Operation Records Book (RAF Form 541): Falconara Night 23/24 Feb. Boston IV BZ552 - Capt F. Pratt - Sgt Hawkridge J - F/S Seagrave GPR - Sgt Whitehead W L - Up 0100 Missing - Ten aircraft were briefed for operations. 4 A/C were put onto the marshalling yards at GEMONA and due after to recce GEMONA-UDINE-GORIZIA area. 3 aircraft had to recce PORTOGRUARO-CASARSA-UDINE-MONFALCONE-TRIESTE area and 3 aircraft to recce POLESELLA-PADUA-MESTRE-PORTOGRUARO.
http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/usafserials.html: Douglas A-20J-20-DO Havoc 43-22131 to RAF as Boston IV BZ552. Missing on night intruder mission Feb 24, 1945.
Il luogo di caduta del Boston รจ stato localizzato presso Aquileia, probabilmente nella frazione Boscat, dallo storico e ricercatore Freddy Furlan. Ci fu un solo superstite, il navigatore F/S Seagrave. I tre aviatori deceduti riposano all'Udine War Cemetery.
Tratto dal sito rotherhamwarmemorials.weebly.com
John Hawkridge was born on 18 March 1923 in Masbro, Rotherham, first child of Sydney Hawkridge and Sarah Jane (nee Ruding). He was educated at Rotherham Grammar School on Moorgate and later employed at 'The Mount' on Alma Road. John enlisted in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, service number 1473344, at Cardington in 1941. He became a Flight Sergeant and after training as a navigator / air bomber in Southern Rhodesia he joined 114 Squadron. The squadron were in North Africa from late 1942 and then onto Italy where they moved bases a number of times. By February 1945 they were based at Falconara and were flying the Douglas Boston aircraft. On 24 February 1945 his aircraft, a Boston mk IV serial number BZ552 went missing on a night intruder mission in northern Italy. It is it not known the reason that the aircraft crash in the vicinity of Aquileia. John Hawkridge was 21 years old and now lies in Udine War Cemetery. Other casualties, who are also buried in the Udine War Cemetery were: 207110V Capt (Pilot) Frederick George Pratt - SAAF, 1566738 F/Sgt (W.Op./Air Gnr.) Walter Loynd Whitehead - RAFVR.