320 Dutch squadron

[Bruce Dennis]

I hope someone here can help. I am looking for anything on the following crews and Hudsons of 320 Squadron, October 1942. The only information I have is from the microfilm ORB in AIR27/1713.

KJ 903 E
Bruens
van Dijken
van Meurs (?Neurs?)
de Haan

EW 904 H
Schroder
Verhey
de Ruiter
Rauws

KW 917 T
Sillevis
Ree
Blom
Klaassen

EW 906 P (?)
van Heugten
Hoogteiling
de Ligt
Sluiters

EW 893 X (?)
de Liefde
van Dieren Bijvoet (sp?)
van Woosik (sp?)
Smit

These five aircraft and crews were involved in an anti-shipping strike on the night of 13/14 October 1942. The microfilm copies are rough, so corrections are welcome.

Thanks,
Bruce

[Bas Maathuis]

Hi Bruce,

Nico Geldhof wrote a series of books on 320 Sqdn.

Data below from book "De vliegtuigen van 320 Sqdn" by Nico Geldhof

EW893 c/n 414-6778, ex USAAF 42-6602
30-06-42 Arrived UK (Speke)
23-07-42 22 MU
28-08-42 320 Sqdn A-flgt Bircham Newton call-sign "X"
06-09-42 Detached to Thorney Island till 11-09-42
02-10-42 to MU for changes on ASV equipment
28-11-42 taken off charge, passed on to 48 Sqdn

EW904 c/n 414-6788, ex USAAF 42-6613
28-06-42 Arrived UK
10-07-42 10 MU
19-07-42 59 Sq
23-08-42 320 Sqdn A-flgt Bircham Newton call-sign "H"
27-08-42 Operational
17-09-42 Repair on ASV equipment
12-03-43 off charge, passed on to 279 Sqdn

EW906 c/n 414-6790, ex USAAF 42-6615
15-06-42 Arrived UK
02-07-42 29 MU
04-09-42 320 Sqdn A-flgt Bircham Newton call-sign "A"
08-11-42 Detached to Thorney Island till 10-11-42
11-11-42 Repair on ASV equipment
12-11-42 To RAF Manston
29-11-42 off charge, passed on to 48 Sqdn at RAF Gosport

So far nothing on KJ903 or KW917

I'll dig a bit further to see what I can come up with on the names and the other two aircraft.

Regards, Bas Maathuis

[Bas Maathuis]

Hi Bruce,

Here's part two.

From the book "De Operaties van 320 Squadron" by Nico Geldhof

Page 252 show a list of all available and operational crews. There's 20 crews all together on the 21th of November 1942.

SGTV G.Th. Bruens (Sgt. Pilot)
SGTV J. van Dijken (Sgt. Pilot, acting as navigator)
TELMT G. van Meurs (Wireless operator)
KPLVLTTEL A.J. de Haan (Corporal Wireless operator)

SGTV D. Schröder (Sgt. Pilot)
SGTV W.K. Verheij (Sgt. Pilot, acting as navigator)
Hulptel A.C.M. de Ruyter (Wireless operator)
Matr 2 H.A. Rauws (Sailor 2nd class)

OVL 2 J.C. Sillevis (Officer 2nd class, Pilot)
LTZ 2 P.W. Ree (2nd Lt. Sea, navigator)
KPLTEL J.Blom (Corporal, Wireless operator)
Matr 1 A.W. Klaassen (Sailor 1st class)

SGTV C.L.G. van Heugten (Sgt. Pilot)
SGTV L.A. Hoogteiling (Sgt. Pilot, acting as navigator)
VLTTELMT J. de Ligt (Wireless operator)
KPLVLTTEL J. Sluyter (Corporal, Wireless operator)

OVL 2 M.J.C. de Liefde (Officer 2nd class, Pilot)
OVL 3 A.J. van Dieren-Blijvoet (Officer 3rd class, Pilot, acting navigator)
KPLVLTTEL P.F. van Woesik (Corporal, Wireless operator)
Matr 2 W. Smit (Sailor 2nd class)

Still nothing on KJ903 or KW917.

Kind regards,

Bas

[Bruce Dennis]

Bas,
Thank you for the information, this is most useful. Anything on the background of the crews would be interesting, if it is easily available. I will post whatever else I find.

Thanks again and kind regards,

Bruce

[Bas Maathuis]

Bruce,

The above mentioned books hold lots of info on aircraft, operations and crews.
Including quite a few crewpictures. But I'm afraid all is written in Dutch....

If you're looking for specific info, let me know (by PM) and I'll see what I can come up with.
However I'm not planning on translating the entire book.

By the way, there's nothing in these books on KJ903 or KW917.
You might want to check you data on these two.
Perhaps these aircraft were assigned to another unit and used by 320 Sqdn on that date??

Regards, Bas

[marthank]

Flight/Lt. P.W.Ree was a cousin of my mother.
I have a complete service record of him (in Dutch) and a couple of original pages from navy magazine ALLE HENS 1980 about the 320 Sq.

What do you know about him or his actions?

Marthan Klein

[Stig Jarlevik]

Bruce

KJ903 served with No 233, 62 and 204 Sq (never with 320 Sq)
KW917 was a Hurricane...

If possible go back to your documents and see if you can deduct some other serials, because those you quote cannot be correct.

I have located some Mitchells coded NO-E which were FR168, FR183 and FR190.
With regard to NO-T I have found FR179 and FR196
Most probably there were others....

Cheers
Stig

[swinno]

Hi There,

I have been directed and are new to this site, so please bear with me.
I have been looking for any information on Sgt Henry Swinnerton who was buried at Brussel Town cem on 28 March 1945.

Henry was a Air Gunner with 320 Dutch Squadron. I have just leared on
line that he was on loan from the RAF and was flying in a Mitchel HD 392,
which was hit by flak when on a mission.

I would appreciate any information of Henry Swinnerton.
Thanks
swinno.

[SomnusAnima]

Hi guys, figured I'd hop on an existing thread with regards to the 320 Squadron.

My grandfather passed away recently while I was in Afghanistan, so my plans for some discussions concerning his past and helping him finish his biography got put on hold.

He was a dutch airgunner as I recall, originally from Surabaya during the start of the war. I am almost certain he was a part of the 320, but can't seem to find any personnel lists during their time in the war. I realize that there are a few dutch books that cover the 320 but alas I cannot read dutch.

He once spoke of a time when they were shot down coming back from a bombing run, and as I recall they ditched into the sea and were rescued by fisherman.

Anyways, if anyone has access and wouldn't mind taking a look through the personnel lists of serviceman of the 320, if you could possibly find Ralph Volmer I'd be quite greatful, and any relevant information pertaining to the aircraft he flew with etc.


Thanks very much guys.