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Combat Over Domremy by Graeme Lothian. - Aviation Art Prints
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Combat Over Domremy by Graeme Lothian.


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Combat Over Domremy by Graeme Lothian.

During WW II ofjuly 1944, the RAF Bomber Command were planning yet another bombing raid, this time over Stuttgart in Germany. The no.514 Sq., based in Cambridgeshire, England, were one of the Lancaster Bomber Squadrons chosen for the mission. Flight Lieutenant THOMAS HARVELL was a member of the 7 man crew for Lancaster Bomber no.LM206 selected, (the crew being Flt Lt. Robert Jones, Flt Lt Thomas Harvell, Co-pilot, Flt Lt Kenneth Hedley, Loader, Bomb Aimer, Sgt George Robinson, Navigator (survived) Sgt Robert Lane, Air Gunner, Flt Sgt Frank Stanley Johns, Wireless operator, and Sgt Alfred Braine, Air Gunner.) He was flight engineer and co-pilot with II missions already behind him. The RAF carried out nearly all their raids at night. This was the night of July 28/29 1944 and they were on course in the vicinity of Neuf Chateau (S.WNancy) France. Suddenly they were attacked by a prowling Luftwaffe Nightfighter aircraft, which later proved to be a JUNKERS 88 flown by HEINZ ROKKER. The Lancaster shuddered on the first hit but continued flying. THOMAS HARVELL was moving to the back of the aircraft and had dropped window, (strips of foil) to confuse ground radar, when they were hit again. This time they lost an engine after an explosion and LM206 started to plunge earthwards. (The Merlin Engine can been seen today at the French Airforce museum, St.Dizier, Lorraine) FI.Lt. HOMAS HARVELL was literally blown out of the doomed Lancaster, hitting his head and becoming unconcious. As luck was on his side, he regained his senses whilst falling through the air and pulled his chute at the last minute. He landed heavily and injured his leg. The pilot and four other members of the crew perished but navigator George Robinson also managed to use his chute and was captured after landing, by the german occupation forces. George Robinson now lives in South Africa. The other five crew members are all buried at Neuf Chateau and their graves can be seen to this day. THOMAS HARVELL was able to evade capture and was found by a member of the FFI (French Resistance), who hid him in various hideouts. After being treated for his wounds by Dr.CORNU, a prominent surgeon of Neuf Chateau, several attempts were made to smuggle THOMAS HARVELL back to England without much success. It was decided, by the FFI, to make one last attempt and this time THOMAS HARVELL was given a bicycle and new identity papers. He was told to cycle in the direction of the Swiss border west of Besacon and make contact with the Daubs area FFI commander, JEAN LAPPRAND.It was decided it was too dangerous to cross the border at this time and as THOMAS HARVELL had already become a member of the French Resistance, he continued fighting the war side by side with his French Resistance colleagues. It was in this part of France, that he witnessed a trial of a double agent/traitor of the FFI, who was quickly executed by firing squad. At this point in time, OREST BILAK came into the picture. He was born in Ukraine and had joined the Ukranian Army in 1942. He had become a senior NCO officer when his whole battalion were ordered to join forces with a german SS unit. They had much fighting experience and took part in some very bloody battles. Some elements of the Ukranian people had, at first, welcomed the germans but this soon changed and sometime in 1944 many were deserting. This was the case with OREST BILAKs battalion who had just been ordered to march into the mountain stronghold of JEAN LAPPRAND and wipe them out. Instead they had killed their german SS commanders and after talks with JEAN LAPPRAND had fought on with the FFI including THOMAS HARVELL. Together they liberated the region including the town of PIERREFONTAINE, ahead of the advancing allied forces Sept. 1944. It could be said that THOMAS HARVELL was the only British serviceman who fought with the german SS without being called a traitor. Another RAF pilot, Paul Bell a canadian and THOMAS HARVELL were now able to make contact with the 711 US Army. After six weeks, including a ride in the Dakota of General Patch, they finally made it back to England. On his arrival, THOMAS HARVELL became an instructor/advisor until the end of the war. He later made a career in the British Police Force. He regularily travels to France to meet all his wartime colleagues and now lives in Southampton, England. OREST BILAK was demobilised in 1946. Around this time he met his future wife (in France) who was also Ukrainian and had been working during the war in underground factories for the germans. By pure chance they had both attended the same school in Ukrainia. After the war OREST BILAK made a career in the clothing industry They live in retirement at a small mountain village near Lyon, France. They have 10 grandchildren. He has also devoted much of his time and money for a childrens home, in France, for the underprivileged from Ukraine. Out of his battalion of 450 men, of those who survived, 230 stayed with the French Foreign Legion, some emigrated to Canada, USA and Australia. 116 returned to the Ukraine, only to be arrested and sent to a Siberian prison for 10 years and a further 10 years hard labour. OREST BILAK and his wife visited the Ukraine for the first time in 1994 and met some of their old colleagues. JEAN LAPPRAND remains, to this day, secretive about his time in the FFI. Without a doubt he was very lucky to survive the war, considering his responsibility and fame. After the war he had his own carpentry business and lives in retirement with his wife at Pierrefontaine in good health. After much research we were able to trace and find HEINZ ROKKER, the Luftwaffe pilot who shot down Lancaster LM 206. We had a remarkable reunion at Neuf Chateau on September 14th 1999, where Thomas Harvell and Heinz Rokker met for the first time. It was a civic event with official invitation from the town mayor. A visit was made to the cemetery where the five Lancaster crew members are buried and HEINZ ROKKER laid a wreath on behalf of the german Nightfighters Pilots Association. This was followed by a speech at the town hall. A magnificent feast finished the event at the restaurant next to DOMREMY.


