Clarke, Edward Allan (Pilot Officer)

Stuttgart

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494 Lancasters and 2 Mosquitos of 1,3,5, and 8 Groups in the last raid of the current series on the target. German fighters intercepted the bomber stream while over France on the outward flight; there was a bright moon and 39 Lancasters were shot down. 7.9% of the force.

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6 Bomber Group July 28/29, 1944

46 Lancasters from 408, 419, and 428 Squadron were joined by 186 Halifaxes from 408, 415, 420, 424, 425, 425, 427, 429, 431, 432, 433, and 434 Squadrons on an attack at Hamburg. The crews were over the target at between 16,000 and 22,000 feet, releasing 2,019,000 lbs of high explosives. According to reports, some bombing fell into the port area, otherwise the attack was scattered. On this attack, 6 Group suffered their highest losses. 22 crews failed to return.

As well as the crews that went to Hamburg, 5 Halifaxes from424 Squadron were ordered on a mining operation to Heligoland. The crews were over the garden at between 12,000 and 15,000 feet, sowing 20@1500 lb mines. Richard Koval (6bombergroup.ca)

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Halifax VII aircraft NP 702 QO-B "Block Buzzter" failed to return from night operations over Hamburg, Germany, cause unknown. The aircraft was lost without a trace, most probably shot down by a night fighter, crashing into the North Sea near Heligoland, off the coast of Germany where most of the night fighter attacks occurred on this night

Pilot Officer EA Clarke (RCAF), Pilot Officer J Cook (RCAF), Pilot Officer EH Bishop (RCAF), Pilot Officer HD Lewis (RCAF), Pilot Officer FA Burgess (RCAF), Pilot Officer W Brown (RCAF), and Pilot Officer GW Bradshaw (RAFVR) were all missing, presumed killed in action

The crew have no known graves and are all commemorated on the Runnymede War Memorial

Twenty-two 6 Group aircraft and crews failed to return from this operation

432 Squadron Halifax III NP702 QO-B P/O> Clarke, RAF East Moor Nort...

Daily Operations 6bombergroup.ca

6 Group Bomber Command

RAF Commands