British Aircrew Losses

[smudgersmith218]

Bob,

The entry for the Short Stirling of No.299 Squadron has two typo's mate. The serial of Stirling Mk.IV is LJ819 and the pilot, Flight Sergeant Leslie John Gilbert 421012 RAAF was awarded the DFM and not the DFC.

Also are you certain that the aircraft was on Operation "Tonga" please see site links, no mention of No.299 Squadron, not my area of research so I use these sites. Bruno is the main man on 38 Group.

http://www.americandday.org/D-Day/Opera ... attle.html

http://www.6juin1944.com/assaut/aeropgb ... page=tonga

Regards

Steve

Thanks Steve, I will alter the master copy and then re-post it.

Reference Operation Tonga that's what the official document on the digital record says,
because it was paratroopers who had baled out who said that there was heavy flak, and
at the time they baled out the aircraft had not been hit.But will check again to make sure!

Best regards

Bob

[smudgersmith218]

Bob,

Just in case you missed the above.

[Bruno]

Hi Steve & Bob,

299 Squadron participated to Operation Tonga. Yes, F/S Gilbert DFM was lost onboard LJ819.
At the site links that Steve posted can only be seen the aircraft which towed gliders during OperationTonga.
299 Squadron isn't listed because this Squadron dropped paratroopers during the operation.
Regards.

Bruno

[smudgersmith218]

Hi Bruno,

Thanks for the update mate, for my records what were the parachute regiments involved.

Regards

Steve

[Bruno]

Hi Steve,

In the case of LJ819, it was Medium Machine Gun (Vickers) Platoon of the 13th Parachute Battalion (2nd/4th South Lancashire Regiment), 6th Airborne Division.
Here are below the paratroopers onboard LJ819.

Paratroopers who jumped:
LT. E DEAN
PTE BOYLAN
L/CPL TURNER
PTE WR PRICE
PTE BARNETT
L/CPL HIGGINS
PTE STRAHAN
PTE SURGEY
PTE JH PRICE
SGT G KELLY
PTE K LANG

Paratroopers missing with aircraft:
L/SGT J. DAY
PTE RK FARMER
A/CPL J HALLAS
A/CPL RR PIDDLESDEN
PTE CR SHEPHERD
PTE HL SUCKLEY
PTE RS WAIN
PTE DJ MACKENZIE
PTE GR MIDDLETON

I'll have to confirm but the dropped regiments should all be from the 6th Airborne Division. There were a lot of units in the 6th Airborne Division but I'll look in my files if I can extract the principal Regiments dropped.
Regards.

Bruno

[smudgersmith218]

Hi Bruno,

Thanks for the detailed information. I will update my records.

Regards

Smudger