Action This Day

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8-9-44
405 Sqn RCAF (Gransden Lodge – Lancaster III)
OPERATIONS “LE HAVRE A/P 13” 5 AIRCRAFT DETAILED (Daylight)

The following is CAN/J.4858 W/C Morrison, H.A., interrogation report following his being reported missing from bombing attack on Le Havre A/P 13, as shown above. Hit by flak over Le Havre at 0810 hours, 3,000 feet. Crew baled out and aircraft crashed. 7/8/10 clouds, base 1,500 to 2,000 feet, tops 8,000 feet. Approaching target over 10/10 cloud, saw Aiming Point briefly through a break. Mosquitoes Greens were all 100 to 300 yards East of Aiming Point. Captain told Main Force to orbit while assessing marking and the possibilities of a successful attack in the difficult weather conditions. After two runs, Captain began to let down to go below clouds, but while still in cloud and on our fourth run, we were hit by at least 3 bursts of Flak. First hit knocked starboard aileron off, second hit was through starboard wing, third hit was in belly of aircraft and started a serious fire. Aircraft became uncontrollable. Bombs jettisoned when hit. Captain gave order to bale out. All are crew successfully baled out, Captain last. Aircraft crashed on shore a few miles North of Le Havre with T.I.s on board. All of our crew except Warrant Officer Kuviak, landed in, or close to Allied lines and were back in the U.K. within 2 or 3 days. Warrant Officer Kuviak landed in German lines and was held prisoner for 5 days, until Le Havre was captured by the Allied Forces. Warrant Officer Kuviak returned back safe and uninjured to the U.K.

BOMBER COMMAND
LE HAVRE
333 aircraft – 304 Lancasters, 25 Mosquitoes, 4 Stirlings – of 1, 3 and 8 Groups attempted to bomb German positions but the weather was bad, with a low cloud base, and only 109 aircraft bombed, with indifferent results. 2 Lancasters lost.

The 4 Stirlings on this raid, all from 149 Squadron based at Methwold, were the last Bomber Command Stirlings to carry out a bombing operation. It is believed that Stirling LK 396, piloted by Flying Officer J. J. McKee, an Australian, was the last Stirling to bomb the target.

2 Hudsons carried out Resistance operations without loss.

________________________________________

8/9 September 1944
MINOR OPERATIONS
45 Mosquitoes to Nuremberg, 6 to Emden and 3 to Steenwijk, 13 R.C.M. sorties, 13 aircraft on Resistance operations. 1 Stirling on a Resistance flight was lost.

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2nd TAF
123 Wing, which with the rest of 84 Group would now increasingly provide support to Canadian First Army along the coastal belt, moved to B.35, Baromesnil, near Le Treport, from where attacks were commenced on the garrisons holding out at Le Havre and Dunkerque. Supporting them, 132 Wing moved to B.33, Neufcampville, south-west of Abbeville, and 146 Wing to B.23, Morainville.

The latter proved to be unserviceable on 8th, 193 and 266 Squadrons departing for the UK to join 257 at Manston where 146 Wing would remain until 11th. On this date however, 137 Squadron's Typhoons from B.58 undertook their first sorties over Germany. 135 Wing commenced moving to B.35, Baromesnil, 349 Squadron flying in on 8th, to be followed by the rest of the wing two days later.

In the evening a 98 Squadron Mitchell returned to Dunsfold with a bomb 'hung up'; on landing it exploded, destroying the aircraft with the loss of all the crew.

With the Pas de Calais thus effectively overrun, the barrage of V-1s on Southern England suddenly came to a halt and the Tempests of 3, 56 and 486 Squadrons, now joined by 80 and 274 Squadrons at Manston, were suddenly without targets, as were the Griffon-Spitfire units and the Polish Mustangs. 150 Wing Tempests were soon beginning to appear over mainland Europe, flying sweeps and reconnaissances.

USAAF
ENGLAND: IX Bomber Command bombers are grounded by bad weather, but fighters are able to support U.S. Army ground forces in France and Belgium.

ETO: The first German V-2 rocket launched operationally in the war strikes a Paris suburb, and the second V-2 strikes London within the hour.

FRANCE: More than 100 Eighth Air Force B-24s transport fuel to France.

The Ninth Air Force’s 366th Fighter Group displaces to Advance Landing Ground A-70, at Laon/Couvron Airdrome; and the Ninth Air Force’s 367th Fighter Group displaces to Advance Landing Ground A-71, at Clastres.

Twelfth Air Force fighters attack ten trains in the Belfort area and a horse-drawn convoy near Strasbourg.

XII TAC A-20s transport supplies to Lyon.

GERMANY: Three hundred forty-eight 1st Bombardment Division B-17s attack an oil-industry target at Ludwigshafen; 247 2d Bombardment Division B-24s attack a marshalling yard at Karlsruhe; 167 3d Bombardment Division B-17s attack an aircraft-industry target at Gustavsburg; and 166 3d Bombardment Division B-17s attack the oil depot at Kassel. Ten heavy bombers are lost.

One hundred sixty VIII Fighter Command fighter-bombers attack transportation targets east of the Rhine River, and 94 VIII Fighter Command fighters strafe targets of opportunity in western Germany.

ITALY: XII TAC fighter-bombers attack barges and two pontoon bridges along the Po River.

MTO: Twelfth Air Force medium bombers are grounded by bad weather.

ROMANIA: MATAF C-47s complete the fifth Operation REUNION evacuation mission of USAAF airmen liberated from prisoner-of-war camps around Bucharest.

YUGOSLAVIA: Fifteenth Air Force B-17s and B-24s attack bridges at Belgrade and Brod, and marshalling yards at Nis and Sarajevo. Also, 325th Fighter Group P-51s strafe Ecka Airdrome, destroying 58 GAF aircraft of all types on the ground; and 332d Fighter Group P-51s strafe the airdrome at Handza, destroying all of the 18 GAF aircraft parked there.

BASE CHANGES
65 Sqn (Mustang III) moves to B.60 Grimberghen
140 Sqn (Mosquito PRIX/PRXVI) moves to B.48 Amiens/Glisy
193 Sqn (Typhoon IB) moves to Manston
349 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to B.35 Le Treport

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
149 Sqn (Methwold) flies its last OM in the Stirling III
225 Sqn (Lyon) flies its first OM in the Spitfire LFIXB

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9-9-44
426 Sqn RCAF (Linton-on-Ouse – Halifax VII)
A long awaited break in the weather came this morning when fifteen aircraft took off at 0600 hours to bomb Le Havre bur due to heavy overcast over the target, all aircraft returned to base with their bomb loads. On the return trip “J” N.P.681 piloted by F/O Wilding, J.A., J27908, caught fire and crashed at Wallingford near R.A.F. station, Benson, Oxford, The pilot and Flight Engineer Sgt Andrew, J. 1199065 were killed. The other five membets of the crew successfully bailed out without serious injury.

BOMBER COMMAND
LE HAVRE
272 aircraft – 230 Halifaxes, 22 Lancasters, 20 Mosquitoes – of 4, 6 and 8 Groups were dispatched but, because of poor visibility, the Master Bomber ordered the raid to be abandoned before any of the heavies bombed. No aircraft lost.

2 Wellington R.C.M. and 1 Hudson Resistance sorties were flown without loss.

________________________________________

9/10 September 1944
MÖNCHENGLADBACH
113 Lancasters and 24 Mosquitoes of 5 and 8 Groups carried out a devastating raid on the centre of this target without loss.

Minor Operations: 39 Mosquitoes to Brunswick and 6 to Steenwijk, 22 R.C.M. sorties, 30 Mosquito patrols. No aircraft lost.

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2nd TAF
With the pace of the advance now beginning to slow a little, operations could be resumed, although the England-based units continued to operate to the full. During the day 24 Bostons attacked a strongpoint in by-passed Boulogne, but heavy Flak blew the tail off one 88 Squadron aircraft, which spiralled down steeply and crashed. Mitchells also attacked this target, but one of 180 Squadron's aircraft was also shot down by Flak there.

The Mustangs of 122 Wing moved to B.60, Grimbergen, another of Brussels' airfields, on this date, and from here 19 Squadron despatched aircraft on an area reconnaissance, attacking locomotives during the early afternoon. South of Apeldoorn, Flak brought down two of the squadron's fighters, Wt Off M.H.Bell, RAAF, and Flt Sgt W.G.Abbot, RNZAF, both being killed. The manner of Maxwell Bell's death was particularly unfortunate, for it later transpired that he been hidden by Dutch civilians and had been shot after capture by German troops - an event which would become increasingly common now that the war was occurring mainly over German soil. Perhaps even more chillingly, it was on this date that pilots of 412 Squadron reported seeing a new phenomenon - Me 262 jets.

From England the rest of 604 Squadron now flew over to join 264 Squadron and the unit's own small detachment at B.17; 410 Squadron moved to Hunsdon.

USAAF
BELGIUM: VIII Fighter Command fighter-bombers attack targets of opportunity throughout Belgium.

IX Bomber Command bombers drop leaflets over large areas of Occupied Belgium.

One FW-190 is downed near Liege at 1905 hours by a IX TAC fighter pilot.

FRANCE: Sixty-eight 3d Bombardment Group B-17s drop supply containers to French Resistance fighters in southern France, near Besancon.

IX Bomber Command bombers drop leaflets over the remaining areas of Occupied France, and Ninth Air Force fighters attack bridges at Custines and Pompey.

IX Troop Carrier Command transports complete more than 700 supply and evacuation sorties.

GERMANY: Three hundred eighty-seven 1st Bombardment Division B-17s attack a marshalling yard at Mannheim; 265 2d Bombardment Division B-24s attack a marshalling yard at Mainz; 251 3d Bombardment Division B-17s attack a munitions plant at Dusseldorf; and 69 heavy bombers attack various targets of opportunity.

Hundreds of VIII Fighter Command escort fighters attack ground targets throughout western Germany following their release from bomber-escort duties. Eight GAF aircraft are downed over Germany by VIII Fighter Command pilots between 1725 and 1800 hours.

ITALY: Twelfth Air Force B-25s attack supply points and troop concentrations near Bologna, and B-26s attack rail bridges spanning the Po River.

NETHERLANDS: VIII Fighter Command fighter-bombers attack shipping and shore targets in the Dutch islands. One Do-217 is downed by a 353d Fighter Group P-47 pilot at 1815 hours.

BASE CHANGES
16 Sqn (Spitfire PRIX/XI) moves to B.48 Amiens
19 Sqn (Mustang III) moves to B.60 Grimberghen
93 Sqn (Spitfire IX) moves to Lyon
122 Sqn (Mustang III) moves to B.60 Grimberghen
143 Sqn (Beaufighter TFX) moves to North Coates
224 Sqn (Liberator V) moves to Milltown
410 Sqn RCAF (Mosquito NF30) moves to Hunsdon
612 Sqn (Wellington XIV) moves to Limavady

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
143 Sqn (Reghaia) flies its last OM in the Beaufighter VIF
225 Sqn (Lyon) flies its first OM in the Spitfire LFIXE
542 Sqn (Benson) flies its first OM in the Spitfire PRXI

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10-9-44
346 (FF) Sqn (Elvington – Halifax III)
Sixteen aircraft were detailed to attack LE HAVRE, all were successful. The aircraft attacked the primary between 16.38 hours and 16.50 hours from an height of 8,700 feet to 11,000 feet. Most crews aimed at the red target indicators which appeared to be near the AP. All crews followed the instructions of the Master Bomber who was well heard. But it was felt that his tendency to comment on the bombing which had already taken place instead of confining his speech to instructions to those who had still to bomb might have led to errors if R/T reception had been poor. Aircraft, “M” NA 585 crashed on landing, only pilot alive. BOMB LOAD. Aircraft B,J,K,H,N,P, carried 9 x 1000 1b S.A.P. & 4 x 500 1b G.P. Aircraft C,D,E,G, carried 9 x 2000 lb S.A.P. & 4 x 500 lb M.C. Aircraft A,,M,L,O,Q, carried 6 x 1000 lb S.A.P. & 3 x 1000 1b G.P. & 4 X 500 1b M.C. WEATHER small amounts of medium cloud on route and clear on target.

BOMBER COMMAND
MINOR OPERATIONS
47 Mosquitoes to Berlin, 11 R.C.M. sorties, 24 Mosquito patrols, 2 Lancasters minelaying off Texel. No aircraft lost.

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2nd TAF
The Mustangs were hit again next day when 122 Squadron's new commanding officer, Sqn Ldr J.K.Porteous, DFC, led an armed reconnaissance over the Zwolle-Lingen-Münster-Arnhem area, strafing attacks being made on targets of opportunity. One of the unit's leading pilots, American- born Plt Off J.N.Thorne, DFC, was shot down by the ever-present Flak, and was killed.

125 Wing, settled in at B.52, also resumed operations during the day, while 145 Wing moved to B.37, Tous-en-Vimeau, in the Abbeville area, and 131 Wing to B.51, Lille/Vendeville. Wg Cdr Bill Pitt-Brown, now Wing Leader of 121 Wing, led his old squadron, 174, in a very effective attack on a pair of large barges which were endeavouring to cross the Westerscheldte. He reported: "We saw two large self-propelled barges leaving Terneuzen, absolutely crammed to the gunnels with Huns. We waited until they were in the middle of the estuary, so as we would be at maximum distance from the Flak on both banks. We hit them with everything we had. It was a gin- clear day and you could see every shade of blue and brown in the estuary, but as they sank, the water around the barges turned pink." Despite his precautions, light Flak was intense and Pitt-Brown's aircraft was hit; he baled out safely in the Lille-Ghent area. His was one of four Typhoons lost to Flak on this date.

123 Wing was now also being brought forward, to B.53, Merville, where the pilots of 609 Squadron were exultant to discover that they were at last to operate from a concrete runway!

USAAF
AUSTRIA: Three hundred forty-four Fifteenth Air Force B-17s and B-24s attack Horsching Airdrome, five ordnance depots, two oil refineries, and industrial areas around Vienna.

ETO: During the night of September 10–11, specially equipped, 474th Fighter Group P-38s mount night-intruder missions against German Army supply columns.

