ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 231466
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| Date: | Thursday 30 March 1944 |
| Time: | 20:12 |
| Type: |  Bristol Beaufighter TF Mk X |
| Owner/operator: | 404 (Buffalo) Sqn RCAF |
| Registration: | LZ297 |
| MSN: | EE-A |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Missing - North Sea -
 Norway
|
| Phase: | Combat |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Dyce, Aberdeenshire |
Beaufighter LZ297/A: Took off at 17:05 hrs for Rover patrol off Bommel Fjord, Norway. 30/03/1944
Attack on shipping, this time against fierce opposition, owed its success to the resolute and skillful leadership of the Squadron Commanding Officer, Chuck Willis. On 30 March, nine 404 Beaufighters armed with RPs in the anti-flak role were out in formation with four Torbeaus and five Flakbeaus of 144 Sqdn in search of 13,882-ton troop ship, the Monte Rosa. A destroyer, two other escort vessels and numerous aircraft escorted this large vessel. The troop ship’s movement had been reported by ‘special intelligence’ and was observed off of Haugesund by a 333 (Norwegian) Squadron Mosquito. A day earlier, the Squadron had been involved in an unsuccessful search for this convoy containing “a very large vessel”.
The formation flew in two parts, the first under the leadership of W/Cdr Willis and navigator F/Lt Kent in ‘A’ LZ297, the second was led by F/Lt Robinson and F/O Devine in ‘P’/LZ314.
144 Torbeaus claimed two torpedo strikes for their efforts in the attack. Against these results, however, the squadron lost two crews; their popular and very ableW/Cdr Willis with his navigator, F/Lt Kent in ‘A’, along with F/Lt Robinson and his navigator F/O Devine in ‘P’. Willis was later reported to be a prisoner of war, after being plucked from the sea by a Blohm and Voss flying boat (BV.138).
Crew:
W/Cdr (C/836) Charles Albert WILLIS DFC (C.O pilot) RCAF - POW
F/Lt (131.495) Frederick Alan KENT (nav.) RAFVR - killed.
Sources:
1.https://wartimes.ca/forums/viewtopic.php?t=588
2.https://rcaf404squadron.art.blog/category/introduction/
3.ORB 404 Sqdn RCAF
4.404 Sqn RCAF war diaries from RCAF historical archival microfilms
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 16-Dec-2019 20:58 | tachel | Added |
| 19-Jan-2021 17:04 | db | Updated [Aircraft type, Cn, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Location, Departure airport, Source, Narrative, Operator] |
| 05-Aug-2022 15:57 | tachel | Updated [Total occupants, Source, Narrative] |
| 05-Aug-2022 16:13 | tachel | Updated [Total fatalities] |
| 05-Aug-2022 16:54 | tachel | Updated [Time] |
| 05-Oct-2022 22:29 | Nepa | Updated [Location, Source, Narrative, Operator] |
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