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Conversion 1943-12-21 to 1943-12-21

1679 (B) HCU (RCAF) Wombleton

On 1943-12-21, Squadron Leader A. Ross Dawson, Chief Technical Officer at Wombleton, wrote in his diary:

"One of 1679's Lancasters, DS521 [sic] got closed off our circuit last night due to bad weather & was diverted to Topcliffe. Here he overshot & hit the tail end of a Halifax parked on a dispersal. It tore the tail right off & the Lanc turned end-over-end & stopping flat on its back with its wheels in the air & caught fire burning up completely. Three of the boys got out alive miraculously but the other three were lost."

Diary of A Ross Dawson, courtesy CWM

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Bombing 1943-08-28 to 1943-08-28

(B) Sqn (RAF) Little Snoring

674 aircraft - 349 Lancasters, 221 Halifaxes, 104 Stirlings. 33 aircraft - I I of each type on the raid - lost, 4·9 per cent of the force.

The marking for this raid was based mainly on H2S. 47 of the Pathfinder H2S aircraft were ordered to check their equipment by dropping a 1,000-lb bomb on Heilbronn while flying to Nuremberg. 28 Pathfinder aircraft were able to carry out this order. Heilbronn reports that several bombs did drop in the north of the town soon after midnight. The local officials assumed that the bombs were aimed at the industrial zone; several bombs did fall around the factory area and other bombs fell further away. No industrial buildings were hit; one house was destroyed but there were no casualties.

Nuremberg was found to be free of cloud but it was very dark. The initial Pathfinder markers were accurate but a creepback quickly developed which could not be stopped because so many Pathfinder aircraft had difficulties with their H2S sets. The Master Bomber (whose name is not recorded) could do little to persuade the Main Force to move their bombing forward; only a quarter of the crews could hear his broadcasts. Bomber Command estimated that most of the bombing fell in open country south-south-west of the city but the local reports say that bombs were scattered across the south-eastern and eastern suburbs. The only location mentioned by name is the Zoo, which was hit by several bombs. 65 people were killed.

source: The Bomber Command War Diaries, Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt

Took off from Little Snoring at 21:43 in Lancaster Mk II (Sqn code: KO-T Bomber Command) on an operation to Nuremberg Germany.

Shot down by a night fighter and crashed near the target area

KIlled: Sergeant Jack Kemm RAF KIA Durnbach War Cemetery grave 11. J. 27.; F/Lt Guy Leslie Mott RAF pilot KIA Durnbach War Cemetery grave 11. J. 28.

POWs: Flying Officer William Blades RAF POW Stalag Luft L3 Sagan and Belaria.; F/Lt Carl Clifford Bggild RCAF J/22440 POW Stalag Luft L3 Sagan and Belaria.; Sergeant Theodore Buchak RCAF R/178563 POW Stalag 4B Muhlberg (Elbe).; Sergeant Lewis Richard Alberte George Carpenter RAF POW Stalag Luft L3 Sagan and Belaria.

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Bombing Berlin Germany 1944-03-24 to 1944-03-25

115 (B) Sqn (RAF)

115 Squadron (Despite The Elements), Witchford, England. Lancaster aircraft DS678 failed to return from operations over Berlin Germany.

RAF Sergeants W Bowey, JW Burke, D Keeley and VJ Watson were also killed. Canadian Gray was taken Prisoner of War.

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Bombing Cambrai France 1944-06-12 to 1944-06-13

408 (B) Sqn (RCAF) RAF Linton-on-Ouse

408 Goose Squadron (For Freedom) RAF Linton-on-Ouse. Lancaster BII aircraft DS688 EQ-R was shot down while on a operation against targets in Cambrai, France by German ace night fighter pilot Hptm Heinz Wolfgang Schnaufer of 4/NJG1. The Lancaster crashed in a meadow at Tilloy-les-Cambrai, France

There were three 408 Squadron Lancaster aircraft shot down by Hauptmann Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer on this operation: DS688 EQ-R, DS726 EQ-Y and DS772 EQ-T

408 Squadron Lancaster II DS688 EQ-R Fl/Lt. Brice RAF Linton-on-Ouse

Search for France-Crashes 39-45

Aces of the Luftwaffe - Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer

[Royal Air Force Serial and Image Database]...

