Operation: Ramrod

Date: 30th July 1942 (Thursday)

Unit: No. 154 Squadron

Type: Spitfire Vb

Serial: BM194 (see note)

Code: HT-S

Base: RAF Fairlop

Location: Saint-Omer, France

Pilot: P/O. ‘Ted’ Charles Edward Hurt 48425 RAF Age 20. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking of from RAF Fairlop in Essex on a Ramrod operation (see note) to Saint-Omer. Escorting Hurricane bombers Attacked by Fw190’s from I/JG26.

A bad day for the RAF losing some 16 aircraft on the Saint-Omer Operation:

122 Squadron:- Spitfire Vb BM266 Flown by Sq/Ldr L.O. Prevot evading capture and returning to England in September. Spitfire Vb BM352 Flown by 38 year old, P/O. Jack Garfield Durkin J/15103 RCAF - Missing believed killed. Spitfire Vb BM244 MT-A Flown by Sgt. Tore Skjeseth - Killed. Spitfire Vb BM242 Flown by 25 year old, Sgt. Alfred Montgomery McPherson NZ/411917 RNZAF From Otago, New Zealand - Killed.
174 Squadron:- Hurricane IIb BP768 Flown by Sgt. H.A.E. Charman 1330642 RAF taken PoW Camp Stalag Luft Sagan and Bellaria, PoW No: 918. Hurricane IIe BE684 Flown by Sgt. W.Y. Denison taken PoW. Hurricane IIe Flown by Sgt. Boyer - crashed in the English Channel and rescued.
340 Squadron:- Spitfire Vb AR363 Flown by Sq/Ldr. J. Lambert evaded capture. Spitfire Vb BM584 Flown by Adj. A.G.Y. Debac - Killed.
350 Squadron:- Spitfire Vb BM176 Flown by P/O. H.E. Marchal - wounded but safe.
374 Squadron:- Spitfire Vb BM374 21 year old, Sgt. Ian Maclaren Dawson 778410 RAFVR from Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia. Buried at the Dunkirk Town Cemetery.
402 Squadron:- Spitfire VI BM513 Flown by Flown by 25 year old, Fl/Sgt. Alister McLean Skinner J/16082 RCAF of Nova Scotia, Canada - crash landed, safe. Killed later on the 17th January 1943.
616 Squadron:- Spitfire VI BS108 Flown by P/O. R.G. Large - baled out and rescued. Spitfire VI BR167 Flown by Sgt. M.H.F. Cooper baled out and rescued. Spitfire VI BR597 Flown by P/O. J.R. Mace - Killed but no further details found. Spitfire VI BR243 Flown by Sgt. Donald Lee 1068365 RAFVR Killed during a crash landing at RAF Biggin Hill.

Notes: Built at the Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory and fitted with the Merlin 45 engine. Ramrod – short-range bomber attacks to destroy ground targets, similar to Circus attacks. Circus – daytime bomber attacks with fighter escorts against short range targets, to occupy enemy fighters and keep them in the area concerned. (Further information an RAF Abbreviations used)

BURIAL DETAILS:

P/O. Charles Edward Hurt. Longuenesse Souvenir Cemetery (St. Omer). Plot 8. Row A. Grave 19. Son of Charles Julian and Annie Hurt, of Enfield, Middlesex, England. Grave inscription reads “In Memory Of Our Beloved Ted. Mother, Cedric, Joan, Jack And Joyce.”

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember them. - Laurence Binyon
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