August 18/19, 1944
102 Halifaxes from 408, 420, 425, 426, 427, 429,
and 433 squadrons were ordered to attack the rail yards at Connantre. The
crews were over the target at between 15,000 and 18,000 feet, releasing
797,000 lbs of high explosives. According to reports, the target was well
hit and great damage was caused. This was the last attack on the rail systems
in France and Belgium.
P/O R. Bowhay from 408 Squadron landed at Lichfield
on return.
F/O H. Minhinnick landed at Tangmere on return.
P/O D. Kennedy landed at Spilsby on return.
P/O R. Smith, F/O V. Gilson, F/Lt H. Reeves,
P/O D. Brown, F/O T. Barber, and F/O R. Johnson landed at East Kirkby on
return.
F/O E. McKeown and crew from 420 Squadron, flying
Halifax III LW-392 coded PT-S, was attacked by an ME-210, there was damage
to the nose, mid-upper turret. There was no claim. They landed safely at
Waddington on return.
F/O G. Haslop and crew, flying Halifax III
NA-579 coded PT-J, was attacked by an FW-190, there was no claim or damage.
They landed at Waddington on return.
F/O G. McKenzie had the hydraulics u/s on return.
They landed safely at Skellingthorpe.
F/O E. Johnson, F/O R. Gallen, and F/O W. English
landed at Waddington on return.
P/O A. Caine, F/O G. Heron, and F/Lt E. Heimpel
landed at Tangmere on return.
F/Sgt C. Reid landed at Coningsby on return.
F/Lt H. Damgaard, P/O J. Tease, F/O G. Jones,
F/O F. Bird, F/Lt A. Plummer, and P/O D. McLellan landed at Skellingthorpe
on return.
P/O W. MacDonald and F/O C. Bennett landed at
Bardney on return.
P/O D. Chance from 424 squadron returned early
as the stbd outer was u/s. They landed safely at Carnaby on 3 engines.
F/O J. Dundas, P/O G. Hawthorne, P/O R. Earl,
F/O J. Keys, S/Ldr R. Lawlor, and F/Lt A. Fentiman landed away on return.
W/Cdr H. Ledoux, P/O P. Hache, F/O J. Galipeau, F/Sgt C. Dionne, F/O
E. St. Jean, F/O H. Gregson, P/O J. Jean, F/O J. Dargis, F/O J. Gourdeau,
F/Lt T. Rance, F/O N. Streight, F/Lt J. A. Cote, P/O J. Y. Cote, P/O S.
Milliken, P/O J. Desmarais, P/O J. Henry, P/O V. Lacaille, and F/O C. Bouchard
from 425 Squadron landed at Coningsby on return
P/O W. Taylor from 426 Squadron returned early,
the bomb sight was u/s.
F/Lt R. Cowans and crew, flying Halifax VII NP-686
coded OW-M, was attacked by a JU-88, it was claimed damaged as many
strikes were seen.
P/O A. Bainard had the hydraulics u/s on return.
They landed safely at Oakley.
F/O S. Seaman landed at Strubby on return.
P/O S. Simmons, P/O J. Williamson, P/O N. Becker,
P/O R. Stone, and W/O2 W. Webster landed at East Kirkby on return.
P/O R. Sellen landed at Spilsby on return.
F/Lt G. Bennett and crew from 429 Squadron, flying
Halifax III LW-136 coded AL-Z, was attacked by an FW-190, there was no
claim or damage. They landed safely at Waddington on return.
F/O J. Prentice, F/O F. Biddell, P/O G. Clarke,
P/O M. Lanin, F/Lt L. Neilly, F/O D. Gillis and F/O A. Patterson landed
at Waddington on return.
F/O A. Heathcote from 433 squadron returned early
as the radios were u/s.
F/O T. Prescott was hit by flak, port fin, stbd
inner were damaged. Landed safely at Dunholme Lodge.
F/O D. McGrath and crew, flying Halifax III LV-967
coded BM-B, was attacked by an FW-190, there was no claim or damage.
F/O J. Burch, P/O J. Major, F/Lt E. Van Slyck,
F/O O. Orendorff, F/O J. Nixon, F/O T. Kelly, and F/O J. Beveridge landed
at Dunholme Lodge on return.
F/O R. Russell landed at Gamston on return.
F/O W. Pierce landed at Skellingthorpe on return.
