Mustang Pilot Information
 

Hi everybody,

I am looking for information concerning the 5 pilots of this list, all killed on 19 August 1942 during Operation Jubilee of Dieppe.

circumstances of the crash, photos or documents

Thank you very much for your help.
Alexis

1271760 - Sgt Geoffrey Denis Maynard Cliff - 26 Sq - Mustang AG584 - Runnymede Memorial
44183 - F/L Graham Newstead Dawson - 26 Sq - Mustang AG418 - Runnymede Memorial
43959 - F/L Donald Newton Kennedy - 26 Sq - Mustang AG536 - Dieppe Canadian War Cemetery
45596 - F/L Philip Arthur Leo Gompertz - 239Sq - Mustang AM134 - Runnymede Memorial
J/8347 - P/O David Garrett Burlingam - 400 Sq – Mustang AM151 - Coxyde Military Cemetery

Re: Mustang Pilot Information
 

Hello,
Quick answer would be from Norman R. Franks vol 2 of Fighter Command Losses of the 2nd World War .
Or this one
The Greatest Air Battle Dieppe, 19th August 1942.
Norman R. Franks.
London:Grub Street,1992 (50th anniversary ed.).

All seem to have been on Reconnaisance Missions.

Alex

Re: Mustang Pilot Information
 

The only claims for Mustangs that day were by Hptm Helmut-Felix Bolze of II./JG 2 at 0655 and 0702 hrs, Oblt Fülbert Zink of 2./JG 26 at 1610 hrs and Ofw Kurt Kruska of 6./JG 26 at 0845 hrs. It is possible that one of the many Spitfires claimed could have been misidentified and I do not have details of any Flak claims

Thank you Alex Smart, I already have this live The Greatest Air Battle Dieppe, 19th August 1942.

but I'm looking for more specific details

place of crashes, why Runnymede Memorial, why Burlingam is buried in Coxide in Belgium, etc....

Thanks Chris Goss, I'll keep that aside.

Re: Mustang Pilot Information
 

The recce missions flown by Army Co-operation Command Mustangs over Dieppe were flown by pairs of aircraft or single aircraft. Cliff and Kennedy were a pair and both pilots were lost there are no contemporary reports. Dawson, Gompertz and Burlingham were all flying solo missions and once again there are no contemporary reports. From the available documents it is only possible to obtain very broad descriptions of the areas in which the pilots were intended to fly. For example Gompertz was tasked to "...cover an area near Dieppe..."

It may be that these losses were officially investigated after the War but as far as I know any reports are not available publicly.

Steve

Re: Mustang Pilot Information
 

Thank you very much SteveB, it's clear and neat

I found this picture of Gompertz.

good day

Alex

https://image.noelshack.com/fichiers...8-gompertz.jpg

Re: Mustang Pilot Information
 

I was trying to determine the same thing for Kennedy.

I never got any reply from the local French research group. Its absa39-45 or something like that.

http://www.ww2irishaviation.com/ah920.htm

I guess that in the chaos in the days after the landings remains were found at crashed aircraft and interred in what became the CWGC cemetery. The CWGC site for Kennedy I don't think shows any grave concentration report. So where ever he was found.. he seems to have been buried once with no subsequent re burial... but I'm just guessing.

He may have been found by French police or German military units. The country side must have been dotted with wrecks.

Re: Mustang Pilot Information
 

I did get this from the RAF Air Historical Branch. No more detail though.


It was later reported that information received by the French local authorities that the body of Flt Lt Kennedy was recovered near Dieppe and buried at Les Vertus Cemetery near Dieppe. The cemetery has now changed its name to the Hauton-Sur Mer Canadian Cemetery, Dieppe and he is buried in Row D, Grave 3. Sgt Cliff is still reported as missing and is commemorated on the Air Forces Memorial at Runnymede. The memorial is situated on a spur off Coopers Hill overlooking the River Thames and commemorates those airmen who lost their lives in North West Europe and the adjacent seas and has no known grave. Sgt Cliff’s name is inscribed on Panel 80.

Re: Mustang Pilot Information
 

Runnymede memorial is used to record bodies that were never recovered. They might be buried as unknowns, bodies washed up missing any ID or means of identufication. Runnymede indicates no official recovery of remains.. The person was missing.

The pilot buried in Belgium probably came down in the water and his remains were carried by the sea currents to the Belgium coast. There are many examples of remains travelling great distances before washing up.

Re: Mustang Pilot Information
 

Thank you for your answer Dennis (I sent you an email for the same request on February 11)

I'm doing research because I found debris from a Mustang that fell on the morning of August 19,1942.

the pilot crashed into the telegraph poles after shelling a German soldier column, died instantly and was ejected from the aircraft, and remained on the bank for several days (local witnesses)

I think it's Kennedy, but to be really sure.

crash in Envermeu - 15 km from Dieppe

Alexis