Wed 20 Oct 1943, FIGHTER COMMAND
Rodeo 263 - sweep over Lille and Vitry, France
485 Squadron, RNZAF (Hornchurch, Essex - 11 Group)
Spitfire LF.IX JK762 - took off at 0905 as ‘Blue 4’, being one of two which failed to return. The missing Spitfires were brought down during an engagement with enemy fighters over Belgium near Ostend, both crashing near Eernegem, 12km SE of Ostend. Both pilots are buried at Eernegem. A third Squadron member, Plt Off F Transom, RNZAF, nursed his badly damaged machine back to England, where he was obliged to abandon it. On parachuting safely to earth he was then collected by a Tiger Moth, which crashed on its way to Hornchurch, slightly injuring him.
Pilot: NZ413510 Fg Off John Gordon THOMSON, cvsa, RNZAF - Age 21. 560hrs. 21 ops.
The CWGC register entry for Thomson credits him with an mid rather than a cvsa.