Birth Date: 1920
Born:
Parents: Son of Frank Stendall Todd and Barbara Todd, of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
Spouse:
Home: Winnipeg, Manitoba
Enlistment:
Enlistment Date: unkown date
Service
RCAF
Unit
432 (B) Sqn- Squadron
Saeviter Ad Lucem Ferociously toward the light
Base
Rank
Flying Officer
Position
Bomb Aimer
Service Numbers
J/27271
Prev: R/162123
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Wanne-Eickel Germany
Halifax aircraft NP 738 Attacked the target, Wanne-Eickel, Germany. at 1021 from 19000 feet but was hit by Flak killing Flying Officer Todd a veteran of 34 operations.
The aircraft had both outer propellers feathered due to engine damage caused by enemy flak. The aircraft crashed in the landing circuit near the Woodbridge emergency aerodrome at Manor Cottage, Holiesley Common, Suffolk, England.
I11 Halifaxes and 26 Lancasters of 6 and 8 Groups attacked the oil plant. A direct hit 1111 n storage tank early in the raid produced dense cloud and smoke which hindered later bombing. A German report says that the refinery itself was not seriously damaged but that the GA VEG chemical factory was destroyed; it is possible that the bombers were aiming at the wrong target. The report also states that 24 buildings were hit in nearby housing areas and that 103 German civilians, 2 foreign workers 1 prisoner of war were killed, most of them being in makeshift 'earth shelters'.
source: The Bomber Command War Diaries, Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt
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)
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.
96 Halifaxes from 408, 415, 420, 425,426, 427,429, and 432 squadrons were ordered to attack the oil plants at Wanne-Eickel. The crews were over the target at between 16,000 and 20,000 feet, releasing1,052,000 lbs of high explosives. The oil refinery and a chemical plant were seriously damaged. More than 50\%" of these aircraft were damaged by flak over this target. Richard Koval (6bombergroup.ca)
I11 Halifaxes and 26 Lancasters of 6 and 8 Groups attacked the oil plant. A direct hit 1111 n storage tank early in the raid produced dense cloud and smoke which hindered later bombing. A German report says that the refinery itself was not seriously damaged but that the GA VEG chemical factory was destroyed; it is possible that the bombers were aiming at the wrong target. The report also states that 24 buildings were hit in nearby housing areas and that 103 German civilians, 2 foreign workers 1 prisoner of war were killed, most of them being in makeshift 'earth shelters'.
source: The Bomber Command War Diaries, Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt
Canadian Virtual War Memorial
Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)