Flight of Spitfire V W3128 and Squadron Leader W H Ireson on 1944-06-17

On 1944-06-17, Pilot W H Ireson (Squadron Leader, RAF) with an unknown servicenumber, flew a Spitfire V with serial W3128 for this duty: Patrol. His mission was not completed. Circumstances of the aircraft loss: Abandoned off Isle of Wight. This aircraft was a part of squadron no. 130. The location for the map is Isle of Wight, United Kingdom. Circumstances at the end of this mission for Ireson: he died, but circumstances of death are unknown. There is no commemoration location known.
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Comments (2)

David Wicks

about 1 year ago
#6158

This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site

William (or Bill) Ireson was not killed when his Spitfire was shot down near the Isle of Wight in June 1944. He managed to bale out from his burning plane and after landing in the sea was picked up by HMS Redpole and returned to the UK. He was convinced that he was shot down by friendly fire over the English Channel by allied shipping. He returned to flying with 130 Squadron on 29th June. Bill was my father in law and he sadly passed away in 2011 at the ripe old age of 93.

David Wicks

Tim Light

about 1 year ago
#6051

This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site

Sqdn Leader Ireson was not killed. I met him some years back at a squadron reunion at Horne (my grandfather was a rigger with 130 Sqdn). Bill told me he was shot up by a Mustang and bailed out into the Channel where he was picked up and deposited at Littlehampton. Soaking wet and still covered in orange dye he took the train north and was back with the squadron that night.

Tim Light