|
Mysterious 127 Sqn loss on 2 October 1944
The Spitfire IX PT772 of 127 Sqn RAF was hit by Flak near Calais (?) during a dive bombing sortie in the morning and crashed. Its pilot, Flt Lt J Whittington was killed and is buried in Schoonselholf Cemetery, Antwerp, Belgium.
"Fighter Command losses of the Second World War, vol 3. Operational losses : Aircraft and Crews 1944-1945", by Norman L R Franks, ISBN 1-85780-093-1
The problem is that the last remains of the German Calais garnison surrendered the day before.
And that Antwerp is not the right direction for a Spitfire hit over Calais to go and crash.
So my guess is that the location given here is wrong. The Spitfire was probably hit north or north-east of Antwerp by German Flak and crashed in liberated Belgium.
If anybody has access to the 127 Sqn ORB, or a book about this squadron, I would like to know more about the squadron's operations this day and about this loss.
PS: Fighter Command Diaries part 5 also lists this loss near Calais but probably uses the same source.
|