Cause of Mosquito MM196 M5-Q loss, November 16th 1944?

[wwrsimon]

Hello again all

I'd like to try and find more details about, or the cause for, the loss of this Mosquito of 128 Sqn, which came down in Allied-held territory in eastern Belgium on a mission to Berlin. The entry on the database on here has "cause of loss not established" but I wondered if anyone could provide some/any details?

http://www.rafcommands.com/database/...php?uniq=MM196

The pilot, John Seymour Etherington, was injured, and the Navigator F/O S. Harrison uninjured. Etherington was awarded the D.F.C. in September 1945.

Regards

Simon

[John Williams]

Hi Simon,

Sorry mate nothing in Nachtjagd Combat Archives.

Cheers,

John.

[HughAHalliday]

You may have to extend your inquiries to British Columbia - see https://www.legacy.com/ca/obituaries...?pid=151467860.

[wwrsimon]

Thank you John and Hugh.

I've tracked down an obituary here: https://www.todayinbc.com/obituaries...r-etherington/)

which includes the following:

"Throughout WW II, John served in the RAF as a pathfinder, flight lieutenant and squadron leader. He was eventually shot down over Belgium behind enemy lines [sic]. After struggling to stabilize the plane so his crew could bail out safely, John was seriously injured when he jumped as his plane spun out of control. For this selfless act he received the RAF’s highest award for exceptional valour, the Distinguished Flying Cross."

I've been through the 128 Sqn ORBs and tracked his Ops, and he completed some 31 missions after being posted there in September 1944. There is a gap between November 16th 1944 and March 7th 1945 presumably as he recovered.

His Navigator, 171806 Sidney Harrison, who was also posted to 128 Sqn at the same time, had returned to the unit on November 21st 1944. He would also survive the war, but died in 1946 in Anson PH789:

http://www.rafcommands.com/database/...php?uniq=ph789

Regards

Simon

[JDCAVE]

Probably 20-25 years ago, I remember having lunch at a small roadside cafe located at Jordan River, a few miles NW of Sooke along the oceanfront. There, I met a delightful gentleman having lunch with his wife. He was wearing his “airforce tie” and I commented as such. We struck up a conversation and it turned out he was a mosquito pilot with Pathfinders. I now wonder if he was the same gentleman mentioned on this thread.

Jim

[wwrsimon]

Jim

Too much of a co-incidence, perhaps?

The original of the Obituary from the Sooke News Mirror I posted above can be seen here:

https://issuu.com/sookemirror/docs/snm_june_8_2011

pages 22-23, lower LH corner.

Simon