[Mikkel Plannthin]

I am present researching the RCAF service of Danish-Canadian Air Gunner Eric Haakon Neilson. He is lost in action on 3 June 1943 in Whitley V BD414 'J'. The aircraft took off 1045 hours from St. Eval on an anti-submarine patrol over the Bay of Biscay.

In contemporary documents all that is mentioned is that it failed to return and that no communication was received from the aircraft. The crew was lost
- Captain AUS.415212 Flight Sergeant Douglas Frederick Bavin (Pupil Pilot), RAAF
- 2nd Pilot J.22032 Pilot Officer Harold Douglas Pepper (Pupil Pilot), RCAF
- Navigator J.14637 Pilot Officer David Taylor Dorward (Pupil Navigator), RCAF
- WT/AG 1385126 Sergeant Colin Arthur Richardson (Pupil WT/AG), RAFVR
- B/A 136821 Pilot Officer Cecil Aspland Nicholds (Pupil B/A), RAFVR
- A/G R.10786 Sergeant Eric Haakon Neilson (Pupil A/G), RCAF

All were 10 OTU except for the 2nd pilot.

In Tony Wood's claims list Uffz. Mannetstetter of 8./JG 2 is listed as having claimed a Whitley V on the position 7082 / 15 West: 500 m. at 20.14 hours on 3 June 1943. This position correspond to Long: 49.208336 Lat: -6.25 or about 100 km SW of Land's End. Hence, it seems likely that BD414 could be the victim Mannetstetter. As far as I can gather III/JG2 operated from Fontenay-le-Comte at the time.

Would anyone of you Luftwaffe experten know if Mannetstetter's aerial victory has ever been matched to a specific Whitley lost on this day?

Regards

Mikkel Plannthin