NO. 15 SQUADRON SAAF WAR DIARY Oprep Nr. 15s/184 for 24 hrs. Ending 2100 hrs. On 10 MAR. 45 - Recce roads Ferrara - Rovigo - Lignano - Montagnana - Vicenza - Padua - Rovigo.
A/C R failed to return. Bostons reported seeing large explosion and fire against hillside at Monsalice at 0102. (…) 1 MK. V Missing. - Lt. Davies Pilot, F/O Chatteris Nav. B., W/O Odendaal WOP/AG and Sgt. Carlyle (RAF) A/G.
The third loss was on night of the 10th when Lt. Davies Pilot, F/O Chatteris Observer, W/O. Odendaal WT/AG and Sgt, Carlyle (RAF ) were lost on a Night Operation, and it is presumed that he flew into the side of a mountain at Monselice south west of Padua, which is in the only high ground in the Po Plain. Bostons reported seeing a large explosion at 0102 hours and a red flesh against the hillside, and a fire on the ground, and another Boston sow three small fires in the same spot 15 minutes later. The exact position given by the Bontons in 45°17 N 11°40 E. At that time there was a layer of cloud at about 2000 feet and Lt. Davies probably decided to fly below the layer and did not remember the existence of this mountain which was crearly marked on the Briefing Map .
http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/usafserials.html: Douglas Martin A-30A-10-MA 43-8989 to RAF as Baltimore V FW832. Missing Mar 10, 1945
Come viene riportato dal War Diary del 15 Squadron, l’aereo urtò una delle alture meridionali dei Colli Euganei, indicativamente tra Este e Moselice. Non ci furono superstiti. Davies, Chatteris ed Odendaal riposano al Padua War Cemetery, Carlyle è ricordato al Malta Memorial.