FRANCE: Approximately 340 IX Bomber Command B-26s and A-20s attack a rail bridge at Custines, a road bridge spanning the Moselle River, and several ammunition dumps and strongpoints.

The XIX TAC helps stem a violent German counterattack against U.S. Third Army units holding bridgeheads across the Moselle River near Arry.

IX Troop Carrier Command transports complete more than 800 supply and evacuation sorties.

The Ninth Air Force advance headquarters lays out a program for the interdiction of rail lines on both sides of the Rhine River through early October by IX and XIX TAC fighter-bomber groups.

Twelfth Air Force fighter-bombers attack rail lines around Belfort and Dijon.

Twenty-four Fifteenth Air Force B-24s transport supplies to Lyon.

GERMANY: A total of 1,063 Eighth Air Force B-17s attack marshalling yards at Heilbronn and Ulm, a tank factory at Nurnberg, an aircraft components factory at Furth, Giebelstadt Airdrome, an engine factory, a jet-engine factory, a motor-transport factory, and several targets of opportunity. Tested in combat for the first time on this mission is the GB-4 radio- and visually controlled guided bomb. Seven heavy bombers are lost.

One hundred twenty-one VIII Fighter Command P-47s strafe targets around Cologne, Frankfurt am Main, and Kassel.

Eighth and Ninth air force fighter pilots down eight GAF aircraft over Germany between 1115 and 1445 hours. 1stLt Ted E. Lines, a P-51 pilot with the 4th Fighter Group’s 335th Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status with a total of seven confirmed victories when he downs three Bf-109s and a Ju-88 near Kaiserlautern at 1115 hours; and 1stLt Carl G. Bickel, a P-51 pilot with the 354th Fighter Group’s 353d Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status when he downs an He-111 near Saarbrucken at 1445 hours.

ITALY: Eighty-eight Fifteenth Air Force B-24s attack the harbor at Trieste; Twelfth Air Force B-25s and B-26s attack bridges in the Po River valley and four supply and ammunition dumps; and XII TAC fighter-bombers support the Allied ground assault on the Gothic Line with attacks on lines of communication and various dumps.

LUXEMBOURG: Luxembourg City is liberated by elements of the U.S. First Army.

BASE CHANGES
33 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXE) moves to B.35 Le Treport
74 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXE) moves to B.37 Corroy
222 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXE) moves to B.35 Le Treport
248 Sqn (Mosquito FBVI/FBXVIII) moves to Banff
317 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to B.51 Lille/Vendeville
340 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to B.37 Corroy
341 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to B.37 Corroy
609 Sqn (Typhoon IB) moves to B.53 Merville

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
74 Sqn (Wyton) flies its first OM in the Mosquito BXX
249 Sqn (Canne) flies its last OM in the Spitfire VC
345 Sqn (Deanland) flies its first OM in the Spitfire LFIXB

[warshipbuilder]

11-9-44
408 Sqn RCAF (Linton-on-Ouse – Halifax VII)
Whether the old saying “no rest for the wicked" applies to 408 or not, we don't know, but for the third consecutive day we have been detailed for "OPS". Fifteen aircraft were detailed for these “OPS". Take-off tine was set for 1553 hours and all aircraft were airborne by 1118 hours. The target for this raid was CASTROP-RAUXEL, synthetic oil plant. All aircraft attacked the primary target between 1843.4 hours and 1847.3 hours from between 16,500 and 20,000 feet, with the exception of "S" SUGAR which abandoned task after take off and crashed at base at 1825 hours. Clear weather and good visibility over the target which was identified visually. Marking was prompt and both T.I. Red and Green markers fell to port side of the aiming point. Master Bombers instructions were to bomb 400 yds to Starboard of markers. Crews reported a concentrated attack with particularly large explosions between 1843 and 1845 hours. Ground defences were moderate to intense Heavy flak mainly barrage between 16,000 and 30,000 feet. No fighter opposition was encountered. An aircraft returned to Base safely except "Z" ZOMBIE who landed at CARNABY due to the Air Speed Indicator being unserviceable.

Another regrettable incident occurred this morning when CAN, J.19998 P/O Douglas Arthur, BURNELL (Pilot) died of self inflicted injuries to the head.

Note:- P/O Burnell had flown 23 operations and was 27 years old. It just emphasized to me what intense pressure these young men must have been under. This was a horrible tragedy.

BOMBER COMMAND
LE HAVRE
218 aircraft – 105 Halifaxes, 103 Lancasters, 10 Mosquitoes – of 4, 5, 6 and 8 Groups attacked German positions outside Le Havre. The bombing was carried out accurately in conditions of good visibility but the Master Bomber ordered the final wave to cease bombing because of smoke and dust. 171 aircraft bombed; none were lost.

Two British divisions were now making an attack on Le Havre and the German garrison surrendered a few hours later, but the port was not cleared for Allied use until several weeks later because of German mining and demolitions.

SYNTHETIC-OIL PLANTS
379 aircraft – 205 Halifaxes, 154 Lancasters, 20 Mosquitoes – carried out attacks on the Castrop-Rauxel, Kamen and Gelsenkirchen (Nordstern) plants. The first 2 targets were clearly visible and were accurately bombed but the Nordstern plant was partially protected by a smoke-screen which hindered bombing and prevented observation of the results.

The 3 forces were escorted by 26 squadrons of fighters – 20 squadrons of Spitfires and 3 each of Mustangs and Tempests. No German fighters were encountered. 5 Halifaxes of 4 Group and 2 Pathfinder Lancasters were lost from the Nordstern raid and 1 Lancaster was lost from each of the other raids. These losses were caused by Flak or by ‘friendly’ bombs.

Minor Operations: 5 R.C.M. sorties, 19 aircraft on Resistance operations. No losses.

________________________________________

11/12 September 1944
DARMSTADT
226 Lancasters and 14 Mosquitoes of 5 Group. 12 Lancasters lost, 5.3 percent of the Lancaster force.

A previous 5 Group attack in August had failed to harm Darmstadt but, in clear weather conditions, the group’s marking methods produced an outstandingly accurate and concentrated raid on this almost intact city of 120,000 people. A fierce fire area was created in the centre and in the districts immediately south and east of the centre. Property damage in this area was almost complete. Casualties were very heavy. The deaths of 8,433 people were actually reported to police stations. This figure was made up of: German civilians – 1,766 men, 2,742 women and 2,129 children, 936 service personnel, 492 foreign workers and 368 prisoners of war. The United States Strategic Bombing Survey,* which quotes these figures, adds that the actual death figure may have been 5,000 more, because many deaths were not immediately reported by the 49,200 homeless people who were evacuated from Darmstadt, most of whom did not return until after the war, if at all. A present-day Darmstadt city guide says: ‘12,300 dead, 70,000 homeless.’

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2nd TAF
In a series of further moves 35 (Recce) Wing started to fly up to B.43, Fort Rouge, 146 Wing from Manston to B.51, Lille/Vendeville, 132 Wing to B.57, Lille/Nord, while 409 Squadron flew over from England to B.24, St André de l'Eure.

During the day two Typhoons and three Spitfires were lost, and while four of these aircraft were reported to be the victims of Flak, one of the Typhoons - an aircraft of 182 Squadron flown by Flg Off P.J. Spellman, apparently fell to a fighter in the Breda-Dordrecht area.

USAAF
BELGIUM: The IX TAC headquarters displaces forward to Jamioulx from Versailles, France.

CANADA: President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Prime Minister Sir Winston S. Churchill meet in Quebec to discuss, among other matters, the final stages of the war in Europe.

FRANCE: A total of 358 IX Bomber Command B-26s and A-20s attack strongpoints and gun emplacements in and around Metz.

XIX TAC fighter-bombers continue to assist the U.S. Third Army in deflecting a German counterattack along the Moselle River.

The U.S. Seventh Army captures Dijon and links up with the U.S. Third Army, thereby forming a continuous Allied front line across France and Belgium, from the Mediterranean to the North Sea and from the English Channel to the Swiss frontier.

The Ninth Air Force’s 368th Fighter Group displaces to Advance Landing Ground A-69, at Laon/Athies Airdrome; the Ninth Air Force’s 36th Fighter Group displaces to Advance Landing Ground A-73, at Roye/Amy Airdrome; and the 9th Bombardment Division’s 397th Medium Bombardment Group displaces to Ad- vance Landing Ground A-41, at Dreux/Vermouillet Airdrome.

Fifty-four Fifteenth Air Force B-24s transport supplies to U.S. Army ground forces in France.

GERMANY: 1,016 Eighth Air Force heavy bombers, escorted by a total of 411 VIII Fighter Command fighters, attack synthetic-oil plants at eight locations, plus an ordnance depot at Magdeburg, an engineering plant at Hannover, and numerous targets of opportunity. More than 500 GAF fighters challenge the attacks, with the result that 40 heavy bombers and 17 USAAF fighters are downed in the first major aerial clash since May 28.

In the best one-day tally of the war so far, USAAF fighter pilots down 124 GAF aircraft—all fighters—over Germany between 1040 and 1530 hours. 1stLt Cyril W. Jones, Jr., a P-51 pilot with the 359th Fighter Group’s 370th Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status when he downs four Bf-109s near Gotha between 1145 and 1215 hours; LtCol John L. McGinn, the commanding officer of the 55th Fighter Group’s 338th Fighter Squadron, in P-51s, achieves ace status when he downs a Bf-109 near Meiningen at 1150 hours (three of McGinn’s earlier victories were scored in the South Pacific); Capt Benjamin H. King, a P-51 pilot with the 359th Fighter Group’s 368th Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status when he downs two FW-190s and a Bf-109 near Eisleben at 1205 hours (King’s three earlier victories were scored in the South Pacific); and 1stLt Francis R. Gerard, a P-51 pilot with the 339th Fighter Group’s 503d Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status when he downs three Bf-109s and an FW-190 near Annaberg at about 1215 hours.

On the first leg of the third Eighth Air Force FRANTIC shuttle-bombing mission, 75 B-17s of the 96th and 452d Heavy Bombardment groups and 64 20th Fighter Group P-51s (included in the above statistics) attack a synthetic-oil plant at Chemnitz with 146 tons of bombs and land at bases in the Soviet Union. One P-51 is lost.

ITALY: The Fifteenth Air Force is grounded by bad weather; Twelfth Air Force B-25s attack supply stores and two rail bridges; Twelfth Air Force B-26s attack German Army positions along the Gothic Line; and XII TAC fighter-bombers attack bridges, gun emplacements, rail lines, railway guns, supply stores, and other targets in and around the battle area.

BASE CHANGES
2 Sqn (Mustang II) moves to B.43 Fort Rouge
3 Sqn RAAF (Kittyhawk IV) moves to Foiana
4 Sqn (Spitfire PRXI) moves t0 B.43 Fort Rouge
66 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to B.57 Lille/Wambrechies
69 Sqn (Wellington XIII) moves to B.48 Amiens/Glisy
127 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to B.57 Lille/Wambrechies
183 Sqn (Typhoon IB) moves to B.53 Merville
193 Sqn (Typhoon IB) moves to B.57 Lille/Vendeville
257 Sqn (Typhoon IB) moves to B.57 Lille/Vendeville
263 Sqn (Typhoon IB) moves to B.57 Lille/Vendeville
268 Sqn (Mustang IA/Typhoon IB) moves to B.43 Fort Rouge
331 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to B.57 Lille/Wambrechies
332 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to B.57 Lille/Wambrechies
409 Sqn RCAF (Mosquito NFXIII) moves to B.24 St-André de l'Euree
450 Sqn RAAF (Kittyhawk IV) moves to Foiana

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12-9-44
429 Sqn RCAF (Leeming – Halifax III)
Weather: Fair to fine, cloudy in afternoon, good visibility.

The Squadron was again required for operations and nine aircraft were ordered for one target and seven more for a gardening operation. Nine crews ware briefed at 1400 hours for a daylight attack on the Ruhr, the target being the Hoesch-Benzin Synthetic Oil Plant in DORTMUND. All took off. Weather over the target was clear of cloud with some hzse. Visibility generally was fair. The crews attacking early could identify the target visually and reported that the markers were accurately placed. The Master Bomber could be heard clearly. Bombing appeared to be well concentrated on the aiming point. A large explosion was seen and numerous fires were developing accompanied by billows of black smoke. This is believed to have been a very successful operation. No enemy aircraft were sighted and all of our aircraft returned safely to base.

Seven of our crews are briefed at 1630 hours for gardening on OSLO Norway. All took off. Visibility over the garden was nil owing to 10/10th aloud with tops about 6,000 ft. All but one aircraft abandoned the operation and returned to base with their mines. One aircraft was able to identify the target visually after making en orbit, and laid the mines. While making the orbit this aircraft, “B” MZ864, was hit be flak. The starboard outer engine was damaged and the propeller flow of damaging the starboard inner again. The aircraft was then unable to maintain height and the captain, F/O R.K. Kingsland (Can.J.25139) was forced to ditch. The crew managed to to leave the aircraft and were finally rescued uninjured. Squadron aircraft were successful in locating the crew which enabled H.S.L. 2721 to effect the rescue.

BOMBER COMMAND
SYNTHETIC-OIL PLANTS
412 aircraft – 315 Halifaxes, 75 Lancasters, 22 Mosquitoes – of 4, 6 and 8 Groups attacked plants at Dortmund, Scholven/Buer and Wanne-Eickel. The Dortmund raid was particularly successful, but smoke-screens prevented observation of results at the other targets. 7 aircraft were lost – 3 Lancasters and 1 Halifax from the Wanne-Eickel raid and 2 Halifaxes and 1 Lancaster from the Scholven raid.

MÜNSTER
119 Halifaxes of 4 Group and 5 Pathfinder Lancasters carried out the first raid by R.A.F. heavies on Münster since June 1943. 2 Halifaxes were lost.

Many fires were seen but smoke prevented an accurate assessment of the bombing results. A brief report from Münster describes a ‘sea of fire’ in the southern part of the town which could not be entered for several hours and tells of water mains destroyed by high-explosive bombs so that ‘the firemen could only stand helpless in front of the flames’. 144 people died.

