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)
433 Porcupine Squadron (Qui S'y Frotte S'y Pique) RAF Skipton-on-Swale. Halifax BIII aircraft MZ 808 BM-P was shot down by night fighter pilot Oberleutnant Herbert Koch of 1/NJG 3 between Agerness and Helnas Penninsula on the south-west coast of Denmark during a night mine-laying operation to the Kiel, Germany area
Pilot Officer Courtney Raymond Stewart (RCAF), Flight Lieutenant John Archibald Wynn Morgan (RCAF), Flying Officer Jacques Oliver Clerc (RCAF), Flight Sergeant John Winning Moffat (RCAF), and Sergeant Robert Faulkner Young (RAFVR) were all killed in action
Four bodies were recovered the morning after the crash and Pilot Officer Stewart's body was recovered at sea 1944-09-25. These five airmen were buried in the same collective grave with no coffins by the German Wehrmacht
Flying Officer George Henry Gill (RCAF) and Flying Officer Philippe Edward Marchildon (RCAF), survived and were rescued at sea by Danish citizens and brought to hospital but later taken as Prisoners of War by the German military
There were three 433 Squadron Halifax III aircraft lost on this operation. Please see Halifax aircraft serials MZ 899 BM-D, and MZ 863 BM-I for information on these aircraft and crews
Nachtjagd Combat Archive 1944 Part 4, 24 July - 15 October page 45
Halifax III MZ808 crashed at Langore between the island of Fyn ...
16/17 08 1944 433 (Porcupine) Squadron RCAF Halifax III MZ808 ...
Royal Air Force Serial and Image Database
Bomber Command Museum Monthly ORB
