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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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322 Squadron Crest
12.08.1944 No. 322 Squadron Spitfire XIV MH370 3W-L F/O. Burgwal

Operation: Escort

Date: 12th August 1944

Unit: No. 322 Squadron. 85 Group (motto: 'Niet praten maar doen - 'Actions, not words')

Type: Spitfire XIV

Serial: MH370

Code: 3W-L

Base: RAF Deanland, Sussex

Location: Le Genest-Saint Isle, Mayenne, France

Pilot: F/O. Rudolph Frans Burgwal 113893 RAFVR Age 26. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Escorting Lancaster on a bombing operation to Orleans, France when he was shot down by anti-aircraft fire.

F/O. Burgwal was the top V1 flying ace with 19 confirmed.

During the same operation F/O. Jan Jonkers (shown left) flying Spitfire 1X MK520 3W-K was forced to land in Rennes, F/O. Burgwal escorted him down. Pilot safe and aircraft repaired.

Burial details:

Initially buried Saint-Isle Communal Cemetery, Mayenne - reinterred after the end of the war.

F/O. Rudolph Frans Burgwal. Orry-La-Ville Netherlands Field Of Honour. Plot A. Row 1. Grave 3. Born on the 27th September 1917 at Soerabaja, Java.


Above: F/O. Rudolph Frans Burgwal and letter (courtesy Mark Eaton)


Rudy Burgwal standing by his Spitfire


Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this pilot with thanks to the late Rob Philips who was a meticulous researcher into Dutch aviators who were listed as killed or missing during WW 2. We were entrusted to make his work available to be read by others before he passed away in 2010. This has been presented as 'Lost' and the entry for Rudolph Burgwal can be seen here.

More about Rob, the person here. With thanks to Mark Eaton who contacted us in March 2021. Mark's mother had been friends with Rudolf, possibly when he was stationed at RAF Ternhill as she lived nearby.

KTY/RP 12.01.2020

KTY/ME Updated 07-03-2021

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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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