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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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239 Squadron Crest
25/26.02.1944 No 239 Squadron Mosquito DZ270 HB-Q F/O. "Tex" Knight

Operation: Bomber Support

Date: 25/26th February 1944 (Friday/Saturday)

Unit: No. 239 Squadron

Type: Mosquito NFII

Serial: DZ270

Code: HB-Q

Base: RAF West Raynham, Norfolk, England

Location: English Channel

Pilot: F/O. ‘Tex’ Earl Allan Knight 52153 RAF Age 27. Killed

Nav: F/O. Desmond Patrick Doyle 128562 RAFVR Age 21. Missing - believed killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off from RAF West Raynham in Norfolk at 21:34 hrs on a bomber support operation

At 01:20 hrs, a very weak message was picked up by RAF North Weald from this aircraft, “Vectoring 300 – still being fired at". Nothing more was heard and it is thought that they came down in the English Channel.

This pilot had two claims to his credit, the last last a few nights previously on the 21st February 1944 - BF110. His first, whilst with 151 Squadron over Lincoln, England a Dornier 217E U5+KR of 7./KG2, flown by Lt Gunther Wolff.

Another Mosquito from 239 Squadron was also lost this night:

Mosquito II DZ247 crashed on return to RAF Raynham near Wellingham, Norfolk - the pilot, 21 year old F/O. Neil Munro 132760 RAFVR of Southgate Middlesex was killed, his Navigator, 28 year old F/O. Alec Richard Hurley 156012 RAFVR of Raynes Park, London died later - despite receiving treatment at the 53 Mobile Field Hospital at Weasenham from injuries received.

No night fighter claims for Mosquito DZ270 found to date.

Burial details:

F/O. Earl Allan Knight. Thorpe Acre Churchyard (All Saints). Husband of Margaret F. Knight (née Bullock), of Loughborough, Leicestershire, England, father to Richard Allan. Originally from Arbilla, Ontario, Canada.

F/O. Desmond Patrick Doyle. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 205. Son of Thomas Patrick and Mary Doyle, of Clapham, London, England.

Researched for Aircrew Remembered - July 2016 by Michel Beckers. With thanks to Michel Kevin for grave photo. Others the Michel Beckers collection.

MB - 16-07-2016

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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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