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Old 14th February 2012, 17:40
Brian Brian is offline
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H. De Witt DSC
Hi guys

I'm hoping one of our Dutch friends can provide some information regarding a Dutch pilot who flew with the Fleet Air Arm, being awarded the DSC. He commanded 800 Squadron in 1945.

Cheers
Brian
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  #2  
Old 15th February 2012, 21:54
Leendert Leendert is offline
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Re: H. De Witt DSC
Brian,

No first name so far, but according to fleetairarmarchive.net Lt Cdr De Wit participated in the recapture of Rangoon (flying off HMS Emperor) and
led attacks on shipping and shore targets off Tenasserim Coast, 1945

Regards,

Leendert
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Old 15th February 2012, 22:04
Leendert Leendert is offline
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Re: H. De Witt DSC
Brian,

Also found the name H. de Wit (still no first name!) flying with 1840 Squadron from HMS Furious in attacks on the Tirpitz on 17 July 1944 in a Dutch military history magazine.

Regards,

Leendert
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Old 15th February 2012, 22:22
Leendert Leendert is offline
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Re: H. De Witt DSC
Brian,

What's more, Lt De Wit had an emergency landing in Turkey after operations over Crete and Rhodes when with 1840 Squadron off HMS Emperor. This must have been in the autumn of 1944.

Regards,

Leendert
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Old 16th February 2012, 00:33
Frank Olynyk Frank Olynyk is offline
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Re: H. De Witt DSC
According to Seedie's List of FAA Awards, Lt(A) Herman DE WIT (RNethN) received an un-Gazetted MID for the Invasion of the South of France; an un-Gazetted MID for air operations in the Far East; and an un-Gazetted DSC for the relief of Greece.

Enjoy!

Frank.
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Old 16th February 2012, 12:36
Brian Brian is offline
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Re: H. De Witt DSC
Thanks Leendert & Frank

Excellent!

Actually de Wit was with 800 Squadron when he force-landed Hellcat JV126 in Turkey on 4 October 1944.

There was a second Dutch naval pilot with 800 Squadron at this time - name unknown to me - but I believe he was also awarded a Mention or a DSC. Any ideas?

Cheers
Brian
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Old 16th February 2012, 13:57
Leendert Leendert is offline
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Re: H. De Witt DSC
Brian,

Dutch FAA pilot J.E. Helfrich of 800 Squadron reportedly made an emergency or crash landing near Olympus Mtn, Greece, presumably around the same time as De Wit's landing in Turkey.

Source: online "Mars et Historia" military history magazine (in Dutch).

Regards,

Leendert
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Old 16th February 2012, 14:11
Brian Brian is offline
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Re: H. De Witt DSC
Thanks again Leendert

I wonder if we can find Helfrich's first name? Also, date of his crash-landing and serial number of Hellcat.

Unfortunately I do not have access to the late Ray Sturtivant's serial book.

Cheers
Brian
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Old 16th February 2012, 14:35
keith A keith A is offline
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Re: H. De Witt DSC
Hi Brian,

de Wit and SLt G Greve (also dutch) made a claim for a Ju52 shot down at Maleme on that date.

regards

Keith
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Old 16th February 2012, 16:48
Brian Brian is offline
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Re: H. De Witt DSC
Thanks Keith

I was aware of the Ju52 incident but didn't know that Sub-Lt G. Greve was also Dutch.

What do we know about him, I wonder?

Cheers
Brian
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