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610Sqn 18 december 1944

610Sqn 18 december 1944
Author: Flupke
Time Stamp:
10:30:58 Saturday, January 6, 2007
Post:
Hello to all

I am looking for the crash places of two Spitfire XIV from the 610th Sqn loss the 18th December 1944

RM-736 W/O Higgs Thomas Francis (KIA)657789

RM-746 F/Lt Madden Brian Minden RNZAF(KIA) NZ41521

Booth buried at Hotton

Many thanks in advance

Regards

Phil



RE: 610Sqn 18 december 1944
Author: Amrit
Time Stamp:
10:55:49 Saturday, January 6, 2007
Post:
RM736 - Hit high ground believed due to icing in cloud nr Aachen

W/O T Higgs also buried at Hotton



RE: 610Sqn 18 december 1944
Author: errol.martyn@xtra.co.nz (Guest)
Time Stamp:
11:02:42 Saturday, January 6, 2007
Post:
Phil,

From my 'For Your Tomorrow - A record of New Zealanders who have died while serving with the RNZAF and Allied Air Services since 1915' (Volume Two: Fates 1943-1998):

Mon 18 Dec 1944

2nd TACTICAL AIR FORCE

Patrol Aachen-Trier, Germany

610 Squadron, RAF (B56 %7BEv%E8re%7D, Belgium - 127 Wing, 83 Group)

Spitfire F.XIV RM736 - took off at 0920 piloted by the commander of ‘B’ Flight. Over Aachen the patrol became split up on coming under attack from flak and fighters, with dogfights taking place between cloud layers. Missing after the action, RM736 was later found to have crashed at Rotenbar(?). The pilot was buried in the Belgium village of Henri-Chapelle, 16km SW of Aachen, but later reinterred at Hotton, 40km SSW of Li%E8ge.

Pilot: NZ41521 Flt Lt Brian Minden MADDEN, RNZAF - Age 25. 563hrs.

Errol


RE: 610Sqn 18 december 1944
Author: Flupke
Time Stamp:
05:47:53 Tuesday, February 6, 2007
Post:
Thanks Amrit & Errol

Rotenbar !! I assume it’s around Aachen but I didn’t found such village or hamlet in that area nor than in Belgium , Henri-Chapelle was a transit cemetery at that time .

Can you confirm that he serial number was RM736 for the F/Lt Madden ? Because I have RM746 in my records.

Anyway many thanks for your answer

Regards

Phil



RE: 610Sqn 18 december 1944
Author: errol.martyn@xtra.co.nz (Guest)
Time Stamp:
07:21:42 Tuesday, February 6, 2007
Post:
Phil,

According to the relevant Air-Britain serials volume RM746 of 610 Sqn crashed on landing, Lympne, 18 Sep 44 and was written off. One document on Madden's service record does show RM746 for his loss but at the time of compilation, and given the A-B statement, I concluded that this was a typo for RM736. If it was not RM746 that crashed at Lympne three months earlier then which aircraft was it?

Note the '(?)' adjacent to 'Rotenbar' - I could not find a match for this place either. Another typo perhaps?

Errol


RE: 610Sqn 18 december 1944
Author: DaveW
Time Stamp:
12:38:07 Tuesday, February 6, 2007
Post:
Phil,

I can offer as a possible location (it is in approx the right place) Rabotrath which is about 4 km ESE of Henri Chappelle.

The correct serial would seem to be RM736.

Regards

DaveW


RE: 610Sqn 18 december 1944
Author: Flupke
Time Stamp:
10:05:28 Tuesday, March 6, 2007
Post:
Hello Dave & Errol

Yes indeed that may be a good possibility!! I will check it when I will go in that area

It’s on the edge of the French / German speaking area .

Maybe also around Rott in Germany 8Mi SE of Aachen ?

Many thanks for you help

Regards

Phil



RE: 610Sqn 18 december 1944
Author: errol.martyn@xtra.co.nz (Guest)
Time Stamp:
00:47:48 Friday, April 6, 2007
Post:
Phil,

I think Dave's Rabotrath the more likely. Rott is rather to far from Henri-Chapelle, the first place of burial (for events outside the UK, usually a cemetery close to the place where death occurred).

Errol


RE: 610Sqn 18 december 1944
Author: Flupke
Time Stamp:
07:51:41 Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Post:
Errol

You are probably right but Henri-Chapelle was a transit cemetery since September 1944 they bring there a lot of dead from Germany at that time .

Regards

Phil



RE: 610Sqn 18 december 1944
Author: errol.martyn@xtra.co.nz (Guest)
Time Stamp:
10:35:01 Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Post:
Phil,

OK, thanks for that info.

Errol


RE: 610Sqn 18 december 1944
Author: errol.martyn@xtra.co.nz (Guest)
Time Stamp:
10:37:11 Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Post:
Phil,

OK, thanks for that info.

Errol