Operation: Patrol

Date: 18th August 1944 (Friday)

Unit: No. 184 Squadron (motto: Nihil impenetrabile - 'Nothing impenetrable'). 129 Wing

Type: Typhoon Ib

Serial: MN623

Code: BR-?

Base: B.5 ALG Le Fresne Camilly, Calvados, France

Location: Trun, France

Pilot: F/O. Ronald James Currie J/21861 (R/65637) RCAF Age

REASON FOR LOSS:

Took off along with 11 others of 184 Squadron at 16:00 hrs. to attack enemy transport in an area two miles SW of Trun on the Trun-Argentan highway in the district of Orne.

91 rocket projectiles and cannons were fired. A success for the squadron who took out 6 enemy tanks and 12 other forms of enemy transport vehicles, with many more claimed as damaged.

Sq/Ldr. J.W. Wilson stated: I led No. 184 Squadron, 12 aircraft to attack enemy transport in an area two miles SW of Trun. The squadron was airborne at 16:00 hrs, F/O Currie flying as Landlord Yellow 2. On reaching target area, I detached Blue and Yellow Sections to attack and myself orbited with Red Section.

Soon after I reached the target area, I saw intense light flak coming from a wood and called up to warn Landlord aircraft of it. About two minutes later, I saw an unidentified aircraft crash and burst into flames. But I do not know personally if this was F/O. Currie or Fl/Lt. Gross as Yellow 1, who has not yet returned from this operation.

F/O. G.F. Orr stated: F/O. Currie's machine was streaming Glycol white smoke. I lost sight of F/O. Currie as I broke from the attack but Lt. Green (SAAF) Yellow 4, who was following me into the attack saw F/O. Currie's machine crash. Green stated: Currie was evidently unable to gain height as he remained at 200 feet turning slightly left in an attempt to reach our lines which were beyond the woods. He was unable to do so however, and crashed about half a mile south west in the woods, his machine bursting into flames upon impact.

Ten aircraft returned safely to base at 17:10 hrs. Fl/Lt. Douglas Haig Gross J/10113 RCAF also fell to the intense flak.

Burial details:

F/O. Currie was initially buried in the cemetery at Miguillaume, 13 miles south east of Falaise, France. His body was reinterred.

F/O. Ronald James Currie. Bretteville-Sur-Laize Canadian War Cemetery. Grave XVII.B.10. Born on the 06th April 1919 in Bridgewater, Nova Scotia. A bank clerk prior to service. Enlisted as an air gunner on the 26th August 1940. Air gunner badge awarded in October 1940 and promoted to sergeant. Yransffered for pilot training following steps taken bu his brother. Graduated from No. 13 Service Flying Training School, Saint Hubert, Quebec in December 1942 and commissioned as a P/O. Involved in n accident on Harvard 3773 in bad weather on the 02nd November 1942 at 21:15 hrs - no injuries.

Whilst with 59 Operational Training Unit, Involved in a collision during take off with another Hurricane. The other pilot was killed - further details here.

Joined 184 squadron from 59 Operational Training Unit on the 27th January 1944. Awarded his pilots badge on the 18th December 1942. Son of the late Arthur Victor and Gladys Annie Currie (née Wickwire). Two brothers, Fl/Lt. Leo Lloyd Currie J/9582 (serving in Libya) and Wilfrid Currie. Husband of Margaret Merriam Morse Beutel of Main Street, Parrsboro, Nova Scotia. Previously of 188 Kearne Avenue Perth Amboy, New Jersey, USA, Married 26th March 1942. Father of James Arthur Currie. Following the death of F/O Currie she married Lt. Warner H. Beutel of the US Navy in New York on the 30th September 1949

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks toResearched and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to the National Archives Kew, AIR-27-1138-23/24. Paradie RCAF Archives, Government of Canada.

Other pages that nay interest you:

Pages regarding 1944 Losses
Pages detailing RCAF Losses

Other sources as quoted below:

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