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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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403 Squadron R.C.A.F. Spitfire IX MJ988 F/O. Lanfranchi

Operation: Patrol

Date: 28th June 1944 (Wednesday)

Unit: No. 403 Squadron (RCAF)

Type: Spitfire IX

Serial: MJ988

Base: Advanced landing strip: B2 / Bazenville

Location: Falaise, France

Pilot: F/O. James Leon Lanfranchi J/18918 RCAF Age 26. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

On a beachhead patrol in the early morning when following combat with Fw190 the engine failed. 

F/O. James Leon Lanfranchi - taken in around March - June 1941. (courtesy Jane Chilvers)

      

Memorial to F/O. Lanfranchi in Proussy, France (courtesy Philippe Corve)

              

Right: Bretteville-Sur-Laize Canadian War Cemetery (courtesy CWGC)

Burial Details:

F/O. James Leon Lanfranchi. Bretteville-Sur-Laize Canadian War Cemetery. Grave: XXVIII.H.2. Son of Guido Lanfranchi, and of Martha Lanfranchi, of Montreal, Province of Quebec, Canada.

With thanks to the following: Jane Chilvers (Photo of Lanfranchi), Phillippe Corvė (memorial photo's) "Fighter Command Losses" - Norman Franks, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Explore related reports: 1944 Canada Fighter Command France Supermarine Spitfire
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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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