[mhuxt]

Hi Again,

In my experience (mostly nightfighters, interestingly enough, which is why I'm intrigued with this thread), it's generally the *first* letter that's missing from the position reference. I've got a number of combat reports in which this is the case: pilot has given map reference as, for example, V1234, and I've then had to go off to echodelta and work it out. "Let's see, 2nd TAF nightfighter, front lines about here at the time, sortie over the Netherlands, let's try xV1234 ... ok, that's about right."

If the nightfighter involved in the case you're after was a Mosquito, I may well be able to provide more information, hint hint. For Beaufighters, not directly, however they are almost certain to have been using the British Cassini grid for defensive patrols.

So, as I say, I don't think you should interpret your info as having the second of the two letters missing. I would think V *is* the second letter - what you've got to do is identify the general area, then find the correct map (Nord de Guerre, etc) then look for a grid square in which the second letter is V, note the first letter, then go to echodelta's wonderful coordinates translator and enter in the full reference. For example the mid-channel reference would be wV7595 on the British Cassini Grid.