6 Bomber Group February 14/151945
66 Halifaxes from 408, 415, 420, 425, 426, 427, 429, and 432Squadrons were joined by 52 Lancasters from 419, 424, 428, 431, and 434 Squadrons on an attack at Chemnitz. The crews were over the target at between18,000and 20,000 feet, releasing 431,000 lbs on incendiaries and 291,000 lbs of high explosives. According to reports, the target was cloud covered with some damage caused.
While some crews were attacking Chemnitz, 10 Lancasters from424 and433 Squadrons were joined by 10 Halifaxes from 427 and 429 Squadrons on a mining operation to the Kattegat. The crews were over the garden at15,000feet, sowing 90@1500 lb mines. Richard Koval (6bombergroup.ca)
424 Tiger Squadron (Castigandos Castigamus) RAF Skipton-on-Swale. Lancaster BIII aircraft PB 800 QB-A and crew were lost without a trace while on a GARDENING (sea-mining) operation over the Bay of Pomerania in the Baltic Sea. No cause of loss or crash location was determined at the time but later research found a night fighter claim in the "Nightfighter War Diaries" Volume 2 by Dr Theo Boiten and Roderick MacKenzie for this aircraft from Oblt Herbert Koch of 1/NGJ 3
Flight Lieutenant FC Aldworth (RCAF), Pilot Officer GS Guthrie (RCAF), Pilot Officer KA Miller (RCAF), Flight Sergeant KC McMurchy (RCAF), Flying Officer EE Reaney (RCAF), Pilot Officer V Smith (RCAF) and Pilot Officer LF Davis (RAFVR) were all missing, presumed killed in action
The missing have no known grave and all are commemorated on the Runnymede War Memorial
On 1945-02-14, Squadron Leader A. Ross Dawson, the Chief Technical Officer with 424/433 Sqds at Skipton on Swale, wrote in his diary: "Well as I expected the target last night was in direct aid of the Russians. Dresden got a real pounding apparently with a big follow-up attack by the Americans. Apparently these are some of the tactics decided upon at the "Big Three" conference a week ago in the Crimea between Churchill, Roosevelt & Stalin. Today we got 4 away on bombing from 424. Chemintz near Dresden was the target . . . 424 had one early return with duff H2S & we also lost "A" of 424 [PB899] - Flight Lieutenant Aldworth who failed to show up."
Diary of A Ross Dawson, courtesy CWM
[Royal Air Force Serial and Image Database]...
424 Squadron Lancaster I PB899 QB-A Fl/Lt Aldworth Oblt Herbert...