Daily Operations

November 21/22, 1944

175 Halifaxes from 408, 415, 420, 424, 425, 426, 427, 429, 432, 433, and 434 Squadrons were joined by 55 Lancasters from 419, 428, and 431 Squadrons on an attack of the oil refinery at Castrop-Rauxel. The crews were over the target at between 17,000 and 19,000 feet, releasing 1,807,000 lbs of high explosives. According to reports, the plant was accurately bombed and severe damage was caused.

F/Lt A. Steeves RCAF–POW and crew from 408 Squadron, flying Halifax VII NP-810 coded EQ-H, failed to return from this operation.

P/O W. Lane and crew from 415 Squadron, flying Halifax III LK-766 coded 6U-Q, were attacked by an FW-190 and an ME-109. There was no damage, but some strikes were seen on the the FW-190. They landed at Wombleton on return.
F/O J. Britt and crew, flying Halifax III MZ-586 coded 6U-A, were attacked by a ME-109, strikes were seen on the nose and fuselage and it dove steeply to the ground, it was claimed probably destroyed. On landing at Wombleton, the port outer caught fire.
F/O R. Sierolawski and crew, flying Halifax III NA-600 coded 6U-U, were attacked twice by an ME-109and an unidentified twin engine aircraft. Some strikes were seen on the twin engine aircraft. The ME-109 was damaged, the port outer, port fin, rudder, mid upper turret, and fuselage, with cannon and machine gun fire. They landed at Wombleton on return.
F/O W. Mitchell, F/O D. Falconer, F/Lt A. Winmill, F/Lt T. Mears, F/Lt J. Northrup, F/Lt J. McAllister, W/Cdr F. Ball, F/O S. McFadden, F/O D. McNeill, F/O J. Tims, F/O D. McTaggart, F/O O. Lindquist, and F/O D. Stewart landed at Wombleton on return.

F/O B. Hyndman and crew from 419 Squadron, flying Lancaster X KB-797 coded VR-K, were hit by flak, not serious. They were also attacked by an ME-410, there was no damage or claim.
W/Cdr D. Hagerman and crew, flying Lancaster X KB-786 coded VR-P, were attacked by an ME-210, there was no claim or damage.
F/O E. Bruyns and crew, flying Lancaster X KB-761 coded VR-H, were attacked by a JU-88, there was no claim or damage, although some strikes were seen.
F/O L. Blaney was hit by something from below. The Lancaster was lifted 300 to 500 feet and the bomb doors were buckled.

F/O E. McKeown from 420 Squadron returned early as the hydraulics were u/s.
P/O L. Simonson, P/O W. MacDonald, F/Lt G. Jones, P/O C. Reid, and F/O E. Watson landed at Middleton St. George on return due to poor weather at base.
F/O W. Shotton, F/O E. Johnston, F/O H. Asher, and F/O C. McKenzie landed at Croft on return due to poor weather at base.
F/O G. Haslop, F/Lt H. Ledingham, F/O M. Davidson, F/O J. Cox, F/O S. Young, F/O J. A. Sefton, P/O R. MacMillan, and P/O D. McLellan landed at Leeming on return due to poor weather.
F/Lt J. S. Sefton RCAF and crew, flying Halifax III HX-346 coded PT-U, hit a tree and crash landed during let down in bad weather near Leeming on return.

F/O K. MacDonald from 424 Squadron had the port outer go u/s on return. They landed safely at base on 3 engines.

F/Lt J. Goudreau from 425 Squadron had the port inner and hydraulics u/s on return. They landed safely at Carnaby on 3 engines.
F/O T. MacKinnon, F/O J. Seguin, F/O E. Baillie, and F/O J. Simard landed at Leeming due to poor weather at base.
P/O W. Corbett landed at Middleton St. George on return due to poor weather at base.
P/O G. Chabot landed at Croft on return due to poor weather at base.
F/O J. Bellinger RCAF and crew, flying Halifax III MZ-364 coded KW-N, was attacked by an FW-190. There was serious damage to the stbd wing and rear turret and Sgt C. Wilson RCAF, the rear gunner was seriously injured. Over the target they were hit by flak, the port inner was u/s and port tire flat. They crash landed at Manston on return. The rest of the crew were uninjured.

F/O H. McLure and crew from 426 Squadron, flying Halifax VII NP-685 coded OW-L, were attacked by an ME-109, some strikes were seen.
P/O M. Fraser and crew, flying Halifax VII NP-811 coded OW-G, were attacked by an FW-190, there was no claim or damage.
F/O A. Carter and crew, flying Halifax VII NP-779 coded OW-C, were attacked by an FW-190, some strikes were seen.
P/O T. Hunt RCAF and crew from 426 Squadron, flying Halifax VII NP-778 coded OW-A, had returned and were orbiting base. They crashed near Tholthorpe.

F/Lt R. Garvin from 427 Squadron returned early as the stbd outer was u/s. They landed safely at base on 3 engines.
F/O L. Ayers returned early as the port inner caught fire. They landed safely at base on 3 engines.
F/O N. Roberts and crew, flying Halifax III LV-922 coded ZL-C, were attacked by an unidentified single engine aircraft, there was no claim or damage.

F/O B. Miller from 428 Squadron was hit by flak, there were holes in the wings and windscreen. The stbd outer was u/s. They landed safely at base on 3 engines.

F/Lt S. Mitchell RCAF–POW and crew from 429 Squadron, flying Halifax III MZ-377 coded AL-D, failed to return from this operation.

F/Lt F. Horan from 432 Squadron returned early as the stbd inner was u/s. They landed safely at base on 3 engines.
F/O G. McNicoll returned early as all the instruments were u/s.
F/O M. Krakowsky and F/Lt W. Miller were attacked by enemy aircraft, there was no claims or damage. They landed at Wombleton on return.
F/O J. Mills, F/O D. Frost, F/O A. Clarke, F/Lt E. Hayes, P/O G. Sherlock, F/Lt C. Fyfe, F/O S. Dean, P/O L. McGuire, F/O G. Spiers, F/Lt L. Kropf, F/O G. Barron, F/O A. Bews, F/O A. Potter, F/O J. Hamilton, F/Lt J. Thompson, and F/O C. Hemming landed at Wombleton on return due to poor weather at base.

F/Lt O. Orendorff and crew from 433 Squadron, flying Halifax III MZ-857 coded BM-N, were attacked by an ME-110, there was no claim or damage.
P/O A. Bond RCAF–POW and crew, flying Halifax III MZ-284 coded BM-T, failed to return from this operation.

F/O D. Guy RCAF–POW and crew, flying Halifax III NP-949 coded BM-R, failed to return from this operation.

F/Lt G. Halcro from 434 Squadron returned early as the port inner was u/s. They landed safely at base on 3 engines.
F/O T. Kowalchuk landed at Winfield on return.
F/Lt C. Porter and crew, flying Halifax III MZ-876 coded WL-Y, were attacked by an unidentified twin engine enemy aircraft, there was no claim or damage.

12 Halifaxes from 424 and 429 Squadrons were ordered on a mining operation to Oslo. The crews were over the garden at 12,000 feet, sowing 48@1500 lb mines.

F/O E. Lefebvre, F/Lt F. Aldworth, F/O F. Pearson, and S/Ldr W. Anderson from 424 Squadron landed at Leeming due to poor weather.

F/O C. Gray and F/Lt G. Bennett from 429 Squadron landed at Middleton St. George due to poor weather.