329 Sqn (Stork)

On 6th April 1945 at 06.32 Spitfire TB914 (Mk IX HF) 329 Sqn, piloted by the French pilot Capitaine R.H.G.  Sassard took of on routine patrol from Skeabrae along with another Spitfire flown by Sgt A Rose as his No 2.

The weather was poor with bad visibility. Four minutes later Capitaine Sassard crashed ito the side of Skelday Hill and was killed instantly.

Capitaine Sassard was laid to rest at St Olaf's in Kirkwall but on the 5th October 1948 his body was exhumed and returned home to France.

      

View of Skelday Hill from Skelday Farm.    Photo: Kevin Heath. 

 

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                             A Mk Vb of 329 Sqn (note stork).

It was while flying a similar Mk Vb (W3771), with 345 Sqn based at Shoreham over Rouen on the morning of 10th July 1944, that Capt Sassards aircraft was hit by flak and crashed near the town of Vernon Normandy. Capt Sassard either baled out or managed to crash land the aircraft and then managed to evade capture, making his way back to friendly lines.

This was not the first time Capt. Sassard had evaded capture, in 1940 after the Battle of France he escaped through Spain then to England.