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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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We seek additional information and photographs. Please contact us via the Helpdesk.
272 Squadron crest
06.04.1944 No. 272 Squadron Beaufighter X LZ488 XK-H Sq/Ldr. Rene J.G. Demoulin

Operation: Patrol

Date: 06th April 1944 (Thursday)

Unit: No. 272 Squadron (Coastal Command)

Type: Beaufighter X

Serial: LZ488

Code: XK-H

Base: Alghero, Italy

Location: Mediterranean Sea, off Port-Vendres, Southern France

Pilot: Sq/Ldr. Rene Jean Ghislain Demoulin 116107 RAFVR Age 23. Missing

Nav: Fl/Sgt. John Samuel Barker 626234 RAFVR Age 25. Missing

REASON FOR LOSS:

During a patrol attacking suspect fishing boats the Beaufighters wing gave way and an engine catching fire. Neither crew or aircraft were recovered.

        

272 Squadron Beaufighter whilst stationed on Malta (courtesy Imperial War Museum)

                                                        

Above: Sq/Ldr. Rene Jean Ghislain Demoulin (courtesy Johny Recour from Belgium)

If you have any details on this loss or the crew we would like to hear from you via the add info button on this page. Some reports that it was lost attacking a Red cross ship, we are unable to confirm this.

Burial details:

Sq/Ldr. Rene Jean Ghislain Demoulin. Malta Memorial. Panel 12. Column 2. Croix Chevalier de L'Ordre de Leopold avec Palme; Croix de Guerre avec Palme et Lion. Son of Alphonse and Jeanne Demoulin, of Comblain-au-Pont, Liege, Belgium. Served in 171, 349, 235, 272 Squadrons.

Fl/Sgt. John Samuel Barker. . Malta Memorial. Panel 14. Column 1.  Son of Herbert and Mary Barker; husband of Jean Barker, of Scotstoun, Glasgow, Scotland.

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to Josette Bens, Mr. Alain Rosseels and Johny Recour from Belgium for further information and photographs, Commonwealth War Graves Commission. 


Left: The Malta Memorial - do you have other photographs that we could use?

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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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