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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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131 Squadron Spitfire VII MB887 WO. Atkinson, RAF Culmhead, missing, Saint-Brieux, France

Operation: Rhubarb 265

Date: 1st June 1944 (Thursday)

Unit: 131 Squadron (motto: Invicta - 'Unconquered')

Type: Spitfire VII

Serial: MB887

Code: NX:?

Base: RAF Culmhead, Somerset

Location: Saint-Brieux, France

Pilot: WO. William James Atkinson 413332 RAAF Age 21. Missing - believed killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

During the operation Spitfire MB887 encountered flak at location shown. No further details and we welcome any further formation.

Neither the pilot nor aircraft was recovered.

Burial details:

WO. William James Atkinson. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 259. Born on the 14th August 1922 at North Sydney, NSW, the son of Clifford and Elsie May Atkinson, of Carlton Flats, 71 Milson Road.Cremorne, New South Wales, Australia. A bank clerk prior to service at the National Bank of Australia. Previously served with the 1st Machine Gun Corps for 3 months.

For further details our thanks to the following sources:

KTY 06.05.2019

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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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