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CLARKE, Bennett Winthrop

Stats:

rank: F/L
status: kia
airforce: RCAF    (no: J14870 )
born: 1918-11-17 Long Beach, Los Angeles County USA

added by: kurtis
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Bio / Text:

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Bennett Winthrop CLARKE
Three spitfires lXs & three VBs, led by S/LDR Chase set course for a offensive sweep of the Dalmatian area. Though a successful sweep, the mission was marred by a unfortunate incident. F/LT Clark was killed when his parachute failed to open on having to bale out of his spitfire VC through a severe glycol leak. The spits straffed troops on the march also a lorry and small car at Grabovac and area. It was just after the troops were straffed that F/LT Clark had to bale out and it appeared that his parachute caught in the aircraft for a while which apparentlywas the cause of the chute not opening. F/LT Clark who was Canadian, arrived on the Squadron from 126 Squadron last Christmas.

KIA 1944-04-02 Spitfire JK991



This pilot flew Spitfire fighter aircraft for the RCAF / RAF (60% of all RCAF personnel served in RAF units at some point) in WWII, this record has come from the database of Mr. Halliday, a Canadian military historian.

This Pilot's entry: cause of death was kia, burial location YUGO, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (www.cwgc.org) may have more information on family.

If a user conducts research on this pilot and can fill in this pilot's biography further by adding an image or links, clicking edit, or, visiting the National Archives of Canada to request a service record, they may add to this page. If a user would prefer allspitfirepilots.org to make this request on their behalf, please use the contact us at the bottom of this page.

Squadrons:

Squadrons add
AirforceSqdrnDate
RCAF 73
RAF 73 squadron 1943-12-01

Aircraft:

Aircraftadd
SerialNoteDate
JK672 Escort to Mitchells bombing Biscari. Many fires & no E/A seen. 1943-07-07
ER866 Escort Mitchells bombing Biscari. Bombs all over aerodrome. Appeared to be desserted. 1943-07-08
JK950 Escort with 1435 Sqdn Marauders bombing Caltagirone. Comiso aerodrome covered with fires. 1943-07-09
JK950 Patrol beaches of east Sicilly. No E/A no A/A. 1943-07-10
JK972 Combat with 20 plus E/A over Noto, Sicily. F/o Clark 1 MC.202 probable. 1943-07-11
JK972 Patrol Noto to Belvedere. 1 M.E.109 destroyed 1 damaged by F/O White. 1943-07-12
JK972 Patrol S.E Sicily no E/A seen. 1943-07-12
JK863 Patrolled Licata to Scalambri 1943-07-13
JK611 Sweep battle area. Augusta, Catania & Gerbini. Big fires at Catania. 1943-07-15
JK863 Sweep Catania to Adrano and Enna. No E/A seen. 1943-07-16
JK863 Sweep Catania some accurate flak as we flew over the 3rd time. 1943-07-18
JK863 Convoy patrol Passero to Syracuse. 1943-07-19
EN493 Orbited Brindisi at 22000ft no A/C seen. 1943-11-01
JK522 Attacked R.D.F. station at Durazzo. Building beside mast left on fire. 1943-11-02
EN493 Patrolled Brindisi to Bari. 1943-11-05
ES251 Escort convoy 1943-11-05
JK871 Search for H.S.L, not found. After attacked 3 lorries at 1 smoker 2 damaged. 1943-11-13
JK871 Escort to bombers attacking tanks. Straffed lorries in convoy. 1943-11-15
JK522 Search for L/t Page. 1943-11-16
EN493 Search Albanian coast. Attacked guns on coast which proving troublesome. 1943-11-17
EN493 Scrambled and told to patrol at 21000ft off Brindisi. 1943-11-20
JK643 Escorted Dit.Dit Leuca to Otrante 1943-11-20
JG920 Bomb army camp with 249 Squadron. Lorries & staff car flamers 1943-11-23
LZ875 Escort convoy S. of Tarante 1943-11-27
JK871 Escort to Cruiser S. of Tarante. 1943-11-29
EP795 Convoy patrol S.W of Tarante 1943-11-30
F/Lt Clark arrived at the 73 squadron today from 126 Squadron. 1943-12-27
EN252 Air test 1943-12-28
MA712 Pratice flying & formation 1943-12-30
MA712 Scrambled nothing seen. 1944-01-03
JK991 Air test 1944-01-09
JL226 Sweep over Vis & neighboring islands. Little light A.A from Vis harbour. 1944-01-11
JK991 Formation flying & gun test. 1944-01-12
JK892 Scrambled over base. Orbited & order to land 1944-01-14
MA712 Search for Liberator region of Niget island. No trace 1944-01-14
JK892 Sweep Lagosta & W. Split. No E/A sighted. 1944-01-17
JK892 Pratice formation flying 1944-01-17
MA531 Air & cannon test. 1944-01-18
JK991 Practice flying. 1944-01-19
MA630 Air test 1944-01-20
MA712 Sweep over enemy occupied island Lagosta. 1944-01-25
MA630 To Brindisi escort fortress aircraft. 1944-01-25
MA531 Search for dinghy off Pineto 1944-01-28
JK546 Sweep Vis, Brac & Hvar. 1944-01-31
ER178 Air test 1944-02-01
JK991 Straffed trains & wagons at Hutova. One engine destroyed. 1944-02-02
MA712 Escort destroyers S. of Gornje-selo into Stari Grad bay. 1944-02-04
MA311 Scrambled A/C proved friendly. 1944-02-08
MA531 Sweep Dalmatians for Radar stations. Found no sign. 1944-02-17
JK991 Sweep of islands. Many small schooners sighted & light flak. Hvar to Vis then base. 1944-02-18
JK991 Sweep saw small boats Velaluita harbour and boats Omis. 2 destroyed. 1944-02-19
MA311 Sweep Dalmatian island saw many damaged ships Velaluka bay 1944-02-20
MA531 Air test 1944-02-21
JK970 Escort convoy 'WALLET' proceeding to Vis. 1944-02-22
EN582 Sweep of Vis no shipping seen. 1944-02-23
JK546 Escort convoy 1944-02-26
JK991 Attacked lorries & personal, Metkovic. Destroyed loco at Gruda station. 1944-02-28
MA712 Recce Dalmatian coast. Found convoy about 50 lorries. Straffed & 4 left in flames. Attached train & blew up. 1944-03-02
MA712 Air test 1944-03-04
LZ838 Air test 1944-03-05
LZ838 Patrol Vis & neighboring islands. 1944-03-15
LZ838 Scrambled vector but was Mosquito. 1944-03-17
MA630 From Amendola 1944-03-19
JK991 Patrol Split straffed many trucks 4 destroyed. 1944-03-22
JK991 At Solta saw many ships & schooners. Attacked & all ships damaged 1944-03-23
JK991 South of Neum attack truck, flamer. Dunta Doli barge also a flamer 1944-03-29
MA640 Scrambled on 330º Tremiti islands plot faded 1944-03-31
JK991 1944-04-02

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