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Bissett, Jack Montgomery DFM (Squadron Leader)

Killed in Action 1944-March-31

Birth Date: 1923-August-10 (age 20)

Born: Pilot Mound, Pilot Mound Census Division, Manitoba, Canada

Son of Norman Bissett, and of Caroline (nee Montgomery) Bissett (nee Montgomery), of St. Vital, Manitoba, Canada.

Home: St Vital, Manitoba

Enlistment: Winnipeg, Manitoba

Enlistment Date: 1941-03-04

Decorations: DFM, MiD


Distinguished Flying MedalMentioned in Dispatches
Service
RCAF
Unit
427 (B) Sqn- Squadron
Ferte Manus Certas Strike sure
Base
Leeming
Rank
Squadron Leader
Marshal
Air Chief MarshalA/C/M
Air MarshalA/M
Air Vice MarshalA/V/M
Air CommodoreA/C
Group CaptainG/C
Wing CommanderW/C
Squadron LeaderS/L
Flight LieutenantF/L
Flying OfficerF/O
Pilot OfficerP/O
Warrant Officer 1st ClassWO1
Warrant Officer 2nd ClassWO2
Flight SergeantFS
SergeantSGT
CorporalCPL
Senior AircraftmanSAC
Leading AircraftmanLAC
Aircraftman 1st ClassAC1
Aircraftman 2nd ClassAC2
Position
Pilot
Service Numbers
J/16991
Prev: R/95321

Born 1920. Home in St. Vital, Manitoba (clerk); enlisted Winnipeg, 4 March 1941. Trained at No 4 ITS (graduated 18 August 1941), No 8 EFTS (graduated 5 October 1941), and No 3 SFTS (graduated 2 January 1942). Award presented 30 November 1943. Killed in Action with 427 Squadron, 30/31 January 1944 (Halifax LV 898 ZL-D)

427 Lion Squadron (Ferte Manus Certas) RAF Leeming. Halifax III aircraft LV 898 ZL-D was shot down by a German night fighter aircraft during an operation against Nuremberg, Germany. The Halifax crashed near Herhahn, 4 km NNW of Schleiden, Germany. The entire crew was lost

Squadron Leader JM Bissett DFM MiD (RCAF) was killed in action

Addendum: - Distinguished Flying Medal 78 Squadron - Award effective 7 May 1943 as per London Gazette dated 14 May 1943 and AFRO 1078/43 dated 11 June 1943.The citation reads - "Flight Sergeant Bissett has displayed great courage and determination to accomplish his tasks successfully. He has taken part in many sorties including attacks on various targets in the well defended Ruhr area. A fearless captain, his fine example has proved inspiring."

NOTE: Public Records Air 2/8950 has original recommendation with sortie list, dated 21 March 1943. He had flown 26 sorties (160 hours 39 minutes); recommended citation differs markedly and yet has no real added data. 8 Sep 42 --Duisburg (5.15); 20 Nov 42 --Turin (9.11), heavy fires seen in town. 26 Nov 42 --GARDENING (4.00); 28 Nov 42 --Turin (9.40), many large fires seen. 2 Dec 42 --Frankfurt (8.15), small scattered fires seen. 14 Dee 42 --GARDENING (3.44), parachutes seen to open. 17 Dec 42 --GARDENING (7.00), vegetables brought back. 14 Jan 43 --Lorient (5.25); 27 Jan 43 --Dusseldorf (5.15), incendiaries seen to be well alight. 29 Jan 43 --Lorient (6.01); 2 Feb 43 --Cologne (5.08), town lit up by numerous fires; 7 Feb 43 -Lorient, many fires seen, glow observed from English coast. 11 Feb 43 --Wilhelmshaven (5.00), very large explosions followed by large fire. 13 Feb 43 -Lorient (5.31), fires seen in dock area. 14 Feb 43 --Cologne (5.05), glow of many fires seen through clouds. 16 Feb 43 (5.16), a very wide area of fires; huge conflagration. 18 Feb 43 --Wilhelmshaven (5.17), bomb bursts observed; very successful operation 19 Feb 43 --Wilhelmshaven (4.57), many fires observed. 25 Feb 43 --Nuremburg (8.37), incendiaries seen starting fires at beginning of attack. 26 Feb 43 --Cologne (6.05), whole town covered with fires. 28 Feb 43 --St. Nazaire (6.05), many bursts observed in target area. 3 Mar 43 --Hamburg, nine large fires counted in target area. 5 Mar 43 --Essen (5.38), large explosion followed by many fires. 8 Mar 43 --Nuremburg (7.39), bomb bursts distinguished around marker flares. 9 Mar 43 --Munich (8.23), many fires. Sergeant Bissett is one of the keenest captains in the squadron and has always shown the greatest courage and determination throughout his tour, in the course of which he has attacked some of the most heavily defended areas in Germany. He has always set an example to those who worked with him, and is a real asset to the squadron."

