William Clough, Wireless Operator – Opie crew. Request for information

Mark has contacted me with a request for information regarding his Great Uncle Bill Clough, who was Wireless Operator with Cyril Opie’s crew, between March and May 1945. The crew completed 16 Ops, including Manna and Repatriations flights, before time simply ran out as the Squadron was rebuilt with only New Zealand aircrews for Tiger Force.

Mark’s information of Bill is scant, knowing only that he came from Rawmash, South Yorkshire, being born sometime between 1924 ans 1926.

The Opie crew arrived at Mepal on the 16th of February from No.3 L.F.S. Feltwell. Cyril flew one second Dickie Op with Alex Simpson’s crew before taking his new crew on their first Op together on the 1st March, to the synthetic oil refinery at Kamen.

01/03/1945 – Attack Against Kamen
Seventeen aircraft were detailed to attack Kamen, carrying 4,000 H.C., 500ANM., 500 M.C. and Munro bombs. F/O D. Barr in AA”C” jettisoned and returned early through engine trouble. Crews bombed on special equipment as the target was obscured by ten tenth cloud. Flak was negligible.

Lancaster Mk.III PB421 JN-K  (63)

W/O Cyril Vernon Opie, RAAF AUS.429990 – Pilot.
F/S Hugh Stanforth Ramsay, RNZAF NZ4216269 – Navigator.
Sgt. P.Melvill, RAFVR  – Air Bomber.
Sgt. William Clough, RAFVR  – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. A. Rasmussen, RAFVR  – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. R. Michie, RAFVR  – Mid Upper Gunner.
Sgt. A. Bumford, RAFVR  – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 11:55 – Landed 17:34
Flight Time 05:39

02/03/1945 – Attack Against Cologne
Twenty aircraft were detailed to attack Cologne. No aircraft bombed owing to special equipment failiure. Three aircraft jettisoned due to flak damage to engines, the remainder bringing their bombs back. F/O Woodcock was wounded in the neck and his engineer F/Sgt. Gibb in the legs but landed safely at base.

Lancaster Mk.I NG322 JN-P  (28)

W/O Cyril Vernon Opie, RAAF AUS.429990 – Pilot.
F/S Hugh Stanforth Ramsay, RNZAF NZ4216269 – Navigator.
Sgt. P.Melvill, RAFVR  – Air Bomber.
Sgt. William Clough, RAFVR  – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. A. Rasmussen, RAFVR  – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. R. Michie, RAFVR  – Mid Upper Gunner.
Sgt. A. Bumford, RAFVR  – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 13:12 – Landed 18:22
Flight Time 05:10

04/03/1945 – Attack Against Wanne Eickel
Eighteen aircraft were detailed to attack Wanne Eickel. JN”O” F/O D. Barr returned early through engine failiure. Crews bombed with the aid of special equipment in 10/10ths cloud. No results were seen but crews were satisfied that it was a good attack. Slight to moderate H/F was experienced.

Lancaster Mk.I HK593 JN-X  (21)

W/O Cyril Vernon Opie, RAAF AUS.429990 – Pilot.
F/S Hugh Stanforth Ramsay, RNZAF NZ4216269 – Navigator.
Sgt. P.Melvill, RAFVR  – Air Bomber.
Sgt. William Clough, RAFVR  – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. A. Rasmussen, RAFVR  – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. R. Michie, RAFVR  – Mid Upper Gunner.
Sgt. A. Bumford, RAFVR  – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 09:59 – Landed 14:44
Flight Time 04:45

06/03/1945 – Attack Against Salzbergen
Sixteen aircraft attacked Salzbergen in 10/10ths cloud up to 11,000ft. with nil clouds below. The formation was well packed over the target and released simultaneously. A slight upheaval of the cloud a minute later was all that could be seen. Slight H/F was the only opposition.

Lancaster Mk.I HK601 JN-D  (75)

W/O Cyril Vernon Opie, RAAF AUS.429990 – Pilot.
F/S Hugh Stanforth Ramsay, RNZAF NZ4216269 – Navigator.
Sgt. P.Melvill, RAFVR  – Air Bomber.
Sgt. William Clough, RAFVR  – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. A. Rasmussen, RAFVR  – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. R. Michie, RAFVR  – Mid Upper Gunner.
Sgt. A. Bumford, RAFVR  – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 08:45 – Landed 14:26
Flight Time 05:41

17/03/1945 – Attack Against Auguste Viktoria
Nineteen aircraft took off to attack the Auguste Viktoria Benzol Oil plant. Cloud and vapour trails limited visibility to 50yds over the target, but the aircraft remained in light formation and bombs were released together. No results were seen. Opposition was slight H./F.

Lancaster Mk.I RA564 JN-P  (1)

W/O Cyril Vernon Opie, RAAF AUS.429990 – Pilot.
F/S Hugh Stanforth Ramsay, RNZAF NZ4216269 – Navigator.
F/S P.Melvill, RAFVR  – Air Bomber.
F/S William Clough, RAFVR  – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. A. Rasmussen, RAFVR  – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. R. Michie, RAFVR  – Mid Upper Gunner.
Sgt. A. Bumford, RAFVR  – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 11:51 – Landed 17:19
Flight Time 05:28

20/03/1945 – Attack Against Hamm
Twenty one aircraft were detailed to attack the Marshalling Yards at Hamm. There were 6-7/10ths cloud over the target with tops at about 10,000ft. Some confusion was caused by the preceding squadron leading this squadron off track and scattering the formation. However a fair concentration was attained in the end. Some H/F was encountered.

Lancaster Mk.I HK597 JN-N  (66)

W/O Cyril Vernon Opie, RAAF AUS.429990 – Pilot.
F/S Hugh Stanforth Ramsay, RNZAF NZ4216269 – Navigator.
F/S P.Melvill, RAFVR  – Air Bomber.
F/S William Clough, RAFVR  – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. A. Rasmussen, RAFVR  – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. R. Michie, RAFVR  – Mid Upper Gunner.
Sgt. A. Bumford, RAFVR  – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 10:12 – Landed 15:33
Flight Time 05:21

09/04/1945 – Attack on Kiel
Nineteen aircraft were detailed to attack Kiel, carrying 8,000 H.C., 4,000 H.C.N. AND 500 A.N.M. A good concentration of bombing was carried out which appeared to have been a good prang. Many fires and explosions were seen. There was no fighter opposition. Flak was moderate.

Lancaster Mk.III HK593 JN-X  (32)

W/O Cyril Vernon Opie, RAAF AUS.429990 – Pilot.
F/S Hugh Stanforth Ramsay, RNZAF NZ4216269 – Navigator.
F/S P.Melvill, RAFVR  – Air Bomber.
F/S William Clough, RAFVR  – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. A. Rasmussen, RAFVR  – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. R. Michie, RAFVR  – Mid Upper Gunner.
Sgt. A. Bumford, RAFVR – Rear Gunner.

F/S A. Dewsbury, RAFVR 1533969 – Mid Under Gunner .

Take Off 19:44 – Landed 02:01
Flight Time 06:17

14/04/1945 – Attack on Potsdam
25 aircraft were detailed to attack POTSDAM. There was no cloud and visibility was good. A very concentrated attack developed and the target was well alight by the time the last aircraft were on their way home. Flak was slight and bursting well below stream. AA’T’ (F/O A.R. Baynes) was attacked by two enemy aircraft believed to be JU.88’s 20 miles S.W. of Potsdam on the homeward journey. The Flight Engineer (Sgt. Sliman) was killed by canon shell.

Lancaster Mk.I HK600 JN-K  (55)

W/O Cyril Vernon Opie, RAAF AUS.429990 – Pilot.
F/S Hugh Stanforth Ramsay, RNZAF NZ4216269 – Navigator.
F/S P.Melvill, RAFVR  – Air Bomber.
F/S William Clough, RAFVR  – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. A. Rasmussen, RAFVR  – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. R. Michie, RAFVR  – Mid Upper Gunner.
Sgt. A. Bumford, RAFVR – Rear Gunner.

F/S Wynn RAFVR –  Mid Under Gunner – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 18:14 – Landed 02:57
Flight Time 08:43

18/04/1945 – Attack on Heligoland
25 aircraft were detailed to attack the target HELIGOLAND. Weather was good with good visibility. Crews were able to identify northern top of Island and also western edge. The rest of the Island was obliterated by smoke. Bomb bursts on fires. The crews bombed as ordered by the Master Bomber and bombing was thought to be well concentrated, but there was some overshooting as well as undershooting.

Lancaster Mk.I NG322 JN-F  (44)

W/O Cyril Vernon Opie, RAAF AUS.429990 – Pilot.
F/S Hugh Stanforth Ramsay, RNZAF NZ4216269 – Navigator.
F/S P.Melvill, RAFVR  – Air Bomber.
F/S William Clough, RAFVR  – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. A. Rasmussen, RAFVR  – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. R. Michie, RAFVR  – Mid Upper Gunner.
Sgt. A. Bumford, RAFVR  – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 10:28 – Landed 15:09
Flight Time 04:41

22/04/1945 – Attack on Bremen
21 aircraft were detailed to attack BREMEN. 2-5/10ths cloud over target and many crows (???) made out river bend and factory area. Bombing results were satisfactory though slight overshooting and undershooting but not outside built up area. Flak from Wilhemshaven and Bremen was at intervals moderate and very accurate. Flight Engineer (Sgt. R. Clark) of AA/P was killed. No fighters seen.

