Henry Eifion Clement – Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, 101 Squadron

Flying Officer Henry Eifion Clement – Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, 101 Squadron

Birth and Family Background

Henry Eifion Clement

Henry Eifion Clement was born in 1921 at Felindre, Swansea, the son of William Thomas Clement and Mary Hannah Roberts, who had married in Swansea in 1917. Raised in the rural community north of the city, Henry grew up during the inter‑war years, a period marked by economic uncertainty and the gradual approach of another global conflict that would shape the course of his life.

Military Service

Henry enlisted in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve and served with No. 101 Squadron, holding the rank of Flying Officer (Navigator). By 1943 the squadron was operating Avro Lancaster I aircraft from RAF Ludford Magna, taking part in the sustained night‑bombing campaign against industrial and military targets deep inside Germany. As navigator, Henry carried immense responsibility, guiding the aircraft across hostile territory in darkness, through flak belts and night‑fighter zones, ensuring the bomber reached its target and had the best possible chance of returning home.

The Stuttgart Raid, 15 April 1943

On the night of 15 April 1943, Henry’s Lancaster joined a force of 462 aircraft dispatched to attack Stuttgart. Although the Pathfinder Force reported accurate marking, the main bombing effort drifted to the north‑east of the aiming point, a phenomenon known as “creepback,” in which successive crews released their bombs slightly earlier in order to turn for home more quickly. Despite this, the raid inflicted significant damage on industrial districts. Tragically, an air‑raid shelter housing French and Russian prisoners of war was struck, contributing to a death toll of 619, the highest yet recorded in Stuttgart.

Lancaster I

Loss of the Aircraft

During the return flight, Henry’s Lancaster I was intercepted by a German night‑fighter and shot down near Maubeuge, approximately twelve miles south of Mons. The aircraft crashed with the loss of all on board. The route home from Stuttgart was notoriously dangerous, with experienced night‑fighter units operating across Belgium and northern France, making the final stages of the mission particularly perilous for Bomber Command crews.

South Wales Daily Post

Herald of Wales

Local Reporting

In the days that followed, both the South Wales Daily Post and the Herald of Wales carried reports concerning Flying Officer Henry Eifion Clement, informing readers that he was missing following air operations. These notices brought the news of his disappearance to the Swansea community, reflecting the uncertainty and anxiety endured by families awaiting official confirmation during the war.

Henry Eifion Clement
Maubeuge‑Centre Cemetery, France credit - findagrave

Burial and Commemoration

Flying Officer Henry Eifion Clement is buried at Maubeuge‑Centre Cemetery, France, where he rests alongside his fellow crew members: Sergeant Joseph Leadbetter Cartmell, Sergeant Robert Gordon Hamilton, Sergeant George William Henry Northover, Sergeant Aaron Ottolangui, Sergeant Peter Donovan Steed, and Sergeant Frank Wood. Their graves stand together, a testament to the shared fate of a Lancaster crew whose service and sacrifice form part of the wider story of Bomber Command’s campaign over Europe.