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Bombing Cambrai France 1944-06-12 to 1944-06-13

408 (B) Sqn (RCAF) RAF Linton-on-Ouse

408 Goose Squadron (For Freedom) RAF Linton-on-Ouse. Lancaster II aircraft DS 726 EQ-Y did not return from night operations to bomb railyards at Cambrai, France, shot down by night fighter ace Hauptmann Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer of Stab IV/NJG 1, who had been scrambled from Chievres (Belgium) in a Bf 110 G-4. The Lancaster crashed at Seranvillers-Forneville, SSE of Cambrai, France

Squadron Leader WB Stewarts (RCAF), Pilot Officer RD Ochsner (RCAF), Flying Officer GE Mallory (RCAF),Warrant Officer HF Murphy (RCAF), Pilot Officer J Bray (RAF), and Pilot Officer N Varley (RAF) were all killed in action

Flying Officer WC Burns (RCAF) survived and was taken as Prisoner of War

Pilot Officer GJBJ Lapierre DFC (RCAF) survived and avoided capture as an Evader

There were three #408 Squadron Lancaster aircraft and crews lost on this operation, all shot down by Hauptmann Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer. Please see aircraft serials DS 688 EQ-R and DS 772 EQ-T for additional information

Research of France-Crashes 39-45

Aces of the Luftwaffe - Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer

Lancaster II DS726 [Royal Air Force Serial and Image Database]...

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Bombing Schweinfurt Germany 1944-02-24 to 1944-02-25

408 (B) Sqn (RCAF) RAF Linton-on-Ouse

408 Goose Squadron (For Freedom) RAF Linton on Ouse. Lancaster II aircraft DS 731 EQ-O was shot down by a night fighter near Erkshausen, Germany during operations against targets in Schweinfurt, Germany

Air Gunner Pilot Officer ME Hodgins (RCAF) was the only crew member lost, killed in action

Flying Officer G McKiel (RCAF), FS AC Keiller (RCAF), Pilot Officer A Walker (RCAF), Sergeant RE Loomer (RCAF) and Sergeant GN Parsons (RAFVR) all survived were taken as Prisoners of War

[Royal Air Force Serial and Image Database]...

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Bombing Berlin Germany 1944-01-02 to 1944-01-03

(B) Sqn (RCAF) East Moor

Battle of Berlin

383 aircraft - 362 Lancasters, 12 Mosquitoes, 9 Halifaxes. The German control rooms followed the bombers all the way to Berlin, which was assessed as the target 40 minutes before Zero Hour. Night fighters were sent to a radio beacon between Hannover and Bremen but these fighters missed the bomber stream and did not come into action until they were directed to Berlin. Most of the bomber casualties were in the Berlin area. 27 Lancasters were lost, 7·0 per cent of the force. The casualties included 10 Pathfinder aircraft; 156 Squadron, from Warboys, lost 5 of its 14 aircraft taking part in the raid.

This was another ineffective raid. Bombs were scattered over all parts of Berlin, with the local reports stressing that there were no large fires; the fire services were able to contain all fires soon after they started. 82 houses were destroyed and 36 people were killed. Industrial damage was insignificant.

source: The Bomber Command War Diaries, Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt

432 Leaside Squadron (Saevitir Ad Lucem) RAF East Moor. Lancaster BII aircraft DS 739 QO-Y was shot down during night operations against targets in Berlin, Germany by night fighter pilot Leutnant Wendelin Breukel of the 5/NJG 2 (based at Deelen airfield in the Netherlands), who was flying a Ju 88 C-6. The Lancaster crashed eighty miles southwest of Berlin at southern edge of Gross Rosenburg, Sachsen-Anhalt, near Kothen, Germany. The entire crew were lost

Warrant Officer Class 2 JE Scott (RCAF), Flight Lieutenant JA Allen (RCAF), Flying Officer HF Doull (RCAF), Flying Officer K Crawford (RCAF), Sergeant JA Cobbett (RCAF), Sergeant IAJ Dupuis (RCAF), and W.R. Collier (RAFVR) were all killed in action

Aviation Safety Network

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Bombing Brunswick Germany 1944-01-14 to 1944-01-14

(B) Sqn (RCAF) East Moor

Battle of Berlin

496 Lancasters and 2 Halifaxes on the first major raid to Brunswick of the war. 38 Lancasters Jost, 7·6 per cent of the force. The German running commentary was heard following the progress of the bomber force from a position only 40 miles from the English coast and many German fighters entered the bomber stream soon after the German frontier was crossed near Bremen. The German fighters scored steadily until the Dutch coast was crossed on the return flight. Ir of the lost aircraft were Pathfinders.

