6 Bomber Group August 16/17, 1944
144 Halifaxes from 408, 415, 420, 424, 425, 426, 427, 429, 431, 432, and 434 squadron were ordered to attack the port city of Kiel. The crews were over the target at between 16,000 and 20,000 feet, releasing 310,000 lbs of high explosives and 545,000 lbs of incendiaries. According to reports the dock area and ship-building firms were damaged.
While some of the group was attacking Kiel, 419 and 428 sent 27 Lancasters on an attack at Stettin. The crews were over the target at between 17,000and 18,000 feet, releasing 50,000 lbs of high explosives and 150,000 lbs of incendiaries on the port and dock area. According to reports, it was an accurate attack.
While most of the group was off to Kiel and Stettin, 18 Halifaxes from 429 and 433 squadrons were ordered on a mining operation to Kiel Bay.The crews were over the garden at 14,000 feet, sowing 54@1500 lb mines. Richard Koval (6bombergroup.ca)
From the monthly ORB Summary:
Dull day, slight showers, cleared later in the day. Fifteen aircraft detailed for operations. It was to be extensive program of operations in the Forget-Me-Not area. At the time of the gardening there was an attack being made on Kiel. This helped the crews who had to put their vegetables in the harbour area. Thin layer cloud at 17,000 ft with 3/50th broken cloud at 4,000 ft not enough to interfere with laying vegetables. No opposition from fighters reported, moderate to heavy flak encountered. Three aircraft "I" captained by J/21433 Flight Lieutenant JC Valk, "P" captained by J/25000 Flying Officer JAW Morgan and "D" captained by R/179479 Flight Sergeant JGM Savard failed to return from this operation. For the first time we had two non-starters.
Savard's bomber was flying at 17,700 feet when it suddenly came under fire from an enemy night fighter. The enemy night fighter pilot was Oberleutnant Arnold "Fritz" Brinkmann flying a Junkers Ju 88 G-5 based at Westerland on the island of Sylt. He was with 8 Nachtjagdgeschwader 3 Squadron. Brinkmann was twenty-nine. He is believed to have survived the war with a total of sixteen bombers shot down. Halifax MZ 899 crashed into the sea with all seven crew members killed in action
excerpt from "A Halifax: Story of MZ899" by David J Bercuson, full document attached
Nachtjagd Combat Archive 1944 Part 4 24 July - 15 October by Theo Boiten, page 45
Pilot Officer Joseph G. M. Savard (all had been promoted after their deaths) washed ashore in Magleby parish on the island of Langeland, Denmark and was handed over to the Wehrmacht. He was laid to rest in Magleby Cemetery on 12 September 1944. Pilot Officer Bernard Bercuson was found near Lindelse on Langleland and was buried beside Savard on 19 September 1944. They are still together. Pilot Officer Maurice E. Fairall washed ashore on the island of Bogø and laid to rest in Bogø Cemetery on 11 October 1944. Sergeant George H. Lilley was found at Asserballeskov on the island of Als on 17 September 1944 and was buried in Aabenraa on 19 September 1944. Flying Officer Henry Grimble, Flying Officer Joseph L. Baillargeon and Sergeant Alfred W. J. Drennan were never found and their names are commemorated on the Runnymede Air Forces Memorial in Surrey, England. Excerpt from "A Halifax: The Story of MZ 899" by David J Bercuson, full document attached
There were three 433 Squadron Halifax III aircraft lost on this operation. Please see aircraft serial numbers MZ 808 BM-P and MZ 863 BM-I for information on these aircraft and crews
Final Story of Crew of MZ899 by David J Bercuson
433 Squadron Halifax III MZ899 BM-D P/O. Savard, RAF Skipton-on-...
Halifax BIII MZ899 crashed in the Baltic Sea southwest of the island o...
Royal Air Force Serial and Image Database
Bomber Command Museum Monthly ORB