Beaufighter lost by 255 Sqn on 8 January 1944

[Laurent Rizzotti]

On 8 January 1944 Flight Sergeant Jak David Luckhurst (pilot) and Warrant Officer Dennis Poulton (radar operator) of 255 Sqn took off in the evening from the Allied occupied airfield at Pomigliano. At 2324 hours while on night patrol one of the Beaufighter’s engines failed. The crew apparently attempted to feather the propeller but due to catastrophic oil loss the prop would not cycle to feather. This event caused an excessive amount of drag and coupled with the loss of the engine they crashed near Alberobello, and both men were killed.

I am missing the Beaufighter serial. If someone has it, I will be interested.

Best regards

[Alex Smart]

Hello Laurent,
Only one that I could find for this date was a VIF of 255 Sqdn, serial number MM864.
AB MA100-MZ999 has - "Crashed on take-off for patrol Grottaglie, 8.1.44".
Alex

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Thanks Alex,

Same cause, squadron and date, but location is 300 km away from my source. 255 Sqn home base at the time was Grottaglie, so there is a possibility that your book has Grottaglie at the location because of this, but the squadron was also operating a detachment at Pomigliano d'Arco (near Naples). Or my source is wrong.