Date:	Wednesday 19 August 1942
Time:	11:10
Type:	North American Mustang Mk I
Owner/operator:	414 (City of Sarnia) Sqn RCAF
Registration:	AG375
MSN:	RU-F
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	English Channel offshore from Dieppe -   France
Phase:	Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.)
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Croydon
Destination airport:

Narrative:
Pilot was performing low level reconnaissance of the enemy military traffic on the roads south of Dieppe. He and his wingman (cover) were attacked by 3 FW 190's. The wingman attempted to warn the pilot of the impending attack but the pilot's radio malfunctioned. One of the FW's came in behind the pilot's aircraft and fired his guns. The Mustang's radiator was hit as were the instruments on both sides of the instrument panel. At this time the wingman was engaged in a dogfight with one of the FW's which he shot down. He also managed to deter the other FW from a kill shot behind the stricken Mustang.
The pilot managed to climb the aircraft and reach about 800 feet and turned towards the Channel and the Allied fleet. He successfully ditched the aircraft and was pulled unconscious from the cockpit and saved by an unknown army soldier who swam over to the Mustang from a landing craft.
The pilot suffered a blow to the forehead during the ditching which was bandaged up and he arrived back at his squadron early the following morning.
The pilot was Flt/Lt Fredrick E. Clarke of Calgary Alberta and his wing man was F/O Hollis H. Hills from Melbourne, Fla - an American serving in the RCAF.

* I received the information first hand from my father who was the pilot that was shot down.

* RCAF/RAF Combat Report filed 19 August 1942
* 414 Squadron Operation Record Book for 19 August 1942.
* Pilots log book

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
13-Feb-2017 20:15	ccclarke	Added
17-Jan-2018 10:31	TB	Updated [Time, Registration, Operator, Other fatalities, Nature]
21-Mar-2018 15:41	paddy	Updated [Operator]
09-Oct-2018 16:36	Nepa	Updated [Operator, Departure airport, Operator]
18-Oct-2018 15:20	Nepa	Updated [Operator, Operator]