144 Sqn Loss 21 July 1944

[en830]

I promise I'm getting to the bottom of my list, looking for a possible 144 Sqn loss on 21 July 1944, likely to be a Beaufighter. Flt Lt Peter Le Brocq who is buried in Alford Cemetery, Lincolnshire.

[COL BRUGGY]

Hello,

21-7-1944
No.144 Sqn.
Beaufighter T.F.X. LZ134

Crashed on take-off at Strubby, prop of port engine feathered.

130141 F/Lt (Pilot) Peter LE BROCQ RAFVR +

No further details, maybe others can help.

Col.

[Henk Welting]

On file as unaccounted for this date:
Sgt (Pilot) Reginald O. STAGG - 1623726;
Sgt (WOp/Ag) Edward H.P. GRESSWELL - 1851841, and
LAC Patrick C. MARSHALL - 714152 (from Jamaica).
With place of death registration for LE BROCQ probably a match can be found.
Regards,
Henk.

[malcolm_raf]

Hi Col & Henk

Lebrocq - Louth, Lincolnshire
Stagg - Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire
Marshall - not Eng/Wales
Gresswell was in Anson I, MG356 of 4(O)AFU according to Alan Storr

Malcolm

[Ross_McNeill]

Navigator onboard LZ134 was injured, not killed, during the crash after the port engine bracket failed.

Ross

[en830]

Thanks again guys, I promise that that is it for a shortly while.

Ian

[David Gunby]

Peter LeBrocq was from Guernsey, but escaped to England before the German occupation. He flew a first tour on Wellingtons with 38 Squadron, transferring to 40 Squadron when 38 went over to exclusively anti-shipping operations in July 1942. He and his crew appear in Volume One of Bomber Losses in the Middle East and Mediterranean, 14 June, when his Wellington IC failed to get airborne, and was swung deliberately off the runway, crashed and caught fire. No-one was injured, luckily.

About a decade ago I was in touch with a nephew of his.

David