Ronald John's Story.
Son of Thomas and Elizabeth Kennedy, husband of Gwendoline Annie Kennedy of Sale, Cheshire.
On 17 January 1942 nine aircraft from 142 squadron were detailed to attack Bremen the events summary reports, all took off, but this operation proved very unsuccessful owing to 10/10 cloud cover over the target. One aircraft landed at Hunsdon and one at Scampton and one (P/O. Pickett and crew) were missing. The position of the aircraft was fixed 69 miles N.E. of Spurn Head. The next morning five aircraft were detailed to search the given area and although they searched between 09.30 and 17.15hrs no trace of the missing aircraft or crew was found and the only indication was a ‘sight’ reported by an aircraft of 12 Squadron at 11.39 of what appeared to be a body floating in the water, but no further trace was found either by aircraft or surface vessels.
The crew were.
45434 P/O. A.C. Pickett
68696 Sgt. R.B. Glover
401753 P/O. D. J. Clifford
1356712 Sgt. R.C. Mellings
749424 Sgt. R.J. Kennedy
62261 Sgt. J.H. Hill
During this period the squadron were based at Grimsby and were flying Vickers Wellington IV.