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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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614 crest
25th June 1945 614 Squadron Mosquito B.25 KB531 Fl/Lt. Jay

Operation: Reinforcement flight

Date: 25th June 1945 (Monday)

Unit: No. 614 Squadron (County of Glamorgan) (motto: 'Codaf I geisio - I rise to search)

Type: Mosquito B.25

Serial: KB531

Code: RAU-?

Base: Amendola, Italy

Location: Mediterranean Sea

Pilot: Fl/Lt. Walter Edward Jay NZ/425397 RNZAF Age 20. Missing - believed killed

Nav: P/O. Henry Claude Willis 189940 RAFVR Age 22. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off at around 12:02 hrs. to deliver the aircraft and crew to Malta.

On nearing Malta the pilot called to say that he found the port wing heavy and uncontrollable. Shortly after 13:20 hrs. a Malta based air-sea rescue launch 30 miles north east of Valetta reported that they had seen a Mosquito spiral into the sea.

P/O. Willis managed to bale out at about 450 ft. but died after receiving multiple injuries when the starboard propeller caught and tore his parachute. His body was the only one recovered from the crew.

Burial details:

Fl/Lt. Walter Edward Jay. Malta Memorial. Panel 19. Born on the 02nd December 1924 at Auckland. Prior to service worked as an apprentice carpenter working for his father. Enlisted in the RNZAF on the 29th May 1942. Son of Thomas Charles and Mildred Beatrice Jay (née Jones), of Whangarei, Auckland, New Zealand. Previously served in 37 squadron where he completed 14 ops, and 8 ops with 104 squadron. 583 flying hours logged with 50 on the Mosquito. Completed a total of 22 operational sorties.

Nav: P/O. Henry Claude Willis. Malta Naval Cemetery (Capuccini). Prot. Sec. (Officers'). Plot E. Grave 32. Son of James Henry and Florence Laura Willis, of Wolverhampton, England. Grave inscription: 'To The Glorious Memory Of Our Beloved Son Who Gave His Life For His Country'.

Researched 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, Weekly News of New Zealand, other sources as quoted below:

KTY 07-02-2021

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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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