6 Bomber Group May 1/2 1944
26 Lancasters from 408, 419, and 426 Squadrons were joined by 89 Halifaxes from 420, 425, 427, 429, 431, 432, and 434 Squadrons on an attack of the rail yards at St. Ghislain. The crews were over the target at between 6,000 and 9,500 feet releasing 1,173,000 lbs of high explosives. According to reports bombing was accurate and severe damage was caused to the rail yards.
18 Halifaxes from 424 and 433 Squadrons were ordered on a mining operation to Lorient and St. Nazaire. The crews were over the garden at 15,000 feet sowing 34@1,500 lb mines. Richard Koval (6bombergroup.ca)
137 aircraft - 89 Halifaxes, 40 Lancasters, 8 Mosquitoes - of 6 and 8 Groups uttacked the railway yards with great accuracy. 1 Halifax and 1 Lancaster lost.
source: The Bomber Command War Diaries, Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt
#419 Moose Squadron (Moose Aswayita) RAF Middleton St George. Lancaster BX aircraft KB 711VR-C had just dropped its bomb load on the railyards at St Ghislain, Belgium when it was attacked from below by a German night fighter. The Lancaster at 11000 feet, was hit by cannon rounds, caught fire and the crew abandoned the aircraft except for Pilot Officer McNary and Pilot Officer Chartrand. McNary was trying to help Chartrand, wounded when a cannon shell exploded in the cockpit. The aircraft crashed and exploded on a gas works at Ghent, Belgium.
Pilot Officer JC McNary (RCAF) and Pilot Officer JLE Chartrand (RCAF) were killed in action.The remainder of the crew, Flying Officer F Love (RCAF), Sergeant D Sangster (RCAF), Sergeant JJ Wilson (RCAF), FS RCD Long (RCAF), and Sergeant AG (RAF) survived and were all taken as Prisoners of War
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