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Archive Report: Allied Forces

Compiled from official National Archive and Service sources, contemporary press reports, personal logbooks, diaries and correspondence, reference books, other sources, and interviews.
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601 Squadron Spitfire VcT BR125 P/O. Cripps, RAF Ta Qali, 8./JG53, Qormi, Malta

Operation: Interception

Date: 26th April 1942 (Sunday)

Unit: No. 601 Squadron

Type: Spitfire VcT

Serial: BR125

Code: Not known

Base: RAF Ta Qali

Location: Qormi, Malta

Pilot: P/O. Walter Ephraim Cripps J/5806 RCAF Age 21. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Shot down by units from 8./JG53 - pilot baled out of his spitfire but died later of his wounds.

(Further research continues)

Burial details:

P/O. Walter Ephraim Cripps. Malta Naval Cemetery (Capuccini) Prot. Sec. (Officers'). Plot E. Coll. grave 20. Son of Joseph B. Cripps and Lilian Cripps of Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada.

Researched for Martin Connell/Lynda and dedicated to the relatives of this pilot with thanks to sources as quoted below:

KTY 24.05.2017

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Acknowledgements
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Sources used by us in compiling Archive Reports include: Bill Chorley - 'Bomber Command Losses Vols. 1-9, plus ongoing revisions', Dr. Theo E.W. Boiten and Mr. Roderick J. Mackenzie - 'Nightfighter War Diaries Vols. 1 and 2', Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt - 'Bomber Command War Diaries', Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Tom Kracker - Kracker Luftwaffe Archives, Michel Beckers, Major Fred Paradie (RCAF) and Captain François Dutil (RCAF) - Paradie Archive (on this site), Jean Schadskaje, Major Jack O'Connor USAF (Retd.), Robert Gretzyngier, Wojtek Matusiak, Waldemar Wójcik and Józef Zieliński - 'Ku Czci Połeglyçh Lotnikow 1939-1945', Andrew Mielnik: Archiwum - Polish Air Force Archive (on this site), Anna Krzystek, Tadeusz Krzystek - 'Polskie Siły Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii', Franek Grabowski, Polish graves: https://niebieskaeskadra.pl/, PoW Museum Żagań, Norman L.R. Franks 'Fighter Command Losses', Stan D. Bishop, John A. Hey MBE, Gerrie Franken and Maco Cillessen - Losses of the US 8th and 9th Air Forces, Vols 1-6, Dr. Theo E.W. Boiton - Nachtjagd Combat Archives, Vols 1-13. Aircrew Remembered Databases and our own archives. We are grateful for the support and encouragement of CWGC, UK Imperial War Museum, Australian War Memorial, Australian National Archives, New Zealand National Archives, UK National Archives and Fold3 and countless dedicated friends and researchers across the world.
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