Minor Operations: 9 R.C.M. sorties, 2 aircraft on Resistance operations. No losses.

________________________________________

12/13 September 1944
FRANKFURT
378 Lancasters and 9 Mosquitoes of 1, 3 and 8 Groups on the last major R.A.F. raid of the war against Frankfurt. 17 Lancasters lost, 4.5 percent of the Lancaster force.

The local report says that the raid occurred when many of the city’s firemen and rescue workers were away working in Darmstadt. The bombing caused severe destruction in the western districts of the city, which contained many industrial premises. Property damage was extensive. A troop train was hit at the West Station. 469 people were killed, including 172 inside a public shelter in the Bockenheim district, the 2-metre-thick concrete side wall of which was blown in by a high-explosive bomb. The last fires were not extinguished until the evening of the 15th.

The next entry in the Frankfurt diary, for mid-September, says that members of the Hitler Youth, the Reichsarbeitsdienst (a labour service) and the Organisation Todt were being sent to work on the strengthening of the Westwall (Siegfried Line) fortifications, a sign that Allied troops were approaching the German homeland.

STUTTGART
204 Lancasters and 13 Mosquitoes of 1 and 5 Groups. 4 Lancasters lost.

Stuttgart expert, Heinz Bardua, writes that ‘the northern and western parts of the centre were erased’ in this concentrated attack and that a firestorm occurred. Several valuable cultural buildings were destroyed, including the Schloss Rosenstein and the Prinzenbau. Other property damage was extensive, though no industrial buildings are mentioned. 1,171 people were killed, Stuttgart’s highest fatal casualty figure of the war.

SUPPORT AND MINOR OPERATIONS
138 training aircraft on a diversionary sweep over the North Sea, 29 Mosquitoes to Berlin and 6 to Steenwijk, 31 R.C.M. sorties, 81 Mosquito patrols, 12 Halifaxes minelaying in Oslo harbour. 2 Halifaxes were lost, 1 from the diversionary sweep and 1 from the minelaying operation.

Total effort for the night: 901 sorties, 23 aircraft (2.6 percent) lost.

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2nd TAF
The last of the moves during this extraordinary advance took place on 12th and 13th, 135 Wing arriving at B.53, Merville, and 145 Wing at B.51, Lille/Vendeville. The day marked the surrender of the German garrison in Le Havre, the first of the Channel ports to fall to the Allies since Cherbourg, whilst troops of US First Army became the first to step onto German soil.

Mitchells of 98 Squadron attacked Walcheren Island and the Zuid-Beveland area of the Dutch coast, one of the bombers being lost to intense and accurate Flak. By night 219 Squadron recorded its first success since joining 85 Group - and the first for several nights - when Flt Lt L.Stephenson, DFC/Flt Lt G.A.Hall, DFC, claimed a Ju 88 shot down north-east of Liège in the Belgian/Dutch border area.

USAAF
ETO: Ninth Air Force fighters and fighter-bombers support U.S. Army ground forces in the Franco-Belgian-German border areas, and IX Troop Carrier Command transports mount more than 400 supply and evacuation sorties.
IX TAC fighter pilots down six Bf-109s in the border area at 1430 hours.

During the night of September 12–13, specially equipped, bomb-armed 474th Fighter Group P-38s fly night-intruder missions against German Army supply columns.

FRANCE: IX Bomber Command bombers attack German Army fortifications at Nancy.

Twelfth Air Force fighter-bombers attack rail lines at Belfort and on the French side of the Swiss frontier near Basel.

More than 50 Fifteenth Air Force B-24s transport supplies to U.S. Army ground forces in southern France.

GERMANY: Eight hundred thirteen Eighth Air Force heavy bombers, escorted by 579 VIII Fighter Command fighters, attack an aircraft-engine factory, two oil refineries, four synthetic-oil plants, an oil depot, and various targets of opportunity. Opposition by an estimated 400 to 450 GAF fighters results in the loss of 35 heavy bombers and 12 USAAF fighters. 1stLt Cyril W. Jones, Jr., a P-51 pilot with the 359th Fighter Group’s 370th Fighter Squadron, who achieved ace status just one day earlier, is lost without a trace.

Eighth and Ninth air force fighter pilots down 96 GAF fighters over Germany between 1050 and 1615 hours. 2dLt William T. Kemp, a P-51 pilot with the 361st Fighter Group’s 375th Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status when he downs three Bf-109s near Magdeburg at 1115 hours; 1stLt Henry J. Miklajcyk, a P-51 pilot with the 352d Fighter Group’s 486th Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status when he downs an FW-190 and shares in the downing of another FW-190 over Kustrin (Poland) at 1130 hours; and 2dLt Robert Reynolds, a P-51 pilot with the 354th Fighter Group’s 353d Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status with a total of seven confirmed victories when he downs three FW-190s near Frankfurt between 1300 and 1315 hours. However, Reynolds is himself shot down in air-to-air combat and taken prisoner.

IX Bomber Command bombers attack a German armored division as it entrains at Sankt Wendel, and fortifications along the West Wall (Siegfried Line).

Fifteenth Air Force B-24s attack an aircraft-engine factory and a jet-engine factory near Munich, and B-17s and B-24s attack the airdrome at Lechfeld.

In the Twelfth Air Force’s first mission against a target on German soil, XII TAC fighter-bombers attack the rail line at Freiburg.

ITALY: Twelfth Air Force B-25s attack bridges spanning the Po River; and Twelfth Air Force B-25s, B-26s, and fighter-bombers attack strongpoints, gun emplacements, troop concentrations, flak batteries, and other tactical targets as the German Army falls back from the embattled Gothic Line.

MTO: BriGen Benjamin W. Chidlaw replaces BriGen Edward M. Morris as head of the XII Fighter Command.

BASE CHANGES
10 Sqn SAAF (Spitfire VB/VC/IX) moves to Savoia
33 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXE) moves to B.53 Merville
73 Sqn (Spitfire VC/VIII/IX) moves to Canne
74 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXE) moves to B.51 Lille/Vendeville
222 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXE) moves to B.53 Merville
329 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to B.51 Lille/Vendeville
340 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to B.51 Lille/Vendeville
341 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to B.51 Lille/Vendeville
349 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to B.53 Merville
485 Sqn RNZAF (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to B.53 Merville
610 Sqn (Spitfire XIV) moves to Lympne

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
239 Sqn (Hornchurch) flies its first OM in the Mosquito FBVI
488 Sqn (Colerne) flies its last OM in the Mosquito NFXIII

[warshipbuilder]

13-9-44
158 Sqn (Lissett – Halifax III)
Twenty-four aircraft were detailed to attack Gelsenkirchen-Nordstern and all took off. Twenty bombed the target, one reach the target but could not bomb owing to electrical failure, two returned early and "A" (F/O) Sleeth) failed to return. Smoke and haze made identification of the target difficult and Master Bomber was indistinct. Bombing is thought to have been rather scattered but several fires and explosions were seen. There was intense h/flak and 14 aircraft were damaged.

ADDENDUM: Halifax III MZ337 NP-A. Crew: F/O RL Sleeth RCAF KIA, Sgt JH Boocock KIA, F/O EWH Barker KIA, F/O RH Fox POW, F/S A Laing RAAF KIA, Sgt JL Mitchell KIA, Sgt TW Roberts POW. T/o 1552 Lissett. Hit by flak and broke up. Those who died are buried in the Reichswald War Cemetery.

BOMBER COMMAND
GELSENKIRCHEN
140 aircraft – 102 Halifaxes of 4 Group and 28 Lancasters and 10 Mosquitoes of 8 Group – attacked the Nordstern oil plant. Large explosions were seen through the smoke-screen. 2 Halifaxes lost.

OSNABRÜCK
98 Halifaxes and 20 Lancasters of 6 and 8 Groups attacked the town, with the cutting of railway communications being one of the raid’s objectives. The marking and bombing were accurate but no details are available. No aircraft lost.

13 aircraft flew R.C.M. sorties without loss.

________________________________________

13/14 September 1944
MINOR OPERATIONS
36 Mosquitoes to Berlin and 3 to Karlsruhe, 29 R.C.M. sorties, 41 Mosquito patrols. 2 Mosquitoes lost from the Berlin raid.

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2nd TAF
During a long photographic sortie over Wittemberg and Stendal between 1515-1950, Flt Lt C.T.Butt and his navigator, Flt Sgt F.R.J.Richardson, encountered a few problems. At 29,000 feet they felt strikes on their 140 Squadron Mosquito XVI, and then spent the next 30 minutes evading what appeared to be a Bf 109. Forced to feather the starboard propeller due to severe vibration, they prepared to abandon their aircraft - all their maps disappeared as they jettisoned the cockpit door -but then decided to stay with their crippled Mosquito as the enemy fighter appeared to have run out of ammunition and departed. They set course for base, now at 20,000 feet, when a second Bf 109 attacked, only to collide with the port wing of the weaving 'Mossie. Pieces, including the propeller, were seen to fall from the Messerschmitt, which spun down. With the wing holed, Butt fought to regain control, but lost 10,000 feet of height in the process. Sighting the coast, they flew south over Rotterdam where their aircraft was hit twice more by Flak. They eventually crash-landed the damaged aircraft at Melsbroek, reporting, with magnificent RAF understatement that they "...collected one Hun in the process". They would receive a DFC and DFM for this epic sortie.

USAAF
ENGLAND: The XXIX Tactical Air Command is established on a provisional basis under the command of BriGen Richard E. Nugent to oversee support for the new U.S. Ninth Army. The new command is placed under the temporary control of the IX TAC.

FRANCE: One hundred forty-four IX Bomber Command B-26s and A-20s attack fortifications and gun emplacements around Brest. This is the final IX Bomber Command strike against the Brest fortress.

The Ninth Air Force’s 358th Fighter Group displaces to Advance Landing Ground A-67, at Vitry-le-François.

Most Twelfth Air Force fighter-bomber missions in southern France are canceled in the face of bad weather.

ITALY: Twelfth Air Force B-25s and B-26s attack numerous tactical targets along the remaining portions of the Gothic Line; and XII TAC fighter-bombers attack lines of communication in the Po River valley.

BASE CHANGES
164 Sqn (Typhoon IB) moves to B.53 Merville

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
73 Sqn (Canne) flies its last OM in the Spitfire VC
185 Sqn (Fano) flies its first OM in the Spitfire LFIXB
249 Sqn (Canne) flies its first OM in the Mustang III

[warshipbuilder]

14-9-44
635 Sqn (Downham Market – Lancaster III)
14 Aircraft detailed to attack Wilhelmshaven. (Daylight). Aircraft took off 17.00 hrs. but were recalled and landed at base 18.30 hours. "R" F/O. Clarke. R.M. overshot on landing, continued off end of runway into field. Undercarriage collapsed and damage to aircraft Category E.1. No casualties.

BOMBER COMMAND
WILHELMSHAVEN
184 aircraft – 133 Halifaxes, 51 Lancasters – of 4, 6 and 8 Groups dispatched but recalled while still over the North Sea; no reason for this is given in Bomber Command records. All aircraft returned safely.

WASSENAR
35 Lancasters and 10 Mosquitoes of 3 and 8 Groups bombed ‘an ammunition dump’ (possibly a suspected V-2 store) near The Hague. The bombing was considered to be accurate until smoke and dust covered the target.

6 aircraft flew R.C.M. sorties without loss.

2nd TAF
A 140 Squadron Mosquito failed to return from a sortie to Hamburg resulting in the loss of Plt Off G.H.Ardley/Flt Sgt S.G.McLaren. They may have fallen to a pilot of 10./JG 300, who claimed one such aircraft at 1450 (in which case they would have been airborne for six and a half hours).

Also lost on 14th was a Typhoon flown by Sqn Ldr 'Cheval' Lallemant, Commanding Officer of 609 Squadron, and one of the few Typhoon pilots to claim five or more victories. Returning from attacking barges around the Dutch Islands, his engine failed and burst into flames when he was approaching Merville. After a desperate belly-landing he was unable to escape quickly from the flaming aircraft, suffering burns that would keep him out of the war for six months; however, he would return to command a Belgian Spitfire squadron before the conclusion of hostilities.

On the same day at Vitry a mysterious bearded figure turned up at 175 Squadron's dispersal, driving a Kubelwagen, accompanied by an Alsatian dog and sporting a German machine pistol. It was Sgt Bob Merlin who had gone missing over a year previously. His adventures included a spell in Swiss internment and a period spying on 'Noball' sites under construction, but he would return to operations with the Squadron in the autumn, following a thorough debriefing!

USAAF
ENGLAND: The XXIX Tactical Air Command is established on a provisional basis under the command of BriGen Richard E. Nugent to oversee support for the new U.S. Ninth Army. The new command is placed under the temporary control of the IX TAC.

FRANCE: One hundred forty-four IX Bomber Command B-26s and A-20s attack fortifications and gun emplacements around Brest. This is the final IX Bomber Command strike against the Brest fortress.

The Ninth Air Force’s 358th Fighter Group displaces to Advance Landing Ground A-67, at Vitry-le-François.

Most Twelfth Air Force fighter-bomber missions in southern France are canceled in the face of bad weather.

ITALY: Twelfth Air Force B-25s and B-26s attack numerous tactical targets along the remaining portions of the Gothic Line; and XII TAC fighter-bombers attack lines of communication in the Po River valley.

BASE CHANGES
9 Sqn SAAF (Spitfire VB/VC/IX) moves to Savoia
458 Sqn (Wellington XIV) moves to Falconara
500 Sqn (Non-Op) moves to Pescara

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
239 Sqn (Hornchurch) flies its last OM in the Mosquito NFII

[warshipbuilder]

15-9-44
420 SqnRCAF (Tholthorpe – HalifaxIII)
17 aircraft detailed to attack KIEL on a night raid. Attack slightly scattered and many fires reported. No. J.7920,F/L Motherwell, V.G.ditched at 0400 hours, 16th September. One aircraft returned early to be an undercarriage would not retract.