BISSETT, F/O/ Jack Montgomery, DFM (116991) Mention in Despatches - No.1664 HCU - Award effective 14 January 1944 as per London Gazette of that date and AFRO 874/44 dated 21 April 1944

Detail provided by H Halliday, Orleans, Ontario

Squadron Leader Bissett had survived the crash of 1664 Heavy Conversion Unit Halifax V DG 308, 1944-01-30 at RAF Dishforth. The Halifax was making a practice landing when the pilot under training opened the bomb bay doors in error rather than lowering the flaps, resulting in a landing at high speed. The instructor, Flight Lieutenant JM Bissett DFM (RCAF), was forced to ground loop the aircraft to avoid over running the landing area, writing it off but saving the crew

General Aviation Safety Network

Canada Source Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Commonwealth War Graves Commission -jack-montgomery/, Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Commonwealth War Graves Commission International Bomber Command Centre

Find-A-Grave.com Finadagrave.com

General www.findagrave.com

Canada Primary Source Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)

Home
Google MapSt Vital, Manitoba
Target
Google MapNuremberg Germany
Burial
Google MapSoldaten Friedhof Alliierte Piloten 2WK
14 E 8

Halifax LV898

Previous Events

1944-January-30 Squadron Leader Survived

Halifax B.Mk.V

1664 HCU RCAF

1664 (RAF) Heavy Conversion Unit, RAF Dishforth. Halifax BVI aircraft DG 308, approaching to land, the trainee pilot inadvertently opened the bomb doors instead of flaps; a fast landing ensued. When braking was ineffective, the instructor pilot, Squadron Leader JM Bissett (RCAF), then a Flight Lieutenant, swung the aircraft, causing the main wheels to fold under the high stress load. The aircraft was a write-off but the crew survived

The surviving crew list is unknown to date

General Aviation Safety Network

General Trail 61-RAF Dishforth-Along the A1 trail (Part 3). I Aviation Trails

Handley Page Halifax

(RAF Photo, 1942)(Source Harold A Skaarup Web Page)A Royal Air Force Handley Page Halifax Mk. II Series I (Serial No. W7676), coded TL-P, of No. 35 Squadron, RAF, based at Linton-on-Ouse, Yorkshire in the UK, being piloted by Flight Lieutenant Reginald Lane, (later Lieutenant-General, RCAF), over the English countryside. Flt Lt Lane and his crew flew twelve operations in W7676, which failed to return from a raid on Nuremberg on the night of 28/29 August 1942, when it was being flown by Flt Sgt D. John and crew.

The Handley Page Halifax is a British Royal Air Force (RAF) four-engined heavy bomber of the Second World War. It was developed by Handley Page to the same specification as the contemporary twin-engine Avro Manchester.

The Halifax has its origins in the twin-engine HP56 proposal of the late 1930s, produced in response to the British Air Ministry's Specification P.13/36 for a capable medium bomber for "world-wide use." The HP56 was ordered as a backup to the Avro 679, both aircraft being designed to use the underperforming Rolls-Royce Vulture engine. The Handley Page design was altered at the Ministry to a four-engine arrangement powered by the Rolls-Royce Merlin engine; the rival Avro 679 was produced as the twin-engine Avro Manchester which, while regarded as unsuccessful mainly due to the Vulture engine, was a direct predecessor of the famed Avro Lancaster. Both the Lancaster and the Halifax would emerge as capable four-engined strategic bombers, thousands of which would be built and operated by the RAF and several other services during the War.

On 25 October 1939, the Halifax performed its maiden flight, and it entered service with the RAF on 13 November 1940. It quickly became a major component of Bomber Command, performing routine strategic bombing missions against the Axis Powers, many of them at night. Arthur Harris, the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Bomber Command, described the Halifax as inferior to the rival Lancaster (in part due to its smaller payload) though this opinion was not shared by many of the crews that flew it, particularly for the MkIII variant. Nevertheless, production of the Halifax continued until April 1945. During their service with Bomber Command, Halifaxes flew a total of 82,773 operations and dropped 224,207 tons of bombs, while 1,833 aircraft were lost. The Halifax was also flown in large numbers by other Allied and Commonwealth nations, such as the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), Free French Air Force and Polish forces. Wikipedia

YouTube Halifax Heavy Bomber WWII

General Harold A Skaarup Web Page

Wkikpedia Wikipedia Halifax Bomber

Museum National Air Force Museum of Canada

last update: 2023-12-08 20:34:11

Halifax B.Mk.III LV898

ZLRAF RoundelD
With No. 427 (B) Squadron, RCAF, coded "ZL*D". Failed to return from attack on Nurnberg on 30/31 March 1944, shot down by a night fighter. All were killed.

