Base: Thorney Island.
Take off time 1909 hrs.
Op: Hach Patrol.

Took off for a night patrol but failed to return after reporting three enemy patrol vessels about 6 miles West of Le Havre at 2000 hrs. A Whitley in the same area reported that a Hudson had been hit by flak and crashed into the sea. Those below are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.

All lost: Four member of this crew is unknown at this stage, possibly they survived.

unknown	Sgt AS Riddell	P/O CF Rogerson	F/S ML Sharpe

During WWII, the RAF used three-letter codes to identify their aircraft from a distance. Two large letters were painted before the roundel, which signified the squadron to which the aircraft belonged, and another letter was painted after the roundel which indicated the individual aircraft. Aditionally, there was the individual serial number for each aircraft, which was painted in a much smaller size, usually somewhere at the rear of the aircraft: (more)

Codes used by RAF 59 Squadron:

PJ Sep 1938 - Sep 1939
TR Sep 1939 - Oct 1942
1 Aug 1943 - Jul 1944
WE Jul 1944 - Oct 1945
BY Oct 1945 - Jun 1946, Dec 1947 - Oct 1950