Squadron: 44 (B) Sqn (RAF)
Start Date: 1944-07-07
Completion Date: 1944-07-08
Mission: Bombing
Operation: Battle of Normandy
Target City: Saint-Leu-d'Esserent France
Target Specific:
Base: Dunholme Lodge
Take Off Time: 22:30:00
Squadron Code: KM-W
Radio Code:
Return Base:
Return Time:
Crash City: Lucy (Seine-Maritime)
Crash Specifics:
Crash Latitude: 0.00000000
Crash Longitude: 0.00000000
Crash Reason:
Flak Battery:
Enemy Claim:
War Diary Unavailable
6 Bomber Group July 7/8, 1944
27 Lancasters from 408 and 419 squadrons were joined by 61 Halifaxes from 420, 425, 426, and 432 squadron on an attack at Caen in support of the ground troops. The crews were over the target at between 7,000 and9,000 feet. Releasing 1,008,000 lbs of high explosives. According to reports, the weather was clear and bombing was accurate. Richard Koval (6bombergroup.ca)
208 Lancasters and 13 Mosquitoes, mainly from 5 Group but with some Pathfinder aircraft, attacked a flying-bomb storage dump in a group of tunnels (formerly used for growing mushrooms). The bombing was accurately directed on to the mouths of the tunnels and on to the approach roads, thus blocking access to the flying bombs stored there.
German night fighters intercepted the bombing force and 29 Lancasters and 2 Mosquitoes were lost, 14·0 per cent of the force. 106 Squadron, from Metheringham, lost 5 of its 16 Lancasters on the raid and 630 Squadron, from East Kirkby, lost its commanding officer, Wing Commander W. I. Deas, who was flying his 69th operation. Wing Commander Deas was killed and is buried in a small cemetery at Omerville, north-west of Versailles.The Bomber Command War Diaries, Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt
Lancaster LM631 Took off from Dunholme Lodge at 22:30 in Lancaster Mark I (Sqn code: KM-W Bomber Command).
Aircraft came down at approximately. 01:30 near Lucy (Seine-Maritime) some 8 km N of Neufchtel-en-Bray.
RAF Commands
Saint-Leu-d'Esserent France
