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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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Operation: Training

Date: 16th January 1943 (Saturday)

Unit: No. 65 Squadron 13 Group (motto: Vi et armis - 'By force and arms')

Type: Spitfire Vb

Serial: AR403

Code: YT-?

Base: RAF Drem, East Lothian, Scotland

Location: Near Wedderlie House, Westruther

Pilot: Sgt. Malcolm Eric Edward Robertson NZ/413480 RNZAF Age 20. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off from RAF Drem at 15:40 hrs on an acrobatic train exercise. It failed to return.

It was not until 4 days later that the burnt out wreckage was found in the grounds of Wedderlie House, Westruther (shown below). It seems that after fifty minutes from take off the aircraft had dived vertically out of cloud and into the ground.

Burial details:

Sgt. Malcolm Eric Edward Robertson. Glasgow Cemetery (Craigton), Glasgow. Grave 219. Born on the 21st June 1922 at Wellington. Prior to service worked as a clerk for Morris Duncan and Gyllies and company in Auckland. Son of Charles Robertson and of Hilma Elvira Robertson (née Fogelberg), of Hataitai. A total of 358n flying hours logged with 170 on the Spitfire. 6 operational sorties completed.

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this pilot with thanks to Jenifer Lemaire and to the extensive research by Errol Martyn and his publications: “For Your Tomorrow Vols. 1-3”, Auckland Library Heritage Collection, AWMM, Weekly News of New Zealand, other sources as quoted below:

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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: 03 January 2021, 14:46

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