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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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248 Squadron Crest
13.09.1940 No. 248 Squadron Blenheim IV l9451 WR-V Sgt. Walter J. Garfield

Operation: Reconnaissance, Norwegian Coast

Date: 13th September 1940 (Friday)

Unit: No. 248 Squadron

Type: Bristol Blenheim IV

Serial: L9451

Code: WR-V

Base: RAF Somburgh, Shetland Isle, Scotland

Location: Off the Norwegian coast, North Sea

Pilot: Sgt. Walter James Garfield 740997 RAFVR Age 25. Killed

Obs: Sgt. Bertram William Mesner 745987 RAFVR Age 29. Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Archibald Kay 647610 RAF Age ? Killed

If you have any further information on the loss of this aircraft, crew, their relatives and friends than please contact us via the "add info" button at the top of this page.

REASON FOR LOSS:

Blenheim L9451 took off from RAF Sumburgh on the third reconnaissance operation of the day to the Norwegian coast from Feje Island to Stadlandet. The weather was poor with rain and cloud. 

Sgt. Walter Garfield seated in the rear during training ( courtesy Catherine Picardo)

Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take off. The loss of Blenheim L9451 was claimed by Fw. Olav Dyck of 4./JG 77 at 18:18hrs.  It was confirmed by the Red Cross that the crew had lost their lives in the North Sea

Above: Sgt. Bertram William Mesner, the Observer of Blenheim L9451

No. 248 Squadron had been serving with Fighter Command at Dyce with an attachment based at Montrose in the first few months of 1940. On June 20th 1940 the Squadron was again transferred to Coastal Command for reconnaissance flights off the Norwegian coast and to attacks enemy shipping.

Burial details:

Sgt. Walter James Garfield. Bergen (Mollendal) Church Cemetery. Son of Walter Stapleton Garfield and Emma Mary Garfield of Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, England.

Sgt. Bertram William Mesner. Runnymede Memorial, Surrey. Son of Charles and Adelaide Meiszner of Forrest Gate, Essex, England. Husband of Jessie Mesner

Sgt. Archibald Kay. Runnymede Memorial, Surrey. No further information as yet

Researched by Aircrew Remembered, researcher and specialist genealogist Kate Tame for relatives of this crew. Thanks to Catherine Picardo for details on Sgt. Garfield, Catherine was his niece. With special thanks to Andrew D. Bird - ‘Coastal Dawn’, Commonwealth War Graves Commission, National Archives Air 27/1495, Air 27/1495, Imperial War Museum, The Battle of Britain London Monument.

KTY 09.11.2015 Further details added on pilot - courtesy Catherine Picardo

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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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