ADDENDUM – Halifax III NA629 PT-W. Pilot F/L VG Motherwell. T/o 2156 Tholthorpe. Bombed from 18,000 feet at 0119, but while returning to based the crew experienced trouble with the hydraulic system and eventually the flaps undercarriage unit and bomb bay doors dropped down. All efforts to rectify the situation were to no avail, and at 0225 an emarg3ncy signal was transmitted, followed at 0350 by an SOS message. Fifteen minutes later the Halifax was ditched some 70 miles off the East Anglia coast. At about 1730, a Squadron Halifax, sighted the dinghy, and at 2000 an ASR launch reached the crew.

BOMBER COMMAND
TIRPITZ
38 Lancasters of 9 and 617 Squadrons and a 5 Group Mosquito for weather reconnaissance had set out on 11 September to fly to Northern Russia in preparation for this raid on the 45,000-ton battleship Tirpitz, which was at anchor in Kaa Fjord in Northern Norway. 1 aircraft returned to Britain and 6 crash-landed in Russia but their crew members were not seriously hurt. Only 27 Lancasters and a further Lancaster with a cameraman on board were available for the raid on the Tirpitz, which eventually took place on 15 September. 20 aircraft were loaded with the 12,000-lb Tallboy bomb and 6 (or 7, the records are not clear) carried several ‘Johnny Walker’ mines – of 400–500 lb weight developed for attacking capital ships moored in shallow water.

The attack caught the Tirpitz by surprise and her smoke-screens were late in starting. One Tallboy hit the Tirpitz near the bows and caused considerable damage. The shock caused by the explosion of this bomb, or possibly from other bombs which were near misses, also damaged the battleship’s engines. The Germans decided that repairs to make Tirpitz fully seaworthy were not practicable and she was later moved to an anchorage further south in Norway, but only for use as a semi-static heavy-artillery battery. These results of the raid were not known in England at the time and further raids against Tirpitz would take place.

None of the Lancasters were shot down on the raid and all returned safely to the airfield in Russia but the 617 Squadron aircraft of Flying Officer F. Levy crashed in Norway while returning to Lossiemouth 2 days later with 11 men on board.

(This raid, with its outward and return transit flights across enemy-held territory and its Mosquito weather flights, is counted as 97 operational sorties in the statistical résumé of this diary and the aircraft lost are estimated as 11 – 1 crashed in Norway and 10 crash-landed or abandoned in Russia.)

9 R.C.M. sorties and 1 Resistance operation flight were also carried out on 15 September without loss.

________________________________________

15/16 September 1944
KIEL
490 aircraft – 310 Lancasters, 173 Halifaxes, 7 Mosquitoes – of 1, 4, 6 and 8 Groups. 4 Halifaxes and 2 Lancasters lost.

The evidence of returning crews and of photographs caused Bomber Command to record this as ‘a highly concentrated raid’ with ‘the old town and modern shopping centre devastated’. The local report confirms this as a heavy attack, and records damage in the centre and port areas, but describes how much of the bombing fell outside Kiel. Unusually low numbers of 12 deaths and 28 people injured were recorded.

SUPPORT AND MINOR OPERATIONS
164 aircraft on a diversionary sweep over the North Sea, 27 Mosquitoes to Berlin, 9 to Lübeck and 8 to Rheine airfield, 34 R.C.M. sorties, 56 Mosquito patrols, 68 Halifaxes and Lancasters minelaying near Oslo, in the Kattegat and in the River Elbe. 5 aircraft lost – 3 Mosquitoes and 1 Stirling of 100 Group and 1 Mosquito from the Berlin raid.

Total effort for the night: 856 sorties, 11 aircraft (1.3 percent) lost.

2nd TAF
On this date US First Army came up against the Siegfried Line, and the advance began to come to a halt. At this stage 401 Squadron's successful Bill Klersy completed his tour and departed for a rest, the award of a DFC having recently been gazetted. In 135 Wing, Flt Lt J.Pattison, DFC, was posted from 66 Squadron to command 485 Squadron, while in 439 Squadron Sqn LdrH.H.Norsworthy, DFC, was also rested, Flt Lt K.J.Fisket taking over. 135 Wing squadrons were now carrying 500 lb bombs into action.

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USAAF
ENGLAND: The VIII Fighter Command’s three fighter-wing headquarters and their fifteen escort-fighter groups are each transferred to the direct operational control of one of the three bombardment divisions: the 65th Fighter Wing to the 2d Bombardment Division, the 66th Fighter Wing to the 3d Bombardment Division, and the 67th Fighter Wing to the 1st Bombardment Division.

ETO: IX Bomber Command bombers are grounded by bad weather.

FRANCE: Headquarters, Ninth Air Force, displaces from Sunninghall Park, England, to Chantilly, France, to better control the operations of its tactical air commands and subunits.

The XII TAC passes to the direct operational control of the Ninth Air Force.

The Ninth Air Force’s 48th Fighter Group displaces to Advance Landing Ground A-74, at Cambrai/Niergnies Airdrome; the Ninth Air Force’s 50th Fighter Group displaces to Advance Landing Ground A-69, at Laon/Athies Airdrome; and the Ninth Air Force’s 365th Fighter Group displaces to Advance Landing Ground A-68, at Juvincourt.

GREECE: Fifteenth Air Force B-24s attack marshalling yards at Athens. Also, in an effort to halt or stall the evacuation of German Army troops and materiel by air, B-24s attack the Athens/Eleusis and Athens/Tatoi airdromes, and B-17s attack Athens/Kalamaki Airdrome. B-17s also attack the submarine base at Salamis.

MTO: All Twelfth Air Force medium bombers and most fighter-bombers are grounded by bad weather.

Twenty-four Fifteenth Air Force B-24s transport USAAF aircrewmen formerly imprisoned in Bulgaria to Bari, Italy, from their repatriation point in Cairo, Egypt.

The 87th Fighter Wing headquarters, 47th Light Bombardment Group (A-20s), 57th Fighter Group, and 86th Fighter Group are transferred from the XII TAC to the XII Fighter Command. Hereafter (until further changes are made), the XII TAC will support the U.S. Seventh Army in France, and the XII Fighter Command will support the U.S. Fifth Army in Italy.

BASE CHANGES
272 Sqn (Beaufighter TFX) moves to Foggia

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
171 Sqn (North Creake) flies its first OM in the Stirling III
185 Sqn (Fano) flies its last OM’s in the Spitfire VB & VC

[warshipbuilder]

On the road, next full report should be 25-9-44

16-9-44
BOMBER COMMAND
MINOR OPERATIONS
9 aircraft on R.C.M. flights, 2 Mosquitoes on Ranger patrols, 14 Stirlings and 4 Hudsons on Resistance operations. No aircraft lost.

________________________________________

16/17 September 1944
OPERATION MARKET GARDEN
Bomber Command’s main operations on this night were in support of the landings by British and American airborne troops at Arnhem and Nijmegen which took place the following morning.

200 Lancasters and 23 Mosquitoes of 1 and 8 Groups bombed the airfields at Hopsten, Leeuwarden, Steenwijk and Rheine, and 54 Lancasters and 5 Mosquitoes of 3 and 8 Groups bombed a Flak position at Moerdijk. The runways of all the airfields were well cratered but there were only near misses at the Flak position, although its approach road was cut. 2 Lancasters lost from the Moerdijk raid.

Minor Operations: 29 Mosquitoes to Brunswick and 4 to Dortmund, 14 R.C.M. sorties, 29 Mosquito patrols. 1 Mosquito lost from the Brunswick raid.

USAAF
FRANCE: XIX TAC fighters and fighter-bombers help the U.S. Third Army repel several German Army counterattacks in northeastern France.

Headquarters, Ninth Air Force, redesignates the IX Bomber Command as the 9th Bombardment Division (retroactively to August 30).

Citing incessant air attacks as the prime cause for his decision, a German Army general commanding 20,000 troops moving from southern to northern France formally surrenders his force to the new U.S. Ninth Army. Among the American general officers accepting the surrender is MajGen Otto P. Weyland, whose XIX TAC was instrumental in the surrender decision.

GERMANY: Two hundred ninety-five VIII Fighter Command P-47 and P-51 fighter-bombers attack Ahlhorn Airdrome and targets around Kaiserlautern and Mannheim.

IX TAC fighter pilots down 12 FW-190s over Aachen between 1630 and 1810 hours.

ITALY: The Fifteenth Air Force is grounded by bad weather; Twelfth Air Force B-25s and B-26s attack defensive positions and supply dumps around Bologna and Rimini; and XII Fighter Command fighter-bombers support the U.S. Fifth Army’s continuing attacks on mountainous portions of the Gothic Line in which German Army forces are still holding out.

NETHERLANDS: One hundred fifty 9th Bombardment Division B-26s and A-20s attack a road and rail embankment at Arnemuiden and a dike at Bath.

[warshipbuilder]

17-9-44
BOMBER COMMAND
BOULOGNE
762 aircraft – 370 Lancasters, 351 Halifaxes, 41 Mosquitoes – dropped more than 3,000 tons of bombs on German positions around Boulogne in preparation for an attack by Allied troops. The German garrison surrendered soon afterwards. 1 Halifax and 1 Lancaster lost.

OPERATION MARKET GARDEN
112 Lancasters and 20 Mosquitoes of 1 and 8 Groups attacked German Flak positions in the Flushing area without loss.

EIKENHORST
27 Lancasters and 5 Mosquitoes of 1 and 8 Groups attacked a V-1 rocket depot without loss.
Minor Operations: 9 R.C.M. sorties, 6 Mosquito patrols, 10 Stirlings and 1 Hudson on Resistance operations. No losses.

Total effort for the day: 952 sorties, 2 aircraft (0.2 percent) lost.

________________________________________

17/18 September 1944
OPERATION MARKET GARDEN
241 aircraft made 2 diversionary sweeps – 1 to the Dutch coast and 1 into Holland – in order to draw up German fighters from Southern Holland. This intention was not achieved. No aircraft lost.
Minor Operations: 42 Mosquitoes to Bremen and 6 to Dortmund, 29 R.C.M. sorties, 29 Mosquito patrols. No aircraft lost.

USAAF
CZECHOSLOVAKIA: Two Fifteenth Air Force B-17s transport wounded USAAF airmen from Czechoslovakia to Italy.

ENGLAND: 9th Bombardment Division bombers are grounded by bad weather.
Seventy-two Eighth Air Force B-17s and 59 P-51s return to England from Italy on the last leg of the third Eighth Air Force FRANTIC mission. No targets are attacked along the way.
Full-scale Eighth Air Force special- operations missions (agent and supply drops to partisan units) have been severely curtailed due to the recent liberation of most of the territory in northwestern Europe formerly under German domination. Therefore, most 492d Heavy Bombardment Group special-operations B-24s are committed to Operation TRUCKING. However, the group’s 856th Heavy Bombardment Group is detached and placed under direct Eighth Air Force control to undertake agent and supply drops over Denmark, the Netherlands, and Norway.

ETO: During the night of September 17–18, specially equipped, bomb-armed 474th Fighter Group P-38s fly night-intruder missions against German Army supply columns.

FRANCE: XIX TAC fighter-bombers attack targets in the Brest area.
One hundred one Eighth Air Force B-24s transport fuel supplies to France.
The Ninth Air Force’s 354th Fighter Group displaces to Advance Landing Ground A-66, at Orconte.

GERMANY: VIII Fighter Command pilots down seven GAF fighters over Germany at 1345 hours. 1stLt Ted E. Lines, a P-51 ace with the 4th Fighter Group’s 335th Fighter Squadron, brings his final personal tally to ten confirmed victories when he downs three FW-190s near Bocholt at 1345 hours.

HUNGARY: More than 440 Fifteenth Air Force B-17s and B-24s attack four marshalling yards and two oil refineries at Budapest.

ITALY: Twelfth Air Force B-25s attack German Army troop concentrations near Rimini, in the British Eighth Army battle area; Twelfth Air Force B-25s and fighter-bombers attack rail bridges in the Po River valley; and XII Fighter Command fighter-bombers attack all manner of road and rail transportation targets.

NETHERLANDS: Operation MARKET-GARDEN begins with parachute and glider landings (MARKET) by one British and two American airborne divisions of the First Allied Airborne Army. IX Troop Carrier Command transports and tow planes are responsible for conveying many of the airborne troops to the targets.
In support of Operation MARKET, 821 Eighth Air Force B-17s and 503 VIII Fighter Command fighters and fighter-bombers attack flak batteries, airfields, and other military targets along the troop- carrier routes. Sixteen USAAF fighters are lost.

[warshipbuilder]

18-9-44
BOMBER COMMAND
WALCHEREN
74 aircraft – 34 Lancasters, 30 Halifaxes, 10 Mosquitoes – of 6 and 8 Groups attempted to bomb a coastal battery at Domburg but the Master Bomber abandoned the raid after 8 Mosquitoes had attempted to mark the target in poor weather conditions. No aircraft lost.

7 R.C.M. sorties were flown without loss.

________________________________________

18/19 September 1944
BREMERHAVEN
206 Lancasters and 7 Mosquitoes of 5 Group. 100 Group’s R.C.M. operations successfully kept German night fighters away from the force and only 1 Lancaster and 1 Mosquito were lost.

This was another successful 5 Group method raid and Bremerhaven, which had not been seriously bombed by the R.A.F. before, required only this one knock-out blow by the comparatively small force of aircraft carrying fewer than 900 tons of bombs. The centre of the town, the port area and the suburb of Geestemünde were gutted by fire. 2,670 buildings were destroyed and 369 seriously damaged. 30,000 people lost their homes; the local report says that, fortunately, the weather remained warm and the many people who had to sleep in the open for several nights until they were evacuated did not suffer too much from exposure. 618 people were killed and 1,193 were injured, the latter putting a severe strain on the only hospital left intact.

Minor Operations: 33 Mosquitoes to Berlin and 6 to Rheine, 30 R.C.M. sorties, 67 Mosquito patrols, 4 Lancasters minelaying in the River Weser. No losses.

USAAF
CZECHOSLOVAKIA: Two Fifteenth Air Force B-17s transport wounded USAAF airmen from Czechoslovakia to Italy.