Brunswick was smaller than Bomber Command's usual targets and this raid was not a success. The city report describes this only as a 'light' raid, with bombs in the south of the city which had only ro houses destroyed and 14 people killed. Most of the attack fell either in the countryside or in Wolfenbiittel and other small towns and villages well to the south of Brunswick.

source: The Bomber Command War Diaries, Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt

Lancaster BII aircraft DS 740 QO-Z missing while engaged in an operation against targets in Brunswick, Germany. It is believed that the Lancaster was shot down by a night fighter and crashed at Lagershausen, NE of Northeim, Germany with the loss of the entire crew

Pilot Officer DT Lyng (RCAF), Pilot Officer DA Rae (RCAF),Warrant Officer WH Hoppus (RCAF), Sergeant KE Evans (RAFVR), Sergeant CF Tarr (RAFVR), FS EF Howe (RAFVR), and Flying Officer BV Holmes (RAFVR) were all killed in action

There were two 432 Lancaster II aircraft lost on this operation. Please see Rainville, GH for information on Lancaster DS 850 QO-M

War Cemetery - Hanover-Ahlem, Lower Saxony, Germany

Aircraft accidents in Yorkshire

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Bombing Berlin Germany 1943-12-16 to 1943-12-17

426 (B) Sqn (RCAF) RAF Linton-on-Ouse

426 Thunderbird Squadron (On Wings of Fire) RAF Linton-on-Ouse. Lancaster BII aircraft DS 762 OW-V, during an operation against targets in Berlin, Germany was hit by flak over Osnabruck, Netherlands, losing the aircraft hydraulics. Further flak hits and possible night fighter attack caused damage to multiple fuel tanks resulting in fuel leaks and a fire. The fire was extinguished, allowing the bomber to continue to Berlin and drop it's bombload. Unfortunately, the fuel loss meant a return flight to England was not possible so the the badly shot up Lancaster was turned north for neutral Sweden, where the pilot ordered his crew to abandon the aircraft. The bomber then crashed onto the ice covered Asnen Lake, Sweden

Pilot Officer A C Davies DFC (RCAF), Pilot Officer H L Garriock (RCAF), Sergeant E O George DFM (RCAF), Pilot Officer R H Ginson (RCAF), Flight Sergeant F T Mudry (RCAF), Pilot Officer R F Richards (RAF) and Sergeant R Engle (RAF) all survived

The crew, all safe, were arrested by police and as Sweden was a neutral country during the war, they all became interned prisoners rather than Prisoners of War. They were not held in POW camps, but were placed in hotels and bed and breakfast establishments in the Falun area, enjoying relative freedom of movement, unlike a Prisoner of War in a camp. They received their regular military pay from their home countries, which allowed them to actually be much better off than the local Swedish residents

The crew of Lancaster DS 762 were repatriated to the UK between September and October 1944

There were four 426 Squadron Lancaster II aircraft lost on this operation. Please see Lancaster aircraft serials DS 779 OW-C, DS 837 OW-Q and DS 846 OW-X for further information and detail

Royal Air Force Serial and Image Database

The night of the Intruders

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Bombing Cambrai France 1944-06-12 to 1944-06-13

408 (B) Sqn (RCAF) RAF Linton-on-Ouse

408 Goose Squadron (For Freedom) RAF Linton-on-Ouse. Lancaster II aircraft DS 772 EQ-T was shot down by night fighter ace Hauptmann Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer of Stab IV/NJG 1, who had been scrambled from Chievres (Belgium) in a Bf 110 G-4. The Lancaster crashed five and one half miles east of Cambrai, at Avernes Les Aubert, France during night operations against rail facilities in Cambrai, France

