Lawrence Naylor

Lawrence Naylor was born in Crewe, Cheshire in 1919.  After local schooling, he became a Railway Engineer at the Railway Works in Crewe, where he became a metal moulder, making parts for the Engines and Carriages.  

During WW2, Crewe was attacked by the Luftwaffe on numerous occasions, owing to it being a major rail junction and of course the Rolls Royce factory, and although in a reserved occupation, (he could not be called up for National Service), he nonetheless decided in 1943, to volunteer for Aircrew Duties in the RAF.  

It was during his Initial Training that he met Pansy Bourgaize, his wife to be who had been evacuated from Guernsey in the Channel Islands, together with her sister Florence and her Brother in Law, just before the German Invasion. They were all billeted in the same house in Cale Green, Stockport.  Pansy was working at the Fairey Aviation Works at Stockport, making parts for Fairey Albacore Aircraft for the Royal Navy.  Lawrence is the father of John Naylor.

Lawrence retired back to his home town of Crewe, where he worked at Rolls Royce for a short time, and died on August 2, 2004. 

Find A Grave record (If Available)

After the usual Initial Training, Lawrence was selected for Air Gunner training, and commenced flying on 13/10/1943 at No.11 Air Gunners School at Andreas, on the Isle of Man, flying in twin-engined Avro Ansons, with the mid-upper gun turret.  During this time he married Pansy Bourgaize.  On January 8, 1944, he was posted to No.18 Operational Training Unit at RAF Finningley, in Yorkshire, flying in Vickers Wellingtons, being taught in the use of both rear and centre gun turrets,

This training included the use of RAF Worksop and Bircotes in Nottinghamshire, a satellite airfield of Finningley, and it was here that he first met Sgt. Collet, who was later to become his crew Pilot. 

On April 2, 1944, he was posted to 1481 (B) Gunnery Flight at Ingham in Lincolnshire for intensive gunnery practice on Vickers Wellingtons, before being posted again to1662 (Heavy) Conversion Unit, flying in Handley Page Halifax, Mk2s', again with Sgt. Collet as his Pilot.  It was here that all of the air crew individuals were assembled in a large hangar and told to "sort themselves out into crews".  It did not take long for Frank Collett, Lawrence, and the other 5  members to give their support to each other for the coming fray over Germany. 

On May 13, 1944, they were posted to No.1 Lancaster Finishing School at RAF Hemswell in Lincolnshire.  It was here on May 17, 1944 that they all survived a serious crash landing in Lancaster ED567, that had been diverted to RAF Riccall when the undercarriage failed to lower.  Lawrence woke up the next morning in the Station Medical Centre, and had escaped with a few minor cuts and bruises.

Following the Lancaster Finishing School , the crew were posted to 625 Squadron at RAF Kelstern in Lincolnshire, and began Fighter Affiliation training on May 27, 1944.  The very next day, they were on 'Ops', to bomb the coastal batteries on the French coast, in preparation for 'D' Day.  His Log Book records 20 further 'Ops', that included the opening attack for the invasion of Europe on June 6, 1944, where they bombed the German Coastal Batteries at St. Martin in France.  His book also records the infamous attack on Acheres, France on May 10, 1944, where he records "Bags of Fighters", and "Destroyed one FW190" in conjunction with the tail gunner, Flt/Sgt. Peterkin.

Following discharge from the RAF, having a rank of Warrant Office in 1946, he re-joined in 1950, and had a second career that saw him finally leave again in 1973, having a rank of Warrant Officer.  During this second period, he spent 5 years flying on the 'Queens Flight' at RAF Benson, and later postings abroad in Germany, Cyprus and Libya, where he met, more than once, Colonel Gaddafi!

