Thanks very much for your kind reply.
I send you below the story of this mission :
“In July and August 1944, numerous bombings took place in the Rhone Valley. Bombers were coming from Foggia area in Italy, where was located the 15th US Air Force.
This Sunday, August 6, 1944, the weather is mild in England. The weather was clear. According to our sources in Lyons the outside temperature is 13°, the day will be beautiful and sunny with 20.2° on average and 27° maximum.
This morning at 9:00, the De Havilland Mosquito – PRXVI n / s NS504 – took off from Benson with Jack Stanley John Towsey as pilot and Richard John Kingham as navigator. Their mission : a photo reconnaissance in central France according to Benson-Orleans-Sens-Lyons-Tours-Orleans-Lyons circuit, for the second time and back to Benson.
That morning, in Foggia’s area, Italy, others planes had left for a bombing mission over the Rhône Valley and Lyons. In San Giovani and Stormara, B24 Liberator bombers got ready to take off. And, in San Severro area, P51 Mustangs were going to escort and protect the B24 planes.
It is around 10.00 am. John and Richard had already flown over Orleans and Sens. They were about to or they had already made their first turn over Lyons before the bombing. Then, they will fly back over Tours and Orleans and will return over Lyons, before returning home.
This information is not confirmed. But, it seems to be a likely one :
Suddenly, one or more US P51 Mustangs had mistaken the Mosquito with a German 410 Messerschmitt aircraft. Shot in the wing and at the left engine, the Mosquito has probably plunged to escape its enemies.
Eyewitnesses told me that they have seen some aircrafts attacking the on fire Mosquito at low altitude but nobody saw the crash.
According to an eyewitness, outside Gaboureaux’s village, was lying down on the ground, died, Richard John Kingham. An engine (probably the left one), had been found 1,000 meters away from Richard and the aircraft left debris in its flight axis before crash.
From what was found on the ground and from various writings, it might be thought that the Mosquito, attacked at altitude was reached on the left engine which caught fire. John, the pilot, plunged to escape his enemies. He probably had tried to land in emergency, still pursued by aircrafts. Now I think that this attack was probably made by German.
When flying over Gaboureaux’s village, either engine or wing has exploded. Then the left engine broke away. Richard has probably been ejected (he still carried his radio equipment).
The unbalanced and on fire aircraft turned right and then crashed 1,000 meters away. The left engine carried on and fell close to the road. Of course, nobody seems to confirm that, but if appears to be credible enough.
The following day, Germans came with two new coffins which will not be used. Richard and John, at first were buried in La Guillotière’s cemetery in Lyons. Then they were transferred to La Doua’s cemetery, still in Lyons, on October 20th, 1956. They are currently buried side by side in the square C, of the 39 British, Canadian and Australian pilots and crew graves. They are buried in the 3rd row, places 2 and 3.
That sums up the highlights of that tragic day.
Just for information, this Mosquito NS 504 is the one which found and took photos of the Tirpitz in July 1944. The Tirpitz has been attacked by Lancaster aircrafts in November 1944.”
I will send you in the next coming days 2 parts with some identification number but not 98.
Jean François
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