Flight Lieutenant TO Pledger DFC (RCAF), Flight Lieutenant HC McIver (RCAF), Pilot Officer WH Goodwin, (RCAF) Sergeant DM Russell (RAF), Flying Officer JH Wyatt (RAFVR), Flying Officer AJJC Dulait (RAFVR) and Flying Officer CAG Hanchar (RAFVR) were all killed in action

There were three #408 Squadron Lancaster aircraft and crews lost on this operation, all shot down by Hauptmann Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer. Please see serial DS 688 EQ-R and DS 726 EQ-Y for additional information

Aviation Safety Network

Research of France-Crashes 39-45

Aces of the Luftwaffe - Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer

Lancaster II DS772 [Royal Air Force Serial and Image Database]...

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Bombing Berlin Germany 1943-12-16 to 1943-12-16

(B) Sqn (RCAF) East Moor

Battle of Berlin

483 Lancasters and I0 Mosquitoes on the main raid and 5 further Mosquitoes dropped decoy fighter flares south of Berlin.

The bomber route again led directly to Berlin across Holland and Northern Germany and there wore no major diversions, The German controllers plotted the the course of the bombers with great accuracy; many German fighters were met T the coast of Holland and further fighters were guided on to the bomber stream throughout the approach to the target. More fighters were waiting at the target and there were many combats. The bombers shook off the opposition on the return flight by taking a northerly route over Denmark. 25 Lancasters, 5.2 per cent of the Lancaster force, were lost. Many further aircraft were lost on returning to England (see later paragraph).

Berlin was cloud-covered but the Pathfinder sky-marking was reasonably accurate and much of the bombing fell in the city. The local report says that the raid hit no identifiable aiming point but the central and eastern districts were hit more than other areas. Little industrial damage was caused; most of the bombing hit housing and railways. Conflicting figures on the number of dead are given; the overall tot may be 720, of which 279 were foreign workers - 186 women, 65 men and 28 youths 70 of these foreigners - all from the East - were killed when the train in which they were travelling was bombed at the Halensee Station. In the city centre, the National Theatre and the building housing Germany's military and political archives were both destroyed. The damage to the Berlin railway system and to rolling stock, and the large numbers of people still leaving the city, were having a cumulative effect upon the transportation of supplies to the Russian Front; 1000 wagon-loads of war material were held up for 6 days. The sustained bombing had now made more than a quarter of Berlin's total living accommodation unusable.

On their return to England, many of the bombers encountered very low cloud at their bases. The squadrons of 1, 6 and 8 Groups were particularly badly affected. Lancasters (and a Stirling from the minelaying operation) either crashed or were abandoned when their crews parachuted. The group with heaviest losses was 1 Group with 13 aircraft lost; the squadron with heaviest losses was 97 Squadron, 8 Group with 7 aircraft lost. There is a little confusion in Bomber Command records over aircrew casualties but it is probable that 148 men were killed in the crashes, 39 were injured and 6 presumed lost in the sea.

source: The Bomber Command War Diaries, Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt

Lancaster BII aircraft DS 831 QO-N was shot down by night fighter pilot Oblt Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer of 12/NJG1 over Holland during operation against targets in Berlin, Germany. The Lancaster crashed at Weidum - Wijtgaard, Friesland, Netherlands

Warrant Officer Class 2 HA Turner (RCAF), Warrant Officer Class 1 JS Briegel (RCAF), Sergeant R Hughes (RAFVR), FS TW Pragnell (RAFVR),Warrant Officer RK Saunders (RAAF) and Flying Officer WC Fisher (USAAF) were all killed in action

FS Lewis was either an Evader or was taken Prisoner of War and one of the crew, not Canadian, missing believed killed. Sergeant OD Lewis (RCAF) and FS MAT Brudell (RAAF) survived and were taken as Prisoners Of War

Detail provided by F McAfee, Regina, Saskatchewan

There were two 432 Squadron Lancaster II aircraft lost on this operation. Please see Hatfield, HB for information on Lancaster DS 832 QO-K

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432 Squadron Lancaster DS831 QO-N F/O. Fisher, RAF East Moor, ...