Lancaster Mk.I RF129 JN-M  (28)

W/O Cyril Vernon Opie, RAAF AUS.429990 – Pilot.
F/S Hugh Stanforth Ramsay, RNZAF NZ4216269 – Navigator.
F/S P.Melvill, RAFVR  – Air Bomber.
F/S William Clough, RAFVR  – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. A. Rasmussen, RAFVR  – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. R. Michie, RAFVR  – Mid Upper Gunner.
Sgt. A. Bumford, RAFVR  – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 15:02 – Landed 20:57
Flight Time 05:55

30/04/1945 – Supply Dropping – Rotterdam
21 Aircraft were detailed to Supply dropping in the Rotterdam area. Crowds of Dutch were seen waving and cheering. The Operation was carried out successfully.

Lancaster Mk.I NF981 JN-D  (53)

F/O Cyril Vernon Opie, RAAF AUS.429990 – Pilot.
F/S Hugh Stanforth Ramsay, RNZAF NZ4216269 – Navigator.
F/S P.Melvill, RAFVR  – Air Bomber.
F/S William Clough, RAFVR  – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. A. Rasmussen, RAFVR  – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. R. Michie, RAFVR  – Mid Upper Gunner.
Sgt. A. Bumford, RAFVR  – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 17:00 – Landed 19:40
Flight Time 02:40

02/05/1945 – Supply Dropping at Delft
21 Aircraft were detailed for Supply Dropping at Delft. This mission was successful. The crowd were not as large as usual, but more flags were observed. F/O E.Ohlson reported having seen Germans in barracks cheering and waving white flags. F/O R, Flamank saw Germans waving from gunposts on the coast.

Lancaster Mk.I HK600 JN-K  (60)

F/O Cyril Vernon Opie, RAAF AUS.429990 – Pilot.
F/S Hugh Stanforth Ramsay, RNZAF NZ4216269 – Navigator.
F/S P.Melvill, RAFVR  – Air Bomber.
F/S William Clough, RAFVR  – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. A. Rasmussen, RAFVR  – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. R. Michie, RAFVR  – Mid Upper Gunner.
Sgt. A. Bumford, RAFVR  – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 11:55 – Landed 14:18
Flight Time 02:23

07/05/1945 – Supply Dropping at Delft
26 Aircraft were detailed for Supply Dropping at Delft. The mission was uneventful. Oil patches and yellow objects were seen in the sea near the Dutch coast.

Lancaster Mk.I HK600 JN-K  (63)

F/O Cyril Vernon Opie, RAAF AUS.429990 – Pilot.
F/S Hugh Stanforth Ramsay, RNZAF NZ4216269 – Navigator.
F/S P.Melvill, RAFVR  – Air Bomber.
F/S William Clough, RAFVR  – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. A. Rasmussen, RAFVR  – Flight Engineer.
Cpl Cowell,   – Passenger.
Sgt. R. Michie,  RAFVR – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 12:28 – Landed 14:57
Flight Time 02:29

10/05/1945 – Repatriation of Prisoners of War from Juvincourt
15 Aircraft were detailed for the evacuation of Prisoners of War from Juvincourt. The number of men brought back was 336. F/O J. McLernon (AA-G). Had engine trouble when taxying at Juvincourt. The crew returned in AA.M. F/Lt C. Stevens (AA.Y), could not take off at Ford because of tyre creeping. Crew were brought back tio Base by F/O G. Cleminson (JN.O).

Lancaster Mk.I HK597 JN-N  (77)

F/O Cyril Vernon Opie, RAAF AUS.429990 – Pilot.
F/S Hugh Stanforth Ramsay, RNZAF NZ4216269 – Navigator.
F/S P.Melvill, RAFVR  – Air Bomber.
F/S William Clough, RAFVR  – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. A. Rasmussen, RAFVR  – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. R. Michie, RAFVR  – Mid Upper Gunner.
Sgt. A. Bumford, RAFVR  – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 10:40 – Landed 16:51
Flight Time 06:11

13/05/1945 – Evacuation of Prisoners of War from Juvincourt
20 Aircraft were detailed to evacuate Prisoners of War from Juvincourt. This was a bad day, for only 24 men were bought back, and these men were bought back by F/S R. Hamilton (AA.F)

Lancaster Mk.I HK600 JN-K  (66)

F/O Cyril Vernon Opie, RAAF AUS.429990 – Pilot.
F/S Hugh Stanforth Ramsay, RNZAF NZ4216269 – Navigator.
F/S P.Melvill, RAFVR  – Air Bomber.
F/S William Clough, RAFVR  – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. A. Rasmussen, RAFVR  – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. R. Michie, RAFVR  – Mid Upper Gunner.
Sgt. A. Bumford, RAFVR  – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 12:44 – Landed 16:22
Flight Time 03:38

14/05/1945 – Evacuation of Prisoners of War from Juvincourt
15 Aircraft were detailed for the evacuation of Prisoners of War from Juvincourt. The number of men brought back was 336. F/O W. Ranguiaia (JN.V) had some trouble at Juvincourt and decided to return empty.

Lancaster Mk.III NE181 JN-M ‘The Captains Fancy’ (105)

F/O Cyril Vernon Opie, RAAF AUS.429990 – Pilot.
F/S Hugh Stanforth Ramsay, RNZAF NZ4216269 – Navigator.
F/S P.Melvill, RAFVR  – Air Bomber.
F/S William Clough, RAFVR  – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. A. Rasmussen, RAFVR  – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. R. Michie, RAFVR  – Mid Upper Gunner.
Sgt. A. Bumford, RAFVR  – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 15:52 – Landed 22:27
Flight Time 06:35

Melvin Sumner, Mid Upper Gunner – Young crew

The front and back of a Christmas card that Melvin sent to his family, Christmas 1943. © Mary Thompson

Many thanks to Mary for sending me this Christmas card, sent by her Father, Melvin Sumner, who was Rear Gunner with  Arthur Russell Young’s crew between November 1943 and June 1944.

Of course, like the idiot I am, it took up until replying to Mary, for me to realise that of course Colin Burch, who I made a number of posts about about a year ago was Russ Young’s Air Bomber. You can read the original posts here:

Original, less detailed Op history with Colin’s diary additions here.

Colin’s full memoirs of his time in the RAF here.

Colin’s logbook can be seen here.

A creditable operational career with the Squadron, flying War Ops in Stirlings, SOE operations, before converting to Lancasters and then supplying in support of the Normandy Landings and invasion before switching back to main War Ops…..

Melvin’s Pilot, Arthur Young, to add a small personal note to this story, also flew one of his ‘2nd Dickie’ Ops with my Father’s (Mayfield) crew on the 19th of November 1943 to Leverkusen.
Arthur ‘Russ’ Young’s logbook showing 2nd Dickie Op with Mayfield crew can be viewed here.

I have re-posted the Young crew’s Op history below in the more detailed format the database now allows me to generate.

25/11/1943 – Mining in the Frisian Islands
Two aircraft were detailed to carry out the above operation with mines of 1500lbs which were successfully dropped in the allotted area, and the majority of the parachutes were seen to open. No opposition was encountered and the trip was uneventful. There was 5-8/10ths cloud in the Mining Area and visibility was poor. Navigation was very good.

Stirling Mk.III EF507 JN-P  (12)

F/S Arthur Russell Young, RNZAF NZ421133 – Pilot.
F/S Douglas Dean McDonald, RAAF AUS.422632 – Navigator.
Sgt. James Colin Burch, RAFVR 1434570/ 175383 – Air Bomber.
F/S Ronald Charles Axten, RNZAF NZ404589 – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. Frederick Holt, RAFVR 1590363 – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. Melvin Sumner, RAFVR 1685755 – Mid Upper Gunner.
Sgt. Ronald Burrows, RAFVR 1388459 – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 17:30 – Landed 20:45
Flight Time 03:15

30/11/1943 – Mining in the Baltic Sea
Four aircraft were detailed to carry out the above operation with mines of 1,500lbs., which were successfully dropped in the allotted area and the parachutes were seen to open. No opposition was encountered and the trip was uneventful. The weather was good in the Mining area and visibility was excellent. Navigation was very good.

Stirling Mk.III LK384 JN-X ‘Excuse please Mr, I go, I come back’ (1)

F/S Arthur Russell Young, RNZAF NZ421133 – Pilot.
F/S Douglas Dean McDonald, RAAF AUS.422632 – Navigator.
Sgt. James Colin Burch, RAFVR 1434570/ 175383 – Air Bomber.
F/S Ronald Charles Axten, RNZAF NZ404589 – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. Frederick Holt, RAFVR 1590363 – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. D. Baverstock, RAFVR 610905 – Mid Upper Gunner.
Sgt. Ronald Burrows, RAFVR 1388459 – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 17:20 – Landed 00:20
Flight Time 07:00

The inside of Melvin’s Christmas card to his family, to the left a picture of the Young crew: Russ Young (Pilot), Fred Holt (Flight Engineer), Ron Axten (Wireless Operator), Ron Burrows (Rear Gunner), Colin Burch (Air Bomber) and Doug McDonald (Navigator). Its difficult to tell from the ordering of the crew whether it is strictly left to right or perhaps the back four and the front 2 airmen and obviously Melvin doesn’t identify himself in the photograph! © Mary Thompson

30/12/1943 – Mining between Le Havre and Cherbourg
One aircraft was detailed to carry out the above operation with mines of 1500lbs, which were successfully dropped in the allotted area. No opposition was met and the trip was uneventful. There was ten tenths cloud in the mining area but visibility was very good. Navigation was excellent.

Stirling Mk.III LK384 JN-X ‘Excuse please Mr, I go, I come back’ (3)

F/S Arthur Russell Young, RNZAF NZ421133 – Pilot.
F/S Douglas Dean McDonald, RAAF AUS.422632 – Navigator.
Sgt. James Colin Burch, RAFVR 1434570/ 175383 – Air Bomber.
F/S Ronald Charles Axten, RNZAF NZ404589 – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. Frederick Holt, RAFVR 1590363 – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. Melvin Sumner, RAFVR 1685755 – Mid Upper Gunner.
Sgt. Ronald Burrows, RAFVR 1388459 – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 17:14 – Landed 20:16
Flight Time 03:02

04/01/1944 – Attack against a Special Target
Ten aircraft were detailed to attack the above target with bombs of 500 lbs.  All of the aircraft successfully dropped their bombs in the target area.  The attack was very concentrated and appeared to be a success.  Some slight heavy A.A. Fire and a few enemy aircraft were encountered but proved negligible.  In spite of 3-4 10ths. cloud at the target, visibility was good.  Navigation was very good.