ENGLAND: 9th Bombardment Division bombers are grounded by bad weather.

Seventy-two Eighth Air Force B-17s and 59 P-51s return to England from Italy on the last leg of the third Eighth Air Force FRANTIC mission. No targets are attacked along the way.

Full-scale Eighth Air Force special- operations missions (agent and supply drops to partisan units) have been severely curtailed due to the recent liberation of most of the territory in northwestern Europe formerly under German domination. Therefore, most 492d Heavy Bombardment Group special-operations B-24s are committed to Operation TRUCKING. However, the group’s 856th Heavy Bombardment Group is detached and placed under direct Eighth Air Force control to undertake agent and supply drops over Denmark, the Netherlands, and Norway.

ETO: During the night of September 17–18, specially equipped, bomb-armed 474th Fighter Group P-38s fly night-intruder missions against German Army supply columns.

FRANCE: XIX TAC fighter-bombers attack targets in the Brest area.

One hundred one Eighth Air Force B-24s transport fuel supplies to France.

The Ninth Air Force’s 354th Fighter Group displaces to Advance Landing Ground A-66, at Orconte.

GERMANY: VIII Fighter Command pilots down seven GAF fighters over Germany at 1345 hours. 1stLt Ted E. Lines, a P-51 ace with the 4th Fighter Group’s 335th Fighter Squadron, brings his final personal tally to ten confirmed victories when he downs three FW-190s near Bocholt at 1345 hours.

HUNGARY: More than 440 Fifteenth Air Force B-17s and B-24s attack four marshalling yards and two oil refineries at Budapest.

ITALY: Twelfth Air Force B-25s attack German Army troop concentrations near Rimini, in the British Eighth Army battle area; Twelfth Air Force B-25s and fighter-bombers attack rail bridges in the Po River valley; and XII Fighter Command fighter-bombers attack all manner of road and rail transportation targets.

NETHERLANDS: Operation MARKET-GARDEN begins with parachute and glider landings (MARKET) by one British and two American airborne divisions of the First Allied Airborne Army. IX Troop Carrier Command transports and tow planes are responsible for conveying many of the airborne troops to the targets.

In support of Operation MARKET, 821 Eighth Air Force B-17s and 503 VIII Fighter Command fighters and fighter-bombers attack flak batteries, airfields, and other military targets along the troop- carrier routes. Sixteen USAAF fighters are lost.

[warshipbuilder]

19-9-44
BOMBER COMMAND
WALCHEREN
56 aircraft – 28 Lancasters, 27 Halifaxes, 1 Mosquito – of 6 and 8 Groups set out to attack the Domburg coastal battery but were recalled. 1 Halifax crashed in England.

There were 8 R.C.M. sorties and 6 Hudsons and 4 Stirlings flew Resistance operations without loss.

________________________________________

19/20 September 1944
MÖNCHENGLADBACH/RHEYDT
227 Lancasters and 10 Mosquitoes of 1 and 5 Groups to these twin towns. 4 Lancasters and 1 Mosquito lost. Bomber Command claimed severe damage to both towns, particularly to Mönchengladbach. The only report from Germany states that between 267 and 271 people were killed in Mönchengladbach.

The Master Bomber for this raid was Wing Commander Guy Gibson, V.C., D.S.O., D.F.C., flying a 627 Squadron Mosquito from Coningsby, where he was serving as Base Operations Officer. Gibson’s instructions over the target were heard throughout the raid and gave no hint of trouble, but his aircraft crashed – in flames according to a Dutch eyewitness – before crossing the coast of Holland for the homeward flight over the North Sea. There were no German fighter claims for the Mosquito; it may have been damaged by Flak over the target or on the return flight, or it may have developed engine trouble. It was possibly flying too low for the crew to escape by parachute. Gibson and his navigator, Squadron Leader J. B. Warwick, D.F.C., were both killed and were buried in the Roman Catholic Cemetery at Steen-bergen-en-Kruisland, 13 km north of Bergen-op-Zoom. Theirs are the only graves of Allied servicemen in the cemetery.

Aircraft of 100 Group flew 15 R.C.M. and 17 Mosquito sorties without loss.


USAAF
FRANCE: The Ninth Air Force’s 362d Fighter Group displaces to Advance Landing Ground A-79, at Prosnes; the Ninth Air Force’s 373d Fighter Group displaces to Advance Landing Ground A-62, at Reims; and the 9th Bombardment Division’s 391st Medium Bombardment Group displaces to Advance Landing Ground A-73, at Roye/Amy Airdrome.

GERMANY: Six hundred seventy-nine Eighth Air Force B-17s, escorted by 240 VIII Fighter Command fighters, attack bridges, marshalling yards, rail lines, and ordnance depots throughout western Germany. Seven B-17s and one escort fighter are lost.

VIII Fighter Command pilots down ten GAF fighters over Germany between 1440 and 1730 hours. 1stLt Thomas D. Schank, a P-51 pilot with the 55th Fighter Group’s 338th Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status when he downs a Bf-109 near Cologne at 1440 hours.

9th Bombardment Division bombers attack marshalling yards in and around Duren to prevent German Army reinforcements from reaching Aachen.

IX TAC fighter-bombers assist U.S. Army ground forces in beating back a German Army counterattack at Wallendorf.

HUNGARY: More than 90 Eighth Air Force FRANTIC B-17s attack the marshalling yard at Szolnok on their return leg to England via Italy.

ITALY: Twelfth Air Force fighter-bombers attack bridges in the Bologna area and defensive positions along the Gothic Line.

MTO: Twelfth Air Force medium bombers are grounded by bad weather.

NETHERLANDS: Deteriorating weather forces a sharp curtailment of air support and resupply missions for airborne forces taking part in Operation MARKET-GARDEN.

One hundred seventy-two VIII Fighter Command P-51s patrol over the MARKET battle area and support Allied airborne troops on the ground. Six P-51s are lost with their pilots.

VIII Fighter Command pilots down 22 of more than 100 GAF fighters encountered over the MARKET-GARDEN battle area between 1445 and 1728 hours. 1stLt Arval J. Roberson, a P-51 pilot with the 357th Fighter Group’s 362d Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status when he downs two Bf-109s near Ijsselstein at 1705 hours; and Maj Edwin W. Hiro, the commanding officer of the 357th Fighter Group, achieves ace status when he downs a Bf-109 near Arnhem at 1720 hours. Unfortunately, Hiro is killed a short time later when his fighter is shot down over Vreden.

During the night, a GAF bombing raid against Eindhoven misses American troops near the city, but Dutch civilians and British Army troops in the city suffer many casualties.

YUGOSLAVIA: Ninety-six Fifteenth Air Force B-24s attack rail bridges at Kraljevo and Mitrovica.

[warshipbuilder]

20-9-44
BOMBER COMMAND
CALAIS
646 aircraft – 437 Lancasters, 169 Halifaxes, 40 Mosquitoes – attacked German positions around Calais. Visibility was good and the bombing was accurate and concentrated. 1 Lancaster lost.

Minor Operations: 7 R.C.M. sorties, 5 Hudsons and 2 Lysanders on Resistance operations. No losses.

________________________________________

20/21 September 1944
100 Group Operations
2 Mosquitoes and 1 Fortress took off but were quickly recalled because of the widespread fog in England which prevented major operations being mounted.

USAAF
CZECHOSLOVAKIA: Fifteenth Air Force B-24s attack oil-industry targets at Bratislava and Malacky Airdrome.

FRANCE: The Ninth Air Force advance headquarters moves with the U.S. 12th Army Group headquarters to Verdun.

GERMANY: To delay German Army reinforcements on their way to Aachen, approximately 40 9th Bombardment Division B-26s attack defensive positions at Herbach and a marshalling yard at Trier.

HUNGARY: Fifteenth Air Force B-17s and B-24s attack rail bridges at Budapest, a marshalling yard and aircraft-industry targets at Gyor, marshalling yards at Hatvan, and a rail bridge Szob.

MTO: The 27th and 79th Fighter groups are reassigned from the XII TAC to the XII Fighter Command (i.e., from the Ninth Air Force to the Twelfth Air Force).

Twelfth Air Force medium bombers and most fighters and fighter-bombers are grounded by bad weather.

NETHERLANDS: Six hundred forty-four VIII Fighter Command patrol sorties are mounted over the MARKET-GARDEN battle area. GAF light flak batteries down five fighters.

[warshipbuilder]

21-9-44
BOMBER COMMAND
Minor Operations
2 Fortresses and 2 Wellingtons on R.C.M. sorties and 12 Stirlings and 1 Hudson on Resistance operations. No aircraft lost. Bad weather – rain and low cloud – prevented any major operation during the next 48 hours.

USAAF
FRANCE: More than 80 Eighth Air Force B-24s transport fuel to France.

The Ninth Air Force’s 406th Fighter Group displaces to Advance Landing Ground A-80, at Mourmelon-le-Grand; and the 9th Bombardment Division’s 323d Medium Bombardment Group displaces to Advance Landing Ground A-40, at Chartres.

GERMANY: One hundred forty-one 1st Bombardment Division B-17s attack a marshalling yard at Mainz; 144 2d Bombardment Division B-24s attack a marshalling yard at Koblenz; and 147 3d Bombardment Division B-17s attack an oil-industry target at Ludwigshafen. Two B-24s are lost.

Seventy-nine 9th Bombardment Division B-26s and A-20s attack marshalling yards at three locations.

IX TAC fighter pilots cover the withdrawal of the U.S. V Corps from around Wallendorf and down ten GAF fighters over Germany between 1630 and 1645 hours.

HUNGARY: Fifteenth Air Force heavy bombers attack marshalling yards at two locations and bridges at three locations.

MTO: The entire Twelfth Air Force is grounded by bad weather.

NETHERLANDS: Ninety VIII Fighter Command fighters patrol over the MARKET-GARDEN battle area. Three fighters are lost.

VIII Fighter Command pilots down 19 GAF fighters over the MARKET-GARDEN battle area between 1500 and 1630 hours. Maj Boleslaw Gladych, a P-47 ace with the 56th Fighter Group’s 61st Fighter Squadron, brings his final personal tally to 18.5 confirmed victories when he downs two FW-190s near Arnhem at 1515 hours. (Gladych, a Polish national and a former Polish Air Force pilot, scored his first 8.5 victories while he was flying Spitfires with the RAF’s 303 “Polish” Squadron.)

YUGOSLAVIA: Fifteen Air Force heavy bombers attack a marshalling yard at Brod and a rail bridge at Novi Sad. Also, 42 Fifteenth Air Force P-38s dive-bomb a marshalling yard at Osijek.

Two C-47s evacuate downed Fifteenth Air Force airmen from Yugoslavia to bases in Italy.

[warshipbuilder]

22-9-44
BOMBER COMMAND
7 aircraft of 100 Group flew signals investigation patrols without loss.

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22/23 September 1944
9 R.C.M. sorties and 5 Mosquito Intruder patrols were flown without loss.

USAAF
ENGLAND: Eighty-four Eighth Air Force FRANTIC B-27s and 51 P-51s return from Italy without attacking any targets along the way.

FRANCE: More than 100 Eighth Air Force B-24s transport fuel to France, as do 68 Fifteenth Air Force B-24s.

The XIX TAC headquarters displaces forward with the U.S. Third Army headquarters from Chalons-sur-Marne to Etain.

GERMANY: Six hundred eighteen Eighth Air Force B-17s and B-24s, escorted by 268 VIII Fighter Command P-51s, attack a motor-vehicle factory and an armored- vehicle plant at Kassel. Three heavy bombers and one P-51 are lost.

Ninth Air Force fighters and fighter-bombers attack ordnance depots, supply points, rail lines, strongpoints, and numerous targets of opportunity around Aachen, Bonn, Cologne, Dusseldorf, Koblenz, Mannheim, Strasbourg (France), and Trier.

Fifteenth Air Force B-24s attack Munich/Riem Airdrome, and B-17s attack aircraft-engine factories.

GREECE: Seventy-six Fifteenth Air Force B-17s attack a marshalling yard at Larissa.

ITALY: Twelfth Air Force medium bombers attack roads and rail bridges north of the battle area, and fighter-bombers support the U.S. Fifth Army and attack road, rail, and other transportation targets.

NETHERLANDS: Seventy-seven VIII Fighter Command P-47s patrol over the MARKET-GARDEN battle area. One P-47 is lost.

[warshipbuilder]

25-9-44
692 Sqn (Gravely – Mosquito FBVI)
12 aircraft detailed for operations. 11 aircraft carried out operations. 1 MISSING.

ADDENDUM – Mosquito FBVI PF393 P3-? Crew: F/O LJ Brennan RNZAF KIA, P/O TJ Bolger RNZAF KIA. T/o 1906. Crashed at Migneault, 18 km ENE of Mons. Both were laid to rest at Migneault Communal Cemetery.

BOMBER COMMAND
CALAIS
872 aircraft – 430 Lancasters, 397 Halifaxes, 45 Mosquitoes – were again sent to bomb German defensive positions but encountered low cloud. Only 287 aircraft were able to bomb, through breaks in the cloud. No aircraft lost.

PETROL-CARRYING
70 Halifaxes of 4 Group started a series of flights to carry petrol in jerricans from England to airfields in Belgium, in order to alleviate the severe fuel shortage being experienced by Allied ground forces. 4 Group would fly 435 such sorties during an 8-day period. Each Halifax carried about 165 jerricans, approximately 750 gallons of petrol, on each flight. The total amount of petrol lifted during the period was approximately 325,000 gallons, about the same amount of fuel that the Halifaxes themselves consumed. No aircraft were lost during these operations.

Minor Operations: 4 R.C.M. sorties, 5 Hudsons on Resistance operations. No losses.

Total effort for the day: 951 sorties, no losses.

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25/26 September 1944
MINOR OPERATIONS
48 Mosquitoes to Mannheim and 4 to a chemical factory at Höchst, just west of Frankfurt, 3 R.C.M. sorties, 30 Mosquito patrols. 1 Mosquito lost from the Mannheim raid.

