February 13/14, 1945
115 Halifaxes from 408, 415, 420, 425, 426, 427, 429, and 432 Squadrons
were ordered on an attack of the synthetic oil plant at Bohlen. The crews
were over the target at between 17,000 and 20,000 feet, releasing 588,000
lbs of high explosives. According to reports, the target was cloud covered
and bombing was scattered.
F/O R. Hutcheon from 408 Squadron returned early as the port inner was
u/s. They landed safely at base on 3 engines.
P/O G. Daughters landed at Bungay on return..
W/O1 A. McDiarmid from 415 Squadron was hit by flak, there were holes
in the fuselage and the port outer was u/s. They landed safely at Cambrai
on 3 engines.
F/O R. Evans was hit by flak, there were holes in the stbd wing and
fuselage. They landed at Framlingham on return.
F/O E. Millbank had the stbd outer u/s on return. They landed safely
at Nivells on 3 engines.
F/O J. Hechter landed at Woodbridge on return.
F/O A. Galley, F/O L. Minkler, F/Lt O. Piper, F/Lt T. Mears, F/Lt A.
Winmill, F/Lt J. McQuiston, F/Lt J. Northrup, F/Lt W. Goodwin, F/Lt J.
McAllister, F/O D. Stewart, and F/O S. Mooers landed at Framlingham on
return.
P/O R. Sollie from 420 Squadron had the port inner u/s on return. They
landed safely at Mendlesham on 3 engines.
P/O E. Clarke landed at Manston on return.
F/Lt N. McHolm landed at Juvincourt, France on return due to a fuel
shortage.
P/O T.Ford, F/Lt H. MacGregor, F/Lt M. Davidson, F/O D. Hill, F/O R.
Kane, F/Lt V. Glover, P/O J. Menary, F/Lt D. Buchanan, P/O R. MacMillan,
F/O S. Young, and P/O C. Reid landed at Mendlesham on return.
F/O J. St. Laurent and F/Lt C. Lesesne from 425 squadron were hit by
flak, not serious. They landed at Halesworth on return.
F/O G. Lareau landed at Bungey on return.
P/O W. Corbett, F/Lt J. Sicotte, F/O J. Poirier, F/O J. MacHale, F/O
A. Martel, F/O R. Lafreniere, F/O G. Chabot, F/O J. Desbiens, F/O J. Evans,
F/O G. Perrier, and F/O J. Bellinger landed at Halesworth on return.
F/Lt A. Jones from 426 Squadron returned early as the port outer was
u/s. They landed safely at base on 3 engines.
F/O A. Davies returned early as one engine was u/s. They landed safely
at base on 3 engines.
F/O C. Benton and crew, flying Halifax VII LW-203 coded OW-F, were
attacked by an ME-109, some strikes were seen on the port wing. They landed
at Knettishall on return.
P/O J. Whipple, F/O W. McLeod, P/O R. Fuller, F/Lt G. Fidler, F/O R.
Swift, F/O D. Hamilton, F/O D. Weicker, and F/Lt C. Fyfe landed at Knettishall
on return.
F/Lt A. Lock from 427 Squadron landed at Juvincourt, France on return
due to a fuel shortage.
S/Ldr R. Lawlor, F/Lt G. Tegerdine, F/O P. Millard, F/Lt J. Storms,
F/Lt G. Archer, F/O N. Roberts, F/Lt W. Britton, F/Lt E. Stewart, F/O T.
Wagar, F/O L. Ayers, F/O F. Kaye, F/Lt W. Towne, and F/O J. Mulholland
landed at Eye on return.
F/Lt H. MacDonald from 429 Squadron was attacked by an enemy aircraft,
it was claimed damaged.
F/O A. Cook was hit by flak, not serious.
F/O R. Pike landed at Manston on return due to a fuel shortage.
F/Lt P. Robb, S/Ldr H. Peterson, P/O D. Williams, F/Lt J. Creeper,
F/Lt D. Magee, F/O J. Brown, F/Lt L. Moffatt, F/O H. Humphries, F/O M.
Ages, F/Lt H. Barr, and F/O R. Jones landed at Great Ashfield on return
due to fuel shortages.
P/O J. Daly from 432 Squadron returned early as the stbd inner was u/s.
They landed safely at base on 3 engines.
P/O R. Bradley and F/Lt W. Mennie landed at Tibbenham on return.
P/O J. Kinniburgh landed at Brussels on return due to a fuel shortage.
F/Lt E. Maguire landed at Epinoy on return due to a fuel shortage.
While the Halifaxes were attacking Bohlen, 67 Lancasters from 419, 424,
428, 431, 433, and 434 Squadrons were ordered to attack Dresden in the
2nd wave. The crews were over the target at between 17,000 and 21,000 feet,
releasing 485,000 lbs of high explosives. According to reports bombing
was accurate and a firestorm was started with an extreme loss of life.
F/O D. Bowes, P/O J. McGregor, P/O J. MacNeil, and F/Lt W. Armstrong
from 419 Squadron landed at Sudbury on return due to fuel shortages.
F/O K. MacDonald from 424 Squadron landed at Hardwick on return due
to a fuel shortage.
F/Lt A. Googe, F/Lt W. Ross, F/Lt R. Swartz, and F/Lt G. Quinn from
428 Squadron landed at Sudbury on return due to fuel shortages.
F/O H. Granger from 431 Squadron returned early as the navigation aids
and rear turret were u/s.
W/Cdr R. Davenport landed at Sudbury on return due to a fuel shortage.
F/O G. Glaholt and crew, flying Lancaster X KB-811 coded SE-T, were
attacked 3 times by a JU-88, some strikes were seen, it was claimed damaged
on the last pass.
F/O G. Walton, P/O J. O’Neil, F/O W. Simpson, and F/O A. Heathcote from
433 Squadron landed at Hardwick on return due to fuel shortages.
P/O C. Ferris from 434 squadron was hit by flak, not serious. They landed
at Snetterton Heath on return due to a fuel shortage.
P/O F. Hart and F/Lt G. Eccelstone landed at Snetterton Heath on return
due to fuel shortages.