Stirling Mk.III LK384 JN-X ‘Excuse please Mr, I go, I come back’ (4)

F/S Arthur Russell Young, RNZAF NZ421133 – Pilot.
Sgt. J. Wainwright, RAFVR 1320248 – 2nd Pilot.
F/S Douglas Dean McDonald, RAAF AUS.422632 – Navigator.
Sgt. James Colin Burch, RAFVR 1434570/ 175383 – Air Bomber.
F/S Ronald Charles Axten, RNZAF NZ404589 – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. Frederick Holt, RAFVR 1590363 – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. Melvin Sumner, RAFVR 1685755 – Mid Upper Gunner.
Sgt. Ronald Burrows, RAFVR 1388459 – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 02:15 – Landed 04:55
Flight Time 02:40

21/01/1944 – Attack against a Special Target
Twenty aircraft were detailed to attack the above target with bombs of 500 lbs.  All of the aircraft successfully dropped their bombs in the target area, large bomb bursts and some fires being observed.  Very little opposition was encountered and this proved to be negligible.  The weather was good with no cloud and clear visibility.  Navigation was excellent.

Stirling Mk.III LK384 JN-X ‘Excuse please Mr, I go, I come back’ (7)

F/S Arthur Russell Young, RNZAF NZ421133 – Pilot.
F/S Douglas Dean McDonald, RAAF AUS.422632 – Navigator.
F/S James Colin Burch, RAFVR 1434570/ 175383 – Air Bomber.
F/S Ronald Charles Axten, RNZAF NZ404589 – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. Frederick Holt, RAFVR 1590363 – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. Melvin Sumner, RAFVR 1685755 – Mid Upper Gunner.
Sgt. Ronald Burrows, RAFVR 1388459 – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 18:10 – Landed 21:30
Flight Time 03:20

28/01/1944 – Mining in the Kiel Bay
Nineteen aircraft were detailed to carry out the above operation with mines of 1,500 lbs.  Three aircraft returned early, two dropped their mines in alternative areas, but the remainder successfully dropped their mines in the allotted area.  Some light and heavy A.A. fire was encountered, and one aircraft received slight damage.  A few enemy aircraft were seen and the aircraft captained by P/O C. BAKER, whilst on the homeward journey was attacked by a M.E.110, which raked our aircraft with machine gun and cannon fire, from the tailplane to the Navigator’s compartment, causing considerable damage.  The mid-upper gunner, Sgt. RENWICK, H. was slightly injured and the Flight Engineer Sgt. WATSON, W. was seriously injured.  On return the aircraft crash-landed at COLTISHALL.  The weather was variable with 5-10/10ths cloud, but fairly clear in the mining area.  Severe icing was encountered on the return journey.  Navigation was very good.

Stirling Mk.III LK384 JN-X ‘Excuse please Mr, I go, I come back’ (9)

F/S Arthur Russell Young, RNZAF NZ421133 – Pilot.
F/S Douglas Dean McDonald, RAAF AUS.422632 – Navigator.
Sgt. James Colin Burch, RAFVR 1434570, 175383 – Air Bomber.
F/S Ronald Charles Axten, RNZAF NZ404589 – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. Frederick Holt, RAFVR 1590363 – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. Melvin Sumner, RAFVR 1685755 – Mid Upper Gunner.
Sgt. Ronald Burrows, RAFVR 1388459 – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 18:56 – Landed 00:56
Flight Time 06:00

03/02/1944 – Mining off Cherbourg
Two aircraft were detailed to carry out the above operation with mines of 1500 lbs, both of which successfully dropped their mines in the allotted area.  No opposition was encountered.  One aircraft had its starboard inner catch fire ten minutes before reaching the area and this had to be feathered.  The weather was squally but otherwise the operation was uneventful.

Stirling Mk.III LK384 JN-X ‘Excuse please Mr, I go, I come back’ (10)

F/S Arthur Russell Young, RNZAF NZ421133 – Pilot.
F/S Douglas Dean McDonald, RAAF AUS.422632 – Navigator.
Sgt. James Colin Burch, RAFVR 1434570, 175383 – Air Bomber.
F/S Ronald Charles Axten, RNZAF NZ404589 – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. Frederick Holt, RAFVR 1590363 – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. Melvin Sumner, RAFVR 1685755 – Mid Upper Gunner.
Sgt. Ronald Burrows, RAFVR 1388459 – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 03:54 – Landed 06:54
Flight Time 03:00

11/02/1944 – Mining off Mouth of River Ardour
Of the nine aircraft which were laying mines of 1500 lbs off the mouth of the river ADOUR, all but one did so though it meant flying down through very bad icing cloud and in these conditions one jettisoned to lighten the load.

Stirling Mk.III LK384 JN-X ‘Excuse please Mr, I go, I come back’ (12)

F/S Arthur Russell Young, RNZAF NZ421133 – Pilot.
F/S Douglas Dean McDonald, RAAF AUS.422632 – Navigator.
Sgt. James Colin Burch, RAFVR 1434570, 175383 – Air Bomber.
F/S Ronald Charles Axten, RNZAF NZ404589 – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. Frederick Holt, RAFVR 1590363 – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. Melvin Sumner, RAFVR 1685755 – Mid Upper Gunner.
Sgt. Ronald Burrows, RAFVR 1388459 – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 18:35 – Landed 02:00
Flight Time 07:25

15/02/1944 – Mining in the Mouth of River Ardour
Six aircraft dropped mines of 1500 lbs in the mouth of the river Adour.  The visibility was excellent and all crews reported a successful operation.  Photographs taken show the aiming point in three cases, and the factory is covered in two more.  Unfortunately the sixth aircraft did not carry a photo-flash bomb.  The Bomb Development Unit have, however, got the evidence from which to calculate where the mines dropped.

Stirling Mk.III LK384 JN-X ‘Excuse please Mr, I go, I come back’ (13)

P/O Arthur Russell Young, RNZAF NZ421133 – Pilot.
F/S Douglas Dean McDonald, RAAF AUS.422632 – Navigator.
Sgt. James Colin Burch, RAFVR 1434570, 175383 – Air Bomber.
F/S Ronald Charles Axten, RNZAF NZ404589 – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. Frederick Holt, RAFVR 1590363 – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. Melvin Sumner, RAFVR 1685755 – Mid Upper Gunner.
Sgt. Ronald Burrows, RAFVR 1388459 – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 23:36 – Landed 07:16
Flight Time 07:40

19/02/1944 – Mining in Kiel Bay
Fifteen aircraft were detailed to lay mines of 1500 lbs from a high level, but two aircraft failed to take off owing to engine trouble.  The remaining thirteen aircraft completed their operation without incident, and the pathfinder markers were dropped accurately for the final run, being identified by all.

Stirling Mk.III LK384 JN-X ‘Excuse please Mr, I go, I come back’ (14)

P/O Arthur Russell Young, RNZAF NZ421133 – Pilot.
F/S Douglas Dean McDonald, RAAF AUS.422632 – Navigator.
Sgt. James Colin Burch, RAFVR 1434570, 175383 – Air Bomber.
F/S Ronald Charles Axten, RNZAF NZ404589 – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. Frederick Holt, RAFVR 1590363 – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. Melvin Sumner, RAFVR 1685755 – Mid Upper Gunner.
Sgt. Ronald Burrows, RAFVR 1388459 – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 23:36 – Landed 05:16
Flight Time 05:40

02/03/1944 – Special Operations – March Moon Period TRAINER 115b (SUCCESSFUL)
Operation TRAINER 115b (Successful). The main crew in Stirling III JN ‘X’ took off at 20.45 hours. The target was reached at 00.26 hours, being pin pointed by junction of river, canal and railway. Fifteen containers were dropped from 450 feet at 00.35 hours and a flashing light was seen. Meteorological conditions were fairly good, visibility being 10 miles, cloud two tenths at 4,000 feet. Course was set for Base at 00.35 hours, leaflets being dropped at Agen. The aircraft, without further incident, landed at Base at 04.26 hours.

Stirling Mk.III LK384 JN-X ‘Excuse please Mr, I go, I come back’ (15)

P/O Arthur Russell Young, RNZAF NZ421133 – Pilot.
F/S Douglas Dean McDonald, RAAF AUS.422632 – Navigator.
Sgt. James Colin Burch, RAFVR 1434570, 175383 – Air Bomber.
F/S Ronald Charles Axten, RNZAF NZ404589 – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. Frederick Holt, RAFVR 1590363 – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. Melvin Sumner, RAFVR 1685755 – Mid Upper Gunner.
Sgt Ronald Burrows, RAFVR 1388459 – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 20:45 – Landed 04:26
Flight Time 07:41

04/03/1944 – Special Operations – March Moon Period TRAINER 129 (SUCCESSFUL)
Operation TRAINER 129 (Successful). The m/n. crew in Stirling III JN “X” took off at 20.45 hours. The target area was reached at 23.52 hours and pin pointed by a road through a wood N/S. Lights and the letter flashed were unmistakable, and 16 containers were dropped from 600 feet between 00.14 and 00.17 hours. Visibility was good except for slight haze. Course was set for Base at 00.18 hours, and four packages of leaflets were dropped at the Brive area. The aircraft returned to base, without further incident, and landed at 04.10 hours.

