LEST WE FORGET

Air Operations (No. 464 Squadron Mosquito aircraft MM404), France, 18 February 1944

Mosquito MM404 took off from RAF Hunsdon at 1050 hours on the 18 February 1944 to attack a military target in Amiens, France. Five aircraft from the Squadron took part in the secret mission from which MM 404 failed to return. The 464 Squadron aircraft formed up with aircraft from 487 RNZAF and 21 Squadron RAF as well as FPU aircraft. 464 Squadron aircraft were detailed to bomb the eastern wall at 1206 hours from 50 feet on headings of 150 deg and 250 deg with 4 x 500 and 4 x 500 GP 11 sec bombs. The wall appeared unbreached before the attack. Two Mosquitos of 464 Sqn bombed the main building at 1206 hours from 100 feet on headings of 150 deg and 250 deg with 4 x 500 SAP and 4 x 500 GP 11 second bombs. The North wall appeared already damaged. One of the Squadron aircraft MM404 was seen to bomb and not return.

The crew members of MM404 were:

Squadron Leader Alexander Ian McRitchie DFC (89763) (RAF) (Pilot) PoW (Australian serving in the RAF)
Flight Lieutenant Richard Webb Sampson (401465) (RNZAF) (Navigator)

Squadron Leader McRitchie was born in Melbourne on 16 June 1915 and joined the RAF in November 1940.

References:

Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records (RAAF Casualty Information compiled by Alan Storr (409804))
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records

Bibliography:

Lax, M. (Mark) and Leon Kane-Maguire The Gestapo Hunters: 464 Squadron RAAF 1942-5, Banner Books Maryborough QLD 4650, 1999
Vincent, D. (David) Mosquito Monograph: A history of Mosquitoes in Australia and RAAF operations, David Vincent Highbury SA 5089, 1982

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