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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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860 Squadron Dutch Crest
08.12.1943 No. 860 Squadron Swordfish HS274 A Sub/Lt. Evers

Operation: Training

Date: 8th December 1943 (Wednesday)

Unit: No. 860 Squadron (Dutch)

Type: Fairy Swordfish II

Serial: HS274

Code: A

Base: HMS Shrike, Maydown Londonderry, Northern Ireland

Location: Carron Bridge, North of Kilsyth, Stirling, Scotland

Pilot: Sub/Lt. Jacob Evers KMR. Age 24. Killed

Pilot 2: Lt. James Smeaton RNR. Age 26. Killed

Obs: Sub/Lt. Johan George Hoffman KMR. Age 21. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

On a training exercise when it is thought they ran low on fuel crashing in the area as shown on maps.

Sub/Lt. Johan George Hoffman (courtesy Monique Scheermeijer, relative)

Crash area today


The graves of the crew (Higher resolution available to relatives - see credits)

Burial details:

Sub/Lt. Jacob Evers. Grangemouth Grandsable Cemetery, Grave 1/42. Born on Tuesday 14th November 1911 in Rotterdam, Netherlands. NoK details not yet available.

Lt. James Smeaton. Monifieth (Or Barnhill) Cemetery, Angus. Sec V. Grave 146. Son of David Rennie Smeaton and Mary Agnes Smeaton, of Dundee, Scotland

Sub/Lt. Johan 'Jan' George Hoffman. Grangemouth Grandsable Cemetery, Grave 1/44. Born on Monday, 8th May 1922 in the Dutch Indies. NoK details not yet available. But hope to have new information shortly - see credits.

Researched for relatives of the crew with thanks to Rob Philips archives, Monique Scheermeijer, Wallace Shackleton, Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Grave photo of James Smeaton courtesy George Evans. Grandsable grave photographs Aircrew Remembered own visit.

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Acknowledgements
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 MWO 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', Archiwum - Polish Air Force Archive (on this site), Anna Krzystek, Tadeusz Krzystek - 'Polskie Siły Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii', Franek Grabowski, 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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