RAF loss on Madagascar September the 8th and december the 18th, 1942
 

hello
In the Diego Suarez War cimetery , I see some graves of RAF personnal which died in september the 8th and December the 18 th?
Does anyone know something about what's happen?

Regards
Franck

Graves seen in the cimetery:
Date of death: December, 18th, 1942
751721 FLIGHT SERGEANT W.FORREST
WIRELESS OPERATOR/ AIR GUNNER

989010 WARRANT OFFICER P.H.NONEY
OBSERVER

Date of death: September, 8th, 1942

1310143 SERGEANT L.S.DAVIS
WIRELESS OPERATOR / AIR GUNNER

960697 SERGEANT A.S.WHITE

570858 SERGEANT D.P.BROOMFIELD

PILOT OFFICER E.L.HALL

FLYING OFFICER K.J.RICH
OBSERVER

Re: RAF loss on Madagascar September the 8th and december the 18th, 1942
 

Sept 8, 1942 involved members of 209 Squadron, and Dec 18, 1942 men of 205 Squadron.
Mentioned RAF Squadrons operated Catalinas at that time.

Perhaps a further search in Catalina losses may prove worthwhile?

Regards,

Leendert
Brugge/Belgium

Re: RAF loss on Madagascar September the 8th and december the 18th, 1942
 

Hi,

08/09/1942
209 Sqn
Catalina IIa
VA713

Coded L for Leather
Op: Anti-sub patrol, Took off RAF Pamanzi at 04:20 hrs

F/L J R Wyllie RNZAF
P/O F W Henderson RCAF
F/O K J Rich
P/O E L Hall
Sgt D P Broomfield
Sgt A S White
Sgt H Shepherd
Sgt R N Lamond
Sgt L S Davies
Sgt D Abberley

Took off normally but crashed in the dark just after the last flare. Sgt White, Sgt Broomfield, Sgt Davies, F/O Rich and P/O Hall all rest in Antsiranana War Cemetery, Madagascar, while the remaining crewmen are commemorated on the Alamein Memorial.

18/12/1942
205 Sqn
Catalina I
AJ156
Coded N for Nuts

Op: Not recorded, Took off RAF Pamanzi at 03:00 hrs

W/O Noney
F/Sgt Forrest
Cpl E J W Wheeler
(rest of crew not recorded)

Crashed on take off. Cpl Wheeler of No.209 Sqn is commemorated on the Singapore Memorial.

Regards
Ross

Re: RAF loss on Madagascar September the 8th and december the 18th, 1942
 

Hi
Many thanks to all for the answer
Regards
Franck

Re: RAF loss on Madagascar September the 8th and december the 18th, 1942
 

Hi
There are one picture of the french cimetery and three other of the british
Franck

Re: RAF loss on Madagascar September the 8th and december the 18th, 1942
 

Question for Ross:

Is it possible that also Sgt R.N. LAMOND - 998733 (Column 261 of the Alamein Memorial) was on VA713 ?

Regards,
Henk.

Re: RAF loss on Madagascar September the 8th and december the 18th, 1942
 

Sorry Ross, ignore my last entry. I'm still sleeping. Lamond was on your list.

Regards,
Henk.

Re: RAF loss on Madagascar September the 8th and december the 18th, 1942
 

On 18Dec42 Catalina AJ157/N of 205 Sqn crashed into the sea from 40 ft. and exploded at night, shortly after becoming airborne at Pamanzi, Maylotte Is. The aircraft’s eight-man crew, as well Corporal cook and butcher who were on board as passengers, were killed in the crash.

Among those killed were W/O H.A.S. Jeffries (Captain), Sgt. T.K. Furness, W/O Noney, F/Sgt Forrest and Cpl E J W Wheeler (of 209 Sqn)

Ragnar

Re: RAF loss on Madagascar September the 8th and december the 18th, 1942
 

Hi
Did the the 209 sqn's aircrafts only take off from Mayotte air field or an other over Madagascar?
Regards
Franck

Re: RAF loss on Madagascar September the 8th and december the 18th, 1942
 

Both 205 and 209 Sqn operated Catalina flying boats, so did not take off from an airfield, but rather a seaplane base.

Ragnar

Re: RAF loss on Madagascar September the 8th and december the 18th, 1942
 

Hello
thanks for answer.
Pamanzi was a airfield too. It was a two crossing grass runway. If I remenber, the Catalina was a seaplane with two wheels, isn't it?
Regards
Franck

Re: RAF loss on Madagascar September the 8th and december the 18th, 1942
 

Hi all,
Just a small point:
F/L J R Wyllie (a Kiwi) was RAF not RNZAF

Cheers
Tony

Re: RAF loss on Madagascar September the 8th and december the 18th, 1942
 

Careful Ragnar, many, if not all, Catalinas had tricycle undercarriages and were Amphibians. If you look on the website for the Duxford Museum I think there is one there on its wheels.And there are many illustrations on Google Images
Regards
Dick

Re: RAF loss on Madagascar September the 8th and december the 18th, 1942
 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...4/K_001102.jpg

Only the PBY-5A and equivalent models had the inbuilt undercarriage.
Earlier models did not.
The picture above is from Wiki:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PBY_Catalina
and shows a 205 Sqn Mk.I undergoing servicing at Singapore (with a Short Singapore in the background)

Re: RAF loss on Madagascar September the 8th and december the 18th, 1942
 

First comment:

VA713 was a Consolidated built pure flying boat, originally ordered for the RCAF as 9713, but diverted to the RAF in a complicated swap.

Second comment:

I wouldn't ever try to correct Ragnar about anything to do with Cats/Cansos ;).

Re: RAF loss on Madagascar September the 8th and december the 18th, 1942
 

Hi all
Many thanks for your informations. Does one of you know about existance of photography of these planes taken in Madagascar or Comores?
Thank you in advance
Friendly
Franck