Collier, William Roy (Sergeant)

War Diary Unavailable

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6 Bomber Group January 2/3, 1944

28 Lancasters from 408, 426, and 432 Squadrons were ordered on an attack at Berlin. The crews were over the target at between 19,000 and 23,000 feet, releasing 132,000 lbs of high explosives and 44,000 lbs of incendiaries. According to reports, the target was cloud covered and bombing was scattered.

While the Lancasters went to Berlin, 433 squadron operating for the first time with Halifax IIIs were ordered on a mining operation to the Frisian Islands. 4 crews were over the garden at between 1,500 and 2,000 feet, sowing 12@1500 lb mines. Richard Koval (6bombergroup.ca)

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383 aircraft - 362 Lancasters, 12 Mosquitoes, 9 Halifaxes. The German control rooms followed the bombers all the way to Berlin, which was assessed as the target 40 minutes before Zero Hour. Night fighters were sent to a radio beacon between Hannover and Bremen but these fighters missed the bomber stream and did not come into action until they were directed to Berlin. Most of the bomber casualties were in the Berlin area. 27 Lancasters were lost, 7·0 per cent of the force. The casualties included 10 Pathfinder aircraft; 156 Squadron, from Warboys, lost 5 of its 14 aircraft taking part in the raid.

This was another ineffective raid. Bombs were scattered over all parts of Berlin, with the local reports stressing that there were no large fires; the fire services were able to contain all fires soon after they started. 82 houses were destroyed and 36 people were killed. Industrial damage was insignificant.

source: The Bomber Command War Diaries, Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt

432 Leaside Squadron (Saevitir Ad Lucem) RAF East Moor. Lancaster BII aircraft DS 739 QO-Y was shot down during night operations against targets in Berlin, Germany by night fighter pilot Leutnant Wendelin Breukel of the 5/NJG 2 (based at Deelen airfield in the Netherlands), who was flying a Ju 88 C-6. The Lancaster crashed eighty miles southwest of Berlin at southern edge of Gross Rosenburg, Sachsen-Anhalt, near Kothen, Germany. The entire crew were lost

Warrant Officer Class 2 JE Scott (RCAF), Flight Lieutenant JA Allen (RCAF), Flying Officer HF Doull (RCAF), Flying Officer K Crawford (RCAF), Sergeant JA Cobbett (RCAF), Sergeant IAJ Dupuis (RCAF), and W.R. Collier (RAFVR) were all killed in action

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