Stirling Mk.III LK384 JN-X ‘Excuse please Mr, I go, I come back’ (16)

F/S Arthur Russell Young, RNZAF NZ421133 – Pilot.
F/S Douglas Dean McDonald, RAAF AUS.422632 – Navigator.
Sgt. James Colin Burch, RAFVR 1434570, 175383 – Air Bomber.
F/S Ronald Charles Axten, RNZAF NZ404589 – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. Frederick Holt, RAFVR 1590363 – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. Melvin Sumner, RAFVR 1685755 – Mid Upper Gunner.
Sgt Ronald Burrows, RAFVR 1388459 – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 20:45 – Landed 04:10
Flight Time 07:25

05/03/1944 – Special Operations – March Moon Period TRAINER 149 (SUCCESSFUL)
Operation TRAINER 149 (Successful). The m/n crew in Stirling III JN ‘X’ took off at 21.04 hours. The target area was reached at 23.54 hours and pin pointed. Reception lights were obscured by woods and difficult to see except when overhead, flashing of correct letter was good, fifteen containers were dropped from 500′ at 00.22 hours. There was slight ground haze, but no cloud. Course was set for Base at 00.22 hrs, one package of leaflets was also dropped in the Limoges … (end of sentence missing from copy of sheet)

Stirling Mk.III LK384 JN-X ‘Excuse please Mr, I go, I come back’ (17)

P/O Arthur Russell Young, RNZAF NZ421133 – Pilot.
F/S Douglas Dean McDonald, RAAF AUS.422632 – Navigator.
Sgt. James Colin Burch, RAFVR 1434570, 175383 – Air Bomber.
F/S Ronald Charles Axten, RNZAF NZ404589 – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. Frederick Holt, RAFVR 1590363 – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. Melvin Sumner, RAFVR 1685755 – Mid Upper Gunner.
Sgt Ronald Burrows, RAFVR 1388459 – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 21:04 – Landed down time cut off on ORB
Flight Time no record

10/03/1944 – Special Operations – March Moon Period MONGREL 20 (SUCCESSFUL)
Operation MONGREL 20 (Successful). The m/n crew in Stirling III JN ‘X’ took off at 20.13 hrs. The target area was reached at 23.45 hrs and pin pointed by a deep ravine running N. and S. with tops about 7,000′. Reception lights were good but flashing light was not very clear against the snow, twelve containers were then dropped from 600′ at 23.57 hrs. The weather was good in the reception area, except for haze in the valleys. Course was set for Base at 23.59 hours, two packages of leaflets being dropped at Chambery. The aircraft, without further incident, landed at Base at 03.43 hours.

Stirling Mk.III LK384 JN-X ‘Excuse please Mr, I go, I come back’ (18)

P/O Arthur Russell Young, RNZAF NZ421133 – Pilot.
F/S Douglas Dean McDonald, RAAF AUS.422632 – Navigator.
Sgt. James Colin Burch, RAFVR 1434570, 175383 – Air Bomber.
F/S Ronald Charles Axten, RNZAF NZ404589 – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. Frederick Holt, RAFVR 1590363 – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. Melvin Sumner, RAFVR 1685755 – Mid Upper Gunner.
Sgt Ronald Burrows, RAFVR 1388459 – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 20:13 – Landed 03:43
Flight Time 07:30

15/03/1944 – Special Operations – March Moon Period TOM 46 (ABORTIVE)
Operation TOM 46 (Abortive). The target area was reached but no reception was seen and a truck with very bright lights was driving along a road within the target area. The aircraft was caught in searchlights N. of Mons area and approximately three light guns opened up 15 miles N. On the return journey two packages of leaflets were dropped in the Mons area. The aircraft brought its load back to Base and landed safely.

Stirling Mk.III LK384 – ‘Excuse please Mr, I go, I come back’ (20)

P/O Arthur Russell Young, RNZAF NZ421133 – Pilot.
F/S Douglas Dean McDonald, RAAF AUS.422632 – Navigator.
P/O Thomas Bolgar Bradley, RAAF AUS413338 – Air Bomber.
F/S Ronald Charles Axten, RNZAF NZ404589 – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. Frederick Holt, RAFVR 1590363 – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. Melvin Sumner, RAFVR 1685755 – Mid Upper Gunner.
Sgt Ronald Burrows, RAFVR 1388459 – Rear Gunner.

Take Off – – Landed –
Flight Time no record

24/04/1944 – Attack Against Karlsruhe
Sixteen aircraft were detailed to attack Karlsruhe.  One was withdrawn but the remainder carried out a successful attack with little opposition.

Lancaster Mk.I LL888 JN-X  (1)

P/O Arthur Russell Young, RNZAF NZ421133 – Pilot.
F/S Douglas Dean McDonald, RAAF AUS.422632 – Navigator.
F/S James Colin Burch, RAFVR 1434570, 175383 – Air Bomber.
W/O Ronald Charles Axten, RNZAF NZ404589 – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. Frederick Holt, RAFVR 1590363 – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. Melvin Sumner, RAFVR 1685755 – Mid Upper Gunner.
F/S Ronald Burrows, RAFVR 1388459 – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 22:30 – Landed 04:00
Flight Time 05:00

26/04/1944 – Attack Against Essen
Fifteen aircraft (Lancasters) were detailed to attack Essen.  Two were withdrawn, but the remaining thirteen took part in a successful and very concentrated attack.  The defences were considered to be moderate and all the aircraft returned safely.

Lancaster Mk.I LL888 JN-X  (2)

P/O Arthur Russell Young, RNZAF NZ421133 – Pilot.
F/S Douglas Dean McDonald, RAAF AUS.422632 – Navigator.
F/S James Colin Burch, RAFVR 1434570, 175383 – Air Bomber.
W/O Ronald Charles Axten, RNZAF NZ404589 – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. Frederick Holt, RAFVR 1590363 – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. Melvin Sumner, RAFVR 1685755 – Mid Upper Gunner.
F/S Ronald Burrows, RAFVR 1388459 – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 23:25 – Landed 03:50
Flight Time 04:25

27/04/1944 – Attack Against Friedrichshafen
Sixteen Lancasters were detailed to attack Friedrichshafen.  Fourteen successfully carried out their mission, one aircraft bombed a decoy in error and another failed to return (Captain NZ42282 F/O. R. Herron).

Lancaster Mk.I LL888 JN-X  (3)

P/O Arthur Russell Young, RNZAF NZ421133 – Pilot.
F/S Douglas Dean McDonald, RAAF AUS.422632 – Navigator.
F/S James Colin Burch, RAFVR 1434570, 175383 – Air Bomber.
W/O Ronald Charles Axten, RNZAF NZ404589 – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. Frederick Holt, RAFVR 1590363 – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. Melvin Sumner, RAFVR 1685755 – Mid Upper Gunner.
Sgt. Ronald Burrows, RAFVR 1388459 – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 22:07 – Landed 05:37
Flight Time 07:30

01/05/1944 – Attack Against Chambly
Sixteen aircraft were detailed to attack the marshalling yards at Chambly.  Fifteen of these successfully attacked in clear weather, bombing being accurate.  Two brief encounters with enemy aircraft took place and resulted in one being possibly damaged.  One of our aircraft (Captain NZ41362 F/L. A/S/L. E.W. Sachtler) failed to return.

Lancaster Mk.I LL888 JN-X  (4)

P/O Arthur Russell Young, RNZAF NZ421133 – Pilot.
F/S Douglas Dean McDonald, RAAF AUS.422632 – Navigator.
F/S James Colin Burch, RAFVR 1434570, 175383 – Air Bomber.
W/O Ronald Charles Axten, RNZAF NZ404589 – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. Frederick Holt, RAFVR 1590363 – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. Melvin Sumner, RAFVR 1685755 – Mid Upper Gunner.
F/S Ronald Burrows, RAFVR 1388459 – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 22:50 – Landed 02:15
Flight Time 03:25

09/05/1944 – Attack Against Cap Gris Nez
Fifteen aircraft were detailed to attack Cap Gris Nez and all successfully completed their mission.  Only slight opposition was encountered.

Lancaster Mk.I LL888 JN-X  (5)

P/O Arthur Russell Young, RNZAF NZ421133 – Pilot.
F/S Douglas Dean McDonald, RAAF AUS.422632 – Navigator.
F/S James Colin Burch, RAFVR 1434570, 175383 – Air Bomber.
W/O Ronald Charles Axten, RNZAF NZ404589 – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. Frederick Holt, RAFVR 1590363 – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. Melvin Sumner, RAFVR 1685755 – Mid Upper Gunner.
F/S Ronald Burrows, RAFVR 1388459 – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 03:10 – Landed 05:10
Flight Time 02:00

19/05/1944 – Attack Against Le Mans
Twenty for aircraft successfully bombed the marshalling yards at Le Mans.  Good results being reported.

Lancaster Mk.I LL888 JN-X  (8)

P/O Arthur Russell Young, RNZAF NZ421133 – Pilot.
F/S Douglas Dean McDonald, RAAF AUS.422632 – Navigator.
F/S James Colin Burch, RAFVR 1434570, 175383 – Air Bomber.
W/O Ronald Charles Axten, RNZAF NZ404589 – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. Frederick Holt, RAFVR 1590363 – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. Melvin Sumner, RAFVR 1685755 – Mid Upper Gunner.
Sgt. Ronald Burrows, RAFVR 1388459 – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 22:30 – Landed 03:20
Flight Time 04:50

21/05/1944 – Attack Against Duisberg
Twenty five aircraft took off to attack Duisburg, of which twenty one attacked the primary target.  Three returned early with various technical failures and one failed to return (Captain NZ421803 P/O. W. Willis).  Another aircraft (Captain AUS413157 P/O. A. Humphreys) was attacked by an enemy fighter and the navigator 1438903 F/Sgt. Hill, A. was injured, the aircraft also being damaged.

