loss of Mustang 239 squadron

[Wim de Meester]

Dear researchers

On 10 August 1943 one Mustang pilot of 239 squadron was lost off Kent on return from a Rhubarb.
Could this perhaps be the same plane, as part of a two plane formation, that at 07.07 hours was discovered by the Flak-Commander (Flushing) who ordered his batteries 4 minutes later to open fire with all four heavy batteries as well as the LW-Flak unit 1./847 ?
Though no results were observed the ammo expenditure was so huge that it is hard to believe no hits were made.

thanks in advance for any information.

[SteveB]

Wim

I don't think your link is correct. 239Sqdn did lose a pilot F/Off P Shepherd-Smith and his a/c AG557. However the sortie took off at 1537 hours and the other pilot had returned by 1615 hours. The weather was very poor and they were heading for Amiens/Rouen so it seems unlikely that they reached the French coast and S-Smith was lost in the cloud.

Steve