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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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152 crest
25th July 1943 152 Squadron Spitfire Vc JL245 F/O. Marshall

Operation: Sweep

Date: 25th July 1943 (Sunday)

Unit: No. 152 Squadron (motto: 'Faithful Ally') 322 Wing. 211 Group. Northwest Africa Tactical Air Force

Type: Spitfire Vc

Serial: JL245

Code: UM-?

Base: Lentini, Sicily

Location: Milazzo, Sicily

Pilot: F/O. Reginald Arthur Marshall NZ/413226 RNZAF Age 24. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off at 10:15 hrs. with the squadron to intercept large numbers of enemy transport and fighter aircraft as they attempted to land in the Bay of Milazzo.

Large numbers of enemy aircraft were claimed but JL245 failed to return.

The pilots body was recovered from his Spitfire at Cape Milazzo and initially buried at Messina.

On the 29th June 1942 F/O. Marshall was on the British motor merchant ship the Waiwera bound for Liverpool. At 06:10 hrs the unescorted ship was torpedoed and sunk by U-754 captained by Lt. Hans Oestermann about 400 miles north-northwest of the Azores. Seven crew members and one gunner were lost, 96 survived.

The survivors, including 15 members of the RNZAF were rescued by the Norwegian ship the Oregon Express and landed at New York.

Burial details:

F/O. Reginald Arthur Marshall. Catania War Cemetery. Grave IV.L.47. Born on the 12th August 1918 at Palmerston North. Worked as a warehouseman for Morris, Back and Matheson Ltd prior to service. Enlisted at Blenheim on the 04th June 1941. Awarded his pilots badge and received his commission on the 24th April 1942. Joined 152 squadron on the 05th April 1943. Son of Daniel and Jessie Lilian Marshall of Mt Albert, Auckland, New Zealand. 363 flying hours logged and on his 59th operational sortie when he was killed.

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”, U Boat.net, Auckland Library Heritage Collection, Weekly News of New Zealand, AWMM, other sources as quoted below:

KTY 27-03-2021

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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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