Operation: Circus 204

Date: 17th August 1942 (Monday)

Unit: No. 401 Squadron. 11 Group. (motto: Mors celerrima hostibus - 'Very swift death for the enemy')

Type: Spitfire IX

Serial BS159

Code: YO-F

Base: RAF Biggin Hill / RAF Lympne

Location: English Channel

Pilot: P/O. Jack Kenneth Ferguson J/15276 (R/58512) RCAF Age 26. Missing - believed killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

At 16:30 hrs on the 24th March 1942 Spitfire Vb BL658 (1) Fl/Sgt. Jack Ferguson was carrying out a air firing test.

Pilot Report:

'I took off from from Gravesend aerodrome at approx 16:05 hours to test fire my cannon. The takeoff was normal with the engine running smoothly. I made a slight climbing turn to the right levelling out at 2,000 feet. While continuing the flight at that height and at 2,000 rpm's and zero boost the engine was a little rough, so I reduced rpm's to 1900 with no result.

It was then that the engine 'packed up' and heavy white glycol fumes came from both port and starboard exhausts. I called Control' to report that I was going to make a forced landing. The fumes continued so I switched off the magnetos. The forced landing approach necessitated my going under the telephone and anti-invasion wires after which the starboard wing hit the ground, before the fuselage and flipped the aircraft on its back. It was not long until help arrived to dif me out'.

Investigation Report:

'The engine only flew approximately 5 hours with this Squadron after delivery from12 M.U. This flying was all of a mild nature and did not involve high boost or high revs. A full engineer's report will be necessary to locate the exact cause of the failure.

The pilot's action appears to have been excellent but in attempting to avoid a thin a previously unseen obstruction he caused one wing to strike the ground first when just about to stall and this caused the aircraft to turn over pinning the pilot in upside down and with his head below surface level. The action of a vibilian, Mr. J. Benstead and Captain Rissick of 6 A.A. Battery in getting him out while there was fire in the engine was most efficient and praiseworthy.

Pilot attempted a wheels up landing with flaps down, when forced to land due to engine seizure. Right mainplane dug in soft ground and aircraft nosed over. Crankcase of engine was broken and on fire when aircraft crashed. Flames from engine were extinguished before spreading to airframe, by an Anti-Aircraft Division near at hand. Engine overheating apparently caused by excessive internal glycol leak'.

(1) Spitfire Vb BL658 was repaired and served with 111 squadron, finally to 421 squadron on the 13th March 1943' During take off on formation and swerved to avoid the windsock, stalled and crashed at RAF Redhill, Surrey. The 28 year old pilot, F/O. Harold Melville Rogers J/10755 RCAF lost his life.

Although based at RAF Biggin Hill, the Squadron moved to RAF Lympne in preparation for the operation on Dieppe on the 14th August.

Above L-R: P/O. Jack Kenneth Ferguson, Sgt. James William Fiander, Sgt, Robert Mehew Zebec and F/O. Hugh John Lynch Merritt (Courtesy Francois Dutil)

Escorting 18 x B-17’s on an operation to bomb the railcards at Rouen/Sotteville - joining them at 17:15 hrs.

It is understood that P/O. Ferguson was attacked and hit by a Fw190 over the English Channel, he failed to return - neither the aircraft or the body of the pilot were recovered - he is commemorated on the Runnymede and Ottawa Memorial.

Also lost from the Squadron 20 year old, W/O 2. William Rowthorn R/68714 RCAF flying Spitfire IX BR985 when hit by enemy fighters over the channel but he managed to return to the area of the airfield, where he crash landed his Spitfire, he died of injuries received, where he crash landed his Spitfire, he died of his injuries two days later.

Sq/Ldr. K.L.B. Hudson flying Spitfire BS120 also hit, but managed to return to base - the aircraft suffered Cat B damage. (Beyond repair on site - repairable at a Maintenance Unit or at a contractors works)

Burial details:

P/O. Jack Kenneth Ferguson. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 100. Born on the 31st July 1916in British Columbia, Canada.Awarded his wings on the 16th May 1941.
Son of Kenneth Farquhar Ferguson (died 22nd November 1942, age 58) and Roberta Scott Ferguson, (née Brown - died 28th November 1977, age 85) of 141 Fernwood Road. Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. His two brothers, Robert Daniel and Hugh Fred also served. He also had two sisters, Grace Roberta and Pamela Emily.

F/O. Harold Melville Rogers.. Reigate Cemetery (Redstone). Grave 58. Born on the 04th August 1914 in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada.
Son of the Revd. Alfred Seymour Rogers, D.D (died 02 June 1958, age 80) and Mabel Gertrude Rogers (née Rice died October 1977, age 99), of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. M.A., Ph.D. (University of Toronto).

Right: F/O. Harold Melville Rogers

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this pilot with thanks to Francois Dutil. National Archives Kew AIR-27-1772-15/16. Aviation Safety Network. Government of Canada WW2 Service records. Paradie RCAF Archives.

and sources as quoted below:

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