Hello gentlemen ,
This pilot went missing on 16 April 1943 flying Typhoon R8834. He was the first Sq 182 casualty and to this day he’s still reported as missing . Took off from Tangmere , never came back .
I would appreciate any help identifying Sq 182 pilots on that group picture taken October 1942 . Any help ? Tony Polek ( standing extreme left ), F/L Bill Ireson , S/L Tom Pugh and F/L Jiri Manak ( all three seen middle ) are idenfied , but who are the others ? Photo courtesy of Chris Thomas .
Zorglub
By: Arabella-Cox - 9th July 2012 at 11:03
There is no further detail recorded and no explanation as to why MREU did not go back. It was often the case that sites were identified for future action but never were – simply because the MREU teams were wound up before recoveries could take place. (Flt Sgt Reginald THURSBY being a classic case of this)
On the other hand, it is possible that they didn’t go back there because there was nothing to recover.
Have you checked local CWGC burials for any ‘unknowns’ that may have a date of burial or death that may correspond with the loss of Nicholas Snowdon? A classic case of this is Fg Off Derek Allen DFC who’s previously unknown grave we have worked to get properly marked in a ceremony next week. There is also another case of Fg Off E R Lyon at Guidel, France, although that remains (as yet) unresolved despite strong circumstantial evidence.
I’d be happy to help with anything I can.
By: zorglub - 9th July 2012 at 10:38
Thanks Andy .
There’s also a french Red Cross report which states that the body was not recovered.
Did the MREU positively identified the wreckage , any serial found ? Or was it by date given of the crash ?
We went to the site this week-end , it seems however that Typhoon R8834 had exploded on impact .
Zorglub
By: Arabella-Cox - 9th July 2012 at 08:54
This is one of those Typhoon sites visited by the MREU teams but not subsequently ‘actioned’. Another case in point is Typhoon JR256, Flt Sgt Reginald Thursby, where the crash site was visited and identified in February 1945 with the team going back again in June 1945 but taking no action to recover Thursby due to ground conditions.
The crash site of R8834 was apparently visited by the RAF’s Missing Research & Enquiry Unit on 27 July 1946. There is no record I have found that they ever went back.
By: Penrithlad - 2nd July 2012 at 18:04
F/O Nicholas Snowdon
Hi
Nicholas Snowdon was my uncle and I have the same photo as you show. Sorry I don’t know the names of any of the people in the photo but if I find any I’ll let you know. I have attached a photo of my uncle early on in the war.
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February 5, 2012 at 11:05 am