Took off from East Moor at 16:30 in Halifax Mk VII (Sqn code QO-I Bomber Command) on an operation to Worms Germany.
Footprints on the Sands of Time, RAF Bomber Command Prisoners of War in Germany 1939-45, page 284Duffy, D C (Sergeant)
Prisoner of War 1945-February-22
Birth Date: unkown date
Born:
Parents:
Spouse:
Home:
Enlistment:
Enlistment Date: unkown date
Service
RCAF
Unit
432 (B) Sqn- Squadron
Saeviter Ad Lucem Ferociously toward the light
Base
RAF East Moor
Rank
Sergeant
Position
Air Gunner (Rear)
Service Numbers
R/267679
Target
Worms Germany
Crew or Other Personnel
Halifax NP803
Mission
Halifax B.Mk.VII NP803
Bombing Worms Germany 1945-February-21 to 1945-February-22
432 (B) Sqn (RCAF) RAF East Moor
432 Leaside Squadron (Saeviter ad Lucem) RAF East Moor. Halifax BVII aircraft NP 803 QO-I failed to return from an operation against targets in Works, Germany. The cause of loss and crash location were not determined
The entire crew survived to become Prisoners of War
Pilot Officer RI Bradley (RCAF), Flying Officer JA Fraser (RCAF), Flying Officer RH Meuller (RCAF), Pilot Officer JG Stephen (RCAF), Sergeant DC Duffy (RCAF), Sergeant JW Reid (RCAF) and Sergeant VL Shulz (RCAF) survived and were taken as Prisoners of War. Records show that Sergeant Shulz may have been serving under the name Smith. Other POW information regarding this crew has not been found to date
There were three 432 Squadron Halifax aircraft lost on this operation. Please see aircraft serials RG 451 QO-D and RG 476 QO-T for additional information
[Royal Air Force Serial and Image Database]...
21 Feb '45 BC attack Worms [Archive] - Luftwaffe and Allied...
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.
Halifax NP803 B.Mk.VII - Bombing Worms Germany - 1945-02-21 to 1945-02-22
Squadron: 432 (B) Sqn (RCAF)
Start Date: 1945-02-21
Completion Date: 1945-02-22
Mission: Bombing
Operation: unspecified
Target City: Worms Germany
Target Specific:
Base: RAF East Moor
Take Off Time: 16:30
Squadron Code: QO-I
Radio Code:
Return Base:
Return Time:
Crash City: Germany
Crash Specifics: unspecified
Crash Latitude: 0.00000000
Crash Longitude: 0.00000000
Crash Reason:
Flak Battery:
Enemy Claim:
War Diary Unavailable
6 Bomber Group February 21/22, 1945
102 Halifaxes from 408, 415, 420, 425, 426, 427, 429, and 432 Squadrons were ordered on an attack at Worms. The crews were over the target at between 17,000 and 19,000 feet, releasing 224,000 lbs of high explosives and 387,000 lbs of incendiaries. According to reports severe damage was caused.
While the Halifaxes were attacking Worms, 82 Lancasters from 419, 424, 428, 431, and 434 Squadrons were ordered on an attack at Duisberg. The crews were over the target at between 16,000 and 19,500 feet, releasing 333,000 lbs of high explosives and 389,000 lbs of incendiaries. According to reports, bombing was concentrated and severe damage was caused. Richard Koval (6bombergroup.ca)
432 Leaside Squadron (Saeviter ad Lucem) RAF East Moor. Halifax BVII aircraft NP 803 QO-I failed to return from an operation against targets in Works, Germany. The cause of loss and crash location were not determined
The entire crew survived to become Prisoners of War
Pilot Officer RI Bradley (RCAF), Flying Officer JA Fraser (RCAF), Flying Officer RH Meuller (RCAF), Pilot Officer JG Stephen (RCAF), Sergeant DC Duffy (RCAF), Sergeant JW Reid (RCAF) and Sergeant VL Shulz (RCAF) survived and were taken as Prisoners of War. Records show that Sergeant Shulz may have been serving under the name Smith. Other POW information regarding this crew has not been found to date
There were three 432 Squadron Halifax aircraft lost on this operation. Please see aircraft serials RG 451 QO-D and RG 476 QO-T for additional information
[Royal Air Force Serial and Image Database]...
21 Feb '45 BC attack Worms [Archive] - Luftwaffe and Allied...