My uncle Henry John Kempton was an air gunner stationed at raf tempsford his aircraft went down over Chekoslovakia all the crew died I know that the operation he was on was called operation iridium but try as I may I can find nothing at all about this on the web anyone know why this could be. Thanks
Michael, Halifax DG245 No. 161 (Special Duties) Squadron 14 March 1943 This will get you started: Tempsford Squadrons Prior notes Operation Iridium seems to have been a joint Czech/SIS affair. As one of the crew (J15535 F/O Richard Winter TAYLOR, DFC) was RCAF, a little more information becomes available. Please note the link above has his surname as Winter. Regards, Dave
Aircraft lost on Allied Force’s Special Duty Operations & Associated Roll of Honour 14/15.3.43 Halifax MK V DG245 MA - W 161 Sqdn RAF F/Lt Alfred Ellis Prior DFM, RAFVR - Pilot - killed Sgt Francis Douglas Bell RAFVR - Rear Gunner - killed Sgt John Henry Kempton RAFVR - Gunner /Dispatcher - killed F/O Alfred John Kingham RAFVR - 2 Pilot - nd killed P/O George McWilliam RAFVR - Wireless Op - killed Sgt Felix James Mowles RAF - Flight Engineer - killed F/O Richard Winter Taylor DFC & Bar RCAF - Navigator - killed All aircrew originally buried at Munchen Westfriedhof and after war were re-buried at Durnbach War Cemetery, Germany T/O Tempsford 2000 hrs. Lost on SIS Operation IRIDIUM DZ, to Zvinovec, Czechoslovakia. Likely that 4 agents on board were also killed when a/c crashed in Germany. It is believed that a further agent was taken prisoner Page 77 Flights of the Forgotten Page124, 142, 307 Agents by Moonlight Page 78 Bomber Command Losses 1943 Page 68 The Secret Squadrons 161 Sqdn ORB & BO CWGC website Roll of Honour website http://www.lostaircraft.com/database.php?mode=viewentry&e=8640 Special Forces Roll of Honour website Hans Grimminger’s crash report TD
