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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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98 Squadron Crest
20.04.1944 No. 98 Squadron Mitchell II FL182 OE-J P/O. Davis

Operation: Croisette

Date: 20th April 1944 (Thursday)

Unit: No. 98 Squadron 2 Group (motto: 'Never Failing')

Type: Mitchell II

Serial: FL182

Code: OE-J

Base: RAF Dunsfold, Surrey

Location: Near airfield at RAF Dunsfold

Pilot: P/O. Geoffrey Richard Davis 175518 RAFVR Age 21. Killed

Nav: Sgt. Geoffrey Aldridge 1462926 RAFVR Age 22. Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: F/O. James Patrick Diversi AUS/23376 Age 27. Killed

Air/Gnr: Sgt. Thomas Shehan 631927 RAFVR Age 23. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

The aircraft crashed shortly after taking off at 12:24 hrs to bomb targets in Croisette. P/O. Davis's aircraft was seen to crash about 3 miles from the airfield. All the crew were killed.

note: The Squadron Operation Record Book name the pilot as 'Davies' but we feel that we have listed his name correctly. At the time he was a Sgt. but posthumously promoted to Pilot Officer. In addition, F/O. James Patrick Diversi is named as 'F/O. Divlin', but again we believe we have identified the correct name. (Even though the National Archives of Australia list him as lost on FL7000)

Of course we may be incorrect and welcome further information.

Burial details:

P/O. Geoffrey Richard Davis. Charlton Cemetery. Section I, 1st Cons., Grave 384. Son of Maxwell Charles Davis and Lilian Davis. Husband of Irene Marjorie Davis of East Greenwich, England. Grave inscription reads: "Forever In My Thoughts".

Sgt. Geoffrey Aldridge. Brookwood Military Cemetery. Grave 20. C. 5. Son of Albert Frederick Aldridge, and of Ivy Adelaide Aldridge, of Grays, Essex, England. Grave inscription reads: "To My Son So Gallant, So Gay So Greatly Missed By Those Who Loved Him".

F/O. James Patrick Diversi. Brookwood Military Cemetery. Grave 4. N. 13. Born on the 10th July 1916 at Winton, the son of Michael Boland Diversi and Mary Diversi, of Wavell Heights, Queensland, Australia. Grave inscription reads: "He Died That We Might Live".

Sgt. Thomas Shehan. Cockett Churchyard (St Peter), Glamorganshire. Section S.E., Grave 672. Son of Thomas and Mary Ann Shehan, of Cwmburla, Swansea, Wales. Grave inscription reads: "My Country Called I Gave It All, Parting Was Sorrow Duty Was Done".

Researched by Steve Hunnisett for Aircrew Remembered - April 2019. For further details our thanks to the following sources shown below.

SH/KTY 14.04.2019

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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 MWO 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', Archiwum - Polish Air Force Archive (on this site), Anna Krzystek, Tadeusz Krzystek - 'Polskie Siły Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii', Franek Grabowski, 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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