SPITFIRE AA722 234 SQN

[Chris Goss]

Photos exist of this aircraft crash-landed in France on 12 Feb 42. On port side it has the swastika and fingers badge seen a number of times with 234 Sqn aircraft but there appears to be a smaller badge ahead towards top of the rear part of the cowling. Any ideas what it could be as it is partly covered by a jacket!

[Buckeye30]

Chris as the pilot P/O McLeod was Canadian maybe a reference to his nationality (looks like a tepee on there).


Nick

[Chris Goss]

All I can see is a dark square with what looks to be a wishbone or stick man with something written at the bottom! Photos of the starboard side show absolutely nothing! Why did that German soldier have to put his jacket over it! Also, where did he crash-land and was he the victim of Glunz of JG 26?

[Adriano Baumgartner]

Chris,
Seems a new book about the air-combats during the Channel Dash will appear soon....keep us updated, ok?

[Chris Goss]

Not just the air combats but the complete air and sea story starting with the losses of the Scharnhorst and Gneisenau in 1914.................... It was planned for this year but I have asked to slip this to next year as I have quite a bit on this year!

[Chris Goss]

Just bumping this again in respect of where did it crash-land? The only possibility was near Eu late afternoon a victim of Glunz of JG 26

[Franek Grabowski]

It would help if you could post or link to a picture of the aircraft. I cannot find it online.
Anyway, with a stroke of luck there should be a mention in AIR 81 file.
https://discovery.nationalarchives.g...ls/r/C17082944
Other files to consult would be pilot's personal file or his liberation report. The latter are available at TNA or Ancestry, though I cannot find him there.

[Chris Goss]

Unable to post easily on 12 OCH any more and personnel file not available as he was not killed or missing. If anyone is visiting NA and can look at the AIR81 file I would be grateful

[Franek Grabowski]

Once the man is dead, and we may assume so, and certain amount of time passed, I think 25 yrs in the UK, not sure about Canada, but certainly no more, the access could be granted given proof of death is provided.
The problem is in the UK, as those files are accessible by FOI now, but nobody noticed that there is a conflict with data protection law, and significant portions are blacked out to the best traditions of the English black humour, and I mean that.