted to Aircraftman First Class (AC1). |
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21 Nov 1940 |
Re-mustered as Flight Mechanic (Engine). |
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01 Mar 1941 |
Promoted to Leading Aircraftman (LAC) |
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23 Apr 1941 |
Re-mustered as U/T Fitter 2 (Engines) |
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24 Apr 1941 |
No.3 School of Technical Training, Squires Gate, Blackpool, Lancashire. |
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25 Jun 1941 |
Re-mustered as Fitter II (Engines) and re-designated Aircraftman Second Class (AC2). |
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27 Jun 1941 |
No.11 Operational Training Unit, Bassingbourn, Cambridgeshire and re-mustering as U/T Fitter II (Engines). |
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01 Sep 1941 |
Attached to RAF Station Tempsford, Bedfordshire. Precise date not known. |
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26 Feb 1942 |
Returned to No.11 Operational Training Unit, Bassingbourn, Cambridgeshire. |
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02 Apr 1942 |
Released under the Armed Forces Conditions of Service Act 1939 |
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16 Dec 1942 |
Recalled and posted to No.24 Maintenance Unit, Ternhill, Shropshire. |
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01 May 1943 |
Promoted to Aircraftman First Class (AC1 ). |
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03 May 1943 |
Air Crew Selection Board, Padgate, Cheshire. |
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04 May 1943 |
Recommended for training as a Flight Engineer. |
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05 May 1943 |
Returned to unit at No.24 Maintenance Unit, Ternhill, Shropshire. |
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15 Jul 1943 |
No.4 School of Technical Training, 64 (Flight Engineer) Course, St Athan, Glamorgan, Wales, re-mustering as U/T Flight Engineer. |
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09 Aug 1943 |
Attached to A V Roe & Co., Woodford, Cheshire or Chadderton, Lancashire. |
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09 Oct 1943 |
No.11 Base, Lindholme, Yorkshire, administrative headquarters for No.1 Group heavy bomber conversions. |
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10 Oct 1943 |
No.1662 Heavy Conversion Unit, Blyton, Lincolnshire. Here he joined the Shearer crew. |
Lancaster |
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29 Dec 1943 |
No.576 Squadron, 'A' Flight, Elsham Wolds, Lincolnshire. |
Lancaster |
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05 Jan 1944 |
Sgt Drew flew one operation loan to No.103 Squadron and the H T Griffin crew. |
Lancaster |
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07 May 1944 |
Lost on Aubigne Racan raid in ND783 UL-C2, aged 26 |
Lancaster |
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576 Squadron FLYING RECORDS |
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Date |
Aircraft |
Code |
Flight Details |
T/O |
Land |
Flt Time |
Crew |
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20 Jan 1944 |
LM438 |
UL-C2 |
BERLIN |
1620 |
2350 |
7h30 |
P1 Fg Off J.M. Shearer RNZAF |
NOTES: |
Target: Built-up area Load: 1x 4000lb ‘cookie’, 56x 30lb and 1122x 4lb incendiaries |
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21 Jan 1944 |
LM438 |
UL-C2 |
MAGDEBURG |
DNTO |
nk |
N/A |
P1 Fg Off J.M. Shearer RNZAF |
NOTES: |
Target: Built-up area. Load: 1x 4000lb ‘cookie’, 56x 30lb and 1122x 4lb incendiaries Did not take off; aircraft unserviceable. |
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27 Jan 1944 |
LM438 |
UL-C2 |
BERLIN |
1720 |
0140 |
8h20 |
P1 Fg Off J.M. Shearer RNZAF |
NOTES: |
Target: Built-up area Load: 1x 4000lb ‘cookie’, 56x 30lb and 1032x 4lb incendiaries |
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28 Jan 1944 |
LM438 |
UL-C2 |
BERLIN |
2345 |
0430 |
4h45 |
P1 Fg Off J.M. Shearer RNZAF |
NOTES: |
Target: Built-up area. Load: 1x 4000lb ‘cookie’, 56x 30lb and 1032x 4lb incendiaries. Returned early; engine failure. |
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30 Jan 1944 |
LM438 |
UL-C2 |
BERLIN |
1700 |
2335 |
6h35 |
P1 Fg Off J.M. Shearer RNZAF |
NOTES: |
Target: Built-up area. Load: 1x 4000lb ‘cookie’, 56x 30lb and 762x 4lb incendiaries. Attacked twice by a Ju-88 at 1919 and at 22,000 ft but the enemy aircraft did not open fire. Both gunners opened up with a short burst on the first attack. The Combat Report is attached below. |
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15 Feb 1944 |
LM438 |
UL-C2 |
BERLIN |
DNTO |
nk |
N/A |
