Service number:

174666

Nationality:

British

Henry King was a navigator of aircraft KG 374, the twin-engined Dakota flown by Fl/Lt. David Lord, V.C. on an operation during Market Garden near Arnhem.
King was a last-minute replacement for Lord, whose own navigator had gone on leave.
Sunday,Sept. 17th: They took paratroops in. Monday, Sept. 18th: They towed a glider in.
Tuesday, Sept. 19th they took in supplies to be dropped in support of the Airbornes. Other members of the crew were Pilot Officer Richard E.H. (Dickie) Medhurst, the second pilot, who was flying his first operation, Flying Officer Alec Ballantyne, the wireless operator, a Scotsman.

In addition to the regular crew and King, there were four RASC men whose job it was to kick out the supplies: A Cpl. Nixon and three drivers, Ricketts, Harper and Rowbotham.
Near the drop zone, the Dakota was hit bij FLAK. Yet Lord made two runs over the drop zone after which the plane crashed. But not before King was blown out of the aircraft and made a safe landing.
He was the only survivor of the crash.
On Wednesday the 20th King was captured and remainded a POW until the end of the war after which he became Queen's Messenger Escort (guarding the Queen's Messengers)

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• - Nederlandse onderscheidingen aan Britse staatsburgers voor de Tweede Wereldoorlog
  - https://www.fromthepage.com/ohiouniversitylibraries/world-war-ii-operation-market-garden-accounts-from-the-cornelius-ryan-collection