January 16/17, 1945
127 Halifaxes from 408, 415, 420, 424, 425, 426, 427, 429, 432, and
433 Squadrons were ordered on an attack at Magdeburg. The crews were over
the target at between 18,000 and 20,000 feet, releasing 232,000 lbs of
high explosives and 546,000 lbs of incendiaries. According to reports,
severe damage was caused.
F/O H. Sokoloff from 408 Squadron returned early as the port outer was
u/s. They landed safely at base on 3 engines.
F/O R. Wallis and crew, flying Halifax VII NP-776 coded EQ-R, were
attacked by an ME-210, many strikes were seen and with both engines on
fire, it was seen to hit the ground. This was shot down by the rear gunner
with 200 rounds.
F/Lt J. McQuiston from 415 Squadron returned early as the stbd outer
was u/s. They landed safely at base on 3 engines.
F/O D. Falconer was hit by flak, the fuselage and radios were damaged.
F/O A. Galley was hit by flak, not serious.
F/Lt A. Winmill was hit by flak, the port wing and flaps were damaged.
The wing also caught fire but was put out.
F/Lt W. Borrett RCAF
and crew, flying Halifax III NR-253 coded 6U-L, failed to return from this
operation.
Sgt G. Binne RCAF–POW
F/O D. Sloan RCAF–POW
F/O T. Daniel RCAF–POW
F/Sgt R. Collins RCAF–POW
F/Sgt K. Bradley RCAF–POW
P/O P. Mogridge RCAF
2 crew were killed and 5 POWs.
W/O1 R. Sollie from 420 Squadron returned early as the ailerons were
not working, they went into a spiral dive and the load was released and
some control was regained. They landed with difficulty at Lindholme.
F/Lt M. Davidson and crew, flying Halifax III NR-208 coded PT-D, were
attacked by an ME-109, there was no claim or damage.
F/O R. Field collided with another aircraft at 17,000 feet on return.
The H2-S blister was torn off, door damaged, oil coolers, stbd outer cowling
damaged and stbd outer propellor was bent. They landed safely at Carnaby
on 3 engines.
P/O R. Harvey RCAF
and crew, flying Halifax III NR-205 coded PT-L, failed to return from this
operation.
P/O J. McCormick RCAF
Sgt P. Morissette RCAF–POW
F/O C. Bryce RCAF–POW
Sgt R. Wilson RCAF–POW
F/Sgt K. Reid RCAF–POW
F/Sgt A. Little RCAF–POW
2 crew were killed and 5 POWs.
F/O R. Ireland RCAF
and crew, flying Halifax III NA-188 coded PT-E, failed to return from this
operation.
Sgt R. Hutchinson RAF
F/O W. Dennis RCAF
F/O W. Webb RCAF
P/O L. Penny RCAF
F/Sgt F. Poole RCAF–POW
F/Sgt S. Cameron RCAF–POW
5 crew were killed and 2 POWs after being shot down by a Nightfighter.
F/Lt E. Watson RCAF
and crew, flying Halifax III NA-192 coded PT-Q, failed to return from this
operation.
Sgt A. Parker RAF
P/O C. Way RAF
F/O Q. Louie RCAF
P/O W. Partridge RCAF
F/Sgt D. Jacobi RCAF–POW
F/Sgt T. Lynch RCAF–POW
5 crew were killed and 2 POWs.
F/Lt E. McCutcheon RCAF
and crew, flying Halifax III NA-183 coded PT-M, failed to return from this
operation.
F/O T. Jones RAF
F/O D. Ritchie RCAF–POW
F/O J. Welk RCAF
P/O J. Skidmore RCAF–POW
P/O G. Haacke RCAF–POW
P/O D. Mackey RCAF–POW
3 crew were killed and 4 POWs.
F/O F. Aldworth and crew from 424 Squadron, flying Halifax III LW-194
coded QB-W, were attacked by a unidentified single engine aircraft, there
was no claim or damage.
F/O G. MacLean and crew, flying Halifax III NR-228 coded QB-Q, were
attacked by a JU-88 and an ME-109, there was no damage but some strikes
were seen on the ME-109.
P/O W. Corbett from 425 Squadron returned early as the radios were u/s.
