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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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257 crest
08th October 1944 257 Squadron Typhoon III JR365 W/O. Powell

Operation: Mattemburgh

Date: 08th October 1944 (Sunday)

Unit: No. 257 Squadron (motto: Thay myay gyee shin shwe hti - 'Death or glory') 146 Wing. 84 Group. 2nd Tactical Air Force

Type: Typhoon III

Serial: JR365

Code: FM-E

Base: B.70 Deurne, Belgium

Location: Oosterschelde (East Schelde)

Pilot: W/O. John Robert Powell NZ/413889 RNZAF Age 22. Missing - believed killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off at 18:05 hrs with 6 others on a rocket attack on strong enemy positions at Mattemburgh.

Intense flak was encountered over the target area.

JR365 fired his rockets and was then seen to go down in flames crashing on the sands of Oosterschelde.

Despite thorough post war searches, neither the wreckage or the pilot were discovered.

Burial details:

W/O. John Robert Powell. Runnymede Memorial. Panel Panel 263. Born on the 05th June 1922 at New Brighton. Worked as a clerk for Blackburne, Smith and Company a builders merchant prior to service. Enlisted on the 06th July 1941 at Levin.Awarded his pilots badge and promoted to sergeant on the 20th December 1941. The son of Robert Henry andTeresa Margaret Powell (née Enright) of Waltham, Christchurch, New Zealand. 1006 flying hours logged and on his 44th operational sortie. This was his 13 with 257 squadron the rest with 486 squadron.

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 06-03-2021

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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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