[Pat Atkins]

Apologies, just found this thread and cannot add to it in terms of Stirling losses. I can shed a little light on Stirlings in the Mediterranean theatre though. My Uncle Don arrived at Blida to join 624 Sqdn as a sprog Stirling pilot, and flew one operation (CARACOLE) on 30/31 August 1944 t0 southern France; he and his crew were then transferred to 148 Sqdn at Brindisi and converted to Halifaxes for the rest of their operational flying.

In case this ever becomes useful to someone's research: in the month of August, 624 Sqdn ORB records operations by 17-19 Stirlings by serial number:

JP231
LJ953
LJ957
LJ969
LJ972
LJ973
LJ984
LJ987
LK172
LK175
LK177
LK178
LK179
LK181
LK182
LK184
LK938
LK978
LW272

I suspect that JP272 is a typo, it looks like a Halifax serial? LW272 is recorded in the ORB as a Halifax once, and a Stirling on another occasion - probably a typo.

148 Sqdn had one or two Stirlings on strength but I don't think they were ever used operationally and they were unpopular with the squadron which preferred the Halifax. In fact, the ORB for 13th December 1944 reads: 'One Stirling aircraft LK 176 left the squadron for Maison Blanche. No tears were shed over its departure for its loss is a gain for the squadron.'

Cheers, Pat.