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Operation: Sweep
Date: 23rd July 1942 (Thursday)
Unit: No. 234 Squadron (10 Group)
Type: Spitfire Vb
Serial: AR285
Code: AZ-?
Base: RAF Portreath, Cornwall
Location: English Channel off France
Pilot: P/O. John Dorset Webster NZ/405351 RNZAF Age 24. Missing believed killed
REASON FOR LOSS:
Taking off at 15:20 hrs for a sweep between Plousecat and Guissény the unit encountered flak and light machine gun fire near Landerneau as well as encountering enemy aircraft.
The squadron lost four pilots during this operation, apart from P/O. Webster who is thought to have come down in the English Channel. (some reports state that he baled out - missing)
The others lost from the Squadron:
Spitfire Vb AD454 Flown by Sgt. W.H.T. Farmer 570023 RAFVR Taken PoW No: 25657 Camp: Stalag Lamsdorf (344)
Spitfire Vb AD541 Flown by Sgt. David Gordon Fuggle 1333176 RAFVR - Missing - believed killed.
Spitfire Vb AB864 Flown by P/O. Jorgen Billy Thalbitzer 110594 RAFVR - Taken PoW - Oflag XXIB - further details follow.
Burial details:
P/O. John Dorset Webster. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 117. The son of Lewis Dorset Webster and of Adele Marie Webster (née Avery), of New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand. 406 Flying hours logged and on his 91st operation.
Others:
Sgt. David Gordon Fuggle. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 83. No further details on next of kin - are you able to assist?
P/O. Jorgen Billy Thalbitzer. Vestre Cemetery (Copenhagen). No further details on next of kin - are you able to assist?
Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this pilot with thanks to the research by Errol Martyn and his publications: “For Your Tomorrow Vols. 1-3”, Auckland Cenotaph, Weekly News of New Zealand, other sources as quoted below:
KTY - 05.11.2017
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember
them. - Laurence
Binyon
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Last Modified: 19 March 2021, 11:14