Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Germany
Halifax Mk VII NP689 QO-M
Aircraft was struck by incendiary bomb from above it and was going down in flames when the abandon order was given.
Colquhoun, Douglas (Sergeant)
Killed in Action 1945-March-15
Birth Date: 1921-June
Born: Manchester, Lancashire, England
Parents: William Henry and Liza Colquhoun (nee Winterbottom)
Spouse:
Home: Oldham, Lancashire, England (parents)
Enlistment:
Enlistment Date: unkown date
Service
RAF
Unit
432 (B) Sqn- Squadron
Saeviter Ad Lucem Ferociously toward the light
Base
RAF East Moor
Rank
Sergeant
Position
Flt. Engineer
Service Numbers
1681850
Crew or Other Personnel
Halifax NP689
Mission
Halifax B.Mk.VII NP689
Bombing Hagen Germany 1945-March-15 to 1945-March-15
(B) Sqn (RCAF) East Moor
267 aircraft - 134 Lancasters, l 22 Halifaxes, 11 Mosquitoes - of 4, 6 and 8 Groups. 6 Lancasters and 4 Halifaxes lost.
This area attack took place in clear visibility and caused severe damage; the local report estimated that the bomber force was 800 aircraft strong! The main attack fell in the centre and eastern districts. There were 1,439 fires, of which 124 were classified 11s large. 493 Germans and 12 foreigners were killed. 30,000-35,000 people were bombed out.
Halifax VII aircraft NP 689 QO-M "Moonlight Mermaid" was shot down by flak near the target over Germany (R Koval)
Flying Officer SM Bonter (RCAF), Sergeant DC Lawton (RCAF) and Sergeant D Colquhoun (RAFVR) were killed
Flying Officer HE Vachon (RCAF), Flying Officer AT Hinchcliffe (RCAF) and Warrant Officer Class 2 EEV Anderson (RCAF) baled safely and were taken Prisoner of War (R Koval). Sergeant TD Scott (RCAF) also baled out safely and evaded but fell into the hands of the Gestapo and was murdered April 3, 1945. This was NP 689's 84th or 85th sortie (letter, Airforce, Sept. 1983, which also gives the name as "Moonlight Maiden")
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 NP689 B.Mk.VII - Bombing Hagen Germany - 1945-03-15 to 1945-03-15
Squadron: (B) Sqn (RCAF)
Start Date: 1945-03-15
Completion Date: 1945-03-15
Mission: Bombing
Operation: unspecified
Target City: Hagen Germany
Target Specific:
Base: East Moor
Take Off Time: 17.07
Squadron Code: QO M
Radio Code:
Return Base:
Return Time:
Crash City:
Crash Specifics:
Crash Latitude: 0.00000000
Crash Longitude: 0.00000000
Crash Reason: In flight
Flak Battery:
Enemy Claim:
War Diary Unavailable
6 Bomber Group March 15, 1945
70 Halifaxes from 408, 415, 420, 425, 426, 429, and 432 squadrons were ordered to attack oil facilities at Castrop-Rauxel. The crews were over the target at between 17,000 and 19,000 feet, releasing 531,000 lbs of high explosives. According to reports, some damage was caused. Richard Koval (6bombergroup.ca)
267 aircraft - 134 Lancasters, l 22 Halifaxes, 11 Mosquitoes - of 4, 6 and 8 Groups. 6 Lancasters and 4 Halifaxes lost.
This area attack took place in clear visibility and caused severe damage; the local report estimated that the bomber force was 800 aircraft strong! The main attack fell in the centre and eastern districts. There were 1,439 fires, of which 124 were classified 11s large. 493 Germans and 12 foreigners were killed. 30,000-35,000 people were bombed out.
Halifax VII aircraft NP 689 QO-M "Moonlight Mermaid" was shot down by flak near the target over Germany (R Koval)
Flying Officer SM Bonter (RCAF), Sergeant DC Lawton (RCAF) and Sergeant D Colquhoun (RAFVR) were killed
Flying Officer HE Vachon (RCAF), Flying Officer AT Hinchcliffe (RCAF) and Warrant Officer Class 2 EEV Anderson (RCAF) baled safely and were taken Prisoner of War (R Koval). Sergeant TD Scott (RCAF) also baled out safely and evaded but fell into the hands of the Gestapo and was murdered April 3, 1945. This was NP 689's 84th or 85th sortie (letter, Airforce, Sept. 1983, which also gives the name as "Moonlight Maiden")
March 1945 Daily Operations 6bombergroup.ca