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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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18 crest
02/03.07.1942 18 Squadron Blenheim Z7372 Sgt. Furness

Operation: Intruder

Date: 2nd/3rd July 1942 (Thursday/Friday)

Unit No: 18 Squadron (motto: Animo et fide - 'With courage and faith')

Type: Blenheim IV

Serial: Z7372

Code: WV:?

Base: RAF Wattisham, Suffolk

Location: Unknown

Pilot: Sgt. William Edward Furness 1379922 RAFVR Age 21. MiA

Obs: Plt Off. Robin William Morton 411725 RNZAF Age 27. MiA

WOp/Air Gnr: Sgt. Thomas Stanley Ross 1021381 RAFVR Age 34. MiA

REASON FOR LOSS

Taking off at 00:20 hrs on an intruder operation to St.Truiden airfield in Belgium. 24 Blenheim were dispatched and attacked this and other airfields.

Z7372 was the only one not to return and no trace of the aircraft and crew were found.

Burial details:

Sgt. William Edward Furness. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 83. Son of William Hartley Furness and Florence May Furness, of Flimby, Cumberland, England.

Plt Off. Robin William Morton. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 118. Born on the 1st July 1915 at Greymouth. Son of Robert Morton and of Jessie Morton (née McKenzie) and husband of Mary Joy Morton (née Robertson), of Tapanui, Otago, New Zealand. Mary Joy Morton (wife), Tapanui, Otago, New Zealand.

Worked on his fathers farm prior to enlisting.

This was his 4th operational sortie after joining the squadron on the 10th March 1942.

Sgt. Thomas Stanley Ross. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 92. Son of Thomas and Emily Ross and husband of Marjorie Ross, of Doncaster, Yorkshire, England.

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this pilot with thanks to Jenifer Lemaire and to the extensive research by Errol Martyn and his publications: “For Your Tomorrow Vols. 1-3”, Auckland Library Heritage Collection, Weekly News of New Zealand.

Other sources as quoted below:

KTY 08-01-2021

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Acknowledgements
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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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