LEST WE FORGET
Air Operations (No. 464 Squadron Mosquito aircraft HP935), France, 27 April 1944
Mosquito HP935 took off from RAF Gravesend at 1355 hours on 27 April 1944 being one of 8 aircraft from the Squadron detailed to bomb construction works in Northern France. HP935 failed to return from the mission. The formation was led by Wing Commander Robert Wilson Iredale DFC & Bar (400590) Commanding Officer of No. 464 Squadron. The CO attacked the target and it is believed his No. 2 (Flying Officer Oates) either caught in his slip-stream or hit a tree for HP935 was last seen rolling over and finally crashing in flames. Both crew members were killed and are buried in the Grandcourt War Cemetery.
The crew members of HP935 were:
Flying Officer Arnold Rex Oates (416146) (RNZAF) (Pilot)
Sergeant Douglas Edwin Spencer (1580119) (RAFVR) (Navigator)
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records (RAAF Casualty Information compiled by Alan Storr (409804))
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Bibliography:
Lax, M. (Mark) and Leon Kane-Maguire The Gestapo Hunters: 464 Squadron RAAF 1942-5, Banner Books Maryborough QLD 4650, 1999
Vincent, D. (David) Mosquito Monograph: A history of Mosquitoes in Australia and RAAF operations, David Vincent Highbury SA 5089, 1982