Dear Brain,

From the book, "Listen To Us", aircrew memories by the Aircrew Association of Canada, Vancouver Island branch, 1997, ISBN 0-9698699-4-0, pp-342-343, detailing recollections by Bill Shankland:

"When Bill left 407 Squadron he was posted to 1401 Meteorological Flight at Bircham Newton, flying Gladiators--biplanes, no less, but a delight to fly. One of the other aircraft on the station was a Spitfire V-D which sported only a small roundel and had no armament except a Very pistol and a Cambridge therometer. Having the range to go to Berlin and back, it was used to take photographs of Bomber Command targets for the coming night. The squadron also had a Blenheim Mark IV which flew out for 300 miles over the North Sea on a bearing of 030. Unfortunately a Whirlwind mistook it for a Ju88 and shot it down..."

Do not know if you are familiar with this incident?

Norman Malayney