Wellington X LP501U Loss October '44

[flighty]

Hello everyone,
I am posting this once again in the hope that someone here may be able to help. I have tried the RAF Commands forum and got some great feedback but I am still hunting.
I am after any information at all about my late father Norman William Flight who flew a Wellington X from Foggia, Italy in 1944. He was an RAF Sgt. Pilot with 104 Squadron, 205 Group and he was shot down during a raid on Szombathely, Hungary on the night of 20/21 October 1944.
All the crew baled out and survived. My dad was then a prisoner in Stalag XXIb until the end of the war.
I would love to hear from any of his crew who are still alive and any of their family. The only possible name I have is an 'Ellis'. It would be good to know who else was in his crew that night. The plane he flew was coded: LP501U.
After the war he had a long flying career in the RAF until his retirement in 1977.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Regards,
Ross Flight

[HGabor]

Hi Ross,

Your Dad’s crew was:

Sgt. N. W. Flight - pilot, - (POW)
Sgt. H. M. Bryce - navigator, - (POW)
Sgt. J. P. E. Ruddick - (POW)
Sgt. D. Davies - (POW)
Sgt. W. H. Mitchell - (POW)

Their plane was downed by 7/NJG.6 Me 110G-4 (2Z+HR) Oblt. Josef Kraft at 22.15 and crashed at the village of Zalatárnok, Hungary. Do you have any photo of your Dad’s plane? Maybe his crew, or him in uniform? Thanks,

Gabor

[flighty]

Hi Gabor,

this is great information, thank you so much. I am absolutely thrilled that you have managed to find out the names of my dad's crew. Where did you find this out may I ask and is there anymore? I had a suspicion that Josef Kraft was the pilot responsible for shooting him down. The location you mention for the crash site is great news as well. Ultimately I would love to go there one day, if the exact location of the crash site itself is still known about.
I have a picture of my father which I think was taken whilst he was in training in South Africa (he would have been 19/20 years old). I have also a picture of what might be some of his crew, though I am not sure; they certainly all look young enough. I will try to upload them. In the group shot my father is second from the the left.
Once again I cannot thank you enough for your post. If you know of anything else at all please do not hesitate to get in contact.

Best regards,
Ross Flight

[HGabor]

Hi Ross,

I am glad that you have found this information helpful. Thanks for the great pictures. The list of the crew came from David Gunby (NZ), RAF 205. BG historian, who had lost his father onboard another 104. Squadron Wellington, also in October, 1944, but I am sure there are several other sources available on the crew. Other than that, we have a short police telegram sent to the police HQ in Budapest on the crash from that night:

The Royal Hungarian Police reports:

“Zalatárnok (Zala county): A twin engined enemy plane crashed. Her crew bailed out with parachutes. So far three of them were captured.” – October 20, 1944.

The location and plane cannot be mistaken, since all other crews were KIA that night in this raid.

See location at:

http://hu.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zalat%C3%A1rnok

Cheers,

Gabor

[flighty]

Hi Gabor,

once again, many thanks for the post. This is great information. I remember my dad saying to me that he was arrested by an Hungarian policeman that night. Thanks for the Wikipedia link as well, unfortunately my Hungarian isn't very good so I will have to find someone to help me make sense of it. It would be thrilling to know if indeed the exact crash site is known of. I feel a trip to Hungary is possibly on the cards. If you are ever in England I will buy a beer or two. I do work for a brewery in England who produce a beer called 'Spitfire' which is very good.
Best regards,
Ross A. Flight

[HGabor]

Hi Ross,

I do not know for sure if the crash site is known or not, maybe local researchers can help, - I'll try to contact them. As of the beer, - it sounds good, it has to be a very 'hot' one, based on its name... Thanks,

Gabor

[flighty]

Hi Gabor,
thanks for the reply. As I said before, what you have found out is such great news to our family, we are all very grateful. My dad's wartime history is now coming back to life. I have told the rest of my family about the information you have found and they are all amazed and they all want to buy you a beer as well!!!
If you do know of anyone in Hungary who may be able to help further, then that would be great as well.
I now have to try and find his crew.
Many thanks and regards,
Ross A. Flight