Lancaster Mk.I LL888 JN-X  (9)

P/O Arthur Russell Young, RNZAF NZ421133 – Pilot.
F/S Douglas Dean McDonald, RAAF AUS.422632 – Navigator.
P/O James Colin Burch, RAFVR 1434570, 175383 – Air Bomber.
W/O Ronald Charles Axten, RNZAF NZ404589 – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. Frederick Holt, RAFVR 1590363 – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. Melvin Sumner, RAFVR 1685755 – Mid Upper Gunner.
F/S Ronald Burrows, RAFVR 1388459 – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 22:57 – Landed 02:52
Flight Time 03:55

22/05/1944 – Attack Against Dortmund
Twenty three aircraft were detailed to attack Dortmund of which eighteen completed their mission successfully.  Three aircraft returned early and two failed to return (Captains NZ417016 P/O. E. Burke and NZ42354 P/O. C. Armstrong).  The raid was well concentrated and carried out in good weather with excellent visibility.  One aircraft had an inconclusive combat with a JU 88.  Otherwise the operation was uneventful.

Lancaster Mk.I LL888 JN-X  (10)

P/O Arthur Russell Young, RNZAF NZ421133 – Pilot.
F/S Douglas Dean McDonald, RAAF AUS.422632 – Navigator.
P/O James Colin Burch, RAFVR 1434570, 175383 – Air Bomber.
W/O Ronald Charles Axten, RNZAF NZ404589 – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. Frederick Holt, RAFVR 1590363 – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. Melvin Sumner, RAFVR 1685755 – Mid Upper Gunner.
F/S Ronald Burrows, RAFVR 1388459 – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 23:00 – Landed 03:30
Flight Time 04:30

24/05/1944 – Attack Against Aachen
Thirteen aircraft were detailed to attack Aachen and eleven to attack a target at Boulogne.  They all were successful in attacking their respective targets and good concentrated bombing was reported.  Two aircraft attacking Aachen had combats with enemy aircraft, NZ40750 F/L. R. Berney claiming the destruction of an enemy night fighter and 170664 P/O. T. Buckley claimed strikes on a F.W. 190.  There was no opposition from the Boulogne target.

Lancaster Mk.I LL888 JN-X  (11)

P/O Arthur Russell Young, RNZAF NZ421133 – Pilot.
F/S Douglas Dean McDonald, RAAF AUS.422632 – Navigator.
P/O James Colin Burch, RAFVR 1434570, 175383 – Air Bomber.
W/O Ronald Charles Axten, RNZAF NZ404589 – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. Frederick Holt, RAFVR 1590363 – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. Melvin Sumner, RAFVR 1685755 – Mid Upper Gunner.
F/S Ronald Burrows, RAFVR 1388459 – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 00:35 – Landed 04:20
Flight Time 03:45

27/05/1944 – Attack Against Aachen
Eighteen aircraft were detailed to attack Aachen, one of which returned early and two failed to return (Captains NZ414971 F/L. S. Fauvel and NZ421105 Sgt. Scott, F.).  The remaining fifteen successfully bombed the target in clear weather, one aircraft (Captain NZ40750 F/L. R. Berney) had five successive inconclusive combats with an ME 410 in the Courtrai area.

Lancaster Mk.I LL888 JN-X  (12)

P/O Arthur Russell Young, RNZAF NZ421133 – Pilot.
P/O Douglas Dean McDonald, RAAF AUS.422632 – Navigator.
P/O James Colin Burch, RAFVR 1434570, 175383 – Air Bomber.
W/O Ronald Charles Axten, RNZAF NZ404589 – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. Frederick Holt, RAFVR 1590363 – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. Melvin Sumner, RAFVR 1685755 – Mid Upper Gunner.
F/S Ronald Burrows, RAFVR 1388459 – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 00:50 – Landed 04:35
Flight Time 03:45

28/05/1944 – Attack Against Angers
Twenty two aircraft were detailed to attack the marshalling yards at Angers.  Six of these were withdrawn, two returned early with engine trouble, but the remaining fourteen aircraft successfully bombed the target in good weather.  A good concentrated attack was reported, and opposition was only slight.

Lancaster Mk.I LL888 JN-X  (13)

P/O Arthur Russell Young, RNZAF NZ421133 – Pilot.
P/O Douglas Dean McDonald, RAAF AUS.422632 – Navigator.
P/O James Colin Burch, RAFVR 1434570, 175383 – Air Bomber.
W/O Ronald Charles Axten, RNZAF NZ404589 – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. Frederick Holt, RAFVR 1590363 – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. Melvin Sumner, RAFVR 1685755 – Mid Upper Gunner.
F/S Ronald Burrows, RAFVR 1388459 – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 18:55 – Landed 01:45
Flight Time 06:50

31/05/1944 – Attack Against Trappes
Twenty four aircraft were despatched to attack the marshalling yards at Trappes.  One was withdrawn and another returned early through technical trouble.  The remainder, however, bombed in good visibility, reporting an accurate attack.  One aircraft (Captain NZ422098 P/O. L. Bonisch) had a combat with an enemy aircraft which was seen to be shot down by another of our aircraft.

Lancaster Mk.I LL888 JN-X  (15)

P/O Arthur Russell Young, RNZAF NZ421133 – Pilot.
P/O Douglas Dean McDonald, RAAF AUS.422632 – Navigator.
P/O James Colin Burch, RAFVR 1434570, 175383 – Air Bomber.
W/O Ronald Charles Axten, RNZAF NZ404589 – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. Frederick Holt, RAFVR 1590363 – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. Melvin Sumner, RAFVR 1685755 – Mid Upper Gunner.
F/S Ronald Burrows, RAFVR 1388459 – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 00:05 – Landed 05:00
Flight Time 04:55

05/06/1944 – Attack Against Ouistreham
The target for No.3 Group was the coastal battery at Ouistreham in N. France.  This target, and others in the same area were attacked by strong forces of Bomber Command aircraft immediately prior to the Anglo-American Invasion of the Continent.  Twenty six aircraft from this Squadron participated and all were successful in bombing their target with the aid of markers.  Opposition was very slight.

Lancaster Mk.III ND904 AA-B  (7)

P/O Arthur Russell Young, RNZAF NZ421133 – Pilot.
P/O Douglas Dean McDonald, RAAF AUS.422632 – Navigator.
P/O James Colin Burch, RAFVR 1434570, 175383 – Air Bomber.
W/O Ronald Charles Axten, RNZAF NZ404589 – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. Frederick Holt, RAFVR 1590363 – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. Melvin Sumner, RAFVR 1685755 – Mid Upper Gunner.
F/S Ronald Burrows, RAFVR 1388459 – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 03:45 – Landed 07:10
Flight Time 03:25

06/06/1944 – Attack Against Lisieux
Twenty four aircraft took off, as detailed, to attack a target at Lisieux, in support of the invading forces which were establishing a bridge head in Normandy.  All aircraft successfully bombed the target and an accurate attack was reported.  Only slight opposition was encountered.

Lancaster Mk.III ND904 AA-B  (8)

P/O Arthur Russell Young, RNZAF NZ421133 – Pilot.
P/O Douglas Dean McDonald, RAAF AUS.422632 – Navigator.
P/O James Colin Burch, RAFVR 1434570, 175383 – Air Bomber.
W/O Ronald Charles Axten, RNZAF NZ404589 – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. Frederick Holt, RAFVR 1590363 – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. Melvin Sumner, RAFVR 1685755 – Mid Upper Gunner.
F/S Ronald Burrows, RAFVR 1388459 – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 23:58 – Landed 03:23
Flight Time 03:25

08/06/1944 – Attack Against Fougeres
Twenty aircraft took off as detailed to attack Fougeres in N. France.  Nineteen aircraft bombed successfully, one bringing its bombs back owing to the Bomb sight being unserviceable when over the target area.  Two aircraft had inconclusive combats with enemy aircraft, but the remainder carried out their mission without incident, there being no opposition in the target area.

Lancaster Mk.I LL888 JN-X  (18)

P/O Arthur Russell Young, RNZAF NZ421133 – Pilot.
P/O Douglas Dean McDonald, RAAF AUS.422632 – Navigator.
P/O James Colin Burch, RAFVR 1434570, 175383 – Air Bomber.
W/O Ronald Charles Axten, RNZAF NZ404589 – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. Frederick Holt, RAFVR 1590363 – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. Melvin Sumner, RAFVR 1685755 – Mid Upper Gunner.
F/S Ronald Burrows, RAFVR 1388459 – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 22:05 – Landed 02:25
Flight Time 04:20

10/06/1944 – Attack Against Dreux
Of the twenty four aircraft detailed to bomb Dreux, twenty two successfully attacked in good weather, the marshalling yards being visually identified until they were obscured by smoke.  One aircraft had an inconclusive combat with a JU.88.  The aircrafts captained by NZ422098 P/O. L. Bonisch and NZ422267 F/S. Donaghy, T. failed to return.

Lancaster Mk.I LL888 JN-X  (19)

P/O Arthur Russell Young, RNZAF NZ421133 – Pilot.
P/O Douglas Dean McDonald, RAAF AUS.422632 – Navigator.
P/O James Colin Burch, RAFVR 1434570, 175383 – Air Bomber.
W/O Ronald Charles Axten, RNZAF NZ404589 – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. Frederick Holt, RAFVR 1590363 – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. Melvin Sumner, RAFVR 1685755 – Mid Upper Gunner.
F/S Ronald Burrows, RAFVR 1388459 – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 23:05 – Landed 03:50
Flight Time 04:45

11/06/1944 – Attack Against Nantes
Seventeen aircraft were detailed to attack a military target at Nantes.  All aircraft successfully bombing the target.  Large fires and explosions were reported.  Intense light A.A. Fire was encountered in the target area.  the aircraft captained by NZ421072 P/O. C. McCardle, shortly after leaving the target area, was damaged by what is now thought to have been a light A.A. Shell exploding in the cockpit.  The Captain received severe injuries and the Flight Engineer Sgt. Benfold, R., superficial injuries.  The Air Bomber, AUS410489 W/O. Hurse, A. took over the controls, and with the assistance of the Navigator NZ4310159 F/O. A. Zillwood, brought the aircraft safely back to this country, where a perfect landing was executed.

