7 April 1944

No. 112 Squadron aircraft and pilots taking part in the combat over Rieti airfield:

Kittyhawk III

Pilot

FT854

GA/B

F/L

L.N. Ahern

Aus. 402781

FR857

GA/V

F/S

K.C. Warburton

(shot down at 17.10 hours)

FR862

GA/E

F/S

B.H. Peters

Aus. 409439

FR312

GA/J

F/O

M.N. Matthias

FR288

GA/Z

F/S

W.E. Cocks

(shot down at 17.10 hours)

FR507

GA/R

Lt.

M.G. White

SAAF 75645V

FR390

GA/F

W/O

R.W. Drown

FR257

GA/H

Lt.

H.J. Hanreck

SAAF 207359V

FR354

GA/W

W/O

N.E. Swinton

Aus. 401457

FR309

GA/Q

F/O

J.O. Gray

Can. J.16543

FR236

GA/S

F/S

J.L. Jellett

FL895

GA/A

F/S

A.G. Rowe

Notes:

Of those pilots who flew on both this and the squadron's morning mission, Swinton was the only one to fly the same aircraft each time.

F/O Matthias was killed over Austria on 2 April 1945.

20 April 1944

No. 250 (Sudan) Squadron aircraft and pilots taking part in the attack on Rieti airfield:

Kittyhawk IV

FX683

S/L

G.J. Black

FX695

Sgt.

D.G. Marchant

FX635

P/O

O.P. Cross

NZ 414257

FX672

Lt.

N.V. Waterson

SAAF 207262V

FX575

Sgt.

K. Hayes

Aus. 413080

FX669

F/S

J. Casson

Rhodesia 778890

FX664

F/L

R.V. Hearn

FX744

F/S

W.W. Irwin

FX697

F/O

G.H. Davis

FX706

Cpt.

A.E. McLean

SAAF 47852V

FX628

F/S

A.W. McDougal

FX763

Lt.

J.P. Fitzgerald

SAAF 207363V

NOTES:

F/L Hearn was later posted to No. 112 Squadron. On 9 September, flying a Mustang III, he shot down an Me 410 of 2.(F)/122 (claimed as a "Ju 88"). On 18 February 1945, while strafing Aviano airfield, he was shot down and killed by light Flak. (See Air War Italy 1944-45, pages 104, 156 and 162).

Sgt. Kelvin Hayes was on his 104th operation and later wrote about it in his book A Dream's Reality (Church Archivists' Press, Brisbane, 1995) ISBN 0 9588016 3 0. Hayes retained his drop tank throughout the attack. He and his No. 2 (whom he thinks was Casson) destroyed two Fw 190s but his Kittyhawk emerged leaking coolant, possibly as a result of damage from flying debris. Hayes returned to Rieti on 21 April.

THANKS:

to Andrew Arthy (who has interviewed him) for the information about Kelvin M. Hayes, DFC. Andrew runs a website devoted to the Fw 190 and Ta 152.