238 Squadron and F/Sgt W T Allen.

On the 2/11/42, 1378857 Flight Sergeant William Thomas Allen (ORB records him as Sgt., CWGC as F/Sgt.) was shot down and killed, possibly by Hauptmann Homuth of I/JG27. F/Sgt Allen was flying Hurricane IIc HL888 of 238Squadron coded ‘N’. F/Sgt Allen was likely killed shortly after 12:30 as I/JG27 was scrambled to help Stukas under attack from 238 Squadron at 12:18. This was Allen’s third sortie of the day and it appears it was his 8th operational sortie with the Squadron. I am aware that a photograph of his grave appears in ‘Missing Believed Killed’ by Stuart Hadaway. The ORB mentions that a photograph of his grave appeared in a M E magazine. I am in fact now aware of two photo’s of the grave. I have emailed the AHB about the possibility of obtaining the MREU report on F/Sgt. Allen should one exist.

Now to the questions.

1. Can anyone tell me whether F/Sgt Allen had any operational experience with any other Unit prior to his first operational sortie with 238 in mid October 1942?

2. I have a map reference of 895290, the location at which the Stukas the Squadron was detailed to intercept were making an attack. Has anyone any idea how I can pinpoint that location which I believe to be in the Alamein battle area?

3. Does anyone know of an equivalent to the ORB for I/JG27?

4. The only fighters claimed by the Luftwaffe at anywhere near the correct time were a Spitfire at 12:00 by Uffz Sigismund Dietz of 3/JG27 15km SE of Abd-el-Rahman and a Curtiss P36 by Hauptmann Gerhard Homuth of I/JG27 at 12:06 SE of Mumin Busaq. Can anyone pinpoint the location of Abd-el-Rahman and Mumin Busaq please?

5. Anyone have any idea which magazine the photograph of the grave of F/Sgt. Allen might have appeared in?

As always, any help whatsoever would be most gratefully recieved.

Regards,

kev35