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The Airmen's Stories - F/Lt. J C Mungo-Park

 

John Colin Mungo-Park was born in Wallasey, Cheshire on 25th March 1918, the son of Colin Archibald Mungo Park and Marion Park (née Haswell).

He was a direct descendant of the African explorer Mungo Park (1771-1806).

Mungo-Park's father served in WW1 with the 7th Battalion of the Royal Sussex Regiment. He was killed in action on 24th October 1918. He is buried in the Valenciennes (St. Roch) Military Cemetery.

JC Mungo-Park was educated at Liverpool College, boarding at School House, on leaving he was employed by a cotton broker.

Mungo-Park joined the RAF on a short service commission in June 1937.

He was posted to 10 FTS Tern Hill on 21st August, went to the AACU at Lee-on-Solent on 26th March 1938 and then to the Fleet Requirements Unit, HMS Argus on 22nd August 1938.

Mungo-Park joined 74 Squadron at Hornchurch on 4th September 1939. Over Dunkirk on 24th May 1940 he shared a Hs126.

 

Above: Mungo-Park (left) with F/O HM Stephen

 

On 10th July Mungo-Park claimed a Do17 destroyed, on the 11th a Me110 and a Me109 destroyed and another of each probably destroyed, on 13th August a probable Do17, on 11th September a He111 destroyed and a Ju88 damaged and on the 14th a Me110 probably destroyed.

Mungo-Park then shot down a Me109 on 20th October, got a probable Me109 on the 22nd, damaged two more on the 27th and 28th, destroyed two Me109s on the 29th, damaged another on 2nd November.

He shot down two Ju87s on the 14th and shared a Me109 on the 30th, Biggin Hill's 600th victory. He was awarded the DFC (gazetted 15th November 1940). As an Acting Flight Lieutenant, he had been commanding 'A' Flight from 8th September.

Mungo-Park took command of 74 Squadron on 10th March 1941 when Sailor Malan was posted away. He was attacked by six Me109s over the French coast on 16th June and shot down two but his Spitfire's glycol system was damaged and after his engine seized he glided back across the coast and made a crash-landing near Hawkinge.

On a sweep over France on 27th June 1941 Mungo-Park was shot down in Spitfire Vb X4668 ‘E’ and killed. He is buried in Adinkerke Military Cemetery, Belgium.

He was awarded a Bar to the DFC (gazetted 11th July 1941).

His portrait was made by both Cuthbert Orde (below left) and Eric Kennington (right) in 1940.

 

 

 

    

 

 

 

January 2021 - the images of Mungo-Parks's wrecked Spitfire below were kindly sent by Olaf Timmermann, a researcher in Germany.

 

 

 

 

 


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