Mosquito MM 456 crew photograph

[Julian]

Hi all
I am currently researching for a new book War Torn Skies Essex concerning aviation in this county from 1908-1945 and one of the incidents Im looking at is the shooting down of Heinkel He 177 coded 6N+AK on 18th April 1944 at Little Walden in Essex. It was shot down by F/O S.B. Huppert and P/O J.S.Christie in Mosquito MM456 from No 410 Squadron based at Castle Camps. The morning after both Huppert and Christie arrived at the crash scene and had several photographs taken against the wreckage. I was wondering does anyone have contacts with anyone who might just know if these photographs still exist, or any information whereby one might trace any surviving relatives just to see if the images might still survive in a family photo album...I would appreciate any help with this incident and all leads will be courteously followed up and accreditations given in future publication.
The site was partially excavated by the then Cambridge aircraft preservation Society in 1971?
Since then I have investigated the Heinkel crash site myself many years ago and have a cockpit instrument and several exploded 13mm cannon shell casings. I do have quite abit of info on this incident and will share with anyone doing similar research.
I can be contacted on j.evenhart@ntlworld.com
Cheers all Julian

[Chris Goss]

Stan Huppert was killed 7/8 Jul 44 but John Christie apparently survived the war

[Julian]

Cheers Chris many thanks....Jules

[Kutscha]

Julian if didn't know already, their a/c was coded RA-D.

Have you tried the Public Archives of Canada? Chaz Bowyer in his Mosquito Squadron book has a couple of photos of 410 Mossies credited the the Archives.

A 410 website which might be of some help, http://rcaf.com/439squadron/Toocon_e.htm (if you didn't know of it already)

Dear Julian,

I have a 1996 roster of all RCAF veterans belonging to the WWII, 410 Squadron Association. It provides members names and addresses.

Unfortunately, during relocation from the USA to Canada, I emptied seven filing cabinets of research files and material into boxes. It will require time for me to locate the box having the roster. During the move, I lost two boxes, one had my copy negatives and 20 years of airshow slides.

I have started searching through my material. Hopefully, it was not in one of the lost boxes?

Norman Malayney

[Julian]

Hi Kutscha I will certainly follow up all your leads many thanks Jules

[Julian]

Dear Norman this all sounds most interesting many thanks in anticipation of any help you give in the future.
Cheers Julian

[Julian]

Just wanted to say thank you to all who made suggestions and offered help. Incredibly three weeks ago two young girls who live in New Zealand were researching their grand father by googling his name. He was none other than John Christie. Google flagged up my request on this forum and they passed my details to their father (who is Pilot Officer J.S.Christies nephew). He emailed me directly and has John Christies Log Book, DFC and many photographs. So very kindly the family have granted me publishing rights to the entire collection. This is amazing as pasted into the log book are four photographs showing Christie and possibly Huppert at the crash site of the Heinkel 177 at Little Walden. The views and details of the wreckage are spectacular. In my forthcoming book War Torn Skies Essex, I have now written a case history of this "discovery" naming this website forum to show the phenomenal advantages of joining for researchers. I could never have believed I would one day look at the wreckage of this Heinkel so a big thankyou to this forum. My intention is to retain the images until the above book is published and then I will download them onto this forum for all to share....WOW!!! is just about all I can say.....Cheers Jules