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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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233 Squadron
01.11.1942 233 Squadron Hudson III AE591, Sgt. Douglas H. Jenkins

Operation: Anti-Submarine Sweep, East Mediterranean

Date: 1st November 1942 (Sunday)

Unit No: 233 Squadron, RAF Coastal Command

Type: Hudson III

Serial: AE591

Code: ZS:?

Base: RAF Gibraltar, Gibraltar

Location: South of the Balearic Islands

Pilot: Sgt. Douglas Henry Jenkins 968859 RAFVR Age 24. MiA

2nd Pilot: Flt Lt. Patrick George Attenborough 63793 RAFVR Age 34. MiA

WOp/Air Gnr: Flt Sgt. Charles Arthur Smith 649493 RAF Age 22. MiA

WOp/Air Gnr: Plt Off. Austin Victor James Bettridge 49029 RAF Age 22. MiA

REASON FOR LOSS:

On the 1st November 1942 AE591 took-off from RAF Gibraltar at 09:00 hrs and joined two other Hudson’s on a Anti-Submarine sweep in the East Mediterranean.

At 11:39 hrs when at Lat/Long 37 26N, 01 43E Hudson V9169, flown by Flt Sgt. S. Woodward, altered course to investigate a suspicious object, which turned out to be the conning tower of a U-Boat.

This Lat/Long is some 140½ km (86 mls) south of Ibiza in Balearic islands.

At 11:46 hrs at Lat/Long 37 35N, 01.38E V9169 dived from 2000ft to 150ft and dropped 4 depth charges on the diving U-Boat. They fell and exploded about 75 yards ahead and slightly to starboard of the swirl caused by the diving U-Boat forcing it back to the surface with severe damage. Flt Sgt. S. Woodward circled back and attacked again with an Anti-Submarine bomb.

This Lat/Long is some 34¾ km (21½ mls) NE of the position from where Flt Sgt. S. Woodward sighted the suspicious object.

The German gunners opened fire and immediately scored hits on the tail of the aircraft, causing the bomb to fall wide. After receiving more hits during a third attack run the heavily damaged Hudson then left the area and returned to base.

Note: Flt Sgt. Stanley Woodward 1172871 RAFVR was awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal (DFM) whilst with 233 Sqn. Promulgated in the London Gazette on the 26th February 1943.

AE591 arrived on the scene shortly afterwards and was also hit by Flak on its first attack run with 3 depth charges. The Hudson caught fire and crashed into the sea 500m (1,640ft) from the U-Boat. The 3 depth charges that were dropped exploded harmlessly. (Sources: Franks/Zimmerman and Sqn ORB).

The periscope of the U-boat, identified as U-565, was badly damaged and it was forced to return to its home port at La Spezia in Italy, from where the 29th U-Boat Flotilla operated.

Burial details:

Above: Malta Memorial (Courtesy of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC))

Sgt. Douglas Henry Jenkins. Malta Memorial, Panel 4, Column 1. Born in 3rd Qtr of 1916 in Stratton, Cornwall. Son of William Edwin and Laura M. (née Prideaux) Jenkins. Husband of Josephine Mary (née Ley) Jenkins of Bude, Cornwall, England.

Flt Lt. Patrick George Attenborough. Malta Memorial, Panel 2, Column 1. Born on the 3rd September 1909 in Benhilton, Sutton, Surrey. Son of Capt. Edward Ernest and Helen Mary (née Haye) Attenborough of Sloane Avenue Mansions, SW1. Husband of Rosa Janette Attenborough of Oxford, Oxfordshire, England.

Flt Sgt. Charles Arthur Smith. Malta Memorial, Panel 3, Column 2. Born on the 5th July 1920 in Islington, Greater London. Son of Charles and of Hilda Edith (née Dennis) Smith of Highbury, London, England.

Plt Off. Austin Victor James Bettridge. Malta Memorial, Panel 3, Column 1. Born on the 6th March1920 in Cwmbran, Llantarnam, Monmouthshire, Wales. Son of Cecil Victor and Rhoda (née Wheatley) Bettridge. Husband to Nancie G. (née Burt) Bettridge of Hove, Sussex, England.

Researched by Ralph Snape from Aircrew Remembered as dedicated to this crew and their families (Aug 2024).

Other sources listed below:

RS 10.08.2024 - Initial Upload

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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 MWO 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', Archiwum - Polish Air Force Archive (on this site), Anna Krzystek, Tadeusz Krzystek - 'Polskie Siły Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii', Franek Grabowski, 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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