6 Group Unavailable
429 Bison Sqn (Fortunae Nihil) RAF Leeming. Halifax III aircraft LV 914 AV-L lost during a night trip against targets in Berlin, Germany. Extremely strong winds on this night caused major difficulties for aircrews, scattering the bomber stream, especially on the homeward flight. Of the 811 aircraft involved in this operation, 72 aircraft and crews (8.9%) were lost to flak and night fighters. This was the last major RAF raid on Berlin during the war
The cause of loss was not established, but pilot Flying Officer RF Conroy (RCAF) maintained control of his aircraft and stayed at the controls while the crew abandoned the Halifax. He was unable to get clear himself and was killed in action
Squadron Leader JW Bell DFC (RCAF), Flight Lieutenant GW McIntyre (RCAF), Flight Lieutenant AP Smith (RCAF), Warrant Officer Class 2 OD McLean (RCAF), Sergeant LCP Spencer (RCAF) and Sergeant G Wilton (RAFVR) survived and all were taken as Prisoners of War
Previously, as a Flight Sergeant, Conroy had survived two events in 1943. He had been injured when 429 Squadron Wellington X aircraft BJ 755 AL-Z had crashed during take-off from RAF East Moor for an operation to Essen, Germany, 1943-03-05. Three months later, Flying Officer Conroy had been the sole survivor of 429 Squadron Wellington X aircraft HE 593 AL-Z shot down by a night fighter 1943-06-12 on a raid to Dusseldorf, Germany. Flying Officer Conroy survived as an Evader and with the help of various people in the Bourgogne Escape Line made his way to Gibraltar, returning to the UK and his unit 1943-10-02
An article by his niece on Flying Officer Conroy and his loss appears in the June 2018 issue of Airforce magazine
There were three 429 squadron Halifax aircraft lost on this operation. Please see aircraft serials LK 805 AL-H and LW 688 AL-J for additional information
Footprints on the Sands of Time, RAF Bomber Command Prisoners of War in Germany 1939-45 by Oliver Clutton-Brock pages 243,358,359,405,408,437The Bomber Command War Diaries, by Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt
The Battle of Berlin, Bomber Command Over the Third Reich 1943-1945 by Martin W Bowman page 329
Aircraft accidents in Yorkshire
Flying Officer Gerald Conroy, 429 sqn, Berlin raid-24 Mar 44 I WW2Talk
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