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2nd TAF
As the last airborne troops to escape the holocaust of Arnhem were evacuated over the Rhine during the night of 24/25th, 2nd TAF's fighters were at last to become fully involved over the area in a day of sustained aerial fighting. The day began well at 0500 when Wt Off L.E.Fitchett/Flt Sgt A.C.Hardy of 409 Squadron caught and shot down an He 111 over Maastricht in the early dawn, the first victory for the unit over the continent. However their aircraft was so badly damaged by debris from their victim that they had to make an emergency landing at Lille.

With the coming of full daylight 132 Squadron undertook a patrol during which Wt Off L.J.Phipps was shot down and killed by Flak at 1030. Everything then happened during the middle-late part of the afternoon, but so great were the numbers of aircraft involved that on this occasion it is virtually impossible to identify who was fighting whom. First off seems to have been 421 Squadron to undertake a high patrol at 1440. This unit was followed at 1525 by 132 Squadron, which undertook a further patrol over Nijmegen. Five minutes later 12 aircraft from 401 Squadron were ordered off to intercept Luftwaffe aircraft attempting to bomb the bridges both at Nijmegen and Arnhem. Nine further Spitfires from 441 Squadron had also departed for Nijmegen slightly earlier, followed at 1545 by Mustangs of 122 Squadron which were to undertake an armed reconnaissance over the Arnhem area.

441 Squadron made the initial contact, engaging 20 Bf 109s attempting to bomb one of the bridges. The German formation was forced to jettison its bombs. Ten or more Fw 190s then appeared and the Squadron broke up, Flt Lt B.Boe and Flt Sgt O.McMillan both being shot down and killed. Flg Off Don Kimball force-landed at Eindhoven, returning to claim two Bf 109s shot down, while one more of these was claimed by Flg Off H.E.Derraugh, he and other pilots also claiming five more damaged. Flt Lt George Johnson claimed two Bf 109s and one damaged and Flt Lt Russell Bouskill a Fw 190 shot down and a Messerschmitt damaged. Flg Off G.Hutchings' fighter was badly shot-up and he too force-landed at Eindhoven.

III./JG 300 and II./JG 77 claimed three Spitfires between 1532-1540, but the latter unit lost five Bf 109s and the former two more, including the Gruppenkommandeur, Maj Iro Ilk (an ex- night fighter Ritterkreuzträger), who was killed. It would appear that the Fw 190s were aircraft of I./JG 2, this unit's pilots claiming a Spitfire and a Typhoon over Nijmegen between 1600-1610. Half an hour later, JG 26 became involved in a series of engagements over Arnhem and Nijmegen lasting some 20 minutes, during which seven Spitfires and a Mustang were claimed. 412 Squadron, which was also scrambled, lost Flg Off Harold McLeod's aircraft, althought the pilot was reported safe with the Guards Armoured Division, having claimed a Fw 190 shot down. Flt Lt Don Laubman also of 412 Squadron claimed a Bf 109.

Meanwhile, 421 Squadron's 12 Spitfires had encountered an equal number of Bf 109s in the Nijmegen area, Flt Lt John Mitchner claiming one of these. Six more were then seen and one was claimed by Sqn Ldr W.A.Prest, but during these engagements the unit lost two Spitfires, Flg Offs L. Foster and J.W.McDonald both being reported safe.

Around 1630 132 Squadron's pilots also reported enemy aircraft in strength over Nijmegen, Flt Sgt T.Lindsey claiming an Fw 190 and one damaged, whilst two other pilots claimed two damaged each, one more such claim being made by another member of the squadron; Wt Off J.J.Hyde was shot down and killed.

At about 1640 122 Squadron's Mustangs and 416 Squadron's Spitfires entered the fray. Amongst the pilots of the former unit, Flt Lts D.R.Stevens, 'Jimmie' Talalla and M.J.Wright each claimed one victory, and two more were claimed damaged, all without loss. The Canadians, providing high cover over the area, reported seeing 12 Fw 190s north of Arnhem, Flt Lts H.G.Russell and A.J.Fraser, and Flg Off W.H.Palmer claiming one apiece. However, this unit too suffered its losses, Flt Lt E.H.W.Treleaven being shot down and killed, while two more pilots were obliged to crash-land.

During this period III./JG 4 lost seven Bf 109s, claiming just a single Mustang in return, although JG 11 pilots were able to claim two fighters which they identified as P-47s. While this engagement was raging, other pilots of IV./JG 54 were able to get a clear run on a formation of 11 Mitchells from 98 Squadron as these were bombing a strongpoint near Arnhem, and two of the bombers were shot down. The Luftwaffe unit claimed four, including one each by Maj Wolfgang Spate and Lt Heinrich Sterr, the Gruppe's two Ritterkreuzträger; (Spate's gun camera film of this attack is currently held in the archives of the Imperial War Museum in London).

Into this mayhem flew 25 Mustangs from 2nd TAF's old 133 Wing in England, led by Wg Cdr Jan Zumbach, together with Spitfires of 118 Squadron led by Wg Cdr Johnny Checketts. Pilots of 129 Squadron claimed two Fw 190s and a Bf 109 shot down, and one Focke-Wulf damaged, but lost two Mustangs, both reportedly to Flak. Zumbach claimed another Fw 190 as a probable, while a pilot of 306 Squadron claimed one damaged. Wg Cdr Checketts meanwhile shared in shooting down a Messerschmitt with a member of 118 Squadron.

During the day a formation of 11 Mitchells from 98 Squadron bombed a strongpoint near Arnhem, but were set upon by Fw 190s, two of the bombers being shot down. It seems that they had been attacked by aircraft from both 14./JG 4, this unit claiming two such aircraft shot down, and by IV./JG 54, pilots from which unit also claimed two Mitchells!

An Auster of 662 Squadron was attacked by Uffz Corinth of 4./JG 26, who claimed it shot down, but the pilot actually managed to evade his assault and made good his escape. Typhoons of 182 Squadron also became engaged with Fw 190s - probably aircraft of JG 2. Flt Lt E.T.Brough claimed one of these probably destroyed near Cleve, while a second was claimed damaged. At 1712 a pilot of 1./JG 2 claimed a Typhoon, but Uffz Moller of 7./JG 2 was reported lost in combat with Typhoons near Arnhem. One of the aircraft attacked by the Typhoons may have been that flown by Lt Matte of Stab./JG 4, the Kommodore's wingman, who was seriously wounded during a fight near Cleve.

What then were the results of this incredible day? RAF Spitfire and Mustang pilots had claimed 21 fighters shot down, all but four of them by 2nd TAF units. In doing so, eight Spitfires had been shot down and four more had crash-landed or force-landed; two Mustangs had also been lost. Amongst the multiplicity of German units involved, two claims had been made for Mustangs, one by a pilot of 10./JG 4 at 1700 hours, and one by Lt E Fischer of 6./JG 26 at 1800; these claims cannot both relate to 129 Squadron, unless there was an error in one of the recorded times. JG 26 pilots claimed a total of seven Spitfires shot down, while 5./JG 77 added two more, Stab III./JG 300 one and 4./JG 2 one- a total of 11, which was very close to the losses recorded. On the debit side for the Luftwaffe, 22 of their fighters were lost in these battles, as well as Moller's Focke-Wulf in the fight with the Typhoons (JG 77 - eight; JG 4-four; III/JG 300, JG 26, IV./JG 54 and 2./NAGr 1 each two; JG 6 and JG 11 one each). On this occasion therefore, despite the numbers of aircraft and units involved, claims on both sides seem to have been remarkably accurate.

USAAF
FRANCE: Following a concerted 26-day aerial offensive by 9th Bombardment Division the XIX TAC, the German-held fortress at Brest falls into the hands of U.S. Ninth Army ground forces. During the Brest offensive, Ninth Air Force pilots and crews completed 1,573 bomber sorties (on only six mission days) and 3,698 fighter-bomber sorties (on 23 mission days). Only after the fall of the fortress, however, is it seen in high USAAF circles that the very heavy concentration of air power against the one static target has diverted the use of those same aircraft from more fruitful use against the German Army’s frantic effort to withdraw from France and Belgium to positions along and behind Germany’s West Wall. While the impressive weight of the Brest aerial campaign has reduced the large parts of the fortress to rubble, more has been lost than was gained by this uneconomical exploitation of air supremacy.
Nearly 125 Eighth Air Force B-24s transport fuel to France.

GERMANY: Four hundred ten 1st Bombardment Division B-17s attack industrial targets in and around Frankfurt am Main; 257 2d Bombardment Division B-24s attack two marshalling yards in Koblenz; and a total of 400 3d Bombardment Division B-17s attack a marshalling yard and an oil-industry target at Ludwigshafen. Two B-17s are lost.

IX TAC fighters and fighter-bombers support the U.S. First Army and dive-bomb rail lines in western Germany.

GREECE: Fifty-one Fifteenth Air Force B-24s attack harbor facilities at Piraeus, Salamis, and Skarmanga.

ITALY: Twelfth Air Force medium bombers are grounded by bad weather, but XII Fighter Command fighter-bombers are able to provide direct support for the U.S. Fifth Army and attack rail and road targets and barracks.

During the night of September 25–26, XII Fighter Command A-20s attack targets of opportunity in the Po River valley.

BASE CHANGES
3 Sqn SAAF (Spitfire IX) moves to Borghetto
74 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXE) moves to B.70 Antwerp/Deurne
118 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to Manston
124 Sqn (Spitfire HFIX) moves to Manston
229 Sqn (Spitfire IX) moves to Manston
303 Sqn (Spitfire IX) moves to Coltishall
439 Sqn RCAF (Typhoon IB) moves to B.78 Eindhoven

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
313 Sqn (Skeabrae) flies its last OM in the Spitfire VB

[warshipbuilder]

26-9-44
619 Sqn (Dunholme Lodge – Lancaster III)
Raid on KARLSRUHE: Eighteen aircraft detailed.

All aircraft successfully reached and bombed the target, with the exception of aircraft “X”, (P/O. Pettigrew) of which nothing has been heard.

ADDENDUM – Lancaster III ED602 PG-X. Crew: P/O RW Pettigrew RCAF KIA, F/O TE Kerslake KIA, Sgt A Moir KIA, F/O JW Thompson RCAF KIA, F/S AMB McDonald KIA, Sgt HE Smith KIA, Sgt GP Adams RCAF KIA, Sgt PC Lowe KIA. T/o 0025 Dunholme Lodge. L0st without a trace. All are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.

BOMBER COMMAND
CALAIS AREA
722 aircraft – 388 Lancasters, 289 Halifaxes, 45 Mosquitoes – carried out 2 separate raids. 531 aircraft were dispatched to 4 targets at Cap Gris Nez and 191 aircraft to 3 targets near Calais. Accurate and concentrated bombing was observed at all targets. 2 Lancasters lost.

Minor Operations: 5 R.C.M. sorties, 2 Ranger patrols, 5 Hudsons on Resistance operations, 74 Halifaxes on petrol-carrying flights. No aircraft lost.

Total effort for the day: 808 sorties, 2 aircraft (0.2 percent) lost.

________________________________________

26/27 September 1944
KARLSRUHE
226 Lancasters and 11 Mosquitoes of 1 and 5 Groups. 2 Lancasters lost.

Bomber Command claimed a concentrated attack, with a large area of the city devastated. A short local report says that there was damage throughout Karlsruhe, mentions damage to the Schloss, the Rathaus, the Orangerie, the Stefanskirche and the Kunsthalle, but gives no statistics other than a vague estimate of 50 people killed.

Minor Operations: 50 Mosquitoes to Frankfurt and 6 to Hamburg, 26 R.C.M. sorties, 50 Mosquito patrols. No aircraft lost.

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2nd TAF
The 26th proved almost as eventful as the previous day; it also saw the Typhoons fully back in action. 137 Squadron was directed to attack a Wehrmacht artillery battery, led by the unit's new Commanding Officer, Sqn Ldr E.T.Brough, DFC, who had been posted in from 182 Squadron. When British troops moved into the target area, they found 16 guns had been knocked out and 300 of the enemy killed; 400 more were captured in a demoralised state.

175 Squadron was further afield, searching for barges in the Tilburg area, when some 50 Bf 109s attacked, and Flt Sgt W.R.S.Hurrell's aircraft was shot down at once. Capt Hopkins, SAAF, and Wt Off Speedie fired their rockets at the Messerschmitts without effect, while Lt Capstick- Dale, another SAAF pilot, took refuge in clouds only to be faced with three or four of the German fighters each time he emerged; he eventually evaded his pursuers and landed, wheels-down, at a 400-yard Auster ALG. Here he was picked up by one of the little 'spotter' aircraft, but this came under fire from German troops soon after take-off; Capstick-Dale responded with his service revolver! Meanwhile Flt Lt H. 'Poppa' Ambrose, on his second tour on Typhoons, had been able to turn his fire on the intercepting fighters, claiming one Bf 109 probably destroyed and one damaged. Flg Off R.W.Clarke's aircraft had been hit in the first attack but he was able to nurse it back to a crash-landing at B.70.

Major Günther Specht, Kommodore of JG 11 and his Stab flight claimed three Typhoons between 1357-1404, two of which were credited to Specht personally - his 32nd and 33rd victories. III./JG 4 then apparently took up the attack, claiming three more between 1405-1410. Apart from those listed, the only other Typhoon losses of the day were far from the Apeldoorn area where these combats had occurred, Flt Lt R.U.Williams of 183 Squadron losing his life when he baled out of his aircraft after it had been hit by Flak off Dunkirk, while Flt Sgt F.Barwise of 247 Squadron came down near Schijndel to similar cause, becoming a POW less than four hours after he had arrived on the unit! It seems that during, or just before the engagement with the Typhoons, JG 11's pilots had encountered some of the Canadian Spitfires. Soon after midday, 412 Squadron had commenced a high- level patrol over the Venlo-Nijmegen area, where opposition was encountered. Flt Lt Rod Smith, a veteran of Malta, claimed two Bf 109s and Flt Lt Don Laubman two Fw 190s, as did Flt Lt Wilf Banks. Another Messerschmitt was claimed by Flg Off P.E.Hurtuboise, and an Fw 190 by Flg Off Phil Charron.