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Conversion 1944-01-23 to 1944-01-23

1679 (OT) HCU (RAF) RAF Wombleton

1679 Heavy Conversion Unit, RAF Wombleton. The crew of Lancaster aircraft DS 839 were engaged in a daylight cross-country training exercise when they crashed at Ridgemont, Bedfordshire, England. Accident investigators couldn't establish the cause of the crash, mainly due to the level of destruction of the aircraft, but icing conditions were believed to have been a factor in the crash

Flight Sergeant F W MacDonald (RCAF), Flight Sergeant J J Farrell (RCAF), Flight Sergeant L I Hogan (RCAF), Flying Officer R W Grosser (RCAF), Sergeant S A Carr (RCAF), Sergeant L Thompson (RAFVR) and 1st Lieutenant R M Grove (USAAF) were all killed in this flying accident

Royal Air Force Serial and Image Database

RPT - Cresw Losses

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Bombing Magdeburg Germany 1944-01-22 to 1944-01-22

(B) Sqn (RCAF) East Moor

Battle of Berlin

648 aircraft- 42 I Lancasters, 224 Halifaxes, 3 Mosquitoes - on the first major raid to this target. The German controller again followed the progress of the bomber stream across the North Sea and many night fighters were in the stream before it crossed the German coast. The controller was very slow to identify Magdeburg as the target but this did not matter too much because most of the night fighters were able to stay in the bomber stream, a good example of the way the Tame Boar tactics were developing. 57 aircraft - 35 Halifaxes, 22 Lancasters - were lost, 8·8 per cent of the force; it is probable that three quarters of the losses were caused by German night fighters. The Halifax loss rate was 15·6 per cent!

The heavy bomber casualties were not rewarded with a successful attack. Some of the Main Force aircraft now had H2S and winds which were stronger than forecast brought some of these into the target area before the Pathfinders' Zero Hour. The crews of 27 Main Force aircraft were anxious to bomb and did so before Zero Hour. The Pathfinders blamed the fires started by this early bombing, together with some very effective German decoy markers, for their failure to concentrate the marking. No details are available from Magdeburg but it is believed that most of the bombing fell outside the city. An R.A.F. man who was in hospital at Magdeburg at the time reports only, 'bangs far away'.

source: The Bomber Command War Diaries, Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt

Lancaster BII aircraft DS 843 QO-O did not return from a raid on the synthetic oil plants at Magdeburg, Germany, shot down by a night fighter and crashing into the River Elbe at Breitenhagen, Germany

Sergeant DL Pocock (RCAF), FS EM Myer (RAFVR), Pilot Officer DJ O'Donnell (RAAF) and FS JS Poole (RAFVR) were killed in action

FS JH Williams (RAFVR), FS WM Thomson (RAFVR) and Pilot Officer MP Bailhache (RAFVR) survived and were taken as Prisoners of War

There were two 432 Squadron Lancaster II aircraft lost on this operation. Please see Legace, LF for information on Lancaster LL 724 QO-N

Daily Operations 6bombergroup.ca

Aviation Safety Network

432 Squadron Lancaster II DS843 QO-O Fl/Sergeant Poole, RAF East Moor, ...

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Bombing Augsburg Germany 1944-02-25 to 1944-02-26

408 (B) Sqn (RCAF) RAF Linton-on-Ouse

408 Goose Squadron (For Freedom) RAF Linton-on-Ouse. Lancaster II aircraft DS 845 EQ-T was orbiting at the final turning point leading to an operation against targets in Augsburg Germany when the engines began to lose power. Unable to maintain altitude, the Lancaster was abandoned near Abbeville, France, where it crashed. The entire crew survived

Flying Officer A W Bockus (RCAF), Flight Sergeant E A S Hetherington (RCAF), Sergeant S Thorvardson (RCAF) and Pilot Officer P E Fillion (RCAF) survived and were captured to become Prisoners of War

Sergeant R P Gigg (RAFVR) evaded until captured near Arras, France and became a Prisoner of War

Flying Officer R E Barnlund MiD (RCAF) and Sergeant K E Lussier DFC (RCAF) survived and both became Evaders

Royal Air Force Serial and Image Database

Search for France - Crashes 39-45

Daily Operations

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Bombing 1943-11-16 to 1943-11-16