1944-03-31 Failed to Return Failed to return from attack on Nurnberg, shot down by a night fighter. All were killed. 2019-08-20

427 (B) Sqn Ferte Manus Certas ("Lion")

History of the Squadron during World War II (Aircraft: Wellington III, X, Halifax III, V, Lancaster I, III)

427 Squadron was the RCAF's 25th squadron and eighth bomber squadron to be formed overseas in WWII. It was formed at Croft, Yorkshire, England on 7 November 1942 as part of No 4 Group of RAF Bomber Command. With squadron code letters ZL it flew Wellington Mk III aircraft. On 1 January 1943 it joined No 6 (RCAF) Group, remaining at Croft until May of 1943, when it moved to Leeming, Yorkshire , where it remained for the rest of the war in Europe. Its duties were to take part in strategic and tactical bomber operations. It briefly re-equipped with Vickers Wellington Mk X before acquiring Handley Page Halifax Mk V aircraft in May 1943. In January 1944 it re-equipped again with the improved Halifax Mk III. Finally it was equipped with Avro Lancaster Mks I and III in March 1945. After the termination of hostilities in Europe, the squadron remained in England and transferred to No 1 Group. It participated in operation EXODUS, the repatriation of POW's and operation DODGE, bringing back British troops from Italy. The squadron disbanded at Leeming on 1 June 1946.

In the course of WWII the squadron flew approximately 3300 operational sorties in the course of which either 88 (Moyes) or 90 (Kostenuk) aircraft were lost and approximately 10,300 tons of bombs were dropped. The squadron earned 4 DSO's, 147 DFC'c and 6 Bars to DFC, 1 AFC, 2 CGM's, 16 DFM's and 8 MiD. Battle Honours were: English Channel and North Sea 1943-45, Baltic 1944-45, Fortress Europe 1943-44, France and Germany 1944-45, Biscay Ports 1943-44, Ruhr 1943-45, Berlin 1943-44, German Ports 1943-45, Normandy 1944, Rhine, Biscay 1944. Wikipedia, Moyes, Kostenuk and Griffin

Squadron History (Bomber Command Museum PDF)

Maps for Movements of 427 Squadron 1942-46

MAP 1: 427 Squadron Bases 1942-46 (marked in green). Right-click on image to display enlarged in new tab

427 Squadron History Summary 1942-46

History of the Squadron Post-WWII (Aircraft: Sabre 2, 5, 6, Starfighter, Kiowa, Twin Huey, Griffon)

The squadron was reactivated on 1 August 1952 as a fighter squadron in the Air Defence Command, based in St Hubert, Quebec and equipped with Canadair F-86 Sabre Mk 2s. The Squadron moved on to Sabre Mks. 5 and 6 while working out of St Hubert before deploying to Zweibrücken, Germany and becoming a part of 3 Wing, in March-April 1953. The Squadron continued in this role, operating out of Germany, for another decade, participating in many multi-national NATO exchanges and exercises with destinations including; Rabat, Morocco, Decimomannu, Sardinia and France. The squadron moved to Grostenquin, France in June 1962, but was inactive pending its conversion to the CF-104 Starfighter. On 15 December 1962, the Squadron was deactivated as a Fighter squadron and reactivated on the 17th as a Strike/Attack squadron, becoming the first Canadian squadron to be equipped with the Starfighter. This change in aircraft necessitated changes in training and tactics. In 1969 the squadron moved from Zweibrücken to Baden-Soellingen , and with that, a change from 3 Wing to 4 Wing.

The Squadron disbanded again on 1 July 1970 and was re-established on 1 January 1971 as a Tactical Helicopter Squadron with 10 Tactical Air Group of Mobile Command, later simply called ‘Air Command.’ The first helicopter used after this transition was the CH-136 Kiowa light observer helicopter and, simultaneously, the CH-135 Twin Huey utility helicopters. The Squadron participated in many operations, including: Norway, Egypt, Sinai and Central America. After switching to a fleet of only CH-135 Twin Hueys in 1992, the squadron deployed to Somalia in 1993 and to Haiti on Operations. In July 1997 the Squadron received the BELL CH-146 Griffon Helicopter fleet to replace the Twin Huey. By 1999, the Griffon’s had participated in operations in Canada and in Honduras. The early 2000’s saw rotations going to Bosnia.

On 1 February 2006, 427 Squadron became part of Canadian Special Operations Forces Command (CANSOFCOM), as a Special Operations Aviation Squadron (SOAS), with the responsibility of providing air capability to various units with the Canadian Special Forces Command, where it remains today, located at Canadian Forces Base Petawawa, Ontario . In recent years, 427 SOAS participated in Exercise FLINTLOCK, an annual regional exercise among African, Western and United States counterterrorism forces, in multiple countries in West Africa. It also deployed to the Middle-East as part of Operation IMPACT, the Canadian Armed Forces mission to build the military capabilities of Iraq, Jordan and Lebanon, and set the conditions for their long-term success. 

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