FS Kelly was the only casualty from this aircraft on this operation
During an operation to Wuppertal, Germany on May 29, 1943, FS Kelly had shot down a German JU-88 aircraft. The aircraft was confirmed on June 11, 1943
Kelly, Donald Robert (Flight Sergeant)
Killed in Flight Line Accident 1943-June-12
Birth Date: 1922
Born:
Parents: Son of James and Myrtle E Kelly, of Richmond, Province of Quebec, Canada.
Spouse:
Home: Richmond, Quebec
Enlistment:
Enlistment Date: unkown date
Service
RCAF
Unit
432 (B) Sqn- Squadron
Saeviter Ad Lucem Ferociously toward the light
Base
Skipton-on-Swale
Rank
Flight Sergeant
Position
Air Gunner (Rear)
Service Numbers
R/55516
Canadian Virtual War Memorial
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Finadagrave.com
Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)Mission
Wellington B. Mk. X HE688
Bombing Dusseldorf Germany 1943-June-11 to 1943-June-12
(B) Sqn (RCAF) Skipton-on-Swale
783 aircraft - 326 Lancasters, 202 Halifaxes, 143 Wellingtons, 99 Stirlings, 13 Mos¬quitoes. This was the first night that more than 200 Halifaxes took part in a raid. 38 aircraft- 14 Lancasters, 12 Halifaxes, IO Wellingtons, 2 Stirlings - lost, 4·9 per cent of the force.
The Pathfinder marking plan proceeded excellently until an Oboe Mosquito inadvertently released a load of target indicators 14 miles north-east of Diisseldorf. This caused part of the Main Force to waste its bombs on open country. But the main bombing caused extensive damage in the centre ofDiisseldorf, where 130 acres were claimed as destroyed, and this proved to be the most damaging raid of the war for this city.
Diusseldorf reports that the fire area measured 8· km by 5 km, covering the city centre - both the old and new parts, the Dcrcndorf district and the south of the city. No less than 8,882 separate fire incidents were recorded of which 1,444 were classified as large. 1,292 people were killed. 140,000 people were bombed out of their homes. The list of destroyed and seriously damaged industrial and public buildings coven typed pages in the Diisseldorf report! 42 industries connected with the war effort suffered complete stoppages of production and 35 more suffered a partial reduction 20 military establishments were hit. 8 ships were sunk or damaged. The Gau (province) local government headquarters was destroyed.
source: The Bomber Command War Diaries, Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt
FS DR Kelly (RCAF) returned from an operation as rear gunner aboard Wellington BX 688 QO-V and was severely wounded when he walked into a moving propeller of an aircraft at RCAF Station, Skipton on Swale, Yorkshire. Sadly, he died in hospital the same day
Unit Desciption
432 (B) Sqn Saeviter Ad Lucem ("Leaside")
History of the Squadron during World War II (Aircraft: Wellington X, Lancaster II, Halifax III, VII)
The Squadron was the twelfth RCAF bomber squadron to be formed overseas in WWII. It was formed on May 1, 1943 at Skipton-on-Swale, Yorkshire, UK 
as a unit of No 6 (RCAF) Group of RAF Bomber Command: indeed, it was the first bomber squadron to be formed directly into No 6 Group. Using the squadron identification letters QO it flew Vickers Wellington Mk X medium bombers until it moved to East Moor, Yorkshire on 19th September 1943, when it re-equipped with Avro Lancaster Mk II aircraft. East Moor was part of No 62 (RCAF) Base. The squadron re-equipped with Handley Page Halifax Mk III aircraft in February 1944, and with Halifax Mk VII in July of that year, and continued with them until the squadron was disbanded at East Moor on May 15, 1945.
In the course of operations the squadron flew 246 missions, involving 3130 individual sorties, for the loss of 73 aircraft. 8980 tons of bombs were dropped. Awards to squadron members included 2 DSOs, 119 DFCs,1 Bar to DFC, 1 CGM, 20 DFMs and 1 Croix de Guerre (France). Battle Honours were: English Channel and North Sea 1943, Fortress Europe 1943-44, France and Germany 1944-45, Biscay Ports 1944, Ruhr 1943-45, Berlin 1943-44, German Ports 1943-45, Normandy 1944, Rhine, Biscay 1943.Moyes, Kostenuk and Griffin
Squadron History (Bomber Command Museum PDF)
Maps for Movements of 432 Squadron 1943-45
MAP 1: 432 Squadron Bases 1943-45 (marked in green). Right-click on image to display enlarged in new tab
432 Squadron History Summary 1943-45
History of the Squadron Post-WWII (Aircraft: Canuck)
The squadron was re-formed at Bagotville, Quebec as an All-Weather Fighter unit on 1 October 1954. The squadron flew Avro CF-100 Canuck aircraft on North American Air Defence until it was disbanded on 15 October 1961.
Wellington HE688 B. Mk. X - Bombing Dusseldorf Germany - 1943-06-11 to 1943-06-12
Squadron: (B) Sqn (RCAF)
Start Date: 1943-06-11
Completion Date: 1943-06-12
Mission: Bombing
Operation: unspecified
Target City: Dusseldorf Germany
Target Specific:
Base: Skipton-on-Swale
Take Off Time:
Squadron Code: QO V
Radio Code:
Return Base:
Return Time:
Crash City:
Crash Specifics:
Crash Latitude: 0.00000000
Crash Longitude: 0.00000000
Crash Reason:
Flak Battery:
Enemy Claim:
War Diary Unavailable
6 Bomber Group June 11/12, 1943
51 Halifaxes from 408, 419, and 427 Squadrons were joined by 63 Wellingtons from 426, 428, 429, 431, and 432 Squadrons on an attack at Dusseldorf. The crews were over the target at between 12,000 and 15,000 feet, releasing 145,000 lbs of high explosives and 275,000 lbs of incendiaries. According to reports, severe damage was caused to this target. Richard Koval (6bombergroup.ca)
783 aircraft - 326 Lancasters, 202 Halifaxes, 143 Wellingtons, 99 Stirlings, 13 Mos¬quitoes. This was the first night that more than 200 Halifaxes took part in a raid. 38 aircraft- 14 Lancasters, 12 Halifaxes, IO Wellingtons, 2 Stirlings - lost, 4·9 per cent of the force.
The Pathfinder marking plan proceeded excellently until an Oboe Mosquito inadvertently released a load of target indicators 14 miles north-east of Diisseldorf. This caused part of the Main Force to waste its bombs on open country. But the main bombing caused extensive damage in the centre ofDiisseldorf, where 130 acres were claimed as destroyed, and this proved to be the most damaging raid of the war for this city.
Diusseldorf reports that the fire area measured 8· km by 5 km, covering the city centre - both the old and new parts, the Dcrcndorf district and the south of the city. No less than 8,882 separate fire incidents were recorded of which 1,444 were classified as large. 1,292 people were killed. 140,000 people were bombed out of their homes. The list of destroyed and seriously damaged industrial and public buildings coven typed pages in the Diisseldorf report! 42 industries connected with the war effort suffered complete stoppages of production and 35 more suffered a partial reduction 20 military establishments were hit. 8 ships were sunk or damaged. The Gau (province) local government headquarters was destroyed.
source: The Bomber Command War Diaries, Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt
FS DR Kelly (RCAF) returned from an operation as rear gunner aboard Wellington BX 688 QO-V and was severely wounded when he walked into a moving propeller of an aircraft at RCAF Station, Skipton on Swale, Yorkshire. Sadly, he died in hospital the same day
