Crowell, Richard Alvinzie (Warrant Officer 2nd Class)

SOE Operations SILICA NORTH, SEED & ACRE, 148 Squadron, RAF (Brindisi, Italy - 334 Wing, Balkan Air Force): Halifax Mk II BB-412 'C' - took off at 19:30 to drop supplies to partisans in NW Italy. En route to the Val Grande area in the vicinity of Ivrea, 45km NE of Turin, flew into the side of a mountain about 25 metres below the summit at 23:45.

The eight crew, a British Army officer, two Czech Army personnel and two unidentified dispatchers (possibly Italian partisans) are buried in a collective grave in Milan.

crew Killed: Pilot Officer John Ervin O'Brien RCAF J/87441 pilot KIA Flight Sergeant Bruce Woodward Ellison RNZAF KIA WO Richard Alvinzie Crowell RCAF R/153348 KIA Flying Officer Joseph Miller Parkinson RCAF J/27460 KIA Flight Sergeant James Howard Ireland RCAF R/162102 KIA Flight Sergeant Albert Major Vanderhart RCAF R/206366 KIA Sergeant Ronald McKeen RAF KIA.