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)
431 Iroquois Squadron (The Hatiten Ronteriios) RAF Croft. Halifax BIII aircraft LK 842 SE-N missing during night operations against the railyards at Montzen, Belgium. Homeward-bound, the Halifax was shot down by night fighter pilot Oberleutnant Hermann Greiner, Staffelkapitan of the 11/NJG 1, who was flying a Bf 110 G-4 from St Trond (Sint-Truiden) airfield, Belgium. The bomber was abandoned and crashed at Houthalen-Helchteren, Limburg, Belgium
Pilot Officer JJ Cooke (RCAF), Flying Officer HW Pond (RCAF), 1st Lieutenant JM Earman (USAAF) and Sergneat J Graham (RAFVR) were killed in action
Flying Officer WG Dudley (RCAF), Flying Officer DM King (RCAF) and Sergeant WJ Perry (RCAF) survived and were taken Prisoners of War
There were four 431 Squadron Halifax III aircraft lost on this operation. Please see aircraft serials MZ 522 SE-U, MZ 529 SE-E and MZ 536 SE-F for additional information on these crew and aircraft
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431 Squadron Halifax III LK842 SE-N 1sr.Lt. Earman, RAF Croft, Yorkshire,...
"Belgians Remember Them": RAF aircraft's crash sites: Houthalen
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