2 Spitfires shot down near Arnhem

[Pietje]

I am looking for information a 2 Spitfirers shot down on a mission to the area of Huissen-Doorneburg (south-west of Arnhem) on the 2nd of October 1944. These Spits gave flight cover to a group of bombers attacking the area mentioned.
The planes must have come down in the afternoon of that day 'somewhere'.
Does someone know to what Squadrons these planes belonged and what happened to the crew as well how they were shot down ...

[Stephane Muret]

Here what i've found about lost spit over Holland :

308 sqd Spit IX Sgt Glowczeski , armed recce, flak damage

401 RCAF sqd Spit IX F/Lt Bouskil (DFC), KIA Nimègue area, combat with JG 26 + W/O Thomas, Nimègue area but safe after bailed out over allied lines

421 RCAF sqd, Spit IX F/O J.M. Calvert, safe, damaged after dogfight against JG 26

Hope this could help.

Stéphane

[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.

[Pietje]

Thanks to all guy's.... What was 401 Sqn task for that day?

[RossGmann]

As a matter of interest (you may already be aware of this) The following lists the two Luftwaffe Pilots who shot down the two Spitfires from the 401 Sqn on 2 October, 1944 www.luftwaffe.cz/hofmann.html Entry# 40 www.luftwaffe.cz/glunz.html Entry# 67 Kind regards Ross Search Engine Used: GOOGLE Search Term Used: 2.10.1944 Spitfire Site:www.luftwaffe.cz Note the word site must be used in the search

[Andy_Ingham]

Originally Posted by Laurent Rizzotti

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.

F/L Whittington is indeed buried at Antwerp.
His body was not recovered from the sea until a few weeks after his loss.
He is buried next to 2 men that were killed on the 25 & 26 October 1944.
F/L Whittington was killed on 2 October 1944.

The Form 541 does say Dive Bombing Gun Positions NEAR Calais.
The entry in the ORB Form 540 reads,
10 A/C were airborne at 1050 enroute to dive bomb gun positions in area D.94/GRJ.2, landing back at to base at 1210 hours. ...........1 a/c CAT AC the pilot F/Lt Whittington missing.

Andy

[karl lusink]

Spitfire IX MJ-726 401 sq Pilot: W/O M. Thomas
crashed at Boxmeer, baled out in allied lines.
Spitfire IX MJ-300 401 sq Pilot: F/Lt R.R. Bouskill
crashed nr Keent Pilot KIA
Patrol Nijmegen