Bob van der Stok and Oorlogsvlieger van Oranje (Circus 122)

[Ruy Horta]

Another discrepency, which I find quit remarkable.

Oorlogsvlieger van Oranje, by Bob van der Stok

Bob was a former dutch fighter pilot who escaped the Germans, joined the RAF (41sqn), was shot down over France and took part in the Great Escape to end up with 322 Sqn.

I believe this book has also been translated to english.

However more to the point.

The opening chapter describes him being shot down on the morning of July 14th 1942.

One would think this to be such an important date, too important to be forgotten or mistaken, however I could not find any reference to this event on that particular date in either Norman Franks' Fighter Command Losses nor John Foreman's Fighter Command War Diaries.

The natural thing to do is start searching around that date, in case there is some mistake.

Finally both these sources establish the event on April 12th 1942, during Circus No.122.

July 14th 1942 is actually April 12th 1942.

Why such a large discrepency?

I cannot think of any printing or date annotation mix-ups that could explain this, so it left a feeling of being an intentional change of events.

Of course the question remains, why?

[Alex Smart]

hello Ruy,


Does "Spitfire the History" have this Spitfire as being with 81 Sqdn when lost not 41 Sqdn ?.

"BL595 38MU 9-1-42. 41S 10-2. 81S 12-2. FTR Opps 12-4. FH 64.20."

In which case the codes would have been "FL" instead of "EB".

Any photo's exist of the a/c either before or when captured ?

Air Brit BA to BZ has her with 41 Sqdn and missing on a sweep 12-4-42.

Just wondered if confusion set in, as Van der Stok reached England from Spain in July (44) was it the 14th ?

IIRC he was the 18th man in the tunnel.

Died in the USA in 1993.

night

Alex

[Ruy Horta]

Thanks, I'll check these points when I get back home this evening.

Regards,

[Ruy Horta]

According to his book Van der Stok returned Britain on the 20th of May 1944.

Spitfire - The History, has the following info:

BL595 38MU 9-1-42 41S 10-2 81S 12-2 FTR ops 12-4 FH64.20

Not sure if the latter code is part of this a/c's history

There is no photo in the Van der Stok book, but there might of course be in others.

[Alex Smart]

Hello Ruy,


FH 64.20

this refers to Flying Hours 64 hours 20 minutes.

Alex

[Ruy Horta]

Thanks, should have found that in the book, but I didn't