Comments from Lawrence Naylor's son, John Naylor (who also served in the RAF)

I have an abiding memory of him from 1953. We had gone down to the airfield at RAF Benson, where he was stationed, for the "Battle of Britain" air display.  I was only 7 years old.  He took me to see a Lincoln Bomber and spoke to the crew in front of the aircraft.  They let us under the rope and Dad took me inside to show me the gun turrets, and how they worked.  He said he would climb into the Mid-Upper turret and 'adjust' the seat for me.  After waiting ages and tugging at his leg, he seemed oblivious of my presence, and was staring toward the rear turret, as if in another world, that only he could have known.  He finally realised I was there, and gave me a full tour of the aircraft, explaining how the guns worked, all about deflection shooting, and how to get out in a hurry!

After that, I was hooked on all things Lancaster.  I have his Log Book, Medals and pictures, and to me they are priceless!  I too joined the RAF in 1968, and retired as a Warrant Officer in 1990, going on to serve a further 16 years with the Ministry of Defence.  During my time in the RAF, when a Sergeant, I was fortunate enough, after constantly pestering the "Battle of Britain Memorial Flight", to fly in the RAF Display Lancaster PA474, yes, in the mid-upper gun turret, doing an air display at RAF Brize Norton.  That for me was the ultimate experience!

Though they had bombed Stuttgart on the night of 25/07/1944, they were scheduled for 'Ops' again on 28/07/1944, in their usual kite LM546, the target again being Stuttgart.  As part of the No. 1 Group formation, they were at the tail end of the first wave of three, the other two waves being from Nos. 3 and 5 Group Squadrons.

The Flight Engineer, Sgt. Norman Jones told his son, John Naylor that he was standing in the cockpit, with the target in sight about 8 - 10 miles away.  Jock Peterkin in the tail turret, had seen a German twin-engined night fighter stalking them, and told the Pilot to "Corkscrew starboard - Go!".  

After a hair- raising few minutes, they thought they had shaken him off when all hell broke loose.  Lawrence said that he saw the cannon shells (with tracers) come through the port wing, stopping the port inner engine.  The German Pilot, Hauptmann Fritz Lau, flying an ME110 G4 with upward firing 20mm 'Schrage Musik' cannons, from St Trond in Belgium, then slipped under the starboard wing, firing into the starboard engine, setting it, and the fuel tank, on fire.  Lawrence then said that the undercarriage came down, with the wheel going around, and the tyre on fire. Flames were reaching back to the tail, and the Pilot gave the order to "Bale Out".  The 4 other crew members at the front of the aircraft, went out of the front escape hatch.  Norman Jones helped F/O Collet, (by now promoted to commissioned rank) the Pilot, put on his parachute.  Frank Collet told John Naylor that after he was satisfied that all the crew had gone, he had great difficulty in making a jump from the nose escape hatch, as every time he let go of the yolk, the aircraft started to roll.  He said the noise was akin to 50 people banging on a dustbin with him inside.  He eventually made it after diving through the open hatch in the nose.

During this time, Lawrence said when he got to the rear escape door, Jock Peterkin appeared to be hesitating, but Lawrence said he kicked him out, and followed him down, saying to himself, "I hope Jock's parachute opened!".

After landing in a field in Esslingen, Lawrence wrapped himself up in his parachute and tried to sleep till dawn.  Next morning, he buried his parachute and began walking south, heading for Switzerland.  Amazingly, during this trek, he encountered a lorry load of German soldiers, who somehow failed to recognize him!  Later, a "German Frau" spotted Lawrence and sent for her husband, who came after him and arrested him.  Lawrence was taken to the local Luftwaffe Feldpolizie station.  It was here that he met Jock Peterkin, the tail gunner, who said to him "was that your boot up my backside in the fuselage?"  They both had a laugh about it.

After a period of interrogation and solitary confinement at 'Dulag Luft' interrogation centre, south of Berlin, Lawrence was sent to 'Stalag Luft VII' in Poland, where he remained until early January 1945.  The written extract from his Log Book, (attached to this Personal Information page) shows his terrible ordeal during the infamous 'Death March' of 1945.