1335101, Flight Sergeant (Navigator), Douglas GARDNER
Aged 21
Killed on Active Service on Friday 6th October 1944
He is not named on the Newmarket War Memorial
"Foresight"
GARDNER, Douglas
1335101, Flight Sergeant (Navigator), Douglas GARDNER
Aged 21
He is not named on the Newmarket War Memorial
"Foresight"
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Douglas was born in Q3-1922 [Faversham, Kent 2a:1737], the son of Alfred Edward and Lilian Blanche GARDNER (née WRAIGHT), later of Newmarket.
None have been identified on the 1939 register |
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On his 39th mission with 140 Squadron, flying in photographic reconnaissance De Havilland Mosquito PR XVI (NS522) from Melsbroek, Belgium (later to become Brussels Airport), over the Friesian Islands they failed to return. His pilot was Fl/Lt Alfred Ernest PALMER. It seems quite probable that they were shot down by an American P51 Mustang of 4 Fighter Group (335 Squadron 2/Lt RE Lewis) over Heligoland, mistaking it for a Messerschmidt 410 Incredibly there is film footage of the actual action from the gun camera on the US plane:- This clip was on http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=53552 but the link has been taken down due to copyright. That id may permit you to get the clip for personal use, you will need to check with BritishPathe |
De Havilland Mosquito PR MkXVI
A 140 squadron Mosquito at Melsbroek in 1944 (not Douglas's actual aircraft though)
Commonwealth War Graves Commission photo
Douglas is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial Ref: panel 217 click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details