6 Bomber Group March 13, 1945
101 Halifaxes from 408, 415, 420, 425, 426, 429, and 432 Squadrons were ordered to attack Wuppertal. The crews were over the target at between16,000 and 20,000 feet, releasing 194,000 lbs of high explosives and 473,000 lbs of incendiaries. According to reports the target was cloud covered with serious damage being caused. Richard Koval (6bombergroup.ca)
246 Squadron RAF Transport Command, RAF Holmsley South. Liberator CV II aircraft EW626 was carrying military passengers en-route to Prestwick, Scotland when it crashed on take-off at Aqualla, four miles west of RAF Station Lagens, the Azores. The pilot was instructed to make a right turn after take-off but instead turned left and flew into a hillside, killing all aboard
The following personnel were killed: Flight Lieutenant LF Jarvis (RCAF), Leading Aircraftman W Bridgen (RAFAAF), Leading Aircraftman CS Hubbard (RAFVR) Leading Aircraftman D Lindsay (RAF), Warrant Officer D Brochard (RAFVR)(Czech), Squadron Leader AJ Davey DSO (RAFVR), Corporal F Jeckells (RAFVR), Corporal W McKenzie (RAFVR), Flying Officer V Jilek (RAFVR)(Czech), Flying Officer CG Montgomery (RAFVR), Flying Officer AP Walker (RAFVR), Flight Sergeant L Kondziolka (RAFVR)(Czech), Sergeant GA Cain (RAF), Sergeant JH Lawrence (RAFVR), Flight Lieutenant AK Murdoch DFC (RAFVR), Flight Lieutenant JE Yarnell (RAFVR) and Flight Lieutenant AJ Volek (RAFVR)(Czech)There was one more unidentified passenger killed of whom no information has yet been found. This tragic crash resulted in a loss of 19 casualties
Ocean Bridge, The History of RAF Ferry Command by Carl A Christie page 327
The Liberator in Royal Air Force and Commonwealth Service by James D Oughton with John Hamlin and Andrew Thomas page 176
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Czech involvement with RAF Transport Squadrons I Free...
Kenotaf Dalibor Brochard I Spolek pro vojenska pietni mistra