(B) Sqn (RCAF) Eastmoor

Lancaster aircraft DS 847 had engine failure and crashed at night one mile west of Ingham Village, Lincolnshire, England. ExWarrant Officer Andy Hoggins of Port Elgin, Ontario had this to say about this, his second crash, We converted to Lancs and were on a cross-country flight when all four of our Lanc engines broke out in flames one after the other. The Lanc went into a stall spin and FS J.B. Peel (Nav.), FS P.J. Powers (AG), Sergeant Calderwood (RAF - WOAG), and myself bailed out. FS W.J. Mayo (BA), Pilot Officer R.C. Burgess (P), and Sergeant K.C. Simmons (RAF - FE) were killed as the Lanc blew up on impact. I returned to Canada as they thought I'd been thru enough."

Please seeWarrant Officer R.M. Barlow for details of Noggins' and Mayo's previous crash.

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Bombing Brunswick Germany 1944-01-14 to 1944-01-14

(B) Sqn (RCAF) East Moor

Battle of Berlin

496 Lancasters and 2 Halifaxes on the first major raid to Brunswick of the war. 38 Lancasters Jost, 7·6 per cent of the force. The German running commentary was heard following the progress of the bomber force from a position only 40 miles from the English coast and many German fighters entered the bomber stream soon after the German frontier was crossed near Bremen. The German fighters scored steadily until the Dutch coast was crossed on the return flight. Ir of the lost aircraft were Pathfinders.

Brunswick was smaller than Bomber Command's usual targets and this raid was not a success. The city report describes this only as a 'light' raid, with bombs in the south of the city which had only ro houses destroyed and 14 people killed. Most of the attack fell either in the countryside or in Wolfenbiittel and other small towns and villages well to the south of Brunswick.

source: The Bomber Command War Diaries, Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt

Lancaster BII aircraft DS 850 QO-M, was hit by flak, while engaged in an operation against targets in Brunswick, Germany. The flak caused much structural damage to the aircraft and ruptured fuel tanks in the wings. The order to abandon the aircraft was given in the vicinity of Rheine and the Lancaster crashed on the Engdener Wuste, Moor east of Nordhorn, Lower Saxony, Germany

Sergeant JH Aplin (RAFVR)(AUS) and Sergeant RA Hutchinson (RAFVR) were killed in action

Flight Lieutenant GH Rainville DFM (RCAF), FS GC Pike (RCAF), Flight Lieutenant CV Wales (RCAF), FS JS Evans (RAFVR), FS WJT Garvey (RAFVR) and Sergeant ALJ Thomas (RAFVR) all survived and were taken as Prisoners of War

POW information regarding Sergeant Garvey and Sergeant Thomas is not known to date

Footprints on the Sands of Time, RAF Bomber Command Prisoners of War in Germany 1939-45 by Oliver Clutton-Brock

Aviation Safety Network

Aircraft accidents in Yorkshire

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Bombing Milan Italy 1943-08-15 to 1943-08-16

61 (B) Sqn (RAF) RAF Syerston

61 Squadron RAF (Per Puram Tunantes) RAF Syerston. Lancaster BIII aircraft DV 186 QR-R was shot down by a Focke-Wulf FW190 night fighter piloted by Leutnant Detlef Grossfuss of 2/NJG2, returning from an operation against targets in Milan, Italy. The Lancaster crashed at a farm near Le Bosc Robert, La Vespiere, Calvados, France with the loss of the entire crew and three French civilians on the ground

Flight Sergeant R A L Scott (RCAF), Flight Sergeant J D Pigeau (RCAF), Flying Officer F Clough (RAFVR), Sergeant A Hulmes (RAFVR), Sergeant P M H Salmond (RAFVR), Flight Lieutenant R Steer (RAFVR) and Sergeant H F Webster (RAFVR) were all killed in action

The civilians killed were: Mr. Almyre Girard, deputy mayor of La Vespiere (aged 78) Mr. Jean Houguet (aged 23) and the young Pierre Dupendant (aged 10)

Royal Air force Serial and Image Database

Aviation Safety Network

Lancaster DV186 (Bosc-Robert) - La Vespiere-Friardel on 16 August 194...

