Alexander, Reginald William Purchase (Sergeant)

Prisoner of War 1941-October-13

Male Head

Birth Date: unkown date

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Enlistment:

Enlistment Date: unkown date

Service

RAF

Unit

76 (B) Sqn- Squadron (RAF)
Resolute

Base

RAF Middleton St George

Rank

Sergeant

Position

Navigator/Bomb Aimer

Service Numbers

748073
PoW: 24359

Target

Bremen Germany

Took off from Middleton St. George at 19:45 in Halifax Mk I (Sqn code MP-H Bomber Command) on an operation to Friesland in Northern Holland.

Aircraft shot down and crashed near Leuwaarden, Holland.

Killed: Flight Sergeant Elmer Bagnell Muttart RCAF R/64729 Pilot KIA Harlingen General Cemetery Plot E. Row 1. Grave 20.

POWs: Sergeant Reginald William Purchase Alexander RAF POW Stalag 357 Kopernikus. Sergeant David Cotsell RAF POW Stalag 357 Kopernikus. Sergeant John William Duffield RAF POW Stalag 383 Hohen Fels. Sergeant William Herbert Hunt RAF POW Stalag 357 Kopernikus. Sergeant George Henry Patterson RAF POW Stalag Luft L4 Sagan and Belaria. Sergeant Leslie Albert Roberts RAF POW Stalag 357 Kopernikus. Pilot Officer Norman Frank Trayler RAF POW Stalag Luft L3 Sagan and Belaria

Footprints on the Sands of Time, RAF Bomber Command Prisoners of War in Germany 1939-45 by Oliver Clutton-Brock page 233

Crew or Other Personnel

Halifax L9561

Sergeant Reginald William Purchase Alexander RAF

Sergeant Alexander, Reginald William Purchase (RAF)
Navigator/Bomb Aimer
Prisoner of War
1941-October-13
cemetery unknown

Sergeant David Cotsell RAF

Sergeant Cotsell, David (RAF)
Flight Engineer
Prisoner of War
1941-October-13
cemetery unknown

Sergeant John William Duffield RAF

Sergeant Duffield, John William (RAF)
Air Gunner (Rear)
Prisoner of War
1941-October-13
cemetery unknown

Sergeant William Herbert Hunt RAF

Sergeant Hunt, William Herbert (RAF)
Wireless Operator
Prisoner of War
1941-October-13
cemetery unknown

Flight Sergeant Elmer Bagnell Muttart RCAF

Flight Sergeant Muttart, Elmer Bagnell (RCAF)
Pilot
Killed in Action
1941-October-13
Harlingen General Cemetery, Friesland, Netherlands

Sergeant George Henry Patterson RAF

Sergeant Patterson, George Henry (RAF)
Wireless Operator/Air Gunner
Prisoner of War
1941-October-13
cemetery unknown

Sergeant Leslie Albert Roberts RAF

Sergeant Roberts, Leslie Albert (RAF)
Flight Engineer
Prisoner of War
1941-October-13
cemetery unknown

Flight Lieutenant Norman Frank Trayler RAF

Flight Lieutenant Trayler, Norman Frank (RAF)
2nd Pilot
Prisoner of War
1941-October-13
cemetery unknown

Mission

Halifax B.Mk.I L9561

Bombing Bremen Germany 1941-October-12 to 1941-October-13

76 (B) Sqn (RAF) RAF Middleton St George

76 Squadron (Resolute) RAF Middleton St George. Halifax I aircraft L 9561 MP-H, shot down returning from operations over Bremen, Germany by night fighter pilot Lt Leopold Fellerer of 4/NJG 1 and crashed near Wons, Friesland, 10 km South of Harlingen, Netherlands

Pilot FS Muttart gave the order for his crew to bail, then maintained control of the aircraft long enough for his crew to abandon the aircraft. Sadly, FS Muttart went down with his aircraft, killed in action

Pilot Officer NF Trayler (RAF), Sergeant D Cotsell (RAF), Sergeant LA Roberts (RAF), Sergeant RWP Alexander (RAF), Sergeant WH Hunt (RAF), Sergeant GH Patterson and Sergeant JW Duffield (RAF) all survived to be taken as Prisoners of War

Unvetted Source Aviation Safety Network