At much the same time 416 Squadron, which was on low patrol, reported 20-plus 'on the deck' in the Arnhem area, Flt Lt J.B.McColl and Wt Off W.L.Saunders each claiming an Fw 190, although Flt Lt G.R.Patterson was shot down and became a prisoner. JG 11 recorded the loss of four Bf 109s and two Fw 190s in combat, claiming a single Spitfire shot down in return, whilst a second claim for a Spitfire was recorded by Stab IV./JG 54 at 1420, another pilot from 15./JG 54 claiming a light aircraft identified as a "Vigilant at this time. Another Spitfire was lost around this time, but Flg Off Sherwood of 443 Squadron was apparently hit by Flak; undershooting the field he was aiming for, his Spitfire burst into flames, however he escaped the crash and evaded capture.

While these engagements were underway, Flg Off Francis Campbell of 132 Squadron gave chase to an Me 262 jet in the Nijmegen area, recording 2nd TAF's first claim against one of these revolutionary new aircraft - although as would frequently be the case, he was unable to close sufficiently to do more than inflict some possible damage.

In the mid-afternoon the pilots of 412 Squadron undertook a further patrol and 125 Wing was also in the area again, led by Wg Cdr Geoffrey Page. At around 1620, the Canadians again encountered German fighters in the Nijmegen area, Flt Lt Don Laubman and Flg Off Phil Charron once more each claiming a success over a Bf 109, while two more were reported to have been damaged. 443 Squadron's Flg Off Sherwood was shot down near Nijmegen, but evaded capture, returning a month later.

Ten minutes later Page and 132 Squadron arrived in the area, he and Flt Lt Mike Graham each claiming a Bf 109, while claims for one probable and one damaged were also submitted. One Spitfire was reported to have force-landed. Something over an hour later the Mustangs of 65 Squadron swept to Münster, their pilots adding one Bf 109 shot down plus two damaged here.

The Canadian-flown Typhoons of 143 Wing moved to B.78, Eindhoven, during the day, and here the wing's first victory was claimed as evening drew on. At 1750 eight 439 Squadron aircraft set off to patrol over the Nijmegen-Arnhem area, but as dusk fell one section was repeatedly attacked by USAAF P-475-fortunately without adverse effect. Flt Lt A.E.Monson found the murk lit up by searchlights and flares which enabled him to catch a glimpse of a Ju 88. He fired a long burst at it, but lost it before he could observe any definite result. Wt Off W.A.Gray then saw an Fw 190, got in a quick burst, and claimed damage. Finally, Flg Off J.H.Stitt encountered another Ju 88 at a height of 7,000 feet and sent this down in flames.

The US pilots had clearly been having some problems with their aircraft recognition during the day, for P-47s also attacked a lone Mustang I of 168 Squadron which was engaged in a late evening photographic reconnaissance. This, it appears, they managed to shoot down, killing Flt Lt F.Bolton.

Soon after darkness fell, 1/Lt Archie Harrington, a USAAF pilot on attachment to 410 Squadron, and his British radar operator, Plt Off D.G.Tongue, intercepted and shot down a Ju 87 Stuka dive- bomber 12 miles north of Aachen.

Headquarters' 34(PR) Wing was now also moving to the Continent, 69 and 140 Squadrons both arriving at B.58, Brussels/Melsbroek, followed two days later by 16 Squadron. 84 Group's 35(Recce) Wing was moving to B.61, St Denijs-Westrem, near Ghent at the same time.

USAAF
BELGIUM: The Ninth Air Force’s 370th Fighter Group displaces to Advance Landing Ground A-78, at Florennes/Juzaine Airdrome.

FRANCE: XIX TAC aircraft attack fortified positions around Metz.

More than 160 Eighth Air Force B-24s transport fuel to France.

GERMANY: Three hundred eighty-three 1st Bombardment Division B-17s attack a steel plant and marshalling yard at Osnabruck; 274 2d Bombardment Division B-24s attack a marshalling yard at Hamm; 381 3d Bombardment Division B-17s attack a motor-vehicle factory at Bremen; and 32 heavy bombers attack various targets of opportunity. Nine heavy bombers and two of 405 VIII Fighter Command escorts are lost.

VIII Fighter Command pilots down 30 GAF fighters, and Ninth Air Force fighter pilots down six GAF fighters over Germany between 1400 and 1650 hours.

IX TAC aircraft cut rail lines west of the Rhine River.

ITALY: Twelfth Air Force B-25s and B-26s attack road and rail bridges in the Po River valley, and XII Fighter Command fighter-bombers attack supply points and road and rail targets.

During the night of September 26–27, XII Fighter Command A-20s attack motor vehicles in the Po River valley.

NETHERLANDS: Two hundred fifty-three VIII Fighter Command fighters and 67 IX Fighter Command P-38s provide support for the MARKET-GARDEN airborne force. One P-38 is lost.

BASE CHANGES
69 Sqn (Wellinton XIII) moves to B.58 Melsbroek
72 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to Salon/La Jasse
149 Sqn (Mosquito PRIX/XVI) moves to B.59 Ypres
438 Sqn RCAF (Typhoon IB) moves to B.78 Eindhoven
439 Sqn RCAF (Typhoon IB) moves to B.78 Eindhoven

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
5 Sqn SAAF (Iesi) flies its last OM in the Kittyhawk IV
149 Sqn (Regina) flies its last OM in the Wellington X

[warshipbuilder]

27-9-44
432 Sqn RCAF (East Moor – Halifax VII)
Seventeen aircraft were detailed to attack BOTTROP. "S" captained by J. 26685 F/O Krakowsky M., took a crack at a marshalling yard 4½ miles from the main target. Cloud was heavy over Bottrop but through a small break the crews were able to execute visual bombing. The Master Bomber made a thorough job and the bombs were dropped on E.T.A. A terrific explosion was heard at 0936 which was a good sign. Some accurate but light flak but no enemy fighters were encountered. "K" captained by J.9115 F/L Woodward J.D. was badly damaged by flak and the skipper was injured to such an extent that it was necessary for the Navigator J.39394 F/O Hay C.M. to take over and bring the kite back. They were forced to land at Woodbridge, this looks like a marvelous piece of work and will be treated in more detail when all particulars are received.

ADDENDUM – Halifax VII NP692 QO-K was a write off. F/L Woodward died of his injuries and received a posthumous DFC. F/O Hay was awarded the DSO and the rest of the crew was MID’s.

BOMBER COMMAND
CALAIS AREA
341 aircraft – 222 Lancasters, 84 Halifaxes, 35 Mosquitoes – of 1, 3, 4 and 8 Groups. The target areas were covered by cloud but the Master Bomber brought the force below this to bomb visually. The attacks on the various German positions were accurate and only 1 Lancaster was lost.

BOTTROP
175 aircraft – 96 Halifaxes, 71 Lancasters, 8 Mosquitoes – of 6 and 8 Groups attacked the Ruhroel A.G. synthetic-oil plant in the Welheim suburb of Bottrop. The target was almost entirely cloud-covered and most of the bombing was aimed at Oboe sky-markers, although a few aircraft were able to bomb through small breaks in the cloud. Explosions and black smoke were seen. No aircraft lost.

STERKRADE
171 aircraft – 143 Halifaxes, 21 Lancasters, 7 Mosquitoes – of 6 and 8 Groups attempted to bomb the Sterkrade oil plant. Only 83 aircraft bombed the main target, through thick cloud; 53 aircraft bombed alternative targets, most of them aiming at the approximate position of Duisburg. No aircraft lost.

Minor Operations: 6 R.C.M. sorties, 5 Hudsons on Resistance operations, 73 Halifaxes on petrol-carrying flights. No aircraft lost.

Total effort for the day: 771 sorties, 1 aircraft (0.1 percent) lost.

________________________________________

27/28 September 1944
KAISERSLAUTERN
217 Lancasters and 10 Mosquitoes of 1 and 5 Groups in the only major raid carried out by Bomber Command during the war on this medium-sized target. 1 Lancaster and 1 Mosquito lost.

909 tons of bombs were dropped in an accurate raid and widespread destruction was caused; the post-war British Bombing Survey Unit estimated that 36 percent of the town’s built-up area was destroyed. The local report complains that the town was not a military objective but then lists the typical catalogue of small factories, public buildings, churches, etc. destroyed or seriously damaged, which larger German communities had long got used to being hit in area-bombing raids. The report concludes with the statement that 144 people, predominantly women and children died, ‘der meist lebendig verbrannten Opfer’ – ‘victims mostly burnt alive’.

Minor Operations: 46 Mosquitoes to Kassel, 6 to Aschaffenburg and 6 to Heilbronn, 12 R.C.M. sorties, 27 Mosquito patrols. No aircraft lost.

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2nd TAF
The Luftwaffe redoubled its efforts to destroy the bridges on 27th, and again the most intense fighting developed over the area. First off was 441 Squadron from 125 Wing, 412 Squadron from 126 Wing and 421 Squadron from 127 Wing. Twelve pilots from the first of these units were patrolling over Arnhem when they spotted 15 plus Messerschmitts and Focke-Wulfs, Flt Lts Jack Copeland and Ron Lake, and Plt Off S.Bregman each claiming a Bf 109 destroyed.

Five minutes later 412 and 421 Squadrons encountered more Messerschmitts over Nijmegen, Flt Lts Rod Smith and Don Laubman claiming two apiece, as did Flg Off Lloyd Berryman while 412 Squadron was undertaking the low patrol. At the same time 421 Squadron's high patrol spotted six Bf 109s and then 20 plus Fw 190s which were noted to have chequered engine cowlings (possibly aircraft of JG 1) east of Eindhoven. During the next 25 minutes Flt Lt John Mitchner, Flg Off J.M.Calvert and Plt Off W.L.McDonald each claimed a Bf 109, but Flg Off R.E.Holness was shot down and killed.

Their opponents were aircraft of II./JG 77, whose Kommandeur, Maj Siegfried Freytag, claimed a Spitfire at 0823 as his 101st victory; he had earlier served with distinction over Malta and North Africa. A second Spitfire was claimed by Uffz Walter Quandel at 1000, but during the morning the unit lost no fewer than nine Bf 109s, with two more damaged. Six of the pilots were killed and three wounded, including Hptm Franz Hrdlicka, who was about to be awarded the Ritterkreuz for 44 victories, while a tenth pilot was reported missing.

It was the turn of 125 Wing again as the Australians of 453 Squadron undertook two morning patrols. On the first of these, soon after 0900, Wt Off R.Lyall claimed a Bf 109 north-east of Arnhem. Close behind them, 411 Squadron met 15-plus Fw 190s, and while one Spitfire was damaged, seven of these fighters were claimed shot down and three damaged. Flt Lt Esli Lapp claimed two of these, Flt Lt John Portz and Flg Off George Mercer each claiming one and a damaged. II/JG 26 and elements of 12. Staffel from this Geschwader, engaged Spitfires between 1025-1041-almost certainly 411, 412, 421, 441 and 453 Squadron - claiming five of these shot down, but losing six pilots killed and one wounded.

A lull followed until mid-morning when one of 132 Squadron's Spitfires was hit by Flak, Flg Off H.Wilkinson crash-landing near Arnhem. About an hour later, whilst engaged in their second patrol, six pilots of 453 Squadron met 50-plus Bf 109s near Arnhem. Flt Lt W.R.Bennett claimed one of these, plus one probable and one damaged, whilst three other pilots claimed Messerschmitts shot down, Wt Off. C.A.M.Taylor adding two more damaged. However one Spitfire was shot down by two Bf 109s, Fig Off K.A.Wilson crash-landing in the front line area; here his fighter flipped over twice, but he was seen to run to a nearby village.

412 Squadron meanwhile had become engaged in its second combat of the day, Flt Lt Charles Fox claiming two Fw 190s and a Bf 109, plus one of each damaged, while Flg Off Berryman claimed a Bf 109, his third victory of the day, Don Laubman matching this total when he too claimed a Messerschmitt and a second damaged. One loss was suffered when Flg Off P.E.Hurtuboise was shot down and killed.

Five minutes later, at 1250, Wg Cdr 'Johnnie' Johnson led 443 Squadron to engage nine Bf 109s, five of which were claimed, one of them by the Wing Leader himself for his last victory of the war; one probable and one damaged were also claimed by the squadron's pilots but one Spitfire suffered some damage. These midday engagements had been with I./JG 76, this unit claiming five Spitfires between 1226-1255; with III./JG 4 which claimed two more for the loss of our Bf 109s; and with JG 11, which lost seven aircraft.

Flying high cover, 416 Squadron reported more than 50 fighters over Uden at 1305, Flt Lt Art Sager claiming two Messerschmitts while Flt Lt Dave Harling claimed one and one damaged, plus an Fw 190. Other members of the squadron claimed two more Focke-Wulfs and five fighters damaged. 25 minutes later Flt Lt Lapp and Flg Off Bob Cook of 411 Squadron caught an Me 410 over the Nijmegen area, and this too was claimed shot down. They then spotted four Ju 88s, but these escaped in cloud. This day of high success was marred however, during an early afternoon patrol by 443 Squadron. In the course of this operation the commanding officer, Sqn Ldr Wally McLeod, failed to return, last being seen 20 miles east of Nijmegen at 1355. McLeod, at this time the RCAF's top-scoring fighter pilot of the war, and recipient of the DSO, DFC and Bar for his 21 victories, had been shot down by a Bf 109, but it would not be until after the war that his body was eventually found. 453 Squadron also lost a second Spitfire during the day to a Bf 109, but Flg Off D.C.Johns baled out safely and returned.

