Does anybody know what happened to the British crew of the HMS Greenfly ? I've read that she ran aground close to Samawah - and the crew had surrendered due to lack of food and then been murdered - is that right ? Annie
Hello Annie, According to the London Times, 17 of the crew were taken by Arab insurgents. However, it appears that they may have been released. According to the paper some of the tribal sheikhs from the Suk esh Sheyukh area and Rumeltha area have expressed their desire to surrender and have brought back the crew of the GREENFLY as earnest of their good intentions. Prior to all this a British aircraft that had dropped supplies to the GREENFLY on 22 September 1920 was shot down and the crew captured by the Arabs. Later news mentions only Flying Officer Ian MacDonald M.C. D.F.C. was seen to wade ashore but was taken prisoner. From a subsequent report he is known to have been killed at Dangatora. Regards Hugh
Flying Officer H C E Bockett-Pugh DFC and F/O I D R McDonald MC DFC of No 84 Sqn RAF were flying DH 9A F2838 on a mission to drop food to the crew of a downed Bristol F.2b on 17 July 1920 when they were shot down near Dangatora, Iraq, 20 miles south west of Samarra, and forced to land in a river. The airmen were seen to wade ashore, but were subsequently taken prisoner and then killed. Ian McDonald was only 21 when he was killed, and had accrued 20 victories with No 24 Sqn RFC/RAF on the Western Front during the Great War, flying the DH 5 and SE 5a. Gareth
