Bristol Beaufighter

**spidge** · 04-26-2009, 09:38 PM

Originally Posted by Antipodean Andy

Amazing stuff. I knew I should have bought The Weekend Australian on Saturday - most likely had pics.

Don't necessarily agree with piecemeal recovery of the Beau but...it's not my money!

I omitted to post this info from the AWM:

AWM Collection Record: P02730.004 - The view from a 455 Squadron, RAAF, Beaufighter showing an attack on the German Narvik class destroyer, Z-33 in the ice bound Forde Fjord. Four Squadrons of Beaufighters from the Dallachy Wing ...

It shows the German Narvik Class Destroyer they were attempting to sink in the Forde Fjord.

The view from a 455 Squadron, RAAF, Beaufighter showing an attack on the German Narvik class destroyer, Z-33 in the ice bound Forde Fjord. Four Squadrons of Beaufighters from the Dallachy Wing took part in the strike, including 11 Beaufighters from 455 Squadron, RAAF. It was led by 402379, Wing Commander Colin George Milson, RAAF, DSO and Bar, DFC and Bar. The Wing suffered badly from accurate anti aircraft fire and was also intercepted and attacked by German Focke-Wulf 190 fighters. One Australian Beaufighter, UB-O, NV 199, crewed by 413227 Flight Lieutenant Robert Charles McColl, DFC, pilot and 421749 Warrant Officer (WO) Leslie Leonard MacDonald, navigator, was shot down. The crew survived but were taken prisoner. A second Beaufighter, UB-V, NV 196, crewed by 410694 WO Donald Earnest Mutimer, pilot and 432095 Pilot Officer John Douglas Blackshaw, navigator, was also shot down and both crew members perished. A costly raid, with nine Beaufighters lost from the Wing and only the German destroyer Z-33 damaged in the strike.

Here are the two crew's headstones and a photo of the cemetery itself. (Haugesund (Rossebo) Var Frelsers Cemetery).

HAUGESUND (ROSSEBO) VAR FRELSERS CEMETERY 410694 Mutimer_DE.jpg

HAUGESUND (ROSSEBO) VAR FRELSERS CEMETERY 432095 Blackshaw_JD.jpg

HAUGESUND (ROSSEBO) VAR FRELSERS CEMETERY Commonwealth Graveyard.jpg

**Antipodean Andy** · 05-07-2009, 09:45 PM

tvadressa - adressa.no

Underwater footage of a Beaufighter of 248 Sqn in Trondheim Harbour. Further details here - 248 Sqdn. Beaufighter loss Trondheim 28/29.4-42 - RafCommands Forums

I'm working on a translation of the footage.

**NHS** · 05-13-2009, 08:37 AM

Hi - and wow, what a fascinating thread!

I was browsing because I have always been vaguely interested in the Beaufighter - my grandfather was a navigator/rear gunner during WWII.

He was shot down (I believe over the English channel) and then almost drowned because he couldn't get his parachute off. He saved himself because he had a razor blade in his pocket that my grandmother had sent to him and he was able to cut the parachute cords. Unfortunately the pilot, my grandfather's best friend was not so fortunate and was pulled under the water by his parachute (though his name lives on as both my father and I were named after him.)

Anyway, reading your pages has made realise how little I know about my grandfather's experiences in the war so I'm going to chat with him, find out what squadron he belonged to and see what I can learn. He is very frail now but I know he has begun to write down a lot of his memories.

If there is anything in particular I shuold try to find out or which might be of interest to others then do let me know.

**Kyt** · 05-13-2009, 08:49 AM

Hi NHS

welcome to the forum.

Boy, where to start. Find out everything!!!

Start with his joining up, ask him about his training, his assignments, his friends, his first impressions of combat, and anything else he wants to share. Take a tape recorder. This is an invaluable opportunity to record some very important history. And after youi have recorded as much as you can, contact the Hendon Musueum and ask them if they would like a copy for their archives - I bet they will say yes!

And we would love to read anything you wish to share. Do you know whether your grandfather was coastal command or fighter? Do you have a date of the aforementioned loss, and/or name of the pilot?

**Antipodean Andy** · 05-13-2009, 07:34 PM

Welcome NHS, looking forward to hearing more.

**Antipodean Andy** · 05-17-2009, 05:34 PM

tvadressa - adressa.no

Underwater footage of a Beaufighter of 248 Sqn in Trondheim Harbour. Further details here - 248 Sqdn. Beaufighter loss Trondheim 28/29.4-42 - RafCommands Forums

I'm working on a translation of the footage.

Here's the basic gist of the video:

They only say that they have found a warplane from the war and it's lying upside down. They dont say anything about type or nationality. They have also have found two shipwrecks from ca 1700.