Reason for Loss |
Whilst over the target their aircraft was hit by flak, and as they fell behind the formation they were then attacked by Me109s. Tony made a forced landing at Ardres and the whole crew went on the run, making their way the 20 miles to Wissant on the French Coast. On reaching Wissant, the crew were offered a small rowing boat by the locals and they decided to attempt to make it back to England.
After 3 days at sea, with no food, water or dry clothes, they reached a point about 10 miles from the English coast when the oar broke. Caught by the currents they drifted back to France. During the day Tony had been suffering hallucinations, possibly because he had been drinking sea water, but finally went to sleep, as did the other two. During the night he disappeared from the boat.
The two remaining crew were washed up on the shores of France, and as they made their way up the coast were arrested by the Germans and sent to Prisoner of War camps.
The Air Ministry made great efforts to try to identify Tony's last resting place, but the nearest they came to a possible identification was the recovery of an unknown Pilot Officer’s body washed up on the French coast on 26 June 1940, 12 days after he disappeared. |