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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
1435 Flight Spitfire Vb EP344 Sgt. Colin Lethbridge Wood

Operation: Scramble

Date: 30th July 1942 (Thursday)

Unit: No. 1435 Flight (motto: Protect the right) 02nd August 1942 renamed 1435 Squadron

Type: Spitfire Vb

Serial: EP344

Code: -

Base: Luqa, Malta

Location: St. Paul's Bay, Malta

Pilot: Sgt. Colin Lethbridge Wood NZ/412780 Age 24. Missing - believed killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off at 07:55 hrs. on a scramble against another raid on the island with 7 others from the flight. 5 scrambles during the day on Malta.

During climbing he was shot down by Me109 with the Spitfire coming down in the sea off St. Paul's Bay. His body was not knowingly recovered.

Burial details:

Sgt. Colin Lethbridge Wood. Malta Memorial. Panel 5, Column 2. Born on the 29th of January 1918 in Auckland. Farmhand prior to enlisting on the 03rd May 1941. Son of Audley Cowper Wood and Dorothy May Wood I(née Downey), of Lottin Point, Auckland, New Zealand. Arrived on Malta from HMS. Eagle on the 21st July 1942.

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this pilot 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 09-01-2021

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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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