British air losses 24 March 1944

[SCohen]

Does anyone have a full list of British aircraft losses on that date?

[Nick Beale]

In which theatre of operations?

[SCohen]

Apologies,

The Med, specifically Italy.

[Russell]

As far as I am aware, there were three Spitfires damaged, one of which crash landed. They were 93 Squadrons Bobby Bunting in Spitfire IX MA934 'C' damaged by a 20mm Flak shell but landed safely, Sqn Ldr E. Kee of 241 in Spitfire VIII JF760 damaged by debris from an exploding barge strafed east of Uljan Island, and Flt Lt A. Anderson of 145 in Spitfire Vc JL243 whose engine failed near base, after suspected damage by small arms fire. No losses in the Aegean, and no losses by other types of aircraft.
Regards

Russell

[Frank Olynyk]

As noted in A History of the Mediterranean Air War, Volume 4, on page 568, two Spitfires were damaged, and one was lost.
A Spitfire IX of 93 Sqn was damaged by flak, pilot WIA.
A Spitfire VIII of 241 Sqn was damaged by target explosion, pilot safe.
A Spitfire Vc of 80 Sqn was apparently hit by small arms fire, and crash landed, pilot WIA.

These are the only combat losses we note in the book. There could be other losses not due to combat which we did not find.

Enjoy!

Frank. (one of the authors)

[Alex Smart]

Wellington X - LN717 - 104 Sqn. Padua North Railway Yards.

1 crewman at Padua,
116399 F/O (Pilot) Joseph Basil POAD RAFVR.

4 crewmen on Malta Memorial.
138127 F/O Norman Eric BLIGHT RAFVR .
1188802 F/Sgt John Edwin FRITH RAFVR .
1600086 Sgt John Harry GREENSLADE RAFVR .
928300 F/Sgt Godfrey Jones OLIVER RAFVR .

Wellington XIII - JA317 - 221 Sqn

5 Crewmen at Catania , Sicily.
126456 F/O Donald Jesse HOLLIES RAFVR.
138495 F/O Dorian KEEN RAFVR.
1130757 Sgt Robert CAMERON RAFVR.
1576143 Sgt Frank Albert CLAYTON RAFVR.
1577659 Sgt William Albert YOUNGJOHNS RAFVR.

Mosquito FB VI LR249 - 23 Sqn

Malta Memorial.
1248149 F/Sgt Stanley SWIFT RAFVR.
67641 F/Lt Harold Arthur TURNER RAFVR.

Malta Memorial
120399 F/Lt Ronald Henry ACKLAND RAFVR - 231 Sqn.

Egypt, Heliopolis
1283580 Lac John EVANS RAFVR - 238 Sqn.

[Chris Goss]

Again the question is day or night?

[Zoran Petek]

Hello,
I can only add one, DBR (Damaged Beyond Repair) on 24 Mar 44 - Baltimore Mk.IV FA616 (USAAF A-30A s/n 41-28198), 69 Sqn. It seems that FA616 flew previously in 454 Sqn RAAF from Libya. Later with 69 Sqn RAF (Malta and Sicily) from Dec 1943 (from 155 MU).
Zoran

[SCohen]

Chris: Both,

Frank: Thanks, I saw your book but I wasn't sure if it was complete because it mentioned that it covers tactical and not strategic missions that would be covered later in the series. Is that accurate?


Thank you all

[Frank Olynyk]

SCohen,

Yes, strategic ops will be in volume 6. Thus 15th AF and 205 Group. Since we (which includes Russell, by the way) haven't turned in volume 5 yet -- soon) there is currently no estimate as to when volume 6 will be published. I am in the process of copying 15th AF records at NARA II.

Enjoy!

Frank.