[Col Bruggy]

Re: P/O John KING.

24/25 July 1942
No.104 Sqn
Wellington II Z8509 "R"
Op: Tobruk

Took off 2215-2230 to bomb the aerodrome at Heraklion. Hit by flak en route, and forced down S of Sollum, near Halfaya Pass. The crew spent 12 days in the desert, escaping from captivity twice, the second time after 36 hours, during which they travelled 230 miles in a commandeered German car before capture. All but Sgt Hartley later escaped from Italians by overpowering their guards and driving their truck E until meeting with a LRDG patrol.

Sgt A J Wills - Evaded
Sgt J L Joyce RNZAF - Evaded
P/O J King - Evaded
Sgt R Hartley - PoW
Sgt J C Weston - Evaded
Sgt J C Barr - Evaded

Royal Air Force Bomber Losses in the Middle East and Mediterranean Volume 1: 1939-1942.
Gunby,David & Pelham Temple
Hinckley:Midland Publishing,2006
p.166

King/Part 2:

4/5 May 1943
No.78 Sqn
Halifax II JB915:EY-
Op: Dortmund

Took off 2205 Linton-on-Ouse. Shot down by a night-fighter* and crashed near Ahaus. Sgt Legg was taken for burial at Rheine, some 36 km to the NE of the crash site. His grave is now in the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery.

S/L J H B Chapple - PoW
Sgt B Legg +
P/O B A G Campbell RCAF - PoW
P/O H J King - PoW
Sgt E K Blackweall - PoW
Sgt R Hillary - PoW
F/O E W Barnes - PoW

Royal Air Force Bomber Command Losses of the Second World War. Vol.4, 1943.
Chorley,W R.
Earl Shilton:Midland Counties Pubs.,1996.
p.134

* Theo Boiten in His Nachtjagd War Diaries, Vol. One (p.180), suggests JB915 might have been brought down at Epe, 3 km, S. Gronau i/W. (4C): 5,700 m, by Hptm Wolfgang Thimmig (Stab III./NJG1) at 00.34, for his 13th claim.

109939 Flt Lt Harry John KING RAF, was killed on 22 May, 1952, when No.203 Sqn Lancaster G.R.3 RE200 , belly-landed near Mereworth. Kent, after a flare ignited in the aircraft.

Col.