P1 Sgt A.A. Shearer RAAF |
NOTES: |
Target: Built-up area. Load:1x 4000lb, 56x 30lb and 1122x 4lb incendiaries. Did not take-off; pilot became unwell. |
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19 Feb 1944 |
LM438 |
UL-C2 |
LEIPZIG |
2335 |
0720 |
7h45 |
P1 Fg Off J.M. Shearer RNZAF |
NOTES: |
Target: Built-up area. Load: 1x 4000lb 'cookie', 56x 30lb and 1122x 4lb incendiaries. |
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20 Feb 1944 |
LM438 |
UL-C2 |
STUTTGART |
2350 |
0715 |
7h25 |
P1 Fg Off J.M. Shearer RNZAF |
NOTES: |
Target: Built-up area. Load: 1x 4000lb 'cookie', 56x 30lb and 1122x 4lb incendiaries. |
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15 Mar 1944 |
LM438 |
UL-C2 |
STUTTGART |
1910 |
0215 |
7h05 |
P1 Flt Lt J.M. Shearer RNZAF |
NOTES: |
Target: Built-up area. Load: 1x 4000lb ‘cookie’, 96x 30lb and 750x 4lb incendiaries. |
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17 Mar 1944 |
LM469 |
UL-E2 |
Training |
nk |
nk |
1h20 |
P1 Flt Lt J.M. Shearer RNZAF |
NOTES: |
Fighter affiliation. |
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18 Mar 1944 |
LM438 |
UL-C2 |
FRANKFURT |
1900 |
0050 |
5h50 |
P1 Flt Lt J.M. Shearer RNZAF |
NOTES: |
Target: Built-up area. Load: 1x 4000lb ‘cookie’, 108x 30lb and 1062x 4lb incendiaries. |
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22 Mar 1944 |
LM438 |
UL-C2 |
FRANKFURT |
1840 |
0100 |
6h20 |
P1 Flt Lt J.M. Shearer RNZAF |
NOTES: |
Target: Built-up area. Load: 1x 4000lb ‘cookie’, 108x 30lb and 1062x 4lb incendiaries. |
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24 Mar 1944 |
LM438 |
UL-C2 |
BERLIN |
1845 |
0145 |
7h00 |
P1 Flt Lt J.M. Shearer RNZAF |
NOTES: |
Target: Built-up area. Load: 1x 4000lb 'cookie', 108x 30lb and 924x 4lb incendiaries. Attacked twice by a Ju-88 to the north of the Ruhr immediately after evading flak and searchlights. Both starboard engines were damaged. The gunners returned fire and claimed the Ju-88 as ‘damaged’. The return flight was made on two engines and a third cut out on landing at Ford aerodrome. The aircraft was too damaged to fly again with 576 and after repairs at AV Roe, was used for training. The Combat Report is attached below. |
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11 Apr 1944 |
LL838 |
UL-K2 |
AACHEN |
2010 |
0020 |
4h10 |
P1 Flt Lt G.A. Davison |
NOTES: |
Target: Marshalling yards. Load: 12x 1000lb bombs and 300x 4lb incendiaries. |
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27 Apr 1944 |
LM527 |
UL-U2 |
FRIEDRICHSHAFEN |
2110 |
0605 |
8h55 |
P1 Sqn Ldr G.A. Davison |
NOTES: |
Target: Marshalling yards Loads: 1st Wave: 1x 1000lb, 1x 500lb bombs, 84x 30lb and 1050x 4lb incendiaries 2nd Wave: 1x 4000lb ‘cookie’, 30x 30lb and 600x 4lb incendiaries 3rd Wave: 1x 1000lb, 1x500lb bombs, 84x 30lb and 960x 4lb incendiaries. It cannot be determined which wave was flown by this crew. |
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30 Apr 1944 |
ND783 |
UL-C2 |
MAINTENON |
2130 |
0230 |
4h40 |
P1 Flt Lt J.M. Shearer RNZAF |
NOTES: |
Target: Ammunition dump. Load: 11x 1000lb and 4x 500lb bombs. |
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01 May 1944 |
ND783 |
UL-C2 |
LYON |
2135 |
0445 |
7h10 |
P1 Flt Lt J.M. Shearer RNZAF |
NOTES: |
Target: Soc. Berliet motor works. Load: 11x 1000lb and 3x 500lb bombs. |
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03 May 1944 |
ND783 |
UL-C2 |
MAILLY LE CAMP |
2200 |
0410 |
6h10 |
P1 Flt Lt J.M. Shearer RNZAF |
NOTES: |
Target: Military depot and tank training centre. Load: 1x 4000lb ‘cookie’ and 16x 500lb bombs. |
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06 May 1944 |
ND783 |
UL-C2 |
AUBIGNE-RACAN |
0015 |
FTR |
uk |
P1 Flt Lt J.M. Shearer RNZAF |
NOTES: |
Target: Ammunition depot. Load: 11x 1000lb and 5x 500lb bombs. Aircraft failed to return. |
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PERSONAL INFORMATION |
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Details |
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'Corb' Drew was born on 31 October 1917 in Uplands, Nairobi, Kenya, son of Alfred George Drew and Mabel Kate Hawkins. Second youngest, he had fivesiblings; Doris b.1910, Phyllis b.1914, Iris b.1915, Clarice b.1916, and Kenneth b.1918. It appears that prior to enlisting, Corb was employed as a chemist. We have no further information at present. Events of 24/25 Mar 44 On the operation to Berlin, the crew had some difficulty identifying the target because of the immense amount of smoke. Just as the Air Bomber had released the bombs, the aircraft was lit up by a searchlight, and then others coned them. The skipper took evasive action and managed to avoid being hit by the heavy flak and fighters that were searching for them. The Air Bomber noted later that the whole crew were ‘absolutely wonderful; no panic, no chatter, and grand company in a crisis.’ As they approached the Dutch coastline, they were engaged twice and hit by accurate fire from a Ju88, which took out the two starboard engines and holed the wing. The Flight Engineer became increasingly concerned about the loss of fuel and the skipper gave the order to abandon the aircraft as it was becoming more difficult to control. Fortunately, Shearer spotted the airfield at Ford. Fox requested permission for an emergency landing, but in the last stages of the approach, a red flare was fired to avoid conflict with another landing aircraft. Left with no choice, the skipper flew a go-around for a second attempt. As the aircraft touched down, the skipper retracted the landing gear; there was no need to shut down the two remaining engines as they had completely run out of fuel. The aircraft slewed across the runway and came to rest on the grass. Fortunately, no-one was hurt and were picked up and flown back to Elsham Wolds by Sqn Ldr Haig the following day. A few days later, Shearer was taken to hospital with appendicitis and the crew did not fly again with Shearer until 30 April. Events of 06/07 May 44 ND783 was attacked and downed after bombing the ammunition dump at Aubigne-Racan by a FW 190A of SKG 10 (Ivelaw-Chapman thought it was a Bf 110). The attack occurred on the return from the target, near Le Mans. It came down in the village of St Remy du Plain (now St Remy du Val). The captain had ordered the crew to abandon the aircraft but sadly only one of his crew, Air Bomber Sgt J Ford, along with their VIP passenger, Air Cdre Ivelaw-Chapman, survived. Ford managed to evade capture and in fact joined the Resistance, but the Air Commodore was eventually caught, taken PoW, and interrogated. Because of Ivelaw-Chapman’s knowledge of the D-Day plans, Churchill ordered the French resistance to do all they could to help him return to England, but to kill him if he was in danger of being captured. However, Churchill's fear was unfounded as the Germans did not realise his importance and he was thus treated as an ordinary prisoner of war. When he was captured by the Gestapo on 08 Jun 44, he was the most senior Bomber Command officer to have been captured by the Germans. The story is told in the excellent biography ‘High Endeavour’, written by his son John Ivelaw-Chapman. The crew who did not survive were initially buried together in one coffin in the graveyard at Remy du Plain but were exhumed and buried under individual gravestones at the Bayeux War Cemetery nearby. They are commemorated on the Cenotaph in the town centre of Remy with the names of the crew who died inscribed on it, and there is a stèle beside the field where the aircraft came down. The Cenotaph also records the priest who buried the crew – he was deported by the German authorities and died in a concentration camp. There is a piece of ND783 on display in the small museum, Musée de la 2ème Guerre Mondiale in nearby Conlie. Sergeant Drew is buried with his crewmates at Bayeux War Cemetery, in collective grave XXIX.H.22. He was 26 years old. His gravestone bears no inscription. Many thanks to the Drew and Foreman families for the pictures and information.
Drew family |
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PHOTOS & DOCUMENTS |
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Details |
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Shearer Crew - 1943 - 1662 HCU Blyton Back Row L-R Jackson, Biltoft, Shearer, Ford, McLeod, Front Row L-R Drew, Yates (WOp Yates left the crew before joining 576 Sqn and was replaced by Fox)Lesley Henderson |
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Late summer 1943 - Shearer and his RAAF crew when at 27 OTU at the West Door of Lichfield Cathedral. L-R: Jackson, Yates (who didn’t go to 576), Shearer, Ford, BiltoftBiltoft family |
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Original grave markerThe crew’s original grave marker in St Remy and Corb Drew’s gravestone today in Bayeux (Foreman family & Find a Grave) |
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The stele at the crash site, and the crew’s names on the Cenotaph at St Remy du ValAerosteles.net |
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The stele at the crash site, and the crew’s names on the Cenotaph at St Remy du ValAerosteles.net |
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The stele at the crash site, and the crew’s names on the Cenotaph at St Remy du ValAerosteles.net |
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Combat Report from 30 January 1944National Archives |
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