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Item Code : DHM1113Combat Over Domremy by Graeme Lothian. - This EditionAdd any two items on this offer to your basket, and the lower priced item will be half price in the checkout! Buy 1 Get 1 Half Price!
TYPEEDITION DETAILSSIZESIGNATURESOFFERSYOUR PRICEPURCHASING
PRINT Signed limited edition of 500 prints.

Image size 22 inches x 13 inches (56cm x 33cm) Harvell, Thomas
Rökker, Heinz
Lapprand, Jean
Bilak, Orest
+ Artist : Graeme Lothian


Signature(s) value alone : £135
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Other editions of this item : Combat Over Domremy by Graeme Lothian. DHM1113
TYPEEDITION DETAILSSIZESIGNATURESOFFERSYOUR PRICEPURCHASING
EX-DISPLAY
PRINT
Signed limited edition of 500 prints. (One print reduced to clear)

The print has slight rippling damage to the bottom corner and slightly into the image.
Image size 22 inches x 13 inches (56cm x 33cm) Harvell, Thomas
Rökker, Heinz
Lapprand, Jean
Bilak, Orest
+ Artist : Graeme Lothian


Signature(s) value alone : £135
£60 Off!Now : £140.00VIEW EDITION...
General descriptions of types of editions :


Signatures on this item
*The value given for each signature has been calculated by us based on the historical significance and rarity of the signature. Values of many pilot signatures have risen in recent years and will likely continue to rise as they become more and more rare.
NameInfo


The signature of Capt Heinz Rökker (deceased)

Capt Heinz Rökker (deceased)
*Signature Value : £65

Oberleutnant Heinz Rökker was born in Oldenburg, Germany on 20th October 1920. In October 1939 Rokker joined the Luftwaffe and began his training in July 1940 with Flieger Ausbildungs Regiment 22 at Gustrow. Heinz Rokker attended Blindflugschule 5 in Belgrade before completing his training in September 1941 at Nachjagdschule 1. In May 1942 Rökker was then posted to 1 Staffel, Nachtjagdgeschwader 2. The squadorn was operating in the Mediterranean theatre and on the 20th of June 1942 Rokker shot down a Royal Air Force Bristol Beaufort over the Mediterranean Sea whilst transiting from his base at Catania to Kalamaki in Greece. His aircraft received 25 hits from return fire during the action but he landed safely at Kalamaki. From bases in Libya, he undertook intruder missions over Egypt claiming four RAF Wellington twin-engined bombers shot down. He claimed an RAF Wellington twin-engined bomber shot down near Marsalla on the night of 19/20 April to record his sixth victory. On 4th August 1942, 1./NJG 2 was relocated to Belgium. Rökker was appointed Staffelkapitän of 1./NJG 2 on 15 December 1942. In April 1944 he was awarded the Ritter Kreuz (Knights Cross) and Oak Leaves. On the night of 6/7 June, he then claimed 5 RAF bombers and recorded his 40th kill on 7/8 August. On 4/5 November he claimed 4 more enemy aircraft and recorded three more victories on the night of 3/4 February to take his score to 52. He claimed six enemy aircraft on the night of 21/22 February. Heinz Rokker shot down Thomas Harvell on the night of 28/29th July 1944 over Domremy, the birthplace of Joan of Arc. The Lancaster No.LM206 crashed into a farm and the River Meuse. One of the engines can be seen in the museum near Neuf Chateau. His final total was a staggering 64 kills (63 at night ). Hauptmann Rökker was awarded the Eichenlaub in March for 60 victories. On the night of 15/16 March, Rökker recorded 4 enemy aircraft shot down as his last victories of the war, including a Mosquito shot down over his airfield at St Trond. Heinz Rokker mainly flew the Junkers JU 88 G-1 and was credited with 64 victories in 161 missions. Oberleutnant Heinz Rökker recorded 63 of his victories at night, including 55 four-engined bombers. He died on 2nd August 2018 aged 97.


Fl. Lt. Thomas Harvell RAF (deceased)
*Signature Value : £25

Flight Engineer and Co Pilot Lancaster Bombers, N.514 Sq. RAF Bomber Command based in Cambridgeshire England. He completed 11 missions over Germany, before being shot down at Domremy (S.W. Nancy) in France. He then joined the FFI (French resistance) at Neuf Chateau. The mayor of the town later awarded Thomas Harvell the Medal of Honour in recognition of his wartime services an 50 years of continued friendship with his former resistance colleagues. He moved to another area, Doubs, near the Swiss border and helped the resistance liberate the town of Pierrefontaine. he was again awarded and became a 'Citizen of Honour'. The Resistance Veterans Association proposed him for the 'Legion of Honour' but as Thomas Harvell was still RAF/British he never received this award. The RAF did, however, award him several combat medals. Sadly, Thomas Harvell passed away in Southampton on 3rd June 2012.


