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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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RAF Crest
05.08.1943 No 140 Squadron Spitfire IV AB126, F/O. Douglas M. Croy

Operation: Training

Date: 05th August 1943 (Thursday)

Unit: No. 140 Squadron (34 Wing TAF)

Type: Spitfire PR. IV

Serial: AB126

Code: ZW-?

Base: RAF Hartford Bridge, Hampshire (Later becoming RAF Blackbushe)

Location: Shinfield, Berkshire

Pilot: F/O. Douglas Marchbank Croy NZ/414259 RNZAF Age 22. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

With the great research carried out by Errol Martyn on the Royal New Zealand Airforce losses we have been able to compile this page. If you have further information and or photographs we would welcome contact from you.

Taking off at 14:20 hrs on a formation flying exercise.

At around 14:50 hrs the pilot of AB126 collided with another, AB305. F/O. Croy crashing at Shinfield, killing the pilot. The other pilot of AB305 managed to land his aircraft at RAF Hartford Bridge and escaping injury.

Burial details:

F/O. Douglas Marchbank Croy. Brookwood Military Cemetery. Grave 2.C.1A. Son of James Edward Croy and of Annie Croy (née Reid), of Oxford, Canterbury, New Zealand. A total of 402 flying hours logged with 189 on the Spitfire.

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

KTY - 22.05.2018

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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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