Hi Andrew, my relation is Sgt Gilbert William Carter, 224 Squadron were based at Milltown, Scotland, and flew Liberators. Listed Runnymead Memorial, Surrey.
The Liberator, KG964, was posted as missing over the Skaggerak.
I see your links to the Chorley's Bomber Command
This is all i know. Would you be able to have a look and see what you can find, please?
Thank you Chris Wareham
'
Hi Chris, I have a fair bit of info', regarding
KG.964 & her crew, but first, this...
As soon as I saw your post saying the words "Liberator" & "Skaggerak",
I knew it wouldn't be Bomber Command.
I'm a lifelong fan of both the B.24 Liberator, Bomber Command & Coastal Command.
The RAF used the B.24 as a Bomber in the Adriatic & as a 100 Group Electronic-warfare "Jamming" aircraft.
Your B.24, serial-number
KG.964 was operated by Coastal Command in the maritime recon' attack role.
They were painted in White undersides overall (3/4), whilst the top surface would be Extra Dark Sea Grey & Slate Grey camouflage (as is the Mk.VIII picture I'll try to submit), or, later in the war, just plain-jane Extra Dark Sea Grey over White.
KG.964 wore the fuselage Squadron identity codes of " XB-D " either side of the fuselage RAF roundel.
(this would help you in future times "if" you were looking for pictures of the actual a/c, or it's sister-ships)
The Skaggerak is over near Denmark & both the Skaggerak & Kattegat were hotspots for German shipping.
(Plus of course, no less than 72 U-Boats were sunk by Coastal Command B.24 Liberators, in part, or in full)
Here's the detail of KG.964's final mission which took place on the night of the 25th/26th Feb' 194525th/26th February 1945
No.224 Sqn.
Liberator Mk.VIII - Serial KG964 : Fuselage I.D. codes = XB-D
Took off 22:07 Milltown on the 25th, with a load of ten 250lb depth charges, detailed to carry out an anti-submarine patrol in the vicinity of the Swedish coast. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take off,
and it did not return to base*.
144782 F/O (Capt./Pilot) Reginald William PONTING RAFVR +
1801251 F/Sgt (2nd Pilot) Ronald HADLOW RAFVR +
AUS420022 F/L (1st Nav.) Claude MAPLETOFT RAAF +
J/95233 P/O (2nd Nav.) Leslie Anwyl CHADWICK RCAF +
1064874 F/Sgt (Flt. Eng.) John James WILLIAMS RAFVR +
R/189573 F/Sgt (W.Op.[Air]) Thomas Edward MURPHY RCAF +
R/195678 F/Sgt (W.Op.[Air]) Joseph Leo GALLIPEAU RCAF +
658750 F/Sgt (W.Op.[Air]) Cyril JACKSON RAF +
1881845 Sgt (Air Gnr.) Maurice George BLISS RAFVR +
2209857 Sgt (Air Gnr.) Dafydd Cynfal DAVIES RAFVR + (listed on CWGC as No.244 Sqn.)
1899789 Sgt (Air Gnr.) Gilbert William CARTER RAFVR +
The remains of F/Sgt Gallipeau RCAF, were washed ashore at Varberg on the Swedish west coast and buried in Varberg Church New Cemetery. The remaining 10 crew members are commemorated on the
Runnymede Memorial.
* Liberator XB-P of the same squadron reported a loud explosion at 0304 hours, which may have been KG964 blowing up. The crew of XB-P also reported the presence of a so-called 'Sperr Brecher' (a ship equipped with ant-aircraft guns and other artillery) in the area, and reported light flak passing over their aircraft. This may have been what caused the the loss of KG964 (AIR27/1389)
See:
'Making For Sweden...' Part 1- The RAF 1939 to 1945.
Wegmann,Rolph & Bo Widfeldt.
Walton-on-Thames:Air Research Publications,1997.
pp.225-6
Hope that helps.....