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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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122 Squadron Crest
15.07.1942 No. 122 Squadron Spitfire Vb BM329 MT-C Sgt. Dennis James

Operation: Rhubarb

Date: 15th July 1942.

Unit: 122 Squadron

Type: Spitfire Vb

Serial: BM329

Coded: MT-C

Location: Boulogne

Base: RAF Fairlop

Pilot: Sgt. Dennis Stephen James 1377869 RAFVR Killed.

REASON FOR LOSS:

Took-off from Fairlop, Hornchurch's Satelite, at 11:46 hrs. for a mass Rhubarb at noon.

The main target was a hutted encampment near Etaples and the attacks that followed were made at extremely low level (0 ft according to the Squadron ORB's) Sgt James was found to be missing during the form up over the channel to return. Loss attributed to flak, crashed in Boulogne area - due to attacking height baling out was not an option.

Also lost on this raid was 41276 W/Cmdr Brendan E.F. Finucane DSO DFC. and 2 bars from 602 Squadron. His aircraft was hit by machine gun fire which damaged the radiator and he ditched - unable to release himself he was lost with the aircraft.

The remainder of the aircraft landed safely at 13:25 hrs.

ORB for 122 Squadron for 15th July (archives)

Wreckage of Spitfire Vb BM329 (archives)

Memorial at Ickenham County Cricket Club (courtesy Stephen Hunnisett)

Burial Details:

Sgt. Dennis Stephen James. Boulogne Eastern Cemetery, Plot 12. Row E. Grave 3. Next of Kin details currently not available - are you able to assist completion of these and any other information?

W/Cmdr Brendan E.F. Finucane DSO DFC and 2 Bars Runnymede Memorial Panel 64. Son of Thomas Andrew and Florence Louise of Richmond, Surrey, England.


Story of W/Cmdr. Brendan 'Paddy' Finucane: youngest Wing Commander in RAF

Further information kindly supplied by Stephen Hunnisett.

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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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