P/O G. Chabot and crew, flying Halifax III LW-477 coded KW-H, were
attacked by an ME-410, many strikes were seen and it was claimed damaged.
F/O R. Swift from 426 Squadron did not get airborne as a tire blew out
and they ground looped.
S/Ldr R. Cowans and crew, flying Halifax VII NP-740 coded OW-C, were
attacked by an ME-109, many strikes were seen, and it exploded in
the clouds and claimed destroyed.
F/O C. Benton and crew, flying Halifax VII NP-819 coded OW-B, were
attacked twice by an FW-190, there was a few cannon rounds through the
bomb bay doors. Some strikes were also seen on the FW-190.
P/O M. Fraser had the stbd outer u/s after takeoff, they went to the
target and bombed on 3 engines. On return they were involved in a mid air
collision. 1/3 of the port wing was cut off, there was a large hole in
the fuselage and the top of the port rudder and fin were missing. They
landed safely at Carnaby on return.
F/Lt R. Galbraith RCAF
and crew, flying Halifax III RG-350 coded OW-K, failed to return from this
operation.
Sgt J. Davidson RAF
F/O R. Broadfoot RCAF–POW
F/O J. Shirey RCAF
F/Sgt J. MacDonald RCAF–POW
F/Sgt A. Lacchia RCAF–POW
F/Sgt B. McNicol RCAF–POW
3 crew were killed and 4 POWs after being shot down by a Nightfighter.
F/O W. Thomas from 429 Squadron returned early as the radios were u/s.
F/O M. Ages returned early as the hydraulics were u/s.
P/O W. Fikis returned early as the port inner was u/s. They landed
safely at base on 3 engines.
F/O J. Rowe had one engine go u/s out bound. They bombed and returned
safely to base on 3 engines.
F/Lt H. MacDonald and crew, flying Halifax III NR-194 coded AL-X, were
attacked by an unidentified single engine enemy aircraft, there were many
strikes and 2 small explosions, followed by a large explosion when it hit
the ground. It was claimed destroyed.
F/O F. Biddell RCAF–POW and crew, flying Halifax III MZ-427 coded
AL-E, failed to return from this operation.
Sgt R. Streetfield RAF–POW
F/O C. Chapman RCAF–POW
F/Sgt R. Deck RCAF–POW
P/O R. Bourne RCAF–POW
F/Sgt F. Peters RCAF–POW
F/Sgt J. Phillips RCAF–POW
All the crew were POWs.
W/Cdr J. MacDonald from 432 Squadron was hit by flak, the port inner
was u/s. They landed safely at base on 3 engines.
F/Lt E. Hayes was hit by flak, not serious.
F/O G. Peaker and crew, flying Halifax VII NP-797 coded QO-N, were
attacked by a JU-88, there was no claim or damage.
While the Halifaxes attacked Magdeburg, 51 Lancasters from 419, 428,
431, and 434 Squadrons were ordered on an attack of the synthetic oil plant
at Zeitz. The crews were over the target at between 17,000 and 20,000 feet,
releasing 500,000 lbs of high explosives. According to reports, bombing
was accurate and serious damage was caused.
F/Lt A. Googe from 428 Squadron returned early as there was a fuel leak.
F/Lt J. Craton and crew, flying Lancaster X KB-791 coded NA-A, were
attacked by an FW-190, there was no claim or damage.
F/O V. Gaskin and crew, flying Lancaster X KB-820 coded NA-M, were
hit by flak, there were holes in the port wing, stbd wing and tail
plane. They were also attacked by an ME-410, there was no claim or further
damage, although some strikes were seen.
F/O G. Glaholt from 431 Squadron was hit by flak, the stbd inner was
u/s. They landed safely at Carnaby on 3 engines.
F/Lt A. Kiehlbauch RCAF
and crew from 434 Squadron, flying Lancaster X KB-850 coded WL-O, failed
to return from this operation.
P/O D. Turner RCAF
F/O G. Shaw RCAF
F/O N. Fadden RCAF
P/O W. Wilson RCAF
P/O A. Carolan RCAF
P/O W. Martin RCAF
All were killed.
11 Halifaxes from 424, 427, 429, and 433 squadrons were ordered on a
mining operation to Oslo. The crews were over the garden at between 11,000
and 12,000 feet, sowing 44@1500 lb mines.
All crews returned safely to base.