Archive Report: Allied Forces

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540 Squadron Mosquito PR.XVI MM360 W/O. Kenneth Leslie Boyd

Operation: Photo Reconnaissance

Date: 21st August 1944 (Monday)

Unit: No. 540 Squadron (motto: Sine qua non - 'ndispensable').106 Group. Coastal Command

Type: Mosquito PR.XVI

Serial: MM360

Code: -

Base: RAF Benson, Oxfordshire

Location: North Rostock

Pilot: W/O. Kenneth Leslie Boyd NZ/411381 RNZAF Age 24. Killed

Nav: Fl/Sgt. Howard Richard Read 1395940 RAFVR Age 34. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

taking off at 13:30 hrs on a Photo reconnaissance over the Stettin area, Germany.

MM360 was shot down by Oberfeldwebel Müller of the 10./JG 300 flying a Bf 109 G-6. Crashed at 15:55 hrs.

It was reported on Germand records that the body of the pilot was recovered and buried. Post war searches could find no trace of his grave. It was thought that he may have been buried on the beach where found or in nearby sand hills with the grave site being effaced by the elements in the time scale.

Burial details:

W/O. Kenneth Leslie Boyd. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 263. Born on the -1st July 1920 in Palmeston North. Educated at Palmeston North Boys High School. A civil servant for Births, Deaths and Marriages in Wellington. Served 2 years in the territorial army. Enlisted at Levin on the 02nd March 1941 as a pilot under training. With No. 3 Elementary Flying Training School 11th April 1941. No. 2 Service Flying Training School 25th May 1941. Pilot badge awarded on the 05th July 1941 and promoted to sergeant on the 16th Augusdt 1941. Embarked for Singapore on the 15th September 1941. Joined 242 squadron flying the Buffalo in October 1941Evacuated to NewZealand via Australia in March 1942. After serving with various units embarked for England on the 21st August 1943. Joined 540 squadron on the 13th June 1944. A total of 831 flying hours logged. 39 operational sorties.

Son of Robert James Boyd and Minnie Boyd (née Diepenhelm), of Grey Lynn, Auckland, New Zealand.

Fl/Sgt. Howard Richard Read. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 221. Son of Richard Howard Read and Florence Consuelo Dora Read, of Walberton, Sussex, England.

Above L-R: Rear; WR Cook, George Thirlwell Brown NZ.411364 ✞, George Samuel Beca NZ/39985, BD New, AC Allison, Garth Reginald Gunn NZ/411397 ✞.

Third row; FL Leckie, Norman George Clark NZ.411370 ✞, WC Anderson, WF McGechie, Howard Keith Kemp NZ/411514 ✞, FJ King, RG Tait, GL Kennedy.

Second row; Frederick Rex Higgott NX/41329 ✞, Kenneth Leslie Boyd NZ/411381 ✞, Lincoln Leslie Arnol Craig NZ/411376 ✞, Colin Moncur NZ/411431, ER Banks, J Sweeney, P Olson, RE Rathbone, HC Collins.

Front; Peter Reginald Kingsford NZ/41482 ✞,, Lester Charles Woodward 133107, Russell William Strode Penny NZ/404937 ✞, Cyril Keith Silcock NZ/411641, Russell Henry Suckling NZ/411469 ✞, EG Rhodes, James Elliot Jenkison NZ/411410 ✞, Jack McGifford Cleland NZ/411371. (Courtesy Air Museum of New Zealand)

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this pilot with thanks to the extensive research by Errol Martyn and his publications: “For Your Tomorrow Vols. 1-3”, New Zealand Cenotaph, Weekly News of New Zealand, Air Museum of New Zealand, Museum of Transport and Technology, Auckland, Kracker Archive, other sources as quoted below:

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