LEST WE FORGET
Air Operations (No. 464 Squadron Mosquito aircraft NT177), Germany, 22 February 1945
Mosquito NT177 took off from Rosiere en Santerre, France, at 1115 hours on 22 February 1945, being part of a force of 16 aircraft from the Squadron detailed to carry out a daylight raid bombing and strafing enemy communications in Germany. This included trains, trucks, engines, signal boxes and radio stations. NT177 failed to return from the mission. It was later learned that Flying Officer Rankin had lost his life and he is buried in the Becklingen War Cemetery
The crew members of NT177 were:
Pilot Officer Derek S Judd (165090) (RAF) (Navigator) PoW, Returned to the UK on 23 May 1945
Flying Officer Ronald William Alexander Rankin (J/25391) (RCAF) (Pilot)
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