CARLYLE Stanley

Awarded DFM (Distinguished Flying Medal)

Supplement to the London Gazette 11th February 1944, Distinguished Flying Medal:
1575851 Flight Sergeant Stanley CARLYLE, Royal, Air Force Volunteer Reserve, No. 97 Squadron.

Stanley Carlyle was the navigator on Lancaster III ND706 which took off from RAF Coningsby at 21.59 hours on 3rd May 1944 as part of a group of bombers targeting the military camp at Mailly-le-Camp in France. The aircraft was shot down by a night fighter and crashed at 02.00 hours on 5th May 1944 3km South West of Allainville, Seine-et-Oise, 20km South South East of Rambouillt. Stanley and his fellow crew members were all killed: Flying Officer R.O. Ellsmere, Royal Canadian Air Force, Sergeant M.A. Johnson, Fight Lieutenant A.E. Carlton, DFC, Flight Sergeant L.F. Hughes, Sergeant M.H. Duffy and Pilot Officer A.J. Newton, DFM.

The following information has been researched and transcribed by The Black Country Society:
Stanley Carlyle was educated at King Edward’s School from 1934 to 1938 and volunteered in 1941 for the Royal Air Force. He trained as a Navigator in South Africa and at the start of 1944 he was with 97 Squadron at Coningsby, Lincolnshire, flying in Lancasters. He was clearly an accomplished member of air crew as he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal. The award was published in the London Gazette on the 11th February 1944 and the citation stated that he had helped to bring back a damaged bomber, though wounded himself. By the Spring of that year Bomber Command was engaged in operations to assist the forthcoming D-Day landings and targets included German military bases in France. On the night of the 3rd May 346 Lancasters were ordered to bomb Mailly le Camp near Reims. The Lancaster of Stanley Carlyle took off just before midnight but there was some delay over the target and the second wave of bombers was met by German aircraft. The Lancaster was shot down by a night fighter, crashing near Allainville (Seine et Oise) killing all the crew.