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Archive Report: Allied Forces

Compiled from official National Archive and Service sources, contemporary press reports, personal logbooks, diaries and correspondence, reference books, other sources, and interviews.
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129
129 Squadron Mustang III FB389 F/O. Joseph Norman Bertrand

Operation: Armed Reconnaissance

Date: 18th October 1944 (Wednesday)

Unit: No. 129 Squadron (motto: 'I will defend the right')

Type: Mustang III

Serial: FB389

Code: DV-M

Base: RAF Andrews Field, Essex

Location: Near Driewegen

Pilot: F/O. Joseph Norman Bertrand C/21287 RCAF PoW Stalag Luft Barth-Vogelsang

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off at 09:12 hrs on a armed reconnaissance operation with Sq/Ldr. Peter Douglas Thompson 84697 flying Spitfire HB867.

The pilot experienced engine trouble and called to say that he was baling out at 11:50 hrs. He was seen to land safely and it was thought that he may have been able to escape as allied forces were very close.

He was captured by German flak soldiers and, interrogated and eventually sent to Stalag Luft Barth-Vogelsang

Burial details:

None - survived the war.

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this pilot with thanks to Air/27/934/74 and Air/27/934/73 National Archives and other sources as quoted below:

KTY 29-08-2022

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Acknowledgements
Sources used by us in compiling Archive Reports include: Bill Chorley - 'Bomber Command Losses Vols. 1-9, plus ongoing revisions', Dr. Theo E.W. Boiten and Mr. Roderick J. Mackenzie - 'Nightfighter War Diaries Vols. 1 and 2', Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt - 'Bomber Command War Diaries', Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Tom Kracker - Kracker Luftwaffe Archives, Michel Beckers, Major Fred Paradie (RCAF) and MWO François Dutil (RCAF) - Paradie Archive (on this site), Jean Schadskaje, Major Jack O'Connor USAF (Retd.), Robert Gretzyngier, Wojtek Matusiak, Waldemar Wójcik and Józef Zieliński - 'Ku Czci Połeglyçh Lotnikow 1939-1945', Archiwum - Polish Air Force Archive (on this site), Anna Krzystek, Tadeusz Krzystek - 'Polskie Siły Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii', Franek Grabowski, Norman L.R. Franks 'Fighter Command Losses', Stan D. Bishop, John A. Hey MBE, Gerrie Franken and Maco Cillessen - Losses of the US 8th and 9th Air Forces, Vols 1-6, Dr. Theo E.W. Boiton - Nachtjagd Combat Archives, Vols 1-13. Aircrew Remembered Databases and our own archives. We are grateful for the support and encouragement of CWGC, UK Imperial War Museum, Australian War Memorial, Australian National Archives, New Zealand National Archives, UK National Archives and Fold3 and countless dedicated friends and researchers across the world.
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Last Modified: 29 August 2022, 12:12

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