Squadron service before 26 OTU

[KennethK]

Hi


I am hoping a member might be able to dig a bit further into a relative's history?

I am searching for more info about Sergeant Kenneth KNAGGS (1149159) of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. We know he was a pilot serving with 26 OTU flying a Wellington X HE500 and was shot down and killed with his whole crew on 30 August 1943 whilst attacking an ammunition dump at Forest of Éperlecque near St Omer, which was presumably connected to the Kraftwerk Nord West bunker built by the Germans as a launch site for V-2 rockets.

Is there any way I can discover more about his service? I should add that as I live in New Zealand my research is confined to online searching.

Many thanks.

[jossleclercq]

Hello

I've researched this loss as it occured in my area. The ammunition dump which was the target that night is not specifically linked to the V2 rocket site which is in the same forest. It has just been severely damaged on the 27th of August by a U.S. raid.

They had taken off at 21:00 hrs from Wing, with 3 other Wellington crews from No. 26 O.T.U.. The Pathfinder Force despatched 6 Mosquito (3 effective) and 6 Halifax to mark the target, and 33 Wellingtons (out of 45 despatched) from No. 91, 92 and 93 Group made the Main Force. HE500 was the only loss of that raid, attributed to Flak. The plane crashed in the village of Rubrouck, where one airman is still buried, the other crew members are buried in St Omer Longuenesse cemetery.

No. 26 O.T.U. gives no detail about the pupils in the course, so I can't tell where they did their previous training. I think your best option is to get his Record of Service

https://www.gov.uk/government/collec...ervice-records

which would only be 2 sheets of papers full of acronyms, but many people here would be happy to help you then.

Regards

Joss

[KennethK]

Hi Joss

Thank you very much for your reply. It certainly looks like I will need to dig out his Record of Service from the RAF records. Fingers crossed!