[zmirek]

Hi,
Let me I add 0,03 PL to this interesting topic.

Since almost all (to be explained later) crew members were Polish airmen this flight has record in "Polskie załogi nad okupowaną Europą. Polacy w operacjach specjalnych" (Polish crews over occupied Europe. Poles in special ops) by Kajetan Bieniecki recognized expert in these aspects of PAF operations.
According to information given there it was third attempt to "deliver" NKWD agents to Austria. 1st flight with Polish crew of F/O Zygmuntowicz (using the same Halifax V9976) was aborted due to bad weather, 2nd captained by P/O L.M. Anderle returned with no success by the same reason. So before next flight there was big political tension to successfully complete this operation. High ranked SOE officer contacted 138 Sqn CO to make it happened.
Weather forecasted for 20/21 of April was so bad that all BC operations planed for that day were cancelled. But not this flight. To make it successful both agents agreed to be dropped over clouds.
In my opinion both bad weather and no BC operations that night exclude German night fighter as a reason of loss of Halifax V9976, her crew and “passengers”

Despite of his “reverse sympathy” to Polish airmen W/C Farley chosen Polish crew for that mission. Surprisingly another non-Polish crew member was gunner F/O Pulton.
Frankly speaking I don’t think that presence of W/C Farley was due to expected “bad interaction” between Polish airmen and NKWD agents. Remember that basis rules of special duty flights do not allow crew members to contact carried agents no matter which nationality they were. 138 Sqn CO was aboard rather due to express his personal commitment and responsibility for success of this flight.

Mirek