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Operation: Rhubarb
Date: 03rd August 1942 (Monday)
Unit: No. 485 Squadron (motto: Ka Whawhai Tonu - 'We Will Fight On')
Type: Spitfire Vb
Serial: BM183
Code: OU-?
Base: RAF King's Cliffe, Northamptonshire
Location: Between Goes and Woensdrecht
Pilot: Sgt. Ronald William Vessey NZ/413156 RNZAF Age 19. Killed
REASON FOR LOSS:
Taking off at 13:25 hrs with 3 others from the squadron on the first of four Rhubarb operations of the day.
The remaining 3 returned to base at 15:05 hrs and posted BM183 as missing.
Shot Down following an attack on a Train between Goes and Woensdrecht. The young pilot who had just joined the squadron a few weeks ago, lost his life. Shot down by the 7./Marine-Flak-Abteilung 810 based on the Zuid-Beveland peninsula.
L-R: Rear; Charles Cecil Shaw, NZ/41313 (killed 14th February 1942) Cyril Francis Ryan NZ/41312 (died 1997, age 83), Ronald Deans Milne NZ/413105, Alan Richard Stewart NZ/405765 (killed 08th November 1943), Dennis Sowden Procter NZ413121 (killed 15th October 1942), Peter Thomas Windsor Wiltshire NZ413165 (killed 06th January 1943)/
Cenre; Ronald William Vessey NZ/413156 (killed 03rd August 1942), S.M Wallace, Joseph Greig Taylor NZ413149 (killed 09th October 1943), Albert Patrick Mahony NZ/413100 (killed on the 17th December 1942), Alan Robert Speirs NZ/413136, James Hubert Naylor NZ/413111 (killed 27th March 1943), David Lindsay Malloch NZ/413101 (killed 23rd June 1942).
Front; C.G Tulley, Kenneth William Stewart, NZ/431206, (died 03rs August 1960, age 44), Alistair McDonald Stevenson NZ/413143 (died 28th April 1973), Walter Thomas Scott NZ/413129 (died 05th August 1955 age 38), Ian Alexander Murdoch 413110 (died 23rd October 2012,) Felix Rowley Symes NZ/413147. Courtesy Air Museum of New Zealand)
Burial details:
Sgt. Ronald William Vessey. Flushing Northern Cemetery (Vlissingen). Row C. Grave 18. Also remembered on the Ashburton War Memorial. Born on the 05th August 1922 in Ashburton. Joined the New Zealand Territioral Force for ten months prior to enlisting with the Royal New Zealand Air Force on the 25th May 1941. Initial training at Levin prior to joining 1 Elementary Flying Training School on the 05th July.
He then embarked for Canada on the 05th September 1941, and was attached to the Royal Canadian Air Force on the 29th September 1941, arrived at the 6 Service Flying Training School in Dunnville, Ontarion on the 01st October 1941. Graduated and is awarded his Pilot's Wings, and promoted to Sergeant on the 02nd of January 1942. A
ttached to the Royal Air Force, and embarked for the UK on the 24th January 1942. With 485 Squadron RNZAF on the 30th June 1942. carried out 4 operational sorties on the Spitfire.
Son of Ernest (died 17th December 1977, age 75) and Ada Vessey, (née Houston - died in 1985, age 90) of Commercial Flats, East Street, Ashburton, Canterbury, New Zealand.
Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to the extensive research by Errol Martyn and his publications: “For Your Tomorrow Vols. 1-3”, New Zealand Cenotaph, Weekly News of New Zealand, Air Museum of New Zealand, Museum of Transport and Technology, Auckland, National Archive Kew, National Archis, Kew, AIR - 27-1933-32/3.
KTY 23-12-2024
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