Desmond Ray Ross                                                                                Updated: 11 JUN 2022

Airman: e777225.htm Surname: Ross Init: D R Rank: Sgt Service: RNZAF Sqdn: 75

P_link: p170.htm Plane: STI BK807 Operation: Minelaying Crash_site: Langelandsbælt

Crash_d: d280443 Buried_d: e777 C_link: e777.htm At_Next: NO KNOWN

Den 29. april 1943 kl. 00.08 blev STI BK807 skudt ned af den tyske marines flakbatteri MAA 814 i Nyborg.
Flyet styrtede i Langelandsbæltet
(måske omkring her). Det var på en minelægningsoperation til den vestlige del af Fehmarn Bælt, omkring her. (Kilde: FT 86-89-12)
Se også Minelægningsområder med området Radish (Kilde: p170MACR)

"Natten mellem den 28. og 29. april 1943 foretog RAF krigens hidtil største minering. 226 fly kastede 593 miner i danske farvande og i Østersøen. Da det var
overskyet i flere mineringsområder, måtte bombemaskinerne flyve ekstra lavt for at få landkending, før minerne blev kastet på de rigtige positioner. Dermed blev
flyene lette mål for flak i området. Tyske natjagere var atter aktive, men på grund af den lave flyvehøjde blev kun få natjagerangreb rapporteret.
RAF mistede 7 Lancasters, 8 Stirlings, 6 Wellingtons og 2 Halifaxes denne nat." (FT 90-50)

Sergeant Desmond Ray Ross, 23 år, var søn af Magnus Montgomery Ross og Margaret Ross (f. Clarkson), Sulphur Point, Auckland, New Zealand.
Hans navn er på Panel 199 på the  Runnymede Memorial blandt mere end 20.000 navne på flyvere, der ikke har en kendt grav. (Kilde: CWGC)

2 flyvere fra STI BK807 blev begravet på Svinø Kirkegård. 5 flyvere har ingen kendt grav. 7 flyvere. 

On 29 April 1943 at 00.08 hours STI BK807 was shot down by Marine Flak Batteri MAA 814 from the German Navy, located in Nyborg.
The plane crashed into the Langelandsbelt
(maybe about here). It was on a minelaying operation to the western part of Fehmarn Belt, about here. (FT 86-89-12)
See Minelaying areas with the area Radish (Source: p170MACR).

"On the night between 28 April and 29 April 1943 the RAF carried out the biggest minelaying operation so far in the war. 226 planes dropped 593 mines into Danish waters and into the Baltic Sea. As the sky was overcast at several mining areas the bombers had to fly at an extra low altitude to come in sight of land, before the
mines were dropped at the right positions. That made the planes easy targets for flak in the area. German night fighters were active again, but due to the low flying
altitude only a few attacks from night fighters were reported. The RAF lost 7 Lancasters, 8 Stirlings, 6 Wellingtons and 2 Halifaxes this night.
" (FT 90-50)

Sergeant Desmond Ray Ross, 23, was the son of Magnus Montgomery Ross and Margaret Ross (née Clarkson), of Sulphur Point, Auckland, New Zealand.
He is remembered on The Walls of Names at the International Bomber Command Centre, Phase 2, Panel 235.  
He is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial, Panel 199, among more than 20,000 airmen who have no known grave. (Source: CWGC)

2 airmen from STI BK807 were buried in Svinø Churchyard. 5 airmen have no known grave.
See  No. 75 Squadron RNZAF. 75(nz)squadron has more, also 75(NZ) Squadron RAF Records from April 1943,
find entry of 28.4.1943, and see that this plane with Captain Hamer failed to return.
Stirling III BK807 AA-M took off from RAF Newmarket at 20:30 on 28 APR 1943. (Source: Aircrew Remembered has this.) Google Map planesRNZAF 7 airmen.