RAF Evaders, The Comprehensive Story of Thousands of Escapers and Their Escape Lines, Western Europe, 1940-1945 by Oliver Clutton-Brock pages 173,353
Brennan, Harold J (Flying Officer)
Evader 1944-04-21
Birth Date: 1923-March-23
Born: Lindsay, Ontario
Home: Lindsay, Ontario
Enlistment:
Enlistment Date: Unknown
Service
RCAF
Unit
28 (OT) OTU- Operational Training Unit (RAF)
Base
RAF Wymeswold
Rank
Flying Officer
Position
Flying Officer
Service Numbers
J/23877
Home
Lindsay, Ontario
Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)Wellington LN896
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Wellington B. Mk. X LN896
Operational 1944-April-20 to 1944-April-21
28 (OT) OTU (RAF) RAF Wymeswold
28 Operational Training Unit, RAF Wymeswold. The crew of Wellington BX aircraft LN 896 FU was engaged in dropping leaflets (Nickeling exercise) over Northern France in preparation for the D-Day landings, their first operational flight. On the return leg they ran out of fuel, fooled by German radio messages to continue flying. They eventually abandoned the aircraft near Mael-Pestivien, France, and the Wellington crashed between Kebars and Kerlosquer, 13 k m SW of Guingamp, France
Sergeant J Kempson (RAFVR) was severely injured when he fractured his skull on a rock during his parachute jump landing and died in hospital 1944-04-25
Sergeant EJ Trottier (RCAF), Flying Officer HJ Brennan (RCAF), Pilot Officer AJ Houston (RCAF), Sergeant RJ Dickson (RCAF) and Sergeant A Elder (RCAF) all survived and evaded capture with the aid of French locals and Resistance groups, even surviving a German attack against the Resistance in the town of St Fiacre. They stayed together as a group and were repatriated to the UK by boat (MGB 503) 1944-07-12/13
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Vickers Wellington
Source: Harold A Skaarup Web Page
Vickers Wellington B. Mk. III (Serial No. X3763), coded KW-E, No. 425 'Alouette' (B) Squadron, RCAF, late summer of 1942
Vickers Wellington B. Mk. III (Serial No. X3763), coded KW-E, No. 425 'Alouette' (B) Squadron, RCAF, late summer of 1942
The Vickers Wellington was a British twin-engined, long-range medium bomber. It was designed during the mid-1930s at Brooklands in Weybridge, Surrey. Led by Vickers-Armstrongs' chief designer Rex Pierson, a key feature of the aircraft is its geodetic airframe fuselage structure, which was principally designed by Barnes Wallis. Development had been started in response to Air Ministry Specification B.9/32, issued in the middle of 1932, for a bomber for the Royal Air Force. This specification called for a twin-engined day bomber capable of delivering higher performance than any previous design.
The Wellington was used as a night bomber in the early years of the Second World War, performing as one of the principal bombers used by Bomber Command. During 1943, it started to be superseded as a bomber by the larger four-engined "heavies" such as the Avro Lancaster. The Wellington continued to serve throughout the war in other duties, particularly as an anti-submarine aircraft.
It holds the distinction of having been the only British bomber that was produced for the duration of the war, and of having been produced in a greater quantity than any other British-built bomber. The Wellington remained as first-line equipment when the war ended, although it had been increasingly relegated to secondary roles. The Wellington was one of two bombers named after Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, the other being the Vickers Wellesley.
In August 1936, an initial order for 180 Wellington Mk I aircraft, powered by a pair of 1,050 hp (780 kW) Bristol Pegasus radial engines, was received by Vickers; it had been placed so rapidly that the order occurred prior to the first meeting intended to decide the details of the production aircraft. In October 1937, another order for a further 100 Wellington Mk Is, produced by the Gloster Aircraft Company, was issued; it was followed by an order for 100 Wellington Mk II aircraft with Rolls-Royce Merlin X V12 engines. Yet another order was placed for 64 Wellingtons produced by Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft. With this flurry of order and production having been assured by the end of 1937, Vickers set about simplifying the manufacturing process of the aircraft and announced a target of building one Wellington per day.
A total of 180 Wellington Mk I aircraft were built; 150 for the RAF and 30 for the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) (which were transferred to the RAF on the outbreak of war and used by 75 Squadron). In October 1938, the Mk I entered service with 9 Squadron. The Wellington was initially outnumbered by the Handley Page Hampden (also ordered by the Ministry to B.9/32) and the Armstrong Whitworth Whitley (to B.34/3 for a 'night' bomber) but outlasted both rival aircraft in service. The Wellington went on to be built in 16 separate variants, in addition to two training conversions after the war. The number of Wellingtons built totalled 11,462 of all versions, a greater quantity produced than any other British bomber. On 13 October 1945, the last Wellington to be produced rolled out.Wikipedia
Wikipedia Vickers Wellington
YouTube Vickers Wellington documentaryRead More ....
