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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 crest
18th September 1941 485 Squadron Spitfire Vb AB903 OU-K P/O. Paget

Operation: Circus 99

Date: 18th September 1941 (Thursday)

Unit: No. 485 Squadron (motto: Ka whawhai tonu - 'We will fight on') 11 Group

Type: Spitfire Vb

Serial: AB903 *

Code: OU-K (Originally named Koepang later Otago II)

Base: RAF Redhill, Surrey

Location: English Channel ?

Pilot: Fl/Sgt. Arthur Ian Paget NZ/402211 RNZAF Age 24. Missing - believed killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off at 14:05 hrs. with 10 others to escort 11 Blenheim's who were on an operation to bomb a power station at Rouen, France.

The squadron were engaged by a large number of enemy aircraft. Nothing further was heard from AB903 and neither was the body of the pilot knowingly recovered.

Six Spitfires were shot down from various squadrons with 3 killed and 3 taken PoW.

* AP903 was built at the Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory. Fitted with Merlin 45 engine and 8 .303 Browning machine guns in wings. Transferred from No. 9 Maintenance Unit to 485 squadron on the 02nd September 1941

Burial details:

Fl/Sgt. Arthur Ian Paget. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 63. Born on the 19th September 1917 at Waipukurau. A representative for Prudential Life Insurance prior to service. Enlisted on the 28th July 1940. Son of Arthur Ernest and Lizzie Frazer Paget (née Renton) of 19 Hawkin Street, Wellington, New Zealand. Credited with one enemy aircraft destroyed (shared) plus one damaged. Also served with 603 squadron after trying with 53 Operation Training Unit. A total of 308 flying hours logged and completed 48 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, AWMM, Weekly News of New Zealand, other sources as quoted below:

KTY 11.01.2021

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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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