2

From No. 3 P. R. C., ^Personnel Reception Centre, Bournemouth^ P/O Abbott was - on the 23rd August, 1941 -
posted to No. 16 Operational Training Unit, Upper Heyford,
Oxfordshire, where he carried out air exercises on Hampden bomber
aircraft. On the 6th December, 1941, he proceeded to No. 455
(Austr) (Australian) Squadron, Swinderby, Lincolnshire, from which base he flew
as navigator in Hampden bomber aircraft on nine operational flights
over enemy territory. The targets on these raids included Hamburg,
Hanover, Munster, and Wilhelmshaven, in Germany; Brest, in France;
and Ostend, in Belgium. He also flew on minelaying operations
in the North Sea off the East Frisian Islands.

On the 12th February, 1942, P/O Abbott was navigator of a
Hampden bomber aircraft which took off from Swinderby to attack enemy
warships off the coast of Holland. The aircraft failed to return
to its base and all the members of the crew, including P/O Abbott,
were reported missing. Subsequently the death of P/O Abbott was
officially presumed. ^to have occurred on the above date.^

5/2/3627 A. S. 2 Mrs H. J. Abbott (W)
266 hrs. as Air Observer.

Mrs. H. J. Abbott (W)
103 The Ridgeway,|
Mornington, WELLINGTON.