Beschreibung:

Family Group: Pair: Private T. Nesbitt, Army Service Corps British War and Victory Medals (M2-021440 Pte. T. Nesbit. [sic] A.S.C.) very fine Four: Flying Officer J. H. Nesbitt, 215 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, who was killed in action when his Liberator was shot down whilst attacking Bridge 19 on the Burma-Siam railway and crashed into dense jungle, on 3 January 1945 1939-45 Star; Burma Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, with named Air Council enclosure and medal ticket, in card box of issue, addressed to ‘Miss M. M. Nesbitt, c/o Mrs. M. L. Dobbin, 3 Claremmont, St. John’s Road, Buxton, Derbyshire’, extremely fine (6) £160-£200 Family Group: Pair: Private T. Nesbitt, Army Service Corps British War and Victory Medals (M2-021440 Pte. T. Nesbit. [sic] A.S.C.) very fine Four: Flying Officer J. H. Nesbitt, 215 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, who was killed in action when his Liberator was shot down whilst attacking Bridge 19 on the Burma-Siam railway and crashed into dense jungle, on 3 January 1945 1939-45 Star; Burma Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, with named Air Council enclosure and medal ticket, in card box of issue, addressed to ‘Miss M. M. Nesbitt, c/o Mrs. M. L. Dobbin, 3 Claremmont, St. John’s Road, Buxton, Derbyshire’, extremely fine (6) £160-£200 James Hepworth Nesbitt was commissioned into the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, and was posted to 215 Squadron from 355 Squadron on 1 December 1944, flying Liberators. He joined C. M. Brodie’s crew and commenced operations on 13 December, bombing bridge 286 at Nakorn Chaisri, On 1 January 1945 they bombed the Bangkok railway bridge at Anakwin, and two days later attacked Bridge 19 on the Burma-Siam Railway. Nesbitt was killed in action during this operation when Liberator KH214, piloted by C. M. Brodie, was shot down and crashed into dense jungle. All the crew were killed. The Squadron O.R.B. states: ‘Aircraft “D” at 1335 hours at 400 feet was seen to be hit by bursting LAA and crashed just NE of the bridge at Milestone 37.’ There exists a photograph taken on 26 September 1945, of a memorial service at the KH214 crew gravesite. In it are seen Japanese soldiers standing on the rim of the bomb crater, along with local Anankwin villagers. The bomb crater is purported to be the grave of the crew. A Japanese Army captain who had been in charge of the anti-aircraft gun crew which brought down the bomber had come forward on 26 September to explain what happened on 3 January 1945. His details, recorded in a padre’s diary, were very accurate when compared to the R.A.F. records documenting the circumstances of KH214’s downing. The padre in question was a newly liberated Death Railway Prisoner of War, Padre Henry C. F. Babb. he had volunteered to participate in the first post- hostilities graves survey along the length of the railway in late 1945. His diary, entitled ‘War Graves Commission Search for Graves Along the Burma-Thailand Railway September-October 1945’, survives in the archives of the Australian War Memorial. Below is an excerpt from Padre Henry C.F. Babb's trip diary, dated 26 September 1945: ‘We were up at 06.00 hours - wash and brush up - the sky is badly overcast and we can expect showers today. At 08.15 hours we left Anarkwin by diesel and returned to the 380 km mark. Near the line was a single Australian grave which was checked by Lt Leemon. Through the interpreter, Capt. Sakai, who was acting as our guide, told us a very interesting story, which seems to ring true. "On Jan 3rd 1945, four planes (B 24) flew in from the sea over Anakwin. Ronsi and Apparon (85 km) were bombed, and back came the planes to Anarkwin - they were flying fairly low and circled the area once. An AA unit of the India National Army opened up with their Bofors. 2 planes were hit and one crashed on the left hand side of the line coming from Thanbyuzayat. It fell some 100 yards from Army Post Office building near the bazaar area. The plane was burnt out, and Cap