42 Sqn history

[Oldstacker]

Thumbing through an old photo album I came across a news clipping from 1941 about the loss of a Pilot Officer J D E How who was killed (with no known grave) 13 Aug 1941 (CWGC records). The CWGC records show that he was part of 42 Sqn and that 42 Sqn lost 7 other personnel the same night, only 1 of whom has a grave - in Norway. At the time, 42 Sqn was part of Coastal Command and was flying Beaufort light/torpedo bombers, each with a crew of 4, so the loss of 8 men equates to 2 aircraft lost, presumably in the vicinity of Norway.

This is a long shot, but does anyone have any access to any histories of 42 Sqn that might indicate what that night's operation was? The Operations Record Book for the period is held in the National Archives at Kew, but before I take a trip down there (not sure when I will find the time), if someone already has access to records then I'd be pleased to hear about it.

Thanks

 

[FOMz]

Have you contacted the Air Historical Branch yet?

https://www.raf.mod.uk/our-organisation/units/air-historical-branch/

 

[Oldstacker]

Have you contacted the Air Historical Branch yet?

https://www.raf.mod.uk/our-organisation/units/air-historical-branch/

Good suggestion FOMz which I hadn't considered. I suspect though that they might refer me to Kew. In any case, if I go to Kew I will enjoy the browsing experience as well as just to see if anything else crops up in the record about him.

Thanks anyway.

 

[FOMz]

Ask them if they still have the Sqn F540 and F541's for that period you are looking at.

Have a look here as well for them.

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/...guides/raf-operations-record-books-1939-1945/