Gwilym John Lewis

Stirling LJ450 1654 HCU Take off RAF Wigsley on night training and bombing practice at Bassingham Fen range. Intercepted and shot down 01.25 by a intruder Me 410 9K +MN of KG51 piloted by Hptm Dietrich Puttfarken with R/O-Gunner Ofw Willi Lux

USAAF personnel stationed at the control tower RAF Balderton reported seeing 3 Stirlings at very low level fly over. One was already on fire and an enemy intruder was in pursuit. Mosquito LR266 60 OTU RAF High Ercall, Salop on night navigation exercise, also attacked by night fighter in the area. Crew abandoned the aircraft and it crashed near Grantham. Hptm Puttfarken also claimed Spitfire BL581 64 Sqn at RAF Coltishall 00.50. RAF raid on Aachen between 22.44 and 22.52, II/KG51 inserted 10 Me 410's into the returning bomber stream over the UK.

Hptm Dietrich Puttfarken with R/O-Gunner Ofw Willi Lux both KIA 22/4/1944 shot down into the North Sea by return fire from a USAAF B24.