2 Spitfires shot down near Arnhem

[Laurent Rizzotti]

There was another loss for 401 Sqn, Spitfire IX MJ726 flown by WtOff M Thomas, also shot down by JG 26. Time of the loss was around 13:15. 401 sqn is the only Spit squadron that lost AC shot down in the afternoon over Holland, but they were not escorting bombers but patrolling over Nijmegen bridge.

According to Franek Grabowski, the 308 Sqn loss that was consigned into files for the 2nd of Oct at 18:00 happened in fact the day before. The Spit was hit by Flak on the 1st, returned to base and was declared beyong repair the next day.

There is another mystery loss this day, F/L J Whittington of 127 Sqn was KIA and is reported as "having been shot down by Flak in Calais area" in Spitfire IX PT772 at 1135. Problem is that the last German defenders of Calais surrendered during the night, and that he is buried near Antwerp, Belgium, so he probably was shot down rather in this area than over France.