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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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Operation: Rhubarb
Date: 01st September 1942 (Tuesday)
Unit: No. 485 Squadron (motto:Ka whawhai tonu - 'We will fight on')
Type: Spitfire Vb
Serial: BM239
Code: OU-N
Base: RAF Kingscliffe
Location: Kerkehout, Netherlands
Pilot: Sgt. Richard Dewhurst Riley NZ/413479 RNZAF PoW No. 27025 Camp: Stalag Lamsdorf (1)
REASON FOR LOSS:
During the afternoon on an operation to attack barges in Holland. Understood to have been hit by flak - crash landed and taken PoW.
Initially he was rescued by local Dutch people who felt that due to his injuries, he should be handed over to the Germans - the injuries appeared more serious than in fact they were. We understand that during captivity he had tried to escape on at least three occasions.
(1) Many publications list his surname as Ridley - we feel that we have it correct. However, if you have further information we would be pleased to hear from you.
Burial details:
None - survived the war - no further information - are you able to assist?
Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this pilot with thanks to Oleg Marin for photo of the pilot and wreckage and to the research by Errol Martyn and his publications: “For Your Tomorrow Vols. 1-3”, Auckland War Memorial Museum, Weekly News of New Zealand, other sources as quoted below:
KTY 09.08.2019
History Airborne Forces • Soviet Night Witches • Bomber Command Memories • Abbreviations • Gardening Codenames
CWGC: Your Relative's Grave Explained • USA Flygirls • Axis Awards Descriptions • 'Lack Of Moral Fibre'
Concept of Colonial Discrimination • Unauthorised First Long Range Mustang Attack
RAAF Bomb Aimer Evades with Maquis • SOE Heroine Nancy Wake • Fane: Motor Racing PRU Legend
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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