Peter Rackliff, author of "Even the birds were walking" (the story of wartime met reconnaissance) has sent the following details about this incident - they were received after the book was published so have never appeared in print. Peter's email reads:
"I obtained details about the loss of the 1409 Met Flight Mosquito from a Belgian researcher in July 2001; too late for ETBWW. However, there had been a brief reference in George Hatton’s Log Book, ‘ P/O Griffiths and Sgt Brown missing, 16/4/43.’
Our investigators in Belgium were able to tell us that Mosquito ‘K’ – DZ406, was bounced by a flight from 6./JG1 (FW190s) over northern Belgium and shot down by Fw Georg Hutter. The aircraft crashed at Vlimmeren village, and hit a house which was burnt out. They also quote an entry in the Vlimmeren Community archive which reads –
‘In April 1943 a burning aeroplane fell close to a house that burned to the ground. The identity of that aircraft is unknown.’ There was some confusion over the identity of the crew; the bodies were brought to Schoonselhof cemetery and the clerk made a new page in the Register, headed ‘Americans,’ before entering the names of Griffiths and Brown. This was on 21st April.'
George Griffiths was evidently a veteran Warrant Officer pilot who was with 1401 in the early days of the PAMPA sorties, before receiving his commission. He stayed with them, and went to Oakington when the Mosquitos were taken over by BC (PFF) and renumbered 1409 Met Flight."
Source: RAF Command.com
Grave Registration Reports (GRRs) from the CWGC