Lancaster Mk.I LL888 JN-X  (20)

P/O Arthur Russell Young, RNZAF NZ421133 – Pilot.
P/O Douglas Dean McDonald, RAAF AUS.422632 – Navigator.
P/O James Colin Burch, RAFVR 1434570, 175383 – Air Bomber.
W/O Ronald Charles Axten, RNZAF NZ404589 – Wireless Operator.
Sgt. Frederick Holt, RAFVR 1590363 – Flight Engineer.
Sgt. Melvin Sumner, RAFVR 1685755 – Mid Upper Gunner.
F/S Ronald Burrows, RAFVR 1388459 – Rear Gunner.

Take Off 23:50 – Landed 05:22
Flight Time 05:32

More Battle Orders

Many thanks to Kevin for passing these Battle Orders onto me at the Association Reunion this weekend, having had them passed to him by Jack Richards, our last Association President before he passed away. The Battle Orders presented here add to the modest collection already gathered and when I get time I will create a new menu item in the ’75(NZ) Squadron RAF Records’ section of the blog to present them together in chronological order.

12/6/41 ?

This first ‘Battle Order’ is perhaps a little perplexing – the date on it appears to be 12/6/41, however looking at the OP for that date, the raid on Hamm lists only 10 participating aircraft. In discussion with Kevin, he wondered out loud whether the numbers in brackets after each airman was an Ops tally. Looking at this document more closely and with my difficulty in fitting the list to a specific raid, I wonder now whether this is in fact a crew muster for the Squadron for that date – the bottom rows seem to fall away regarding a full crew, being minus the Captain and Pilot. If you look carefully, the list seems to have been written on the back of a form which seems to be a report form. for “Officers, W/O or Airmen that (I think) have completed courses for instruction” – I suspect this in itself perhaps has nothing to do with this list of airmen, but I include it a second time below, in reverse, in case anybody can shed more light on it……..

Interestingly, within the first crew listed under ‘B Flight’, is Sgt. James Allen Ward, second Pilot to S/L Reuben Widdowson at this time.

10/9/44 War Ops – Montvilliers

Twenty seven aircraft attacked Montivilliers in the Le Havre area, as detailed.  All crews dropped their bombs on the target and a very concentrated raid developed.  No fighters were encountered and only slight opposition was met from ground defences.

27/9/44 War Ops – Calais

Fourteen aircraft attacked Calais as detailed, taking off in the morning during doubtful weather.  Crews bombed visually under instructions from the Master Bomber and a good concentrated raid was carried out.  Some accurate heavy and light A.A. fire was met over the target.

1/1/45 War Ops – Vohwinkel

Twenty one aircraft were detailed to attack Vohwinkel, carrying 4,000 H.C., 500 ANM, 500 G.P. and 500 M.C. and Munro bombs. Nineteen aircraft took off, seventeen of which attacked primary target. NZ403980 P/O McMillan attacked a last resort target. NZ40984 W/Cdr. R.J. Newton and P/O R. Aitchison (NZ429286) as second pilot failed to return. There was very little opposition in the target area.

3/1/45 War Ops – Dortmund

Fourteen aircraft were detailed to attack Dortmund Oil Refineries in daylight. Crews bombed by instruments in ten tenths cloud. Results were unobserved. The aircraft carried 4,000 H.C., 500 M.C. 500 G.P. 500 ANM and Munro bombs. NZ42397 F/L L. Hannan landed at Mendalsham on return, but reached base later the same evening.

12/3/45 War Ops – Dortmund

Dortmund was the target for 21 aircraft carrying 1 x 8,000 H.C., 4,000 H.C., 500 ANM., and Smoke Puffs (red). Flak was slight to moderate, cloud ten tenths with tops 5/6000ft. Aircraft reported good results. Smoke was already pushing through cloud when aircraft left. Bombing was well concentrated.

 

 

A bit of an Announcement…..

I’ve been a bit busy of late, trying to clear the decks as it were, last week, before travelling down to Mepal on Thursday , to stay a night at the 3 Pickerells. We would then move onto the Dolphin at St. Ives for the annual  Friends of 75 (NZ) Squadron Association.

As always I was keen to get there, but I was also very conscious that we were gathering this year to say goodbye to our last President, Jack Richards and to lay his ashes in the Memorial Garden prior to our Service of Remembrance on Sunday morning. The subject of Jack’s replacement had, I must admit occupied my thoughts recently and I wondered who was going to be made the new President.

I will make another more detailed post about the weekend, hopefully by the end of this week, but I had no idea to be honest, the turn of events that were to take place.

I must thank the Association Committee with all of my heart for the decision they came to regarding the next President of the Association, when they asked me and I accepted.

Honestly, I felt a little bit numb after the discussion and after the announcement on the Saturday night. I’ll make it clear now, that I will do my utmost to fill the space that Jack’s death has left in the Association, but, Jack is now legend and the honour I feel is as much as being given the opportunity to continue in the title that Jack so wisely carried for so many years, as in the taking of the title itself.

Talking at the weekend to a few people, it struck me that what I feel as my biggest regret, that I never spoke to Dad about his time with the Squadron, perhaps had a reason in itself. Perhaps if I had and I had found out from him all the things I still do not know, it might have ended there – Bob would pass away, but I would have known about these times and I would keep them as memories of my Father. Perhaps the fact that I didn’t was for the best – it meant that I started my search, found Kevin and the Association and created the blog and am now here, writing this to tell you all that I am now President of the Association – I have just read this back and I still can’t believe it.

As an Association, we will continue to move forward. The blog has proved to me that there is still a deep respect and desire to know the stories of our Fathers, Grandfathers, and Uncles and it is this task that they have entrusted to us. We must all ensure that their stories are told and never forgotten and most importantly I believe, that these stories of 75(NZ) Squadron and the braves boys that flew in it are held for younger generations to discover and understand.

Jack, I will try to not let you down.

Simon

Ake Ake Kia Kaha

Charles Wilfred Wheeler, Air Gunner – Berney, White and Stott crew

It is with great sadness that I must report the death of Charles Wilfred Wheeler, Air Gunner, who flew with the Berney, White and Stott crew between April and September 1944.

The news was passed to me by Clive Turvey, President of Harborne Golf Club, where Wilf was a member for almost 50 years.

Ake Ake Kia Kaha

A Noble Chance – Maurice McGreal

I’ve been desperately trying to work through my pile of Squadron related books and to be honest, its been as successful lately as posting on the blog…….

Dipping in and out of about 10 books is not a good way to absorb information, but it means that you are constantly trawling and sieving and whilst flicking through ‘A Noble Chance’ by Maurice Mcgreal, I saw a photo that I remembered seeing elsewhere.

The picture below shows the Ops board for 16th July 1941 and it caught my eye because of what looked like a fairly extensive list of 75(NZ) Squadron aircraft, listed with serials, designators letters (a real rarity for the Wellington years it would seem) and the Pilots that flew that night. Given my efforts for the past twelve months with the Op History Database, it seemed an amazing chance to add some of the all too commonly missing letters to some of the Squadron’s aircraft………..

Feltwell ops Board 16th July 1941. Notable NZers in the list of aircraft captains are F/Lt. Frank Gill, P/O Artie Ashworth, P/O Graham Hamlin, Sgts Jacky Joll, Ian Reid, Pip Coney and Bob Fotheringham. From “A Noble Chance”, by Maurice McGreal

Opening the book at the relevant page and scrolling through the database, I hit an instant panic – there is no Op listed in the ORB’s for the 16th July. Two options flash across my mind – ANOTHER missing piece of information form the ORB, or perhaps the caption is wrong – surely not, that couldn’t have happened………..could it?

A digitally corrected version of the photograph above – looking at this image now, I realise that actually towards the bottom of the image you can actually just make out that the board does say ’16-17 June 1941’………….

Scrolling up and down the database rows,  it finally dawned on me that the only possible Op this could be a record of was in fact the 16th of June 1941. Scanning and correctively distorting the image to make it ‘head on’ gave me a more workable image and based on legible, half legible and what remained, I came up with the following list of aircraft and Pilots for the June 16th Op to Dusseldorf.

serial	flight	letter	rank	Pilot	up	down	fight
T.2805	AA	D	F/L	Thomas Francis Gill	23:20	03:55	4:35
R.1038	AA	H	F/O	Graham Noel Parker	23:40	03:15	3:35
N.2854	AA	U	P/O	Alan Murray Hobbs	23:20	05:00	5:40
R.1518	AA	X	P/O	Graham Wellesley Hamlin	23:45	04:10	4:25
L.7818	AA	R	P/O	George William Curry	23:15	03:15	4:00
R.1648	AA	K	Sgt.	Phillip Ronald ‘Pip’ Coney	23:35	04:15	4:40
R.1457	AA	P	S/L	Reuben Pears Widdowson	23:40	04:40	5:00
W.5663	AA	O/Q?	P/O	William Jeffrey Rees	23:20	04:20	5:00
R.1237	AA	G	Sgt.	Robert Ewen Ernest Fotheringham	23:50	04:55	5:05
T.2835	AA	C	P/O	James Williamson Thomson	23:35	05:15	5:40
R.1409	AA	N	P/O	Jack Joll	23:10	04:00	4:50
W.5621	AA	E	Sgt.	Ian Laurie Reid	23:40	05:40	6:00
T.2747	AA	J	P/O	Arthur Ashworth	23:05	04:10	5:05
X.3194	AA	S	Sgt.	Frederick Thomas Miniken	23:30	03:10	3:40
L.7848	AA	V	Sgt.	Francis Charles Fox	23:30	04:30	5:00

Now, all this aside, I have to also highly recommend ‘A Noble Chance’ (as if my recommendation is worth anything). Long out of print I suspect, but I picked a perfectly serviceable copy up form Amazon for about £20.