A gap then occurred until mid-afternoon when again one of 132 Squadron's patrolling Spitfires was hit by Flak, Flt Sgt E.Sargeant crash-landing to become a PoW. Around 1630, 412 Squadron on the unit's third patrol of the day, again encountered Luftwaffe aircraft, this time chasing them right back to their home airfields. Don Laubman claimed an Fw 190 for his fourth of the day, plus another damaged, while Flt Lt David Jamieson claimed two destroyed and Flt Lt Jim Doak one. Flg Off R.Clasper was shot down and killed, possibly the victim of Ofw Mayer of 5./JG 26. Into the fray at this point came the Mustangs of 19 Squadron on another armed reconnaissance during which Flt Lt Jim Paton claimed damage to a Focke-Wulf. They would be followed an hour later by 122 Squadron, whose Flg Off H.H.Cush claimed a Bf 109 near Nijmegen- shortly after a similar claim had been made by Flg Off H.G.Upham of 438 Squadron. Four of this unit's Typhoons had been 'jumped' by some 20 hostile fighters some time after they had been scrambled. Maj Michalski of Stab./JG 4 claimed a Typhoon at an altitude of about 600 feet to the south-west of Goch at 1715, but the formation he was leading lost two aircraft in return.

These proved to be the last claims on this extraordinary day, during which no fewer than 45 German fighters had been claimed, 39 of them by the exultant pilots of 126 and 127 Wings - all for the loss of only five of their pilots, albeit sadly that one of those was their leading 'ace.

One more Spitfire had also been claimed by Oblt Paul-Heinrich Dahne of 12./JG 11 as his 96th victory at an unrecorded time, but the late afternoon claims are more difficult to ascertain. The claim of Ofw Mayer has already been mentioned, but at 1821 Hptm Walter Krupinski of III./JG 26 claimed a Spitfire as his 192nd victory. Another somewhat dubious claim was one made by III./JG 26's Ofw Heinrich Humburg for a Mustang at 1040; it has been suggested that this was an aircraft of 168 Squadron, but at that time this unit was stood down undergoing re-equipment with Typhoons and does not seem to have suffered any such loss.

Finally, at 1750 Uffz Erich Klein of II./JG 26 was shot down and killed south of Nijmegen, almost certainly one of 412 Squadron's victims. Whilst it has not proved possible to account for the total number of Luftwaffe aircraft lost in the area on this date, apart from those already mentioned it is known that II./JG 27 lost two Bf 109s over Arnhem on this date, and that I. and II/JG 300 between them lost 13 aircraft, II. Gruppe having seven of its pilots killed; JG 4, JG 11, JG 26, JG 27, JG 76, JG 77 and JG 300 had thus accounted for at least 41 of the total.

Amongst other 2nd TAF units during the day, 174 Squadron had claimed damage to an Fw 190 in the Arnhem area, while 175 Squadron had lost a Typhoon to Flak during an incursion over the Ruhr, Flg Off N.J.Scott baling out into captivity. 2 Squadron, following a move of its Mustang IIs to B.61, lost Flt Lt G.A.Percival when he was shot down by Flak from a train (or did he perhaps fall to Humburg of III/JG 26?). He crash-landed safely in enemy territory near Asch. Evading capture, he was aided by the Dutch Resistance to return to Allied lines a few weeks later. A second Mustang was also lost by this unit, but Flg Off A.Bremner was able to force-land within Allied territory. 439 Squadron's Wt Off W.A.Gray was shot down and killed by Flak near Geldern during the mid-afternoon period.

The Bostons of 342 Squadron undertook the first 2 Group attack on a target on German soil , bombing a rail junction at Cleve under an 'umbrella' of Spitfires and US P-47s. The Group's Mitchells were also beginning regular attacks on targets in Germany, frequently operating in Wing formation.

USAAF
FRANCE: More than 300 9th Bombardment Division B-26s and A-20s abort from their assigned mission due to bad weather.

One hundred sixty-three Eighth Air Force B-24s transport fuel to an Allied base in France.

The 9th Bombardment Division’s 409th Light Bombardment Group displaces from England to Advance Landing Ground A-48, at Bretigny; the 9th Bombardment Division’s 410th Light Bombardment Group displaces from England to Advance Landing Ground A-58, at Coulommiers; and the 9th Bombardment Division’s 416th Light Bombardment Group displaces from England to Advance Landing Ground A-55, at Melun.

GERMANY: Four hundred twenty-one 1st Bombardment Division B-17s attack the city of Cologne; 248 2d Bombardment Division B-24s attack a motor-vehicle factory at Kassel; 214 3d Bombardment Division B-17s attack an oil-industry target at Ludwigshafen; and 49 heavy bombers attack various targets of opportunity. Heavy, aggressive GAF fighter opposition results in the loss of 28 heavy bombers, including 26 of the 37 B-24s in the 445th Heavy Bombardment Group formation. This, the largest loss by any single USAAF group on any single mission in the entire war, is the result mainly of the 445th’s not having joined up with any larger formation, as is by then standard operating procedure.

Escort for the heavy bombers is provided by 640 VIII Fighter Command fighters, of which two are lost. The 479th Fighter Group completes its first all–P-51 mission since transitioning from P-38s.

VIII Fighter Command pilots down 31 GAF fighters, and Ninth Air Force fighter pilots down five GAF fighters over Germany between 0940 and 1655 hours. Capt Donald S. Bryan, a P-51 pilot with the 352d Fighter Group’s 328th Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status when he downs two Bf-109s near Frankfurt at 1005 hours; and 1stLt William R. Beyer, a one-victory P-51 pilot with the 361st Fighter Group’s 376th Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status when he downs five FW-190s near Eisenach between 1015 and 1045 hours.

ITALY: Twelfth Air Force medium bombers are grounded by bad weather, but XII Fighter Command fighter-bombers are able to mount a limited number of missions against troop concentrations, defensive emplacements, and rail and road targets.

BASE CHANGES
2 Sqn (Mustang II) moves to B.61 St. Denis-Westrem
4 Sqn (Spitfire PRXI) moves to B.61 St.Denis-Westrem
16 Sqn (Spitfire PRIX/PRXI) moves to B.58 Melsbroek
40 Sqn SAAF TR (Spitfire IX) moves to Rimini
43 Sqn (Spitfire VIII) moves to La Jasse
268 Sqn (Mustang IA/Typhoon IB) moves to B.61 St. Denis-Westrem
318 Sqn (Spitfire VB/VC) moves to Rimini
326 Sqn (Spitfire VB/VC/IX) moves to Luxeil
327 Sqn (Spitfire VIII/IX) moves to Luxeil
409 Sqn RCAF (Mosquito NFXIII) moves to B.48 Glisy

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
73 Sqn (Canne) flies its last OM’s in the Spitfire VIII & IX and its first OM in the Spitfire LFIXB

[warshipbuilder]

28-9-44
157 Sqn (Swannington – Mosquito NFXIX)
Weather clear and little cloud. Five aircraft operated on high patrols, and one Freshman on low patrol. Two GCI practices were carried out. Flying Officer P. Fry and Flying Officer H. Smith were overdue from patrol and eventually reported missing. One aircraft piloted by Flight Mathews caught fire shortly after returning and parking in dispersals. A Court of Inquiry will be held. Aircraft was completely destroyed.

ADDENDUM – Mosquito NFXIX MM646 RS-R. Crew: F/O PW Fry KIA, F/O H Smith KIA. T/o 0100 Swannington and headed for Münster-Handorf. Crashed 0300 onto a road traversing farmland near Geesbrug, 8 km SW Oosterhesselen. Both are buried in Oosterheselen General Cemetery.

BOMBER COMMAND
CALAIS AREA
494 aircraft – 230 Lancasters, 214 Halifaxes, 50 Mosquitoes – of 1, 3, 6 and 8 Groups to attack 4 German positions at Calais and 6 battery positions at Cap Gris Nez; approximately 50 aircraft were allocated to each position. Only 68 aircraft bombed at Calais before the Master Bomber cancelled the raid because of worsening cloud conditions and only 198 (from 301) aircraft bombed at Cap Gris Nez. No aircraft were lost. Calais surrendered to the Canadian Army soon after this raid and all the French Channel ports were thus in Allied hands, although most of the facilities required extensive clearance and repair. This, and the continuing presence of German troops along the River Scheldt between Antwerp and the sea, would cause the Allied ground forces serious supply difficulties for several more weeks.

Minor Operations: 2 Liberators and 2 Wellingtons on signals investigation patrols, 10 Hudsons and 2 Lysanders on Resistance operations, 75 Halifaxes on petrol-carrying flights. No aircraft lost.

Total effort for the day: 585 sorties, no aircraft losses.

________________________________________

28/29 September 1944
MINOR OPERATIONS
44 Mosquitoes to Brunswick, 5 to Heilbronn and 4 to Aschaffenburg, 43 R.C.M. sorties, 52 Mosquito patrols. 1 Mosquito Intruder lost.

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2nd TAF
The day proved to be a much quieter one than the two previous days, but nonethless one of considerable and significant change. Off on an early patrol over Nijmegen, pilots of 411 Squadron encountered six Fw 190s, two being claimed shot down and three damaged. An hour later a 438 Squadron Typhoon went down to Flak, Flg Off A.H.Vickers baling out to become a PoW.

A little later it was the turn of 442 Squadron to patrol, and they met more Fw 190s. Damage was claimed to one, but Flg Off G.G.Millar was shot down and killed - possibly by Hptm Walter Matoni of I./JG 11, who claimed such an aircraft at 1045. Flt Lt J.B.McColl meanwhile sought to pursue an Me 262, but again could claim no more than damage.

During the afternoon French Spitfire pilots of 341 Squadron bombed a marshalling yard at Breda. Taking off again around 1600 they then patrolled over the Nijmegen area, two Bf 109s being seen north of Eindhoven. Sous Lt P. Gallay and Sgt J.Dabos each claimed one of these, both their victims being seen to crash. At just about this time a Spitfire was claimed by Stab III./JG 54, but no losses were suffered by the French unit. However, 12 Spitfire IXs of 322 (Dutch) Squadron from England were flying a 'Ramrod' to the Schowen Islands, and two of these failed to return, although it is likely that these were lost due to bad weather, as had happened to two more ADGB Spitfires of 1 Squadron the day previously.

Typhoons of 137 Squadron undertook an attack on targets in the Kassel area, but here two of the unit's aircraft were shot down by Flak. Flg Off D.W.Guttridge was killed, but plt Off H.T.Nicholls baled out, becoming a PoW. Another Typhoon from 84 Group's 609 Squadron was shot down whilst attacking barges east of Rotterdam, Flt Lt J.M.C.H.J.Van Daele being killed.

The biggest event of the day however, was probably the tremendous changes in the Order of Battle which now took place. It may be recalled that when 85 Group had been formed, it was the original intention to equip it with some squadrons of the most advanced fighters available for defensive operations. This had indeed occurred but they had remained under ADGB control; with the onset of the V-1 assault on England they had remained under ADGB, playing a major part in the defence of the home country. The Mustangs of 133 Wing had also been similarly transferred to ADGB, although they had continued to undertake the occasional sweeps and armed reconnaissances over the Continent.

Now, with the Pas de Calais in Allied hands and the cessation of daylight V-1 attacks, these units could be spared to return to 2nd TAF. This was perhaps fortuitous, for the appearance of the first jet-powered Me 262s over Nijmegen had indicated the need for the fastest interceptors available. Thus the Tempest units of 150 Wing had been preparing for a move to north-west Europe, as had several of the Griffon-Spitfire units. With the war clearly entering a more static phase following the failure of 'Market Garden' to secure a river crossing directly into the Reich, there was also an obvious decline of Luftwaffe fighter reaction by day. This made it less dangerous for Bomber Command's 'heavies' to operate by day, raising the need for long-range fighter escorts to accompany them. Consequently, the Mustangs of 133 Wing would not return, and those of 122 Wing were to go back to England to join in this duty.

In preparation for these moves, 3 and 56 Squadrons had moved with 150 Wing to Matlaske in Norfolk during the month, followed on 28th by 486 Squadron. A further unit newly-equipped with the Tempest, 274 Squadron, had moved to Coltishall on 20th, while on 28th a fifth such unit, 80 Squadron, was advised to be ready to move to 2nd TAF.

Amongst the Spitfire squadrons, 130 had taken over 350 (Belgian) Squadron's Mark XIVES, and prepared to move with 402 Squadron, which had similarly been re-equipped during August.

Now therefore, 3, 56 and 486 Squadrons flew over to join 122 Wing at Grimbergen, while 80 and 274 Squadrons arrived at B.70, Antwerp, to join 125 Wing on 29th; both would subsequently become part of 122 Wing early in October. The Mustangs of 122 Wing, 19, 65 and 122 Squadrons, flew back to England to take the place of the Tempests in 150 Wing at Matlaske.

During 28th and 29th the squadrons of 125 Wing-132, 441, 453, and 602-handed their Spitfire IXES to the Canadians' of 126 Wing, taking over that unit's tired Mark IXBS which were all in need of major inspection, and also flew back to England, leaving 2nd TAF at the same time. On 30th, their places in this Wing were taken, as indicated, by 80, 130, 274 and 402 Squadrons. At the same time 127 Wing commenced a move to B.82, Grave, between 28th-30th.

That night - 28/29th - Flt Lt G.R.I.Sailor' Parker/Flt Sgt D.Godfrey of 219 Squadron claimed a Ju 87 five miles north of Venlo - their Squadron's 100th victory of the war. About the same time Flg Off J.A.Côté of 439 Squadron, who had lost contact with the rest of his unit on a dusk patrol of the Nijmegen area and had been unable to make any radio contact, ran out of fuel and baled out into the dark. Hearing German spoken and scanning a newspaper by matchlight, he was convinced he was in enemy territory - he had in fact come down in liberated northern Luxembourg, but would not know this until he walked into Bastogne to find Allied flags flying!

USAAF
FRANCE: Thirty-seven 9th Bombardment Division B-26s and A-20s attack German Army defenses; and Ninth Air Force P-47s attack three German fortresses near Metz with high-explosive bombs and napalm.

One hundred ninety-four Eighth Air Force B-24s transport fuel to France.

The 9th Bombardment Division’s 394th Medium Bombardment Group displaces to Advance Landing Ground A-50, at Bricy; and the Ninth Air Force’s 50th Fighter Group displaces to Advance Landing Ground Y-6, at Lyons/Bron Airdrome.

GERMANY: Only 23 of 417 1st Bombardment Division B-17s are able to locