CLARKE, Bennett Winthrop
Stats:
rank: F/Lstatus: kia
airforce: RCAF (no: J14870 )
born: 1918-11-17 Long Beach, Los Angeles County USA
added by: kurtis
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Bio / Text:
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.
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.
Spitfire Art Prints:
Aircraft:
| Aircraftadd | ||
|---|---|---|
| Serial | Note | Date |
| 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 330ยบ Tremiti islands plot faded | 1944-03-31 |
| JK991 | 1944-04-02 | |
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