I have no idea if Maurice is still with us – if he is and/ or anybody knows him, I’d love to hear from them – taking a polite gamble with the normal warning in a printed book, I have decided for the benefit of you all to present the 3rd chapter of “A Noble Chance” .

Chapter 3.
75 Sqdn/ 1941

It was very much an  home” feeling on 75 Squadron. There were New Zealanders all around; men whose names I had read in the news since I was a boy. Maurice Buckley and Cyril Kay (who was always referred to as Cyrus), ‘Popeye’ Lucas who’s name  already a legend, Frank Gill, and Dave Pritchard who had been an Air Force trainee at the Auckland Aero Club when I started. He was from the Dannevirke district.

Back in November, when the Tamaroa draft had first reached the bright lights of London, I had met up with a Sergeant navigator who was down on a few days pass from 75 Squadron; Hughie English and he came from Napier. Over many pints of beer in the Tartan Dive of the Sussex Hotel he told us, the ‘new boys’, about life on the squadron and how there was a strong sense of being “at home” there. I made up my mind, there and then, that that was where I was going to get posted.

We were given a “nickel raid“ as a starter. This was a flight over France to drop thousands and thousands of leaflets, hopefully to encourage the natives to turn on the Nazis and disrupt the war effort in any way they could. Perhaps too, to encourage a few Parisians and maybe a few Parisienne, to come across to our side.

The rest of the squadron was briefed for the real attack; Hamburg I think it was, and when they had all gone off to get ready for the night’s work, we were given a brief on our job.

It was made clear to us that France was not considered “enemy” territory and that we should not carry out hostile actions. Even the necessary dropping of a single incendiary bomb for the purpose of taking a navigational drift check was frowned on.

Great bales of paper bundles were already loaded into the fuselage of the Wellington when we climbed aboard and the aircraft almost leapt into the sky as we set out on this first raid because although the load looked bulky, it really wasn’t very heavy. Our course took us over the East Anglian coastal town of Aldeburgh and from here we turned south for Paris.

Frank had climbed out of the pilot’s seat soon after take-off and I flew the aircraft throughout the climb to 12,000 feet aiming for a point some twenty miles to the north of the city. The wind was northerly and the navigator, Davie Florence, had calculated a line which would, he hoped, let the leaflets flutter down into the city.

Throughout the climb Frank kept coming up on the intercom with calls for great vigilance because although we thought this was French airspace there was no guarantee that the enemy took the same high view of wartime rules. There could very well be some Nazi on a training flight who would be willing to have a go at us.

We stared into the darkness until our eyes were sore. Frank climbed back into the left hand seat and Davie and I were sent aft to prepare for the task of pushing the leaflets through the flare tube: a large steel pipe about 10 inches in diameter and about four foot six long. Normally this was for the dropping of flares over a target but tonight we were to use it as a great airborne toilet pushing a ton of paper through.

Alas for the plan. The 140 mph slipstream that raced past the exits was like a wall and after several minutes we could see that we would be all night getting the job done. I called Frank and said that we would have to open the wide hatch that covered the hole in the bottom of the aircraft where a mid- under turret; a ‘dustbin’, could be installed and push the paper through that. The skipper was getting a bit tense because he was already flying the second leg of our drop line and Davie and I hadn‘t even started our job. I had never heard him swear before. “Get the fucking stuff out any way you bloody well want. But I’m not sitting up here stooging up and clown thirty miles of French sky waiting for someone to come up and find out what the hell we‘re doing.”

Davie lifted the lightweight frame that covered the hatchway and now we had a three foot wide hole with the French countryside far below showing in the light of the half moon. Together we started pushing out handfuls of paper but they blew back and within minutes the interior of the aircraft was plastered with loose leaflets!

I made a command decision; I told Davie that we would keep them tied in their bundles and dump them en masse. Within ten minutes we had cleared the load but still there were thousands and thousands strewn about the fuselage.

Both of us were gasping now for we had had to rely on occasional gulps of oxygen and red lights were dancing before my eyes. Davie dropped the hatch cover into place and I called Frank to say we were finished. In a flash we rolled over and started a shallow dive on a course towards the White Cliffs of Dover. Davie and I just lay among the wasteland of paper and we took great sucks at the oxygen outlet tube and after a few minutes the red lights had gone and I crawled over the wing spar and rejoined Frank up at the front end.

I flew the return leg until we were in sight of the winking code of the Feltwell Pundit* which told us we were over home territory Frank did one more of those bouncy sort of landings we were coming to recognise as his trademark and after a few kangaroo hops past the Chance light, we came to a stop in the darkness on the other side of the aerodrome by the southern dispersal. For some reason he didn‘t like landing in the swathe of the Chance light saying that it put him off and he preferred to land in the darkness well off to the side. I wasn’t sure it was such a good idea.

Our debriefing didn’t take long. Nobody seemed very interested in our problems because within half an hour the crews would be returning from the hell that had been the skies over Hamburg. It had all been a shambles, I thought, as I climbed into bed sometime after 0200 hours, but the crews who had been to Hamburg and with whom we had talked as we sat in the Mess tucking into bacon and eggs, seemed to know much more about what they were doing; so perhaps we would learn to do it better. We needed to.

For two days we stood down and in my little Standard we explored the ancient villages and the scenes that Constable had known. At Brandon and Thetford we drank beer in the tiny pubs and watched love story films at the cinema – love stories that took us far from the world of war.

On 18 March Frank called me on the phone to get the crew rounded up for an NFT (night flying test) and we knew that we must be down for a raid that night because an NFT was always flown in the morning to check out the aircraft, if ops were laid on that night.

For fifty minutes Frank gave us a good working over as we practised drills for avoiding enemy night fighter attacks and for dodging searchlight cones and the associated flak. I had the job of standing; braced, with my head high in the astro dome (plastic bubble on top of the fuselage) and from there calling over the intercom, warnings of aircraft attack. Frank then would respond with violent dives and banks to simulate our necessary response to an enemy attack.

After about five minutes of this both the air gunners were sick and their breakfast had been sprayed all over their turrets. Davie and Syd weren’t much better but I was fine, I think because I was standing up and could watch the world turn upside down; or almost so. Then Frank suddenly called; “Diving . . and rolling the aircraft over into a vertical bank we dived steeply towards the ground 8,000 feet below.

Our guts took some moments to catch up with the rest of our bodies and my feet were inches clear of the floor as he twisted and turned thoughout the dive simulating an escape from a searchlight cone.

Back at dispersal the Corporal silently handed a hose and scrubbing brush to the gunners. For half an hour, then, they hosed away the remnants of their breakfast from the guns and the handlebar controls and all the nooks and crannies in their turrets as they meditated on the realities of the air war!

Frank and I and the rest of the crew went off back to the Flight Office and heard the whisper that we were bound for the docks at Rotterdam that night.

The big Operations Room was already filled with loud jesting and banter as we came in; perhaps the crews did this to hide their nerves. Each of us stood to attention and saluted the Room as we entered; a bit like saluting the bridge on a Naval vessel when you first step aboard.

Being the new boys we sat quietly close by Bob Fotheringham and the lads of his crew. A hush settled as Group Captain Maurice Buckley and the Wing Commanders, followed by the Intelligence Officers and some minor officers came in from a side entrance into the brightly lighted fore part, in front of the big wall map of Europe. A bit like a procession before High Mass it seemed to me.

The jesting was done now and the crews listened carefully to hear the word as to where they would go tonight to meet the enemy. Kiel – some low whistles and the hissing of indrawn breath. A tough one, Kiel, with a reputation for massive concentrations of searchlights and flak.

Coloured wool drew lines across the North Sea to the target; the epidiascope threw great enlarged pictures on the screen where the precise target points had been outlined and where the tons of high explosives were to be aimed. The codes for identification on return and the colours of the day were given, as too were those for the enemy. How on earth they were known I have no idea. The routine warnings reiterated the need to clear our pockets of anything that could be of value to the enemy Intelligence in case we were taken prisoner.

Our crew briefing was last and we were told that there were nineteen aircraft going to do over the docklands of Rotterdam that night and some of the lads on Bob’s crew whispered to us that it was considered to be an easy target.

Frank said, “Don’t take it easy because we can still attract the interest of a night fighter. ” Anyway it was another one towards the thirty we had to do before we finished our tour. Two hours later, dressed in our warm high level flying gear; and underwear of silk; and trousers tucked into our shining black leather knee boots warm lined with New Zealand sheep wool, we walked from our Barrack Block to the Flights in the last light of the dying sun. A WAAF rode by on her bicycle with some papers in her hand. Some sparrows fossicked about in the weeds and the dead leaves of a neglected garden space. How normal it all seemed. I thought, “In an hour we will be crossing the Channel bound for the enemy. Do we look any different?, and will the WAAF wonder where we are, and really, did she even notice us this evening?

With a call of “Here we go” Frank pushed open the throttles and we raced across the darkened aerodrome along the line of lights and climbed into the air. It was a heavy aircraft tonight, with fuel for six hours or more and the bomb bay filled with 500 pound bombs and canisters of strange, hexagonal black sticks about the size of a relay runner’s baton that were deadly phosphorus incendiaries.

