Wg Cdr Peter Rodriguez May AFC DFC (USA)

[Col Bruggy]

Hello,

The "CHESTNUT OPERATIONS" Two Albemarles* of No.296 Squadron each para-dropped a detachment of 12 SAS troops at Randazzo and Enna on the night of 12 July (1943), to harass and disrupt enemy communications, one of the Albemarles was lost.

Operation "CHESTNUT"
12/13-7-1943
No.296 Sqn
Albemarle I P1446

Base to Northern Sicily - Paratroop dropping of troops of 2nd SAS Regt. Aircraft missing.

28048 W/C Peter Rodriguez MAY AFC,DFC(USA),Chinese Gold Medal RAF - Missing
106519 F/L George HOOD RAFVR - Missing
48321 F/L John CLARK DFM RAF - Missing (DFM - 527637 LAC No.2 Sqn RAF. LG: 23-7-1940. p.4530)
18060 F/L Terence DeLancey NEILL RAFVR - Missing
748300 W/O Frank Holman Huntington ELLIOTT RAFVR - Missing

All commemorated on the Malta Memorial.

See:
A Noble Pair of Brothers:A History of No.38 Group.
Wood,D.H. W/C (retd.)
"Parkside":Author,1996
p.45

* The other aircraft was Albemarle I P1526 flown by 102533 F/L Philip Keith SMULIAN AFC RAFVR.