6 Bomber Group April 27/28, 1944
19 Lancasters from 408 and 426 Squadrons were ordered on an attack at Friedrichshafen. The crews were over the target at between 20,000 and 21,000 feet, releasing 48,000 lbs of high explosives and 77,000 lbs of incendiaries. According to reports, this attack was accurate with severe damage being caused. A factory making tank gearboxes was totally destroyed.
While the Lancasters went to Freidrichshafen, 47 Halifaxes from 419,431, 432, and 434 Squadrons were joined by 8 Lancasters from 419 Squadron on an attack of the rail yards at Montzen. The crews were over the target at between 13,000 and 15,000 feet, releasing 591,000 lbs of high explosives.According to reports, the attack was scattered and only half of the yards were damaged. This attack was intercepted by German Night fighters and 10 crews failed to return.
90 Halifaxes from 420, 424, 425, 427, 428, 429, and 433 Squadrons were ordered on an attack of the rail yards at Aulnoye. The crews were over the target at between 3,000 and 7,000 feet, releasing 942,000 lbs of high explosives. According to reports, the target was accurately bombed with severe damage.
8 Halifaxes from 428 Squadron were ordered on a mining operation toCherbourg. The crews were over the garden at between 12,000 and 15,000feet, sowing 16@1500 lb mines. Richard Koval (6bombergroup.ca)
144 aircraft- 120 Halifaxes, 16 Lancasters, 8 Mosquitoes-of 4, 6 and 8 Groups. The bombing force, particularly the second of the 2 waves, was intercepted by German fighters and 14 Halifaxes and I Lancaster were shot down. Only one part of the railway yards was hit by the bombing. The only Lancaster lost was that of Squadron Leader E. M. Blenkinsopp, a Canadian pilot of 405 Squadron who was acting as Deputy Master Bomber. Blen-kinsopp managed to team up with a Belgian Resistance group and remained with them until captured by the Germans in December 1944. He was taken to Hamburg to work as a forced labourer and later died in Belsen concentration camp 'of heart failure'. He has no known grave
.source: The Bomber Command War Diaries, Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt
Halifax BIII aircraft LW 592 QO-A missing during a raid to bomb the rail yards in Montzen, Belgium, shot down by night fighter pilot Oberleutnant Johannes Hager, Staffelkapitan of the 6/NJG 1 based at Saint-Dizier airfield in France. The Halifax crashed at Sur-les-Bois, Saint-Georges-sur-Meuse, province of Liege, Belgium
Flying Officer JW Burrows (RCAF) and Pilot Officer PE Driver (RCAF) were killed in action
Sergeant AC Phillips (RAFVR) survived and was taken as Prisoner of War
Pilot Officer HH Whaley (RCAF), Pilot Officer DC McDonald (RCAF), Pilot Officer DA McCoy (RCAF) and Flight Sergeant KJ Doyle (RCAF) survived and avoided capture as Evaders
There were three 432 Squadron Halifax III aircraft lost on this operation. Please see aircraft serials LK 807 QO-J and MZ 588 QO-W for additional information on these aircraft and crews
Sur-les-Bois-Halifax III LW592 QO-A 432 Squadron-Halifax JD371 KN...