Wellington LN896 B. Mk. X - Operational - 1944-04-20 to 1944-04-21
Squadron: 28 (OT) OTU (RAF)
Start Date: 1944-04-20
Completion Date: 1944-04-21
Mission: Operational
Operation: unspecified
Target City:
Target Specific:
Base: RAF Wymeswold
Take Off Time: 21:18
Squadron Code: FU-
Radio Code:
Return Base:
Return Time:
Crash City: France
Crash Specifics:
Crash Latitude: 0.00000000
Crash Longitude: 0.00000000
Crash Reason: fuel
Flak Battery:
Enemy Claim:
RAF / RCAF Bombing Raids for night of 1944-04-20 to 1944-04-21
COLOGNE
357 Lancasters and 22 Mosquitoes of 1, 3, 6 and 8 Groups. 4 Lancasters lost.
This concentrated attack fell into areas of Cologne which were north and west of the city centre and partly industrial in nature. 192 industrial premises suffered various degrees of damage, together with 725 buildings described as 'dwelling-houses with commercial premises attached'. 7 railway stations or yards were also severely damaged.
But more general city buildings were also heavily bombed: 46 churches and chapels, the Opera House (partly burnt out), the city market halls, etc. The Capitol cinema, the largest in Cologne, was destroyed by fire. 1,861 houses or apartments were destroyed and more than 20,000 damaged. There were 1,290 separate fires. 664 people were killed and 1,067 were injured. The Cologne report mentions 'high-explosive bombs of new calibre which penetrated the normally safe basement shelters', 80 per cent of the dead were in those shelters.
LA CHAPELLE
The raid on this railway target just north of Paris was the first major test for the new 5 Group marking method, with the group employing not only 617 Squadron's low-level markers but the three Pathfinder squadrons recently transferred from 8 Group. A few regular 8 Group Mosquitoes were also used to drop markers by Oboe to provide a first indication of the target's location for the main 5 Group marking force. 247 Lancasters of 5 Group and 22 Mosquitoes from 5 and 8 Groups dispatched. 6 Lancasters lost.
The bombing force was split into two parts, with an interval between them of 1 hour, and each part of the force aimed at different halves of the railway yards. There were a few difficulties at the opening of the attack, with the markers of the Oboe Mosquitoes being a fraction late and with communications between the various controlling aircraft being faulty, but these difficulties were soon overcome and both parts of the bombing force achieved extremely accurate and concentrated bombing. Unfortunately, no report is available from La Chapelle.
OTTIGNIES
196 aircraft — 175 Halifaxes, 14 Lancasters, 7 Mosquitoes— from 4 and 8 Groups. No aircraft lost. The southern half of the railway yards was severely damaged.
LENS
175 aircraft — 154 Halifaxes, 14 Lancasters, 7 Mosquitoes — of 6 and 8 Groups. 1 Halifax lost. The railway yards were accurately bombed, with particular damage being caused to the engine-sheds and the carriage-repair workshop.
CHAMBLY
14 Stirlings, using the G-H blind-bombing device, to bomb a railway depot but only 4 aircraft bombed and 1 was lost.
Minor Operations: 8 Mosquitoes to Berlin, 14 R.C.M. sorties, 25 Serrate and 8 Intruder patrols, 30 Stirlings and 8 Halifaxes minelaying off French ports, 2 aircraft on Resistance operations, 27 O.T.U. sorties. 2 Serrate Mosquitoes and 1 O.T.U. Wellington lost.
Total effort for the night: 1,155 sorties, 15 aircraft (1.3 per cent) lost. The number of sorties flown was a new record. Small jumps in record efforts will no longer be recorded in the diary. The Bomber Command War Diaries, Middlebrook and Everitt
6 Bomber Group April 20/21, 1944
154 Halifaxes from 419, 420, 424, 425, 427, 428, 429, 431, 432, 433, and 434 squadrons were ordered to attack the rail facilities at Lens. The crews were over the target at between 8,000 and 12,000 feet, releasing 1,735,000 lbs of high explosives. According to reports, the yards were accurately bombed with severe damage.
While some crews went to Lens, 22 Lancasters from 408 and 426 squadrons were ordered too attack Cologne. The crews were over the target at 19,000feet, releasing 252,000 lbs of high explosives. According to reports, the north and west sectors were damaged with the industrial area and some rail yards severely damaged.
5 Halifaxes from 428 squadron were ordered on a mining operation toLe Havre. The crews were over the garden at 15,000 feet, sowing 8@1500lb mines. Richard Koval (6bombergroup.ca)
28 Operational Training Unit, RAF Wymeswold. The crew of Wellington BX aircraft LN 896 FU was engaged in dropping leaflets (Nickeling exercise) over Northern France in preparation for the D-Day landings, their first operational flight. On the return leg they ran out of fuel, fooled by German radio messages to continue flying. They eventually abandoned the aircraft near Mael-Pestivien, France, and the Wellington crashed between Kebars and Kerlosquer, 13 k m SW of Guingamp, France
Sergeant J Kempson (RAFVR) was severely injured when he fractured his skull on a rock during his parachute jump landing and died in hospital 1944-04-25
Sergeant EJ Trottier (RCAF), Flying Officer HJ Brennan (RCAF), Pilot Officer AJ Houston (RCAF), Sergeant RJ Dickson (RCAF) and Sergeant A Elder (RCAF) all survived and evaded capture with the aid of French locals and Resistance groups, even surviving a German attack against the Resistance in the town of St Fiacre. They stayed together as a group and were repatriated to the UK by boat (MGB 503) 1944-07-12/13
Research of France-Crashes 39-45