Jean Lapprand
*Signature Value : £20

Jean Lapprand commanded at least 450 resistance fighters in the Doubs area near Swiss border. He was able to avoid capture by strict vetting of new members and pure luck. His men helped liberate the town of Pierrefontaine. No photographs exist of his earlier days, a security measure at the time. He was awarded: Croix du Combattant Volontaire au Genie 111 French Army. A total of 4 Medals were awarded to this very brave man.


Orest Bilak
*Signature Value : £25

Born in UKRAINE, he joined the Ukranian Army in 1942. His whole battalion were later ordered to join forces with the germans as SS unit. This battalion was officered by germans. They fought some of the most brutal battles in France. At the end of August 1944, they killed their german officers and deserted to the FFI (French Resistance). They helped liberate Pierrefontaine. His battalion was then sent to Algiers, Africa, Where they were trained and became French Legionnaires. They returned to France with the 1't French Army and saw combat in germany KarIsruhe, Dusseldorf He was wounded several times and lost a leg. Very highly decorated with 6 medals: Le Chevalier de la Legion D'Honneur, La Medaille Militaire, La Croix de Guerre, La Croix de Combattant, Blesse de la 2nd Guerre, Croix de 2nd Bataillon.
The Aircraft :
NameInfo
LancasterThe Avro Lancaster arose from the avro Manchester and the first prototype Lancaster was a converted Manchester with four engines. The Lancaster was first flown in January 1941, and started operations in March 1942. By March 1945 The Royal Air Force had 56 squadrons of Lancasters with the first squadron equipped being No.44 Squadron. During World War Two the Avro Lancaster flew 156,000 sorties and dropped 618,378 tonnes of bombs between 1942 and 1945. Lancaster Bomberss took part in the devastating round-the-clock raids on Hamburg during Air Marshall Harris' "Operation Gomorrah" in July 1943. Just 35 Lancasters completed more than 100 successful operations each, and 3,249 were lost in action. The most successful survivor completed 139 operations, and the Lancaster was scrapped after the war in 1947. A few Lancasters were converted into tankers and the two tanker aircraft were joined by another converted Lancaster and were used in the Berlin Airlift, achieving 757 tanker sorties. A famous Lancaster bombing raid was the 1943 mission, codenamed Operation Chastise, to destroy the dams of the Ruhr Valley. The operation was carried out by 617 Squadron in modified Mk IIIs carrying special drum shaped bouncing bombs designed by Barnes Wallis. Also famous was a series of Lancaster attacks using Tallboy bombs against the German battleship Tirpitz, which first disabled and later sank the ship. The Lancaster bomber was the basis of the new Avro Lincoln bomber, initially known as the Lancaster IV and Lancaster V. (Becoming Lincoln B1 and B2 respectively.) Their Lancastrian airliner was also based on the Lancaster but was not very successful. Other developments were the Avro York and the successful Shackleton which continued in airborne early warning service up to 1992.
Ju88The German Junkers JU 88 twin engined Bomber of World war two. The first prototype first flew in December 1936 with a civilian registration of D-AQEN it managed a top speed of 360 mph. This would give the German air force the Luftwaffe a fast multi role bomber. The Junkers JU 88 was used as a night fighter, reconnaissance and Torpedo Bomber. In total there were 15,000 JU 88's built during the war JU88 losses unknown serial numbers at this stage 11/12.07.40: Target Avonmouth & Portishead: Ju 88A of I/KG 51 4 NCO's missing Failed to return and probably crashed into the sea. 11/12.07.40: Target Avonmouth & Portishead: Ju 88A of 3/KG 51 Ofw. Josef Rattel (F) killed 1 NCO injured 2 others uninjured This aircraft was unable to precisely identify the target because of intense flak. It suffered engine failure on the return flight and crashed and burnt out at Varnevil while on approach to landing. 22.08.40: Reconnaissance over Filton: Ju 88A-1, 7A+AL, of 3(F)/121 Ogefr. W.Kuhweide ( ) killed Ltn. R.Pfundtner ( ) POW injured Oblt. Baudler ( ) POW injured Flg. A.Leber ( ) POW injured Crashed at 16.00 hrs at Upcott Farm, Beaford, nr. Okehampton, Devon. Shot down by Spitfires of Green Section, 152 Sq. (Warmwell) following an attack by P/O. W.Beaumont. 11/12.04.41: Target Bristol area: Ju 88A-5, B3+GN of 5/KG 54 Uffz. Karl Funke (F) missing Fw. Josef Höhnhorst (Bf) missing Gefr. Heinz Bretschneider (Bs) missing Gefr. Horst Heller (B) missing Failed to return, probably crashed into the sea

ARTIST

Graeme Lothian



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