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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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Bomber Command Crest
26.03.1944 1655 Mosquito Training Unit Mosquito FB.IV DZ388 Sq/Ldr. Allport DFC

Operation: Training

Date: 26th March 1944 (Sunday)

Unit: No. 1655 Mosquito Training Unit 8 (PFF) Group

Type: Mosquito FB.IV

Serial: DZ388

Code: -

Base: RAF Warboys, Cambridgeshire

Location: Aslackby Farm, ESE Folkingham, Lincolnshire

Pilot: Sq/Ldr. Valentine Allport DFC NZ/402839 RNZAF Age 28. Killed

Nav: Fl/Lt. Thomas William Matthews 108052 RAFVR Age 24. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off at 19:09 hrs on an operational training sortie. At 19:30 hrs. the aircraft spin into the ground at location shown.

No cause was established.

Burial details:

Sq/Ldr. Valentine Allport DFC. Cambridge City Cemetery Grave 14759. Born on the 18th February 1916 at Nelson, the son of Alfred Valentine and Amy Allport (née Biddle), of Stoke, Nelson, New Zealand. Prior to enlisting on the 31st August 1940 worked as a Life Assurance agent for the AMP Society. Received the DFC L/G 11th August 1942 whilst serving with 18 Squadron. 12 solo hours on the Mosquito. Had served a full tour with 18 Squadron, both in the Middle East and Europe flying the Bristol Blenheim IV. The CWGC list him incorrectly as a Fl/Lt.

Fl/Lt. Thomas William Matthews. Abney Park Cemetery. Sec E.3. Grave RN.60152. Son of Thomas Joseph and Catherine Matthews and husband of Joan Elizabeth Matthews, of Finsbury Park, Middlesex, England. Grave inscription: 'Dearest Husband Of Joan. His Heart In Me Keeps Him And Me In One'.

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to Jenifer Lemaire and to the extensive research by Errol Martyn and his publications: “For Your Tomorrow Vols. 1-3”, Auckland Library Heritage Collection, Weekly News of New Zealand, other sources as quoted below:

KTY/JL 16.01.2020

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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 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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