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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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453 Squadron Crest
21.05.1944 453 Squadron Spitfire IX MK566 FU-L Fl/Sgt. Olsson

Operation: Ranger

Date: 21st May 1944 (Sunday)

Unit: No. 453 Squadron

Type: Spitfire IX

Serial: MK566

Code: FU-L

Base: RAF Ford, West Sussex

Location: Near Bernay, France

Pilot: Fl/Sgt. John Oxley Waugh Olsson Aus/413093 RAAF PoW No: 5359 Camp: Stalag Luft Sagan and Bellaria (L3)

We are indebted to Mr. Paul Watts who's father served with 453 Squadron and sent Aircrew Remembered over 400 photographs of the Squadron in January 2018. Anyone interested in the Squadron and are able to identify any of the pilots / ground crew are invited to contact us.

REASON FOR LOSS:

Four aircraft from the Squadron took off at 10:35 hrs on a Ranger operation. Flying as No. 2 to Fl/Lt. Henry L. Smith. Whilst flying at deck level (Fl/Sgt. Ollson reported that they were as low as 25ft) over the area of Lieurey they encountered intense but light flak at 11:15 hrs. Glycol was seen to be streaming from Fl/Sgt. Ollson's aircraft. He then tried to gain height but only managed to climb very slightly.

He then called on his R/T and informed the others that his glycol temperature was now at 140 degrees. Shortly after this he called again and said that he had made a forced landing and that he was 'OK'. He was captured immediately on emerging from his crashed Spitfire.

Burial details:

None - survived the war as a PoW. Born on the 16th February 1921 at Waverley, New South Wales, Australia. Lived at 284 Homebush Road, South Strathfield, New South Wales, Australia. Enlisted on the 02nd November 1941. Liberated by allied forces on or about the 22nd April 1945.

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this pilot with thanks to sources as quoted below:

KTY - 23.01.2018

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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 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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