Luftwaffe and Allied Air Forces Discussion Forum  

Go Back   Luftwaffe and Allied Air Forces Discussion Forum > Discussion > Allied and Soviet Air Forces

Allied and Soviet Air Forces Please use this forum to discuss the Air Forces of the Western Allies and the Soviet Union.

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 5th May 2008, 15:22
Chris Goss's Avatar
Chris Goss Chris Goss is offline
Alter Hase
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: UK
Posts: 11,193
Chris Goss has a spectacular aura aboutChris Goss has a spectacular aura about
Fg Off Norman Head 409 Sqn

The above did well as a night fighter pilot in 96 Sqn in 1944 but he started flying Defiants with 409 Sqn. He was forced to land his Defiant with a dead gunner some time in 1941 possibly early 1942 following a combat and ended upside down over a sunken road. However, his logbook does not show this-can any 409 Sqn specialists help?
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 5th May 2008, 15:47
Alex Smart Alex Smart is offline
Alter Hase
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Great Britain
Posts: 4,269
Alex Smart is on a distinguished road
Re: Fg Off Norman Head 409 Sqn

Hi,
Not a 409 Squadron "expert" but have Air Britain book "The Defiant File" by Alec Brew.

409 Sqdn code "KP"

There is note on page 119 that may be of use.

Watson F/Lt. F.S. RCAF 409 Sqn 11.10.41.

Page 99
AA281
c/n 651
deld to 24 MU 2.6.41; 409 Sqn 9.7.41; Crashed at Wolverton, Norfolk after pilot lost control, 11.10.41; Flt.Lt. F.S.Watson RCAF killed; Flt Sgt. McKinnon baled out; SOC 16.10.41.

Page 39
No 409 Nighthawk Squadron forming at Digby on 17th June with thirteen aircraft arriving all at once on the 9th July.
and
No 409 flew its first operation on 3rd August and was declaired fully operational on 20th but the following month began converting to Beaufighters.

Hope this is a help.

Alex
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 5th May 2008, 16:50
Alex Smart Alex Smart is offline
Alter Hase
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Great Britain
Posts: 4,269
Alex Smart is on a distinguished road
Re: Fg Off Norman Head 409 Sqn

Hello Chris,

Well I expect that you have checked the CWGC site and also 409 Sqdn via the "hut-six" site too.
But in case you have not as yet done so -

Here are some 409 Sqdn losses.
1941

25/11/41 AC2 Albert Ronald Gibbons.RAF
02/09/41 P/O Arthur Noel Slater.RAF
02/09/41 W/Cdr Norman Bredsgaard Petersen RCAF

1942
19/01/42 Sgt. Louis Henry Svendsen RAF
19/01/42 F/Sgt. Alexander Ian Murray RCAF
28/02/42 P/O. Robert McConnell Murchie RCAF
05/03/42 A.C.1. R.J.A.G.St.Hilaire RCAF
27/03/42 P/O. P. M. Sweet RCAF
27/03/42 S/Ldr. B. A. Hanbury RCAF
27/03/42 F/Sgt. J. W. Dickson RCAF
08/08/42 F/Sgt. A. J. Matches RCAF
08/08/42 P/O. B. A. Thornley RCAF
19/09/42 F/O. W. D. Gibson RCAF
05/12/42 Sgt. Herbert Pendleton RAF
05/12/42 F/O. R.K. E. Warner RCAF
31/12/42 W/O. B. H. Barber RCAF
31/12/42 F/O. H. Brooks RCAF
31/12/42 W/O. H. Hare RCAF
31/12/42 F/O. W. B. Mosley RCAF

And I also found T3934 14/08/41 P/O. E. Fenwick injured, Sgt. Dickson unhurt.
a/c hit trees on aproach Coleby Grange.

