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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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139
139 Squadron Mosquito IV DZ348 Fl/Sgt. Frederick James Ross

Operation: Berlin

Date: 19/20th August 1943 (Thursday/Friday)

Unit: No. 139 Squadron 8 Group (motto: Si placet necamus - 'We destroy at will')

Type: Mosquito IV

Serial: DZ348

Code: XD-?

Base: RAF Wyton, Huntingdonshire

Location: Near Dusseldorf

Pilot: Fl/Sgt. Frederick James Ross Aus/409278 RAAF Age 26. Killed

Nav: Fl/Sgt. Colin Cecil Oliver Hellyer Aus/412443 RAAF Age 21. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off at 21:06 hrs with seven others on an operation to Berlin

21 year old W/O. John Frederick Little 932287 RAF and his observer, 28 year old Fl/Sgt. Jack Arnold Rod, landing at 21:26 hrs. They were both lost later this month on the 30th August in Mosquito DZ374 on an operation to Duisburg.

DZ348 failed to return after crashing near Dusseldorf. 25 year old Fl/Sgt. Thomas Kevin Forsyth Aus/409587 RAAF with his observer, 22 year old Sgt. Leonard Charles James 1268838 RAFVR flying Mosquito DZ518 was hit by flak damaging the starboard engine although they managed to return they landed at 03/:12 hrs. This crew were lost on the 21st October 1943 flying Mosquito DZ597 on an operation to Berlin

Left: Fl/Sgt. Frederick James Ross with Fl/Sgt. Colin Cecil Oliver Hellyer

Burial details:

Fl/Sgt. Frederick James Ross. Reichswald Forest War Cemetery. Grave 6.F.2. Born on 02nd March, 1922 at Wahroonga, Sydney. Son of William Paul (died 11th June 1979, aged 88) and Elizabeth Julia Ross (died 09th July 1974, age 86, of North Brighton, Victoria, Australia.

Fl/Sgt. Colin Cecil Oliver Hellyer. Reichswald Forest War Cemetery. Grave 6.F.3. Born on the 02nd March, 1922 at Wahroonga, Sydney. Son of Cecil William (died 05th November1964, age 71) and Daisy Anna Hellyer, (née Janson - died 02nd February 1975, age 88) of Kingston, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. Epitaph: 'He Died As He Lived, Everyone's Friend'.

Other crews:

W/O. John Frederick Little. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 134. Born on the 06th July 1921. Police Cadet Clerk, having joined the forcer aged 16 in 1937. Son of John William and Esther Annie (died in 1939) Little of Chester Avenue, Luton, England. Brother of Edward and William, Note: A plaque has been placed for John at Luton Police Station - they are seeking relatives to contact them - more here.

Fl/Sgt. Jack Arnold Rodd. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 134. Son of Earnest and Florence Rodd, of Ealing, Middlesex; husband of Brenda E Rodd (née Kain), of Ealing. F.B.O.A. Three times champion of Ealing Cycling Club.

Fl/Sgt, Thomas Kevin Forsyth. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 192. 1Born on the 17th December 1917 in Glen Wills, Victoriam Australia. Son of David Craig Forsyth (died 19th September 1973) and Margaret Anne Forsyth, (née Crawley - died 10th March 1975) of East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

Sgt. Leonard Charles James. . Runnymede Memorial. Panel 154. Son of Leonard Charles and Amelia Florence James, of Kilburn, Middlesex, England.

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to the Paul McGuinnes RAAF Archive. National Archives Kew. Air-27-960-26/27, National Archives Australia.

KTY 09-05-2024

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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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