Operation: Torpedo Strike

Date: 12th November 1943 (Friday)

Unit No: 47 Squadron (motto: Nili nomen roboris omen - 'The name of the Nile is an omen of our strength')

Type: Beaufighter TF.X

Serial: LX912

Code: T *

Base: Sidi Amor, Tunisia

Location: Sea of Crete

Pilot: Fg Off. Athol George Greentree 414974 RNZAF Age 31. MiA

Obs: Flt Sgt. George Herbert Freeman 656750 RAF Age 29. MiA

* The Squadron code of KU was assigned but was not carried on the aircraft

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off from El Adem (Kambut) at 11:45 hrs with one other on a torpedo strike on a convoy off Crete.

Together with 2 USAAF Mitchells and 6 Beaufighters from 603 squadron they attacked the enemy shipping off Cape Spatha. LX912 was seen at 13:15 hrs dropping an accurate torpedo on the convoy, despite the intense flak.

Immediately after releasing the torpedo he was seen to make a successful ditching in the sea. It was assumed that the crew would be quickly recovered but they were never seen again. His was the only loss on the operation.

Above: No. 1 Elementary Flying Training School (EFTS) Course 22A, Pilot Training course at Wigwam, dated 18th October 1941:

Sgt. Thomas Fraser Munro 415005 RNZAF - Killed on the 10th September 1942 whilst with 11 Operational Training Unit (OTU) returning from an operation to Dusseldorf. Wellington IC DV930 crashed in Suffolk on return;
Fg Off. Laurence John Kirkpatrick 414990 RNZAF - Killed on the 23rd September 1943 whilst with 75 Squadron during an operation to Mannheim. Sterling III EH935 JN:K;
Fg Off. Henry James Bennett 414722 - Killed 3rd February 1945 whilst with 22 squadron on a Rhubarb operation in Burma. Beaufighter TF.X NE445;
Sgt. John Basil Martyn 415001 RNZAF - killed on the 30th March 1943 whilst with 428 Squadron. Wellington X HE175 failed to return from an operation to Bochum;
Fg Off. David Ross Scrymgeour 414687 RNZAF - Killed on the 19th April 1943 whilst with 13 Squadron, Blenheim V BA727 failed to return from an armed reconnaissance off Tunisia;
Fg Off. Robert Anderson Nimmo 415006 RNZAF - Killed on the 4 October 1943 whilst with 115 Squadron, Lancaster II DS721 failed to return on an air sea rescue operation;
Fg Off. Murray Archer Legg 415071 RNZAF - Killed on the 24th January 1943 whilst with 58 Squadron, Halifax II DT684 during a transit flight;
Fg Off. Athol George Greentree 414974 RNZAF;
Flt Sgt. Arthur Holdsworth Smith 415204 RNZAF - Killed on the 30th May 1943 whilst with 431 Squadron, Wellington X HE203 SE:B on an operation to Wuppertal;
Plt Off. Peter Sydney Watt 415046 - Killed on the 2nd January 1944 whilst with 207 Squadron, Lancaster III W4892 EM:T operation to Berlin.

(1) Athol George Greentree worked as a assistant accountant for John Chambers and Son of Dunedin. After serving for 2 years on the territorial army enlisted into the RNZAF at Levin on the 7th September 1941. Trained at 1 EFTS and awarded his pilots badge on the 10th January 1942. Promoted to sergeant on the 28th February 1942. Embarked for England on the 8th March 1942. Appointed to a commission on the 12th February 1942. After serving with various units joined 47 squadron on the 25th August 1942. 460 flying hours logged.

The four brothers served during WW2:

Pte. Stuart Frances Greentree 25167, 21 Infantry Battalion, PoW - 22nd July 1942, Stalag 8B Lamsdorf , Born 14th July 1915 - Died 8th September 1996 age 81;

Chief Petty Officer Ralph Waldron Greentree 1456 RNZN. Born 20th April 1921 - Died 18th August 1979 Age 58;

Nelson Charles Greentree. Born 1st August 1919 - Died 7th March 1995 age 76.

Burial details:

Fg Off. Athol George Greentree. Alamein Memorial. Column 277. Born on the 21st June 1912 at Morrinsville. Son of Henry Arthur and Alice May (née Waldron) Greentree of Morrinsville. Husband of Winifred Annie (née Tham) Greentree of 23 Mitchell Street, Invercargill, New Zealand.

Flt Sgt. George Herbert Freeman. Alamein Memorial. Column 269. Born on the 26th June 1914 in West Ham, Essex. Son of George Thomas and Nellie Lily (née McGowan) Freeman. Husband to Gladys Rachel (née Styles) Freeman of Watlington, Oxfordshire, England.

Researched by Kelvin Youngs (Webmaster) 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, AWMM (Apr 2021) Reviewed and updated by Aircrew Remembered (Jul 2025).

Other sources listed below;

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