Alex

Last edited by Alex Smart; 5th May 2008 at 17:31.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 5th May 2008, 18:49
Chris Goss's Avatar
Chris Goss Chris Goss is offline
Alter Hase
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: UK
Posts: 11,193
Chris Goss has a spectacular aura aboutChris Goss has a spectacular aura about
Re: Fg Off Norman Head 409 Sqn

Alex: Thanks but nothing seems to match with Head
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 5th May 2008, 21:16
Alex Smart Alex Smart is offline
Alter Hase
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Great Britain
Posts: 4,269
Alex Smart is on a distinguished road
Re: Fg Off Norman Head 409 Sqn

Hi Chris,

Could it be under 96 Sqdn as the 409 had them for so short a while then to 60OTU I think.

Alex
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 3rd July 2008, 00:14
Chris Goss's Avatar
Chris Goss Chris Goss is offline
Alter Hase
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: UK
Posts: 11,193
Chris Goss has a spectacular aura aboutChris Goss has a spectacular aura about
Re: Fg Off Norman Head 409 Sqn

Got his logbook-it looks like an attack by I/NJG 2 on 18-19 Aug 41; possible victim of Struening?
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 3rd July 2008, 23:47
Chris Goss's Avatar
Chris Goss Chris Goss is offline
Alter Hase
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: UK
Posts: 11,193
Chris Goss has a spectacular aura aboutChris Goss has a spectacular aura about
Re: Fg Off Norman Head 409 Sqn

Logbook shows he was flying T3931 on 18-19 Aug 41 & when he and Sgt Thornley were landing at Coleby Grange, they were attacked by a Ju 88 (almost definitely Ofw Heinz Struening). Then on 20 Aug in the same ac with Sgt Hare, they were attacked by an intruder on take off from Coleby and the same aircraft bombed Coleby. Of interst, his logbook ntes that on 14 Jun, Sutton Bridge was bombed and a Havard destroyed, again it was attacked on 20 Jun and on 12 Aug, as he took off from Coleby saw Waddington being attacked
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 30th January 2013, 16:19
Yeomans Yeomans is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 62
Yeomans is on a distinguished road
Re: Fg Off Norman Head 409 Sqn

Chris,

Where might I find out more about F/O Norman Head's time with 96 Squadron? I am particularly interested in his sortie on 14/15 March 1944 when flying with F/O Arthur Andrews as his observer, when they claimed 2 Ju88's one of which was W/Nr 140099 ?

Many thanks

Nick
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 30th January 2013, 17:03
Chris Goss's Avatar
Chris Goss Chris Goss is offline
Alter Hase
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: UK
Posts: 11,193
Chris Goss has a spectacular aura aboutChris Goss has a spectacular aura about
Re: Fg Off Norman Head 409 Sqn

I will have to see if I can locate my copy of his logbook but having recently moved house, I cannot say for certain where it is at the moment
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 30th January 2013, 17:14
Yeomans Yeomans is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 62
Yeomans is on a distinguished road
Re: Fg Off Norman Head 409 Sqn

Thanks Chris - we are putting together a temporary display of information and artifacts relating to the loss of W/Nr 140099 at our local museum and have very little information on F/O's Head and Andrews so anything you may have would be very much appreciated.
Regards
Nick
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
RAF and RAAF ORBs available on the Web Laurent Rizzotti Allied and Soviet Air Forces 43 23rd October 2015 15:46
German claims and Allied losses May 1940 Laurent Rizzotti Allied and Soviet Air Forces 2 19th May 2010 12:13
Which Allied unit made the attack? Mikael Olrog Allied and Soviet Air Forces 8 1st February 2010 00:20
Dieppe raid ASR operations Steve49 Allied and Soviet Air Forces 1 28th December 2007 18:55
Spitfire losses January 22nd, 1943 Jochen Prien Luftwaffe and Axis Air Forces 5 14th September 2006 02:35


All times are GMT +2. The time now is 19:20.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.7.2
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004 - 2018, 12oclockhigh.net