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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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80
80 Squadron Tempest V NV982 Fl/Lt. Robert James Henry Holland

Operation: Armed reconnaissance

Date: 02nd April 1945 (Monday)

Unit: No. 80 Squadron (motto: 'Strike True') 122 Wing

Type: Tempest V

Serial: NV982

Code: W2-?

Base: Volkel airfield, Holland

Location: Hannover area

Pilot: Fl/Lt. Robert James Henry Holland 143908 RAFVR Age 28. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off at 17:45 hrs. with ten others from the squadron to conduct the second armed reconnaissance operation of the day over Bremen, Hannover and Osnabrúck.

P/O. Harry Horsey, flying Tempest V SN138, called up on his R/T. that he was having problems with his engine. He then was forced to land.

Fl/Lt. Holland was hit by flak and crashed, killing the pilot.

The remainder of the squadron landed safely back at base by 20:00 hrs.

Sq/Ldr. Keith Thiele DFC. DSO. turned up at Volkel airfield after he was liberated from a PoW camp, Dulag Luft near Wetzlar. A former member of 80 squadron was shot down flying Tempest V NV644 over Dorsten on the 10th February 1945 whilst with 3 squadron.

The following day pilots from 80 squadron on a similar operation reported that they had seen SN138 relatively undamaged 800 mts south west of Bōsel. It later transpired that he had been captured by the Wehrmacht and murdered - further details here.

Burial details

Fl/Lt. Robert James Henry Holland. Hanover War Cemetery. Grave 16.H.18. Born on the 02nd December 1916 in Brentford End, London. Fl/Lt. Halland learned to fly at the De Havilland School of Flying in Hatfield starting on the 09th September 1949. Son of Robert (died 21st October 1970. age 73) and Kathleen Anne Holland (née Ellison - died 12th December 1974, age 77). Husband of Irene Holland, of Romford, Essex. Epitaph: 'Remembered Always, Wife & Daughter. One We Loved & Never Forget, Mum, Dad & Family'.

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this pilot with thanks to the National Archives Kew AIR27-672-7/8.

Other pages that may interest you:

Pages regarding 1945 losses

Pages detailing war crimes

Other sources as quoted below:

KTY 06-12-2023

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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 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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