Kenneth's Story.
Kenneth was a navigator with 298 Squadron RAF based at RAF Tarrant Rushton in Dorset. 298 Squadron was a Special Operations squadron tasked with supporting SOE,SAS and Airborne operations in Europe. 298 Squadron was involved in many of the major offensives in Europe in 1944 including multiple missions on 6th June as detailed below.
298 Squadron badge
D-Day
Operation Coup de Main
Taking of Caen Canal and Orne River bridges glider towing
Operation Tonga
17 Aircraft took gliders carrying reinforcements
Operation Mallard
16 aircraft took gliders carrying reinforcements including light tanks. During this mission the gliders flew over 21st Panzar Division who were fighting the Staffordshire Yeomanry and when they saw the gliders the Germans retreated!
298 Squadron flew Halifax III aircraft
After D Day the squadron towed gliders as part of the ill fated Operation Market Garden (Arnhem) in addition to nuerous missions supporting the SAS and SOE.
In March 1945 the Squadron joined Operation Varsity carrying troops over the Rhine into Germany.
On 30th March 1945 Kenneth's aircraft was tasked with a solo mission supporting the SOE in Norway. The aircraft never arrived in Norway and was never seen again all crew missing assumed dead.
LOSS REPORT
With Flying Officer Peter Ireland at the controls Halifax PN243 8T-S took off from RAF Tarrant Rushton at 20.26 on 30 March 1945. Detailed for an SOE supply drop code named Ostler 2, the aircraft and its crew were to fly some 500 miles north east across the North Sea to the south coast Norway where they were to turn roughly NNE and fly a further 175 miles to their drop zone in the Gudbrandsdalen area of Norway, some 10 miles west north west of the southern tip of Engere Lake and 60 miles NE of Lillehammer (61.33.08 N 11.48.23E)
After take off, nothing further was heard of the aircraft or from the crew. The aircraft being on a lone mission there were no other aircraft flying with them that might have observed what happened, neither are there any Luftwaffe claims that might involve the aircraft. No wreckage or remains of the crew have ever been found.
