Operation: Ramrod 154
Date: 25th July 1943 (Sunday)
Unit: No. 504 Squadron
Type: Spitfire MkV
Serial: AA755
Code: TM-U
Base: RAF Patrington, Yorkshire
Location: Broek in Waterland Holland
Pilot: F/O. Jack Jagger 130593 RAFVR Age 21. PoW Camp: Stalag Luft Sagan and Belaria
REASON FOR LOSS:
In the afternoon on 25 July 1943, taking off on Ramrod 154. This consisted of the sub-operations; Ramrod 154/I and Ramrod 154/II. Ramrod 154/I was against Schipol with twelve Mitchell’s from 180 Squadron supported by seven squadrons of Spitfire Mk.Vs (10 and 12 Group) and Spitfire Mk.IXs of Northolt and Kenley Wings.
Ten Mitchell’s bombed the Fokker works at Schiphol at 15:00 from 14,000ft with 80 x 500-lb. bombs with good concentration of strikes while encountering heavy flak. All bombers returned. 504 Squadron flew as close escort and encountered 4 x Bf109Gs near Amsterdam at around 15:00.Fl/Sgt. Gough claimed one as a probable and an unknown pilot from the unit claimed a damaged while F/O. Jagger was taken PoW after having been shot down at 15:04 hrs.
Burial details:
None survived the war. However, killed at a later date - buried at Coningsby Cemetery, England.
August 14th 1952 Sq/Ldr. Jack Jagger was killed whilst flying in Meteor F Mk 8, WK657 of No 92 Squadron crashed at Dogdyke, near Coningsby, Lincolnshire. Struck ground during aerobatics. The aircraft, flown by Sq/Ldr. Jagger of 92 Sqn was spending a week at Coningsby. A visit was made by a senior delegation.Sq/Ldr. Jagger was an expert aerobatic pilot and agreed to put on a display for the delegation. His finale was always a bunt, half twist and a very low inverted high speed flight along the runway - undergoing very high negative g forces which could leave his eyes a bright salmon pink. A flight of 3 Meteors had requested permission to land and Jack Jagger was asked by the tower to hurry his demonstration. Probably he started his last manoeuvre too slowly, and therefore did not have sufficient height.
He did his normal half twist, realised he did not have sufficient height and did another half twist back to a normal attitude. Unfortunately he l did not have enough height and crashed into a herd of cows in a field at the end of the runway. A fine pilot and a great CO losing his life at 30 years of age.
Researched by Michel Beckers for Aircrew Remembered - November 2015. Photograph from the Michel Beckers collection. Grave photo courtesy Maria Robinson.
MB 14.11.2015
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