While part of the group went to Connantre, 65
Halifaxes from 415, 431, 432, and 434 were joined by 35 Lancasters from
419 and 428 squadron, on an attack at Bremen. The crews were over the target
at between 16,000 and 19,000 feet, releasing 305,000 lbs of high explosives
and 423,000 lbs of incendiaries. According to reports, the centre, north,
and port area of the target were severely damaged.
F/O R. Sierolawski from 415 Squadron returned
early as they were unable to raise the under carriage.
F/Lt H. Barnes returned early as they were unable
to raise the under carriage.
P/O J. Tims and crew, flying Halifax III NA-587
coded 6U-Q, was attacked 3 times by ME-109s. They were not damaged and
claimed 1 ME-109 as damaged as it was seen breaking away smoking.
P/O R. Stevens was hit by flak, not serious.
The stbd outer was u/s outbound and they bombed the target from 10,000
feet. They landed at Carnaby on return due to a fuel shortage.
P/O A. Tinmouth had his hydraulics u/s on return.
They over ran the runway at Fiskeron on return. The Halifax was slightly
damaged but crew was ok.
F/O H. Witwer from 419 Squadron was hit by flak,
there were holes in the tail and port aileron.
F/Lt W. Chalcraft was hit by flak, there were
holes in the stbd wing and fuselage. They landed at Swinderby on return.
F/Lt W. McGuffin was hit by flak, there were
holes in the fuselage. They landed at Winthorpe on return.
F/O J. Bell, F/O W. Milner, F/O H. Speight, F/O
L. Sparling, F/O J. Tees, F/O R. Millar, F/O W. Barclay, and F/Lt W. Anderson
landed at Swinderby on return.
F/O C. Williams, F/O J. Calder, and W/O1 I. Johnson
landed at Wigsley on return.
F/O A. Rokeby landed at Winthorpe on return.
F/O A. Roy landed at Skellingthorpe on return.
F/O L. Plunkett from 428 Squadron had the port
outer u/s over the target. They landed safely at Swinderby on 3 engines.
F/O T. Nichol-Carne, F/O A. Carter, F/O S. Huston,
F/Lt E. Graham, and F/O W. Janney landed at Swinderby on return.
F/O A. Gilbert landed at Skellingthorpe on return.
S/Ldr G. Edwards and F/Lt D. Lamont landed at
Winthorpe on return.
P/O W. Hall and F/O J. Koresky landed at Wigsley
on return.
F/Lt G. Gonyou landed at Syerston on return.
F/O C. Corbet RCAF–POW and crew, flying Lancaster
KB-743 coded NA-I, failed to return from this operation.
Sgt R. Enfield RAF–POW
F/O S. Bryans RCAF–POW
F/O G. Jones RCAF–POW
Sgt A. MacNaught RCAF–POW
Sgt T. Davidson RCAF–POW
P/O R. Good RCAF
1 crew member was killed and the rest were POWs.
F/Sgt. G. Quinlan from 431 squadron was hit by
flak. There were holes in the stbd aileron. They landed at Winthorpe.
F/O R. Tonnellier, F/O A. Huchala, F/O T. Shore,
F/O B. Mawhinney, and F/Lt M. MacLeod landed at Swinderby on return.
F/O J. Morton, F/O D. Connor, and F/Lt D. Borland
landed at Winthorpe on return.
F/O R. Harrison and F/O J. Fetherston landed
at Wigsley on return.
F/Lt H. Smith landed at Skellingthorpe on return.
P/O J. Gault from 432 squadron swung on takeoff.
The Halifax caught fire and the crew was able to escape before the Halifax
blew up.
P/O H. Britton and crew, flying Halifax VII NP-738
coded QO-J, was attacked by an ME-109. There was no damage or claim.
P/O A. Gibb and P/O M. Isenberg from 434 Squadron
returned early.
Sgt F. Hart, P/O B. Peterson, F/O W. Dumas, F/O
K. McGrath, P/O J. Badgley, P/O L. Browning, and P/O A. Gardner landed
at Metheringham on return.
P/O A. Spence, P/O J. Lees, F/O M. Harvie, P/O
J. Stinson, F/O G. Moore, and F/O G. Eccelstone landed at Coningsby on
return.
P/O R. Telford landed at Holme-on-Spalding Moor
on return.
In addition to the attacks on Connantre and Bremen,
427 squadron sent 7 crews on a mining operation to La Rochelle. The crews
were over the garden at between 11,000 and 12,000 feet, sowing 28@1500
lb mines.
All crews returned safely to base.