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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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198
11th December 1944 198 Squadron Typhoon IB JR245 Fl/Lt. Oden

Operation: Armed Reconnaissance

Date: 11th December 1944 (Monday)

Unit: No. 198 Squadron (motto: Igni renatus - 'Born again in fire') 123 Wing; No.84 Group, 2nd Tactical Air Force

Type: Typhoon IB

Serial: JR245

Code: TP-N

Base: B.77 Gilze-Rijen, Netherlands

Location: Helsdingen, Netherlands

Pilot: Fl/Lt. Oscar Henry Oden NZ/417095 RNZAF Age 21. Seriously injured

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off at 09:35 hrs with 7 others from the squadron on an armed reconnaissance over the Zuiderzee area.

He was flying as Green Leader when on the return journey he was hit by heavy flak near Zaltbommel. JR245 was east seen 2 miles east of the town at 6000 ft with its engine on fire and making for allied lines some 8 miles away.

It seems that he forced landed in Helsdingen seriously injured and captured by the Germans. Despite receiving treatment in a German field dressing station he succumbed to his injuries the following day.

Burial and personal details:

Fl/Lt. Oscar Henry Oden. Utrecht General Cemetery (Soestbergen). Plot 12D. Row 2. Grave 21. Born 11th January 1923 at Te Puka. Worked as a clerk for State Fire and Accident Insurance Office prior to service/ Enlisted on the 21st December 1941 at Levin. Attached to No. 1 Elementary Flying Training School on the 07th February 1942. Embarked for Canada on the on the 11th April 1942. Attached to No. 12 Service Flying Training School on the 10th May 1942.

Pilots badge awarded on the 28th August 1943 and awarded his commission. After serving with various units some as an instructor embarked for England on the 30th March 1944. Joined 198 squadron on the 10th September 1944.

Son of Alexis Schiller Oden (died 11th August 1954, age 71) and Ellen Mary Oden (née Williams - died 12th November 1935, age 55), of Tauranga, New Zealand. A total of 980 flying hours logged and completed 43 operational sorties.

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

KTY 11-09-2021

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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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