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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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1435 crest
14th October 1942 1435 Squadron Spitfire Vb EP203 Sgt. Roe

Operation: Interception

Date: 14th October 1942 (Wednesday)

Unit: No. 1435 Squadron (motto: 'Protect the right)

Type: Spitfire Vb

Serial: EP203

Code: V-G

Base: Luqa, Malta

Location: Mediterranean Sea

Pilot: Sgt. 'Tim' Ronald John Roe NZ/412270 RNZAF Age 22. Missing - believed killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off from Luqa with 7 others at 09:40 hrs. to intercept incoming raid and one of two that failed to return.

About 28 enemy aircraft were engaged about 30 miles north of the harbour. It is thought they were shot down but neither the aircraft or body were recovered.

The other pilot is thought to have been 26 year old Fl/Sgt. William Williams Aus/403087 RAAF. We dont have details of his aircraft.

Above HMS Furious

Burial and personal details:

Sgt. Ronald John Roe. Malta Memorial. Panel 5, Column 2. Born on the 14th December 1919 in Auckland. A teacher for the Auckland Education Board prior to service. Enlisted at Levin on the 13th April 1941. Son of Thomas Edwin and Mary Winifred Mildred Roe (née Creighton). Brother of Ivan Stuart Roe 599492 a sapper with the 3rd N.Z. Divisional Engineers (survived the war). Credited with 3 enemy aircraft damaged. Also served in 242 and 243 Squadrons. Flew a Spitfire from HMS Furious on the 16th August 1942 to join 1435 Squadron.

Fl/Sgt. William Bedlington Knox Williams. Malta Memorial. Panel 5, Column 2. Born on the 24th March 1916 at Coffs Harbour NSW, enlisted 09th December 1940. Son of Robert James Williams, and of Margaret Keatley Williams, of Burwood, New South Wales, Australia

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of these pilots 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 19-02-2021

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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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