Halifax BB283 B.Mk.II - Bombing Saint-Nazaire France - 1943-03-28 to 1943-03-28
Squadron: 419 (B) Sqn (RCAF)
Start Date: 1943-03-28
Completion Date: 1943-03-28
Mission: Bombing
Operation: unspecified
Target City: Saint-Nazaire France
Target Specific: submarine facilities
Base: RAF Middleton St George
Take Off Time: 19:40:00
Squadron Code: VR-O
Radio Code:
Return Base:
Return Time:
Crash City: France
Crash Specifics:
Crash Latitude: 0.00000000
Crash Longitude: 0.00000000
Crash Reason: flak
Flak Battery: unspecified
Enemy Claim:
War Diary Unavailable

6 Bomber Group March 28, 1943

4 Wellingtons from 429 and 431 Squadrons were ordered on a sea search. The crews were unsuccessful and returned safely to base. Richard Koval (6bombergroup.ca)

419 Moose Squadron RCAF (Moosa Aswayita) RAF Middleton St George. Halifax B Mk II aircraft BB 283 VR-O was coned by searchlights and shot down by flak during an operation to bomb the submarine facilities at Saint Nazaire, France. There is some confusion about which units were responsible for shooting down BB 283 as multiple unconfirmed claims were made. The Halifax crashed in the vicinity of Nantes, France with the loss of the entire crew

Flight Sergeant Robert Francis Beckett (RCAF), Flight Sergeant Charles St Clair Foster (RCAF), Sergeant Joseph John Goldspink (RCAF), Flight Sergeant Gerald McGrath (RCAF), Flight Sergeant Roderic Murray McLeod (RCAF), Sergeant Dennis Ansley (RAFVR) and Sergeant William James Stonard Boyd (RAFVR) were all killed in action

Nachtjagd Combat Archive 1943 Part 1, 1 January - 22 June by Theo Boiten, page 48

Unvetted Source Royal Air Force Serial and Image Database

Unvetted Source Search for France-Crashes 39-45

Unvetted Source Aviation Safety Network

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