Base; Ballykelly
Take off time: 1047 hrs (11th) - Time Down: 0130 hrs (12th)
Op: A/S Patrol
After an uneventful patrol, caught fire as it approached to land at BALLYKELLY. It was brought down safely and later burnt out and blew up. The crew were unhurt except for a navigator, F/O STEPHENSON, who was injured. Records and briefing material lost. AIR27-559
"...caught fire at 400ft while approaching to land at BALLYKELLY after an operational sortie. The captain managed to bring the aircraft safely to land and it eventually burnt out and blew up off the runway. The sole casualty was F/O E.J.A Stephenson, who was injured by one of the propellors abandoning the aircraft..."
No casualties:
| Memorial Page Links | |||
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F/L E.Knowles (P) | F/S H.Robinson (2P) | F/O Stephenson (Nav) | |
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Sgt R.M Paton | Sgt T. Cottew | F/S C.A. Honey | F/S A.E. King |
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F/S P.C. Moore | |||
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