Flight Sergeant Arthur Ferdinand Zado and crew were shot down in 98 Squadron Mitchell II RAF Serial FW184 (VO-D) on 11 Jun 44 during a "˜nitelite' operation at Carentan & Lessay, France where Mitchells dropped flares to illuminate roadways for attacks by Mosquito aircraft on German military traffic. There was no flak, but German night fighters were up in strength; Oblt. Josef Krause of 6./NJG 101 (Night fighter Group) was credited in OKL (Luftwaffe) records with the victory.
The crew comprised:
- Pilot Officer Walter Vincent Thurston RAAF (Pilot) KIA
- Sergeant Frances George Dean RAFVR (Observer) KIA
- Pilot Officer William Ivan Girvin RCAF (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner) KIA
- Flight Sergeant Arthur Ivan Zado RCAF (Air Gunner) PoW
This was the crew's 37th operation. Their first was 18 Mar 44; their record included raids against:
- 13 Railway marshalling yards
- 10 "˜Noball' (V-1 Rocket) sites
- 5 Gun positions
- 3 Airfields
- 2 Railway junctions
- 1 Troop position
- The Panzer West Headquarters (The "˜Dinner Raid' of 10 Jun 44)
- 2 German night-time traffic movements (flare-dropping)
Flight Sergeant Zado was the only survivor of the crew; he was captured and spent the duration as a Prisoner of War at Stalag Luft 7 in Bankau, Silesia, Germany (now Bąków, Opole Voivodeship, Poland). Arthur's crewmates were interred in the Banneville-la-Campagne War Cemetery in France.
After the war Arthur returned to his home in Mazenod, SK and married Margaret Williams; they moved to Victoria, BC where Arthur worked as a carpenter before changing to permanent indoor work with the Victoria Post Office, from where he retired. He died 18 Mar 2011 and was predeceased by Margaret in 2005. They are survived by two sons and many nieces and nephews.