Unknow spitfire recovered in italy

[micky]

Hello friends, my friends of R.A.F. (Romagna Air Finders) have found a Spitfire crashed near Assisi in 1944.
The pilot's body was found still in the cockpit, he wear his flightsuit and shows red hair. Researches are started to identify of the pilot, witness says he went down few days after the front goes to north. For more informations check the RAF site:
http://www.freeforumzone.com/viewmes...f=61117&idd=82
Any informations will be appreciated, thanks in advance.
Michele

[stefaan]

Hi
That article is in Italian.
Keep us posted in English and we'll see if we can help
Stefaan Bouwer

[Andy Mac]

Hi chaps this is very frustrating - no mention of the recovery anywhere in the UK press.

[Allan125]

Babelfish translates the first piece as:

Assisi, the common one had asked our participation in order to try one Spitfire. Saturdays 22, the group of the technicians, thanks to the testimonies then, have found the mass. Saturday 29, hours 4,30, departure of convoy R.A.F. destination place of impact in the campaigns of Assisi. they give approximately 7 meters of depth are you go back the route me of the Spit and the rests of the poor pilot, thanks to the torcie electrical workers and generators, the digging has prolongedded until late evening. Largest the satisfaction of all the group and the civil and military organs of the country that has collaborated to the event. To short the report documented with photo. While the searches in order to find the identity and the origin of the poor pilot of the Spitfire have been under way. Thanks soon.

cheers

Allan

[Chris Goss]

Has anyone any further information on this as the AHB, British Embassy and RAF Cas Branch were unaware until I told them this morning!

[mhuxt]

Very last paragraph seems to say they've narrowed it down to 3 likely possibilities, two Englishmen and a South African, so far as I can decipher.

[Alex Smart]

Hello,

From what I have read it looks like the names are

Ibbotson, Seddon and Duncan.

From the CWG site I can only find possibles which are -

F/Lt. Desmond Ibbotson DFC + bar RAFVR age 23 died 19/11/1944.

F/O Samuel Maurice Seddon of 268 Sqdn died 30/1/1944.

Air Corporal G. L. Duncan of 8 Sqdn SAAF age 19 died 23/9/1944.

night

Alex

[micky]

Thank you Alex, the plane went down in a september sunday, as told by the witness. May be A/C Duncan was our man, but are you sure that 8 sqn SAAF flew Spitfire? thanks

Michele

[Fairlop]

Michele,

A tiny note about the possible date. 23/9/44 (Duncan) was Saturday.

Regards,
Michal

[stefaan]

Hi Guys.
8 Sqn SAAF flew Mk V and Mk IX Spits.
If he was SAAF and he still has a recognisable jacket on there should be a red band on his eppulettes.
What worries me is that Air corporals did not fly a/c in the SAAF, only
officers.
Do you have any photo's of this.
I could not load the picture when I went into your link
Stefaan Bouwer