Mission
Location
Unit
Aircraft

Squadron attack for 9 aircraft
Bomb Durazzo
RAF 84 Sqn
Blenheim MkI, VA-P, s/n L1385

     Operation Order came through last night for 9 aircraft to bomb DURAZZO, whether cloud cover or not. Aircraft loaded with 500 S.A.P. and G.P. and 250 S.A.P. and G.P. All machines landed at Araxos for refuelling and then proceeded in tight formation. Target was covered by 8/10 cloud, so result of bombing was not seen. Two aircraft bombed ELBASAN, owing to cloud, but results were not seen. Enemy fighters were encountered Macchi and C.R.42s, one aircraft receiving several hits. P/O Bird did not arrive here with the rest and is presumed to be in enemy hands. His crew: Sgt Scott, Observer and Sgt Davis, A.G.. The starboard engine of S/Ldr. Lewis caught fire at Araxos. He took Sgt Shaw’s aircraft, leaving the latter, with his crew, at Araxos. Sgt Shaw returned here later.

REPORT

From: Officer Commanding, No 84 Squadron R.A.F., ”Y” Force, Middle East.
To: Headquarters, R.A.F., Middle East.
       Base Personnel Office, R.A.F., Middle East.
Date: 29th November, 1940.
Ref: 84/801/P1.

Missing Blenheim Aircraft.

1. With reference to this Unit’s Signal F.B.2 dated 28th November, 1940 and A.71 dated 29th November, 1940 and H.Q., R.A.F. M.E. letter S.45977/P/1 dated 21st August, 1940.

2. 84 Squadron was detailed to carry out a raid on DURAZZO Harbour and shipping on 28th November, 1940. It was decided to carry out a Squadron attack, using 9 aircraft.

3. The target area was reached at about 11.35 hrs GMT but difficulty was experienced in locating the target owing to 8/10 low cloud.

4. Owing to this difficulty the flights lost touch with one another.

5. P/O R. BIRD was flighing No.2 in No.3 flight. Just after this flight had located and bombed the target an enemy fighter (MACCHI 200) attacked the formation. The flight commander dived the flight to try and get away and when he saw he was coming into an area of clear sky, turned about and went back into a bank of clouds. He states that both No.2 and No.3 followed him into the vloud, but when he emerged they were not to be seen.

6. He later saw an aircraft diving under control down into a valley but is unable to state whether it was BIRD’s aircraft or not.


Squadron Leader, Commanding,
No.84 Squadron, Royal Air Force,
”Y” Force, Middle East.

D.P.S
1) Blenheim L1385, with crew of three, was reported missing on 28.11.40.
2) Telegrams from the International Red Cross stated that all of this crew were prisoners of war in Albania (Enclosure 7A & 13A). A f u r t h e r telegram from the International Red Cross states that Sgt. Scott died in hospital at Sulnona, on 18.6.42. (Enclosure ,191).

3) In view of this information it is submitted that the death of 759136 Sergeant R. Scott be presumed, for official purposes, to have occured on 18th June 1942.

Р.356299/40/P.4.Cas.
NOTIFICATION OF DEATH
CERTIFIED that according to the records of
this department 759136 Sergeant Robert Eric SCOTT,
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, who was a prisoner of war, was reported by the International Red Cross Committee to have died on the eighteenth day of June, 1942, at the Civil Hospital, Sulmona, Italy, of Phlegmonous Laryngitis with Oedema Glottis.

His death is therefore presumed, for officlal ~
purposes, to have occurred on that date.
A further report states that this airman is
buried in Grave 4, section 3, Sulmona Cemetery, South Italy.

Dated at the Air Ministry,
4th day of December, 1942.