Norman association of aerial remembrance 39-45

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Bombing Nuremberg Germany 1944-03-30 to 1944-03-31

467 (B) Sqn (RAAF) RAF Waddington, England

Delivered to No. 467 Squadron on 22 Aug 1943. Lancaster DV240 took off from RAF Waddington at 2203 hours on 30/31 March 1944 to bomb Nuremberg, Germany. Was shot down outbound by a night fighter, blew up, & crashed at Westum in the southern outskirts of Sinzig. DV240 had 388 flying hours.

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Bombing Mailly-le-Camp France 1944-05-04 to 1944-05-04

(B) Sqn (RAF) Wickenby

On the night of Wednesday 3rd May 1944 Bomber Command operated a total of 600 sorties: 362 aircraft assigned to attack the Military Camp at Mailly-Le-Camp and 92 aircraft to attack the Luftwaffe Base at Montdidier, 146 aircraft were assigned to carry out Minor Operations: 34 O.T.U. sorties, 32 aircraft assigned to lay sea mines off the French coast and Frisian Islands 27 Aircraft to attack Ludwigshafen, 23 aircraft on Resistance operations, 14 aircraft to attack the ammunition dump at Châteaudun, seven aircraft on Intruder patrols, six aircraft on Serrate sorties, three aircraft on Radio Counter Measures. From these operations there were a total of 47 aircraft (7.83%): 44 Lancaster's a single Halifax, Lysander and Mosquito became non effective and struck off charge"¦ from these 47 aircraft there were a total of 322 casualties: 266 airmen died, 22 became Prisoners of War and 34 airmen evaded capture"¦ These airmen were from 24 Squadrons flying from 19 airfields from five Bomber Groups. The Committee of Adjustment would be clearing out many lockers, billets of personal material and the many telegrams would be being composed and sent to the many families around the world with family life being changed for some, for ever with many empty chairs"¦

