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Old 16th November 2010, 17:20
Icare9 Icare9 is offline
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Join Date: May 2009
Location: East Sussex
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Re: Uncle died over France July 1944

Hi and welcome Paul.
I can't help much but I don't believe a German pilot would record his height in feet, rather than metres. Has an Anschuss interception Report been misinterpreted?
I don't think the height is a major anomaly, as I don't think the crew would have accurately known at which height they were flying when first attacked, and the pilot, F/O "Bud" Moss, who would have known, was killed along with the Flight Engineer, Sgt W Steel. They may well have been at 7,000 feet but standard procedure in evading a fighter attack would be to violently corkscrew down, and the fighter may have recorded his height when he began his attack, the crew recording their height when actually shot down.
In addition, in 15 minutes at approx 200 mph, they would have been approximately 50 miles (80+ km) from the target, but they may have gone round to photo the bomb drop accounting for the distance discrepancy.
The rest of the crew were also RCAF, so it is probable that you may obtain more information than in his RAF Service Record (which I assume you have ordered?) from the RCAF archives, as they sometimes contain additional details, together with debriefing reports, Evasion Reports etc that they may have filled in on release.

It may well be worth contacting the RCAF to see if you can obtain further details, being a relative of a crew member.

I assume you already have the following details?
Crashed between the hamlet of Obville (Yvelines) and Allainville, where F/O Moss RCAF and Sgt Steel are buried in the Communal Cemetery, about 13 km SW of Dourdan.
F/O C.A. ”Bud” Moss RCAF KIA
Sgt W.A. Steel KIA
F/O J.F. Bester RCAF Evd
F/O J.D. Siddall RCAF Evd
F/S H. Atkin RCAF PoW
Sgt G.G.C. Brown RCAF PoW
Sgt J.E. Finnie RCAF PoW
F/S H. Atkin successfully evaded until betrayed by the Mayor of Artenay, imprisoned in Fresnes and Buchenwald before being recovered by the Luftwaffe and delivered to Camp L3. PoW No.8075
Sgt G.G.C. Brown PoW in Camp L7. PoW No.348, with Sgt J.E. Finnie, PoW No.357.

You may well find that the community in Allainville may have been looking after their graves and who knows, a photo may soon appear!
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