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John Colin Mungo-Park was born in Wallasey, Cheshire in 1918.
He was educated at Liverpool College and joined the RAF in 1937.
He was posted to 74 Squadron at RAF Hornchurch on 4 September
1939. He fought with this squadron all through the Battle of
Britain and by the end of November 1940 had twelve confirmed
victories. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross on 15
November 1940.
He had been commanding 'A' Flight of the squadron since 8
September 1940 and was promoted to command the squadron on 10
March 1941 when the existing commander, the famous South African
'Sailor' Malan, was posted to another appointment.
On 16 June 1941 he shot down two Messerschmitt 109's over
the French coast but his own aircraft was damaged and he glided
back with a dead engine to crash land at Hawkinge near Folkestone.
On 27 June 1941 he was shot down and killed at Adinkerke,
Belgium and is buried there.
He was awarded a Bar to the DFC (i.e. a second award of the
same decoration) on 11 July 1941.
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click on images to enlarge
From a Belgian citizen who lived near the crash
site.
I have an incredible and yet amazing story to tell you. But first
have a look at this picture (opposite) from my father who wrote
on the back : "Remembrance of an English flier fallen during
the war 1940-41 at Adinkerke in a glorious fight against enemy
superior numbers"
This picture survived the war despite his captivity in Germany
awaiting the execution of his death sentence for sabotage and
armed resistance. Some 25 years ago he gave it to me and from
that day on I wanted to know who the pilot on the picture was.
But since there is very little which can lead to identification,
even of the plane, I kept figuring out how to handle it. On January
16th I went to visit my father in De Panne and he always gives
me the local newspaper pages and communal magazine of De Panne
before returning to Bruges. In the communal magazine there was
a request from a man about the crash of a bomber in 1944. Since
I could not help I sent him a copy of my picture and asked if
by any chance he could help me. A few days later I received an
answer from a local specialist in WW2 aircrashes in our region
who immediately told me the picture was of Sq Ldr John Colin
MUNGO PARK, CO of 74 Squadron, who was shot down on June 27th
1941, 23 years old, flying a Spitfire V, serial X4668 and buried
at Adinkerke Military Cemetery, grave E/17. He also said that
the same day Sgt G.G. Hilken (spitfire W3254) and Plt Off W.J.
Sandman (Spitfire W3210) of 74 Sq were also lost.
The most incredible and amazing part is yet to come : my father
was there and saw the crash happening. He (then aged 16) and
his friends were playing a game of tennis when they heard and
saw an airplane in trouble diving down in a lot of smoke. Theu
jumped on their bicycles and speeded as quick as possible to
where the plane was going down. When they finally arrived the
aircraft had crashed and the pilot lay dead beside the wreck,
guarded by a German soldier. My father did not take the picture
himself. It could have been done by one of his friends (later
the whole group was arrested, all were sent to Germany and unfortunately
some did not come back). It could also have been taken by a German
soldier or officer, who as many of his fellow soldiers then had
his pictures developed by a young man in De Panne, who always
made sure to make some extra copies for distribution among friends.
When I called him yesterday evening to tell him the whole story
behind the picture he suddenly remembered that two other planes
made a forced landing on the beach of De Panne, approximately
at the same time, but he said we were more interested in the
plane that we saw going down and followed its trail as quick
as possible on our bikes. - (the sight of the crash in Adinkerke
is about 2 miles from where they were playing tennis) - Can you
imagine how astonished I was that after 64 years the pieces fell
together.
Met vriendelijke groeten / Kind regards, Johny Recour, Zeebrugge,
Belgium
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