Events to this raid on Mailly-le-Camp started in February 1944 when a French resistance man named Raymond Bassett whose code name was "˜Nazi' risked his life gathering information about the German occupied military camp at Mailly. Using a false police warrant card supplied by London he entered at great personal risk the main entrance of the Panzer Training and Maintenance camp. From his conversations with an attentive German Officer about the camp security, Raymond Bassett used his brilliant memory to recall information displayed on charts and plans scattered around the office. With his natural skill Raymond Bassett drew from memory plans and details about the camp and passed the information to another agent near Chalons-sur-Marne. A few weeks later at Bomber Command Headquarters at High Wycombe the Royal Air Force started preparing for an attack on this occupied military camp 128 kilometres east of Paris. By the spring of 1944 Bomber Command was getting more skilful in the art of directing the bomber stream towards obscure targets in enemy occupied territory with pinpoint accuracy. Also becoming more skilful in the accuracy of bombing with the emphasis drawn to the fact of nearby villages and towns such as Mailly. The operational order was issued to Numbers 1 & 5 Bomber Groups who were operating Lancaster bombers with 4 Mosquito's from No.617 Squadron and 10 Mosquito's from No.627 Squadron Light Night Striking Force who would all have the responsibility of marking this important target. The executive order for bomb loads was prefixed "˜Plumduff' calling for all mainstream Lancaster's to carry an instantaneously fused 4000lb "˜cookie' and sixteen 500lb GP (General purpose) fused from eleven seconds to six hours. This was intended to destroy completely the large Wehrmacht depot engaged in maintaining of armoured vehicles and tanks including the Panzer Training establishment. The Military camp also contained extensive workshops and over sixty large barrack blocks. The raid was carried out during a full moon period and the forecast for the night of Wednesday 3/4 May1944 was for fine weather with no cloud in the target area. No.617 Squadron lead by Wing Commander G.L. Cheshire DSO DFC was briefed to mark the target at midnight precisely. The main Lancaster force of 346 bombers lead by Wing Commander L.C. Deane DFC of No.83 Squadron would bomb the target in two waves, with No.5 Group Lancaster's leading the way. Only No.83 & No.97 Squadron's would carry H2S and only a few Squadrons would employ "˜window' whilst No.101 Squadron carrying Air Bourne Cigar (A.B.C.) jamming equipment. A new system of Pathfinding' was to be employed on this raid with four Mosquito's from No.617 Squadron marking the target with the backer up markers from No.627 Squadron Mosquito's. Wing Commander G.L. Cheshire would be the Master Bomber and would transmit using VHF. to Wing Commander L.C. Deane, leader of the main force who in turn would transmit to the main force. Backing up and moving the aiming point would be carried out by the Mosquito's who would remain in the target area so long as they had markers left. Take off for the attack commenced at 21.30 hours and continued for nearly 50 minutes from the Lincolnshire bases. The route to the target was uncomplicated, assemble west of Reading then south to Beachy Head, across the channel to make land fall a point 5 kilometres just NE of Dieppe. Then flying a straight course of 220 km to the target. Yellow route markers would be dropped 20 to 30 km N of the camp near the village of Germinon. These markers would act as a datum point for the final run up to the target, which would be attacked on a N to S heading. After the bombing run the attacking force would continue to the next turning point; over the town of Troyes, before heading west on a course south of Paris and eventually to the Normandy coast near Bayeux. Following a northerly track across the Channel to Selsey Bill and finally home to their respective basis. The leading illuminators from No's 83 & 97 Squadrons were dropped accurately at 5 minutes to midnight and the Yellow Datum Markers dropped by No.627 Squadron shortly after marking the way for the main force. Wing Commander Cheshire in his Mosquito dived from 3000 feet to just under 1500 feet before dropping his two Red target indicators. Not satisfied he called Wing Commander Deane and told him not to commence the attack. Cheshire summoned Squadron Leader D.J. Shannon to remark the target. Satisfied that the target was marked accurately Cheshire then instructed Deane to commence the attack, it was now six minutes past midnight. No.627 Squadron successfully backed up the datum point markers and then the leading main force Lancaster's were circling the target waiting for the instruction to bomb from the Master of Ceremonies'. As Deane attempted to order the main attack the radio frequency was almost totally jammed by an American ground station carrying out a training transmission on an unauthorised frequency. By this time more than sixty bombers had reached the yellow datum markers and were having to circle the target area awaiting instructions. As the wireless operator of Dearne's aircraft tried in vain to search for a common channel only fifteen bombers responded to the near indecipherable message. Despite the fact that No.100 Squadron was dropping "˜window' the German night fighters had penetrated the bomber stream, and in less than six minutes nine Lancaster's were tumbling out of the night sky in flames. During a short interval No.617 & No.627 aircraft remarked the target and a Lancaster of No.97 Squadron captained by Flying Officer H.J.W. Edwards laid ten red spot markers across the western edge of the target. The Deputy Bombing Leader Squadron Leader R.M. Sparks finally gave the order to commence bombing and in just over ten minutes over 250 Lancaster's dropped more than 1500 tons of explosives with great accuracy. There were six German night fighter bases within sixty kilometres of the main bomber force and that night two of the top German aces were operating Hauptman Drewes and Hauptman Bergmann. Between them they accounted for eleven of the 45 aircraft that was struck off charge that night. For the crews that operated and survived that night, the myth that targets in Occupied Countries were "˜a piece of cake' was completely destroyed. Although the raid was reviewed as a success it did not reflect the loss of 258 airmen killed on that clear moonlit night of Wednesday 3/4 May 1944.source: Buzz Hope "And in the Morning"

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Bombing Berlin Germany 1943-11-18 to 1943-11-18

460 () Sqn (RAAF) RAF Binbrook, Lincolnshire, England

Delivered to 460 Australia Squadron (Strike And Return) in October 1943. Lancaster aircraft DV 341 went missing from a trip to Berlin, Germany, 18/19 November 1943. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take-off and it did not return to base. Following post-war enquiries, it was established that the aircraft was attacked by enemy aircraft and heavy flak, exploded in mid-air and crashed at Zornigall. All crew members were killed: RCAF Sgt. R.K. Megit (air gunner); RAAF Flt. Sgt's. J.G. Gibson (pilot), J.D. Malcolm (navigator), and W.F.J. Manning (bomb aimer); RAAF Flying Officer C.G. Slennett (wireless operator / air gunner); RAF Sgt. D.O. Jones (flight engineer); and RAF Pilot Officer H.S. Spain (air gunner).