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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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53 crest
53 Squadron Liberator GR.VI EV899 Fl/Lt. Cameron McArthur Forbes DFC

Operation: Patrol

Date: 26/27th August 1944 (Saturday/Sunday)

Unit: No. 53 Squadron (motto: United in effort). 19 Group. Coastal Command

Type: Liberator GR.VI

Serial: EV899

Code: FH-W

Base: RAF St. Eval, Cornwall

Location: English Channel

Pilot: Fl/Lt. Cameron McArthur Forbes DFC. 121289 RAFVR Survived (1)

Pilot 2: Fl/Sgt. Hugh Coates Reay NZ/421531 RNZAF Age 25. Missing - believed killed

Fl/Eng: Sgt. B.A Coombes 1663738 RAFVR Age ? Survived

Nav: Fl/Lt. Tom Collier Hood 89631 RAFVR Age 30. Missing - believed killed

Nav 2: Fl/Sgt. Raymond James Mullins Aus/424785 RAAF Age 22. Missing - believed killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Fl/Sgt. Walter Henry John Barnes NZ/424962 RNZAF Age 24. Missing - believed killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Fl/Sgt. Colin John Falconer NZ/416897 RNZAF Age 21. Missing - believed killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Ronald Ashworth 2219013 RAFVR Age 20. Missing - believed killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. William Charles Tatum 1387024 RAFVR Age 21. Missing - believed killed

Air/Gnr: Sgt. E.R Steer 1339083 RAFVR Age ? Survived

REASON FOR LOSS:

Weather report Base: Fair - Operation area: Fair - Fine.

Taking off at 17:19hrs on an anti-submarine patrol over the English Channel.

Some small radar contacts were made off Brittany in the area of Ile de Batz. Flares were dropped and two runs were made with the powerful Leigh Light.

The night was very dark and moonless. The Captain manoeuvred the aircraft for an attack at 100 feet. The radio altimeter was flickering Amber/Red, the aircraft struck the sea at 03:00 hrs. The pilot thrown clear and found an inflated dinghy beside the fuselage. He and two other crew members made contact before the fuselage sank. They searched for the others with torches and flame floats without success.

They were spotted by another of the squadrons Liberator EW295 FH-S at 07:25 hrs. flown by F/O. R.E Dobson who had been informed by his base to look out for survivors. The survivors were spotted i a 'H' type dongy with two 'K' types dingoes lashed to the side. Four minesweepers had earlier been spotted moments earlier so the signalled where they had seen the survivors. HMCS Minas was dispatched to pick up the injured aircrew which they did at 07:48 hrs.

EW295 continued to search for others but nothing was spotted apart from a small oil patch, they returned to base and landed at 14:26 hrs.

(1) Fl/Lt. Forbes DFC citation 09th June 1944:

'This officer has completed numerous sorties and has set a fine example of devotion to duty. Within a period of several days recently, Fl/Lt. Forbes has made 4 attacks on U-boats. In one of these sorties his aircraft* was hit by anti-aircraft fire and one engine was set on fire. Despite this Fl/Lt. Forbes pressed home his attack with the greatest determination. This officer has displayed the highest standard of courage and tenacity in his efforts to destroy the enemy's under water craft'.

Cameron Forbes died after a long illness on the 18th December 2010in Erskin Home, Edinburg, Scotland.

Burial details:

Fl/Sgt. Hugh Coates Reay. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 264. Born on the 08th December 1918 in Nelson. Son of Richard Coates Reay (died 16th December 1955, age 81) and Hilda Edith Reay (née Hasse - died 31st August 1943, age 58), stepson of Annie Anita Reay (née Hansen - died 27th August 1971, age 79) of Wellington, New Zealand.

Fl/Lt. Tom Collier Hood. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 202. Son of Harrier Collier (died 07th November 1931, age 52) and Florence Hood (died 05th November 1940, age 55) of Monkseaton, Whitley Bay, North Tyneside.

Fl/Sgt. Raymond James Mullins. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 261. Born on the 24th January 1922 in Moss Vale, New South Wales. Enlisted in the RAAF on the 09th October 1942. Son of Frederick Adrean Mullins (died 12th December 1971, age 81) and Annie Mullins (died 07th December 1985, age 91) of Sutherland, New South Wales, Australia.

Fl/Sgt. Walter Henry John Barnes. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 263. Born on the 27th March 1920 in Palmerston North. Son of Bertie Thomas and Emily Victoria Barnes (née Hopkins), of Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand

Fl/Sgt. Colin John Falconer. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 263. Born on the 21st January 1923 in Wellington. Son of Thomas Fergus (died 25th November 1979, age 84) and Margaret Falconer (died 24th April 1980, age 89) of Hastings, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand.

Sgt. Ronald Ashworth. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 224. Son of William and Margaret Ashworth, of Accrington, Lancashire, England.

Sgt.William Charles Tatum. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 238. Son of William John and Margaret Tatum, of Edmonton, Middlesex

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this pilot with thanks to the extensive research by Errol Martyn and his publications: “For Your Tomorrow Vols. 1-3”, New Zealand Cenotaph, Weekly News of New Zealand, Air Museum of New Zealand, Museum of Transport and Technology, Auckland, Air 27-506-15/16 National Archives, other sources as quoted below:

KTY 16-11-2022

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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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