Zoutelande, The Netherlands - Remembrance Ceremony 2019

On Monday 4th November 2019 a remembrance ceremony was held at the grave of Angus Peter MacLeod.

 

Flying Officer (Navigator) MACLEOD, ANGUS PETER - 63376

Born 28/01/1907  -  Died 29/01/1944  Aged 37

239 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve

Son of Kenneth and Colina MacLeod; husband of Elizabeth Balloch MacLeod, of Cardonald, Glasgow. B.L.

INSCRIPTION: "GOD'S GREATEST GIFT, REMEMBRANCE"

 

In the night of January 28 to 29, 1944, a British assault force of 677 bombers flew to Berlin to bomb the city. This Bomber Command consisted of 432 Lancasters, 241 Halifax's and four Mosquito's.

 

Berlin was hit hard, four theatres, six hospitals and five embassies and a large number of companies and public buildings fell victim to the Allied attack. But also nearly 7% of the British attack aircraft of the squadrons that went to battle were lost or were shot out of the air by the German resistance. Six Mosquito's, light bombers, were sent forward as reconnaissance patrols to perform tactical manoeuvres to disrupt the Luftwaffe.

 

One Mosquito (HJ935) that had taken off around midnight from a base in Norfolk, crashed due to engine failure in the North Sea at the mouth of the Westerschelde. On board were pilot Lieutenant Basil John Brachi and navigator Angus Peter MacLeod. Brachi's body was never found, the remains of officer MacLeod washed up on May 5, 1944 on the beach at Zoutelande, after which he was buried in the general cemetery in Zoutelande.

 

MacLeod Order Of Service
PDF – 1,7 MB