LIONEL JAMES CRANE

Pictured left Leo Crane of him in the first world war taken around 1916, Leo had as many did age himself higher than he really was in order to gain a chance to fight. Some of his time spent in the Dardenelles and then on to Egypt. ( read letters on Memorial page ). In 1917 Leo was transferred to the RAF and managed to return safely. A survivor of the war he returned to Merton to give 20 years devoted service to Merton estate and the parish, a church warden, a skilled mechanic, and a mainstay of the cricket club. leo the keen crickter.

In 1938 when there were fears of another break out of war, Leo was asked if he would join the reserves, he was a long British Legion man and again wanted to do his bit. He consulted his employer whom was Lord Walsingham, him self a returnee of the first world war. September 1939 Leo received a telegram telling him to report immediately. Going straight into action at Magiot line in France. When France fell instead of going to Dunkirk, his group went to St Nazaire and boarded the Lancastria (Below), which was sunk in the harbour with tremendous loss of life in June 1940. Merton Mirror November 1981, " Leo" " And some there be that have no memorial, who are perished as though they had not been ". Ecclus 44. As remembrance tide comes round again it made me wonder how many people in Merton today knew and remember Leo Crane, a great patriot, a great christian, a great sportsman, a great servant in the noblest sense of one who seeks to give more than he gets , what i would give to have him back " Rt Hon Richard De Grey. Leo is believed to be the only member from Merton to have been KIA during the second world war. In Memory of LIONEL JAMES CRANE leading Aircraftsman 408226 73 sqdn; Royal Air Force who died on Monday 17th June 1940, age 43. Son of James and Clara Crane of Merton,Norfolk. husband of Lucy Crane of Merton...Cemetery; LA PLAINE-SUR-MER COMMUNAL CEMETERY. Loire- Atlantique,France, grave 17

LANCASTRIA

The evacuation of British troops from France in June 1940 when Britain's worst maritime disaster of World War II, took place off the Brittany port of St Nazaire at Charpentier Roads. The Lancastria was a converted cunard liner, carrying an estimated 6000 + servicemen and a number of civilian women and children it was bombered by German Dornier,s at approx 4pm, which put her on her side,The horror was still not over. The Luftwaffe aircraft continued to circle. Diving out of the sky, the planes still attacked the survivors in the water. Some aircraft dropped incendiaries into the water in an attempt to light the flowing oil which leaked from the Lancastria. survivors today tell the story that soldiers still clinging to the ship, were heard to be singing " There'll always be an England ". Within 20 mins the ship had sank. German aircraft continued to fire on those still holding on to life hoping to be rescued. This disaster was kept from the public because of the effect of morale. It was some six weeks later when the world discovered what had happened, the story was released by the New York Times and printing some dramatic pictures. More than 3000 people lost there lives, although it has been said that the figure was much higher. There is no accurate figure for the number aboard, its said that the Lancastria was over flowing.. The pictures below,left shows the Lancastia in peace time, centre it's in the background 17th June 1940 at approx 2pm, right, the ship goes down approx 4.30pm...
I understand that the wreck of the Lancastria is now an official war grave.