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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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485 Squadron Crest
24.07.1941 No. 485 Squadron Spitfire IIa P7831 Sgt. Maney

Operation: Escort

Date: 24th July 1941 (Thursday)

Unit: No. 485 Squadron (11 Group)

Type: Spitfire IIa

Serial: P7831

Code: OU-? 'Tippera'.

Base: RAF Redhill, Surrey

Location: English Channel

Pilot: Sgt. Jack Maney NZ/40240 RNZAF Age 23. Missing - believed killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off at 13:50 hrs with 10 others from the squadron from RAF West Hampnett in Sussex. The purpose was to escort a group of Blenheim bombers on an operation to Cherbourg in northern France. This was a diversionary operation for another being made by nearly 150 allied bombers on the Gneisenau and Prinz Eugen moored at Brest harbour.


Shortly after the operation they were bounced by Luftwaffe fighters and P7831 was hit. Sgt. Maney called and told the others he had to bale out. They witnessed him baling out and descending safely about 15 miles north of Cherbourg. Despite 8 of the Squadron retuning later in the day no trace of him or wreckage was found.

No. 485 Squadron 1941 - Standing, (L-R): French; P/O. Donald Stuart McGregor NZ/401280; Fl/Lt. Richard Barrett NZ/391324; F/O. William Arthur Middleton NZ/39928;, Allan Shaw; Graham Howe Francis;, John C. Martin NZ/40313; Marcus Knight (CO); Francis Noel Brinsden NZ/40338; Patrick Stewart McBride; Athol Gordon McIntyre NZ/36257;, Thomas Gordon Smith NZ/414692; Bengard; Neville; Gordon Ernest Erridge Kneeling front, left to right: James William George NZ/40722; Murray; A.W. Morton; Hal Thomas; Richard John Bullen NZ/40753; Bill Crawford-Compton NZ/65500; Jack Maney NZ/40240; James Kerrow "Jim" Porteous (aka 'Pranger'); Austin B. Smith; Harvey Nelson Sweetman NZ/40992; and Kevin Desmond Cox NZ/401257.

Burial details:

Sgt. Jack Maney. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 64. Son of Clarence V. and Ellen Maney of Auckland, New Zealand. 355 flying hours logged and it is thought he had completed at least 14 operational sorties.

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this pilot with thanks to the research by Errol Martyn and his publications: “For Your Tomorrow Vols. 1-3”, Auckland War Memorial Museum, Weekly News of New Zealand, other sources as quoted below:

KTY 16.10.2018

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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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