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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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72 Squadron Crest
27.09.1941 72 Squadron Spitfire Vb P8560 Sgt. Merrett

Operation: Circus 103B (Mazingarbe), France

Date: 27th September 1941 (Saturday)

Unit No: 72 Squadron (motto: 'Swift'), Fighter Command

Type: Spitfire Vb

Serial: P8560

Code: SD:?

Base: RAF Biggin Hill, Kent

Location: North Sea

Pilot: Sgt. John Graham Merrett 402294 RAAF Age 25. KiA

REASON FOR LOSS:

Circus 103B, Escort bombers on a mission to bomb power station at Mazingarbe in France

12 aircraft with the Wing entered France over Mardyck, shortly afterwards when 10 to 15 miles inland SW of St. Omer the formation was attacked by a large formation of enemy aircraft, which approached from the SW. During the ensuing dogfights during which one enemy aircraft was shot down with one probable. Sgt. Merrett was one of two pilots from the squadron that failed to return.

Also lost on the same operation:

72 Squadron Spitfire Vb AB843 Flown by Sgt. Albert Frederick Binns 1375801 RAFVR MiA
129 Squadron Spitfire Vb W3824 Flown by Sgt. J.A Spence-Ross 778253 RAFVR PoW No. 436 Camp: Stalag Kopernikus
308 Squadron Spitfire Vb W3940 Flown by Sgt. Ernest Feliks Watolski 783288 PAF PoW No: 9680 Camp: Stalag Luft Sagan.
402 Squadron Spitfire IIb Z5005 Flown by Plt Off. S.A. Graham J3707 RCAF PoW No. 3807 Camp: Stalag Luft Sagan.
403 Squadron Spitfire Vb AD207 Flown by Sqn Ldr. Roland Anthony Lee Knight DFC. 37772 RAF KiA
603 Squadron Spitfire V R7221 Flown by Sgt. W.J. Allard 1253159 RAFVR PoW No: 9687 Camp: Stalag Luft Sagan.
603 Squadron Spitfire V W3233 Flown by Flt Sgt. William James Archibald R/68551 RCAF KiA
611 Squadron Spitfire Vb W3442 Flown by Sgt. G.T. Evans R65407 RCAF PoW No: 9663 Camp: L6

Many others returned to units with various degrees of damage.

Burial details

The pilot's body was eventually washed up on the 23rd October at Vlissingen.

Sgt. John Graham Merrett. Flushing Northern Cemetery (Vlissingen). Row B. Grave 14. Born on the 3rd November 1915 at Sydney, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Merrett, of 17 Ruby Street, Mosman, New South Wales, Australia.

A clerk prior to service. Trained on the Harvard and Yale aircraft. Joined 72 Squadron from 57 Operational Training Unit on the 9th September 1941.

Researched by Kelvin Youngs (Webmaster) Aircrew Remembered and dedicated to the pilot and his relatives. Updated with new mission information by Aircrew Remembered (Feb 2024).

Other sources listed below:

RS 09.02.2024 - Reviewed and updated

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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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