Richard York French                            Updated:  12 OCT 2011

Airman: a018001.htm Surname: French Init: R Y Rank: F/Sgt Service: RAAF Sqdn: 138

P_link: p392r.htm Plane: STI LK279 Operation: Drop in DK Crash_site: Lillebælt.

Crash_d: d100245 Buried_d: b050146 C_link: c018.htm At_Next: Fredericia

Den 10. februar 1945 styrtede STI LK279 ned i Lillebælt ved Flækøjet omkring her.
Det nåede ikke at kaste forsyninger ved modtagepladsen "Niels".

”Natten til den 10. februar 1945 stod  man på 7 fynske modtagepladser klar til at signalere til allierede våbenfly. Ved 22-tiden satte det imidlertid ind med dårligt vejr, hvorfor ingen af flyene nåede frem til de ventende fynboer." (FAF) De andre 6 fly returnerede, men STI LK279 kom
ikke tilbage.

Se Google Map p392r Stirling LK279 og den lange version med detaljer.
Den 2. januar 1946 blev liget af R. Y. French fundet i Lillebælt nær Brandsø og han blev
begravet i Fredericia den 5. januar 1946. AOD har detaljer.
Arne Mosgaard om flyvergrave i Fredericia.

Flight Sergeant Richard York French, 21 år, var søn af Oscar Robert og Annie Louise Rhoda French, Bondi Junction, New South Wales, Australia. (Kilde: CWGC)
69 flyvere mindes på Mindetavlen i Rebild og i London, se 69 flyvere - St. Clement Danes.
7 flyvere.

On 10 February 1945 STI LK279 crashed into the Lillebælt at Flækøjet about here.
It failed to drop supplies in the drop zone "Niels".

”On the night before 10 February, 1945, they were ready at 7 drop zones on Funen to signal
to allied planes with weapons. However, at about 10 p.m. bad weather started, so none of the planes reached the waiting residents of Funen." (FAF) The other 6 planes returned, but
STI LK279 failed to return. See Google Map p392r Stirling LK279 and the long version.

On 2 January 1946 the body of R. Y. French was found in the Lillebælt near Brandsø. On 5 January 1946 he was buried in Fredericia. AOD has details.
Flight Sergeant Richard York French, 21, was the son of Oscar Robert and Annie Louise Rhoda French, of Bondi Junction, New South Wales, Australia. (CWGC)
All my thoughts, dearest. Mother

1 airman from STI LK279 was buried in Middelfart and 1 in Fredericia. 5 airmen have no known grave - one of them might be the Unknown airman in Fredericia! 

See 69 perished airmen on the Memorial Tablet in Rebild and in London, 69 airmen - St. Clement Danes.
See Bomber Command No. 138 (Special) Squadron * No. 138 Squadron * This Stirling took off from RAF Tempsford
See also  Tempsford Special Duties Squadrons * A History of RAF Tempsford * The Tempsford Airfield Pages *  Roll of Honour, Tempsford    7 airmen.