I took over the climb towards 12,000 feet, or higher if we could make it, and Frank stood watching all about, from the vantage point in the astro dome. The crew were all silent and there was no useless chattering over the intercom. They all seemed to know that this trip was the first real one. The shambles of the nickel raid must never be repeated.

The coastline of Holland showed up ahead and Frank climbed back into the seat while I took up station in the astro dome. We were going to go in a bit north of the target and then turn due south for the bombing run; at least that was the plan. The stars were bright and the pale light of the half moon showed scattered cloud far below.

Davie, as the bomb aimer, was now prone by the bombsight and with his carefully shaded torch was trying to match faint ground features with the map of Rotterdam he held. A searchlight came on away to the right and after waving about for a few seconds went out. Suddenly in the same place six beams sprang to life and then swung swiftly into a cone. Flak bursts filled the apex but we could see no sign of an aircraft in the trap — there were eighteen others with us here tonight and perhaps it was one of them.

We droned on towards the target now on the southerly leg. Suddenly close beside us two strong beams sprang to life and wavered about for a few moments and then went out. Then like six great angry fingers, a cluster came swiftly to life in the same place and in one sweep they all moved across to us and locked on.

The cockpit was filled with harsh bluish light: The shadows were all hard edged and sharp. In a flash it was the morning NFT all over again and Frank’s force on the controls was brutal. He dived and rolled away from the cone; then with a savage heave, dragged the aircraft over and away from the lights as they strove to follow. Then a fierce pull up and a corkscrew down again. Anything to try and baffle the radar and the trackers down below.

I worked my way forward to be close to Frank in case he should be hit and as I reached him he threw the aircraft into another steep dive and I floated weightless; but we had achieved the blessed darkness of the nameless world outside the cone of light. Frank climbed to regain some of our lost height and turned in towards the target in reply to Davie’s calls. There were no tired eyes now. No one said they were sick; no funny remarks came across the intercom.

Davie asked if anyone could pick up the bend in the river we had been briefed to look out for as a guide to the aiming point. From his voice you’d have thought that nothing had happened over the past few minutes. The routine drawl of his Toronto accent came clear through to our ears as we all stared down into the darkness to try and identify something that would be of help. There were glimpses of the river water in the reflected light of the moon.

We were certainly over Rotterdam, but just where?Frank pulled his mask-mike aside from his mouth and shouted, “Go back and stick a flare out. It should show us something.” I gave him a thumb and turned to go aft and at once my head jerked sideways  the oxygen tube and the intercom connections, which I had forgotten to unplug, nearly dragged my head from my shoulders. Syd looked up from his dimly lighted desk at the radio as, clumsy in my multiple layers of clothing, I struggled across the main wing spar and aft along the catwalk to where the flares were stacked in racks on the starboard side.

Each was about four feet long; black and finned at the end. The trigger end had a safety fork and a lanyard that tugged the safety fork clear and armed the thing as it slid out of the chute. I unclipped one from the rack and in the dim light slid it into the chute and engaged the trigger. It was minus 15°C outside and my thick gloved fingers were clumsy, and by the time I had got all this done I was gasping for lack of oxygen. The outlet point nearby was just too far away and I had unplugged while I was working on the flare.
I flicked on my torch to check that all was right and from the front I could see that Frank was getting more and more shitty. I fumbled with the trigger but the beast would not slide free. I rechecked the small lanyard and wriggled the trigger.

Syd Parrott, the wireless operator, was now making all the signs to showjust how irritable Frank was becoming. Their fingers and the signs were saying, “Get the bloody thing away.”

I pulled again and again. Suddenly in the darkness I saw, and my subconscious knew, that I had triggered the thing. It was doing a sort of fizzing and that meant that we had something like a minute to go before a million candlepower bomb burst in the aircraft. It would be worse than being hit by flak. It would be the end.

But none of these thoughts really went through my mind and with the numbness of shock I kept on blindly fiddling with the mechanism that would free it. Then suddenly it was no longer the the lanyard was dangling by the tube. Almost at once there was a great flash

close below the aircraft and MacMillan the tail gunner called that he thought we’d been hit.

I flopped down beside the intercom and oxygen point and plugged in. Les Gore in the front turret said that it was pretty close, whatever it was, and Frank reassured them when he said that as far as he could feel from the controls all was well with the aircraft.

I added nothing to assist their guessing. Then again came the calm voice of Davie Florence saying, “I think I have picked up the pinpoint we were looking for.” He told Frank to turn left about thirty degrees for a run into the target. Then, “No; That was the wrong river bend.” Once more we began the search for something that would give us a lead.

I had recovered now and rejoined the front end team. Les Gore said he had a view from the turret of something and Davie couldn’t pick up what part of the terrain he was talking about. Frank called up on the intercom, “For God’s sake, Davie, get a move on. I’ve had a gutsful of this bit of sky for tonight.” Then Les Gore again had a helpful sighting from the front turret.

This time Davie recognised it and started his monotonous litany of the bombaimer as he guided Frank on the final leg of the bombing run. “Left. Left. RI G H T, . . . STEADY; Left Left; STEADY.”

Then the words that all bomber crews greet with joy . . . “Bombs away.” Almost before the words had left his lips Frank was diving and turning away to the west and heading for home. Mac from the tail turret said he believed he had seen them hit the target area and that some fires had been started. Davie was very unhappy because he had intended the bombs to go in two separate sticks with a canister of incendiaries after each, but Frank had reselected his ‘mickey mouse’ (bomb selector) and dropped the whole load in one go.

They exchanged views on this for a few moments and then Frank told everyone to shut up because this was just the time that the night fighters attacked – in the post bombing euphoria when crews were heading home. I thought it was not the time to tell them about the chaos associated with the flare drop earlier on. It wouldn’t have helped.

We switched on the IFF as we neared the coast and dropped down towards Feltwell. There was an air raid in progress in the area and all there and only the bit of cord that was flarepaths had been doused so we turned off to the holding beacon and started circling at 4000 feet above some other aircraft which had returned earlier.

An hour and a half later we got a call from Rocky (F eltwell Base callsign) to return and land. Frank told Les Gore to stay in the front turret because of the possibility of enemy aircraft in the locality and Mac, of course, stayed in the rear turret. It was about the safest place anyway if there was a prang on landing.

I was standing beside Frank as he lined up for the landing but as usual he was aiming for a point well off to the right of the flare path and I felt he was also too high. The undercarriage was down and Frank selected the flap and trimmed quickly to offset nose up reaction.

The boundary passed below us and we were still far too high. Frank dragged off the power and the speed fell away and we started to sink in a flat attitude. The was an almighty bang as we hit the aerodrome and bounced and we hit and bounced again, and then again.

But I was taking little interest now for on the first bounce something had exploded within my right ankle and I had collapsed to the floor onto the entry hatchway door. My whole right leg was numb and I took my torch from my pocket and looked down at my foot but I could see no sign of it. I went cold and my first thought was that it was cut off.

I spoke into my mask mike saying, “Hi, Frank. I think my leg is broken.” This was greeted with a great gust of laughter over the intercom and calls of, “Who is going to pay the laundry bill after this one?”

We were now taxying across to the dispersal and everyone was a bit high because we had got home safely. Then Frank told them all to shut up and looking down at me said, “What the hell are you doing squatting down there?”

I said my piece again and lighted my leg with the torch which showed that there was a foot there OK; but that it was pointing backwards. Frank said, “Oh shit!” and called up for an ambulance because he had an injured crew member.

Cyrus Kay squatted beside me where I lay wrapped in a blanket on a stretcher out by the wingtip and gave me a cigarette. I didn’t smoke but felt it would be rude to refuse the Wing Commander and I puffed away.

The inside of the ambulance was white and warm and I felt snug and comfortable as we bumped our way onto the perimeter track. I felt no pain and at the sick bay I was given some morphia. I was numb and I felt that I knew all the orderlies and we talked as they cut my flying suit and the boot free from my leg . . . Perhaps I slept for a while.

Then I heard the MO say, “It looks like a Potts fracture . . . Third degree I would say . . .”

Long corridors were passing by and the bed was a smooth trolley and there was a girl holding my hand . . . I was sure I knew her. It was someone who had been with me at Teachers College. Yes, that was it. I talked to her about my sisters and brothers . . .

A Royal Occasion. June 1941. Feltwell. The Duke of Kent meets NZ crews of 75 Squadron before the raid on Kiel. G/Cpt Maurice Buckley, Feltwell Station Commander, second from the left and W/Cdr Cyril Kay fourth from left. The Duke is shaking the hands with Bob Fotheringham. The Author is next to Fotheringham. Pip Coney is second from the right. From “A Noble Chance”, by Maurice McGreal

Bob Fotheringham came back in “X” with his hydraulics shot. His landing roll ended when they tore into the rear edge of the left wing of “T”; a 57 Squadron Wellington parked by the perimeter wire. From “A Noble Chance”, by Maurice McGreal

 

Jack Richards – Memorial bench, Fakenham

Glad, Jack’s widow sat on the newly unveiled bench in Fakenham (image from edp.co.uk.)

Thanks to Kevin for bring to my attention the unveiling of a memorial seat to Jack Richards in Fakenham. The following text is from edp24.co.uk:

A bench has been erected in Fakenham in honour of haulage entrepreneur Jack Richards, whose yellow lorries are recognisable across the country.

The bench, which features an image of a lorry with a plaque, is next to the traffic lights on Highfield Road opposite the junction with Queens Road.

His son Anthony Richards said it was a fitting tribute to his father, who founded haulage firm Jack Richards and Son.

He said: “It is absolutely wonderful that my father is remembered in this way, he would have been so proud.

“Before the bypass came in our vehicles came past these traffic lights. It is nice that he is remembered in Fakenham, I just wish that he was here to see it.”

Read the full article on edp24 here.