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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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98 Squadron Crest
18/19.08.1944 No. 98 Squadron Mitchell II HD329 VO-B Fl/Lt. Mewa

Operation: Flare dropping

Date: 18/19th August 1944 (Friday/Saturday)

Unit: No. 98 Squadron. 139 Wing, 2 Group, 2nd Tactical Air Force

Type: Mitchell II

Serial: HD329

Code: VO-B

Base: RAF Dunsford, Surrey

Location: Lost without trace

Pilot: Fl/Lt. Alick Mewa NZ/414320 RNZAF Age 25. Missing - believed killed

Nav: Fl/Lt. Laxman Shripad Ajrekar 125917 RAFVR Age 27. Missing - believed killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: W/O. Albert Ernest Nicholls 968037 RAFVR Age ? Missing - believed killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: W/O. Frank Fenn Pitt 630113 RAFVR Age ? Missing - believed killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off at 23:48hrs to drop flares in support of Mosquito operations in the Falaise area and lost without trace, the four crew being commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.

Above left: Fl/Lt. Alick Mewa with F/O. Mervyn Jack Mills at Levin, New Zealand 1941 (courtesy Brian Vonlanthen)

We welcome any further information on this loss or crew.

Burial details:

Fl/Lt. Alick Mewa. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 262. Born on the 23rd February 1919 at Auckland, the son of Ranjan Mewa, and of Piyari Mewa (née Dudley), of 23 Rawene Avenue, Westmere, Wellington, New Zealand. Attended Richmond Road Primary School and then Auckland Grammar School. Prior to enlisting in the RNZAF on the 27th July 1941 worked as a structural engineer for Steel Construction Company of Auckland. A total of 654 flying hours logged. The first Indian member of the RNZAF to be commissioned.

Fl/Lt. Laxman Shripad Ajrekar. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 201. Son of Shripad Laxman Ajrekar and Venubai Ajrekar, of Poona, India.

W/O. Albert Ernest Nicholls. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 214. Son of William Donald and Caroline Anne Nicholls, of Newport, Monmouthshire, Wales.

W/O. Frank Fenn Pitt. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 203. No further details - are you able to assist?

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this pilot with thanks to Brian Vonlanthen (nephew of F/O. Mervyn Jack Mills) and to the extensive research by Errol Martyn and his publications: “For Your Tomorrow Vols. 1-3”, Auckland Library Heritage Collection, Weekly News of New Zealand, other sources as quoted below:

KTY 03.01.2020

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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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