Ross C. Charlton                                     Updated:  17 MAR 2021                                Photo: Lars Wikander, 29 AUG 2010

Airman: e222009.htm Surname: Charlton Init: R C Rank: F/Lt Service: RCAF Sqdn: 429

P_link: p395.htm Plane: HAL MZ865 Operation: Minelaying Crash_site: Sea S of Sweden

Crash_d: d140245 Buried_d: e222p C_link: e222p.htm At_Next: Pålsjö, S

Natten mellem den 14. og 15. februar 1945 bombede 717 RAF bombefly Chemnitz, mens 30 Lancasters og 24 Halifaxes minerede i Kadetrenden omkring her.
Den forholdsvis lille mineringsstyrke blev hurtigt opdaget af tysk radar, og JU88´ere skød 5 Halifaxes og 1 Lancaster ned. Voldsom luftkamp over Falsterbo og flere nedskudte bombefly blev observeret. HAL MZ865 styrtede i havet her NV for Falsterbo den 14. februar 1945 omkring kl. 21.00. I løbet af foråret og sommeren 1945
blev 6 omkomne besætningsmedlemmer fundet. (Kilde: FT 88-42-40) Se Minelægningsområder ved Sweetpeas og p395MACR.

Flight Lieutenant (Pilot) Ross Conger Charlton, 25 år, canadisk statsborger, var søn af Harry P. og
Pauline Charlton; gift med Jacqueline Charlton.
Han blev begravet på HELSINGBORG (PALSJO) MUNICIPAL CEMETERY i  Sverige. (Kilde: CWGC)
Se Pålsjö Kyrkogård.

Hele besætningen på 7 mand omkom. 4 blev begravet i Sverige, 1 på Magleby Kirkegaard på Langeland,
1 på Karlslunde Kirkegaard og 1 har ingen kendt grav.

717 RAF bombers bombed Chemnitz on the night between 14 and 15 February 1945, while 30 Lancasters and 24 Halifaxes mined the Kadet Channel about here.
The rather small formation for mining was quickly spotted by German radar and JU88´s shot down 5 Halifaxes and 1 Lancaster. There was a heavy aerial battle over Falsterbo and it was observed that several bombers were shot down. HAL MZ865 ditched in the sea here northwest of Falsterbo on 14 February 1945 about 21:00. 6 perished crew members were found during the spring and the summer of 1945.
(Source: FT 88-42-40) See Minelaying areas at Sweetpeas and p395MACR.

Flight Lieutenant (Pilot) Ross Conger Charlton, 25, a citizen of Canada, was the son of Harry P. and
Pauline Charlton; husband of Jacqueline Charlton. He was buried in HELSINGBORG (PALSJO) MUNICIPAL CEMETERY in Sweden. (Source: CWGC) See Palsjo Cemetery.
His name is engraved on the Memorial Wall at the BC Museum of Canada. He is remembered on
The Walls of Names at the International Bomber Command Centre, Phase 2, Panel 143. The Canadian Virtual War Memorial has this.

All of the crew of 7 perished. 4 airmen were buried in Sweden, 1 in Magleby, Langeland, 1 in Karlslunde and 1 has no known grave.
See No. 6 Group and the Canadian Squadrons*No. 429 (Bison) Squadron)*429 sqn RCAF Research*429 Squadron RCAF Association*429 Transport Squadron
Halifax-Wikipedia*Halifax Print*Halifax-BC Museum.Canada * Halifax-RAF Museum * Halifax-The Yorkshire Air Museum * Halifax Mk III at YAM 2019*LAN-HAL.
Halifax III MZ865 AL-V took off from RAF Leeming  at 18.03 hrs on 14 FEB 1945. (Source: Aircrew Remembered has this.) See p395MACR. 7 airmen.