Remembering Today 18/12/42 Sergeant:F.J.Franklin,412219,46 Sqdn. Royal New Zealand Air Force

Discussion in 'New Zealand' started by CL1, Dec 18, 2017.

  1. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    Sergeant FRANKLIN, FORD JOHN
    Service Number 412219

    Died 18/12/1942

    Aged 20

    46 Sqdn.
    Royal New Zealand Air Force

    Son of Albert and Winifred Emily Franklin, of Bay View, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand.
    Casualty
    Commemorated at MALTA MEMORIAL

    Location: Malta
    Number of casualties: 2297

    Cemetery/memorial reference: Panel 5, Column 2.
     
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  2. alieneyes

    alieneyes Senior Member

  3. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

  4. harkness

    harkness Well-Known Member

    Franklin01.jpg
     
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  5. harkness

    harkness Well-Known Member

  6. Peter Clare

    Peter Clare Very Senior Member

    18 December 1942 - Malta

    Four Beaufighters of 227(sic) squadron were sent out in the early morning to escort a convoy approaching Malta. The four aircraft were vectored on to four SM82s. Three of the Italian aircraft were hit but none seemed to go down. Sgt Franklin's aircraft was seen to be smoking and descending, the Beaufighter hit the sea and one man was seen to get out. A dinghy was dropped and the airman was seen to get into it. A SM82 was then seen to be in the water, still afloat. fourteen men were seen sitting on the wings. The RAF men paddled over to the SM82 but they were pushed away. The outcome of this is not known but both Franklin and his Navigator P/O. Colin C. MacColl lost their lives.

    Taken in part from 'The Armed Rovers' - Roy C. Nesbit
     
    Last edited: Dec 18, 2017
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  7. Pat Atkins

    Pat Atkins Well-Known Member

    I looked up the December 1942 ORBs for 46 Sqdn and there's no mention of a Sgt Franklin or this event. I thought I must be missing something, but I couldn't see what... However, following on from Peter's find above I checked the ORBs for 227 Sqdn and the action is recorded. The detail of the downed airmen and the floating SM82 isn't given, but Sgt Franklin and his observer F/Sgt McColl are named as 'missing'. So it looks like Roy Nesbitt is right in saying they were 227 Sqdn men.

    Cheers, Pat.
     
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