Chepil, Mack (Warrant Officer 2nd Class)

Killed in Action 1943-August-03

Warrant Officer 2nd Class Mack Chepil RCAF

Birth Date: 1915

Born:

Parents:

Spouse:

Home: Edwin, Manitoba

Enlistment:

Enlistment Date: unkown date

Distinguished Flying Medal

Service

RCAF

Unit

428 (B) Sqn- Squadron
Usque Ad Finem To the Very End

Base

Rank

Warrant Officer 2nd Class

Position

Pilot

Service Numbers

R/117497

Home
Google MapEdwin, Manitoba
Target
Google MapHamburg Germany
Memorial Location
Google MapRunnymede Memorial Surrey
Panel 179

Took off from Middleton St. George at 22:47 in Halifax Mk V (Sqn code NA-H Bomber Command) on an operation to Hamburg Germany.

Aircraft was shot down by a night fighter and crashed in the North Sea 3 km North of Terschelling, Friesland, Holland.

Killed: Flying Officer Edward Joseph Andrews RCAF J/14390 KIA Runnymede Memorial Panel 172. Warrant Officer Class 2 Mack Chepil RCAF R/117497 KIA Runnymede Memorial Panel 179. Pilot Officer Alexander Garalick RCAF J/18065 KIA Runnymede Memorial Panel 175. Flying Officer Frederick Lennox Rogers RCAF J/7469 KIA Runnymede Memorial Panel 174. Sergeant John Ray Richard Burfield RAF Runnymede Memorial Panel 144. Flight Sergeant Myrddin Evans RAF KIA Runnymede Memorial Panel 136. Sergeant Maurice Frank Spencer RAF KIA Runnymede Memorial Panel 165. Sergeant Stanley John Williams RAF KIA Runnymede Memorial Panel 170.

Addendum: - Distinguished Flying Medal - No.428 Squadron - Award effective 19 July 1943 as per London Gazette dated 20 July 1943 and AFRO 1724/43 dated 27 August 1941. Presented to next-of-kin. The citation reads - "This airman captained an aircraft detailed to attack a target at Le Creusot one night in June 1943. Soon after crossing the enemy coast the hydraulic system in the bomber became unserviceable but Sergeant Chepil continued his flight. Later, one engine caught fire and became unserviceable. In spite of this the target was bombed after the bomb doors had been opened by an emergency method. Sergeant Chepil afterwards flew the damaged aircraft to base. This airman displayed outstanding determination and devotion to duty, setting an inspiring example." Detail provided by H Halliday, Orleans, Ontario.

There were two 428 Sqn aircraft lost this same operation. Please see Funkhouser, HG for casualty list on Halifax V EB 212 NA-U

Detail from (M Middlebrook, DW Danner, michel at www.rafcommands)

Canada Source Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Commonwealth War Grave Commission Commonwealth War Graves Commission

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

Unit Desciption

428 (B) Sqn Usque Ad Finem ("Ghost")

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

No 428 Squadron was the ninth long-range heavy bomber squadron and the 26th RCAF squadron formed overseas during the Second World War. It was formed at RAF Dalton in Yorkshire, England on November 7, 1942. The squadron was initially assigned to No. 4 Group RAF Bomber Command. With the creation of No. 6 Group RCAF, the squadron was reallocated on January 1, 1943 operating with it until April 25, 1945.

The squadron was originally equipped with Vickers Wellington Mk III and X, and its first operational mission was on January 26–27, 1943, when five Wellingtons bombed the U-Boat base at Lorient in Brittany, on the Bay of Biscay. In the early part of June 1943, the squadron moved to RAF Middleton St. George, Durham where it remained for the remainder of the war. Around this time the squadron was converted to Handley Page Halifaxes (Mk Vs, and later supplemented by Mk II Series IIA). In January 1944, Halifax bombers from No. 428 Squadron participated in the first high-level mining raid "Gardening", when mines were dropped by parachute from 15,000 feet (4,570 m) over Brest on 4/5 Jan and Saint-Nazaire on 6/7 Jan 1944. The squadron flew its last sortie with the Halifax on June 12, 1944 then converted to the Canadian-built Avro Lancaster Mk X, the first sortie taking place on June 14, 1944.

For the final phase of the air campaign against Germany, the squadron took part in day and night raids, with its last operational sortie taking place on April 25, 1945, when 15 Lancasters bombed anti-aircraft gun batteries defending the mouth of the Weser, on the Frisian Island of Wangerooge. The squadron remained in service in the United Kingdom until the end of May 1945, then flew to Yarmouth, Nova Scotia . The squadron was intended to be part of the "Tiger Force" to carry on the war against Japan, but the Japanese surrender led to the disbandment of the force. The squadron was therefore disbanded at Yarmouth in September 1945.

In the course of WWII operations, the squadron flew 283 missions involving 3467 individual sorties. 84 aircraft were lost and a total of 9378 tons of bombs were dropped. the aircrew earned 2 DSO's, 71 DFC's, 2 CGM's and 6 DFM's. Battle Honours were: English Channel and North Sea 1943-44, Baltic 1944, 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 1943-44. Wikipedia, Kostenuk and Griffin

Squadron History (Bomber Command Museum PDF)

Maps for Movements of 428 Squadron 1942-45

MAP 1: 428 Squadron Bases 1942-45 (marked in green). Right-click on image to display enlarged in new tab

428 Squadron History Summary 1942-45

History of the Squadron Post-WWII (Aircraft: Canuck)

The squadron was re-activated as the fifth Avro Canada CF-100 Canuck equipped squadron, on June 21, 1954, at RCAF Station Uplands as 428 All-Weather (Fighter) Squadron. It was re-activated, as one of nine Canadian based RCAF squadrons, to be operating under the new RCAF Air Defence Command, protecting North American airspace from Soviet intruders and long range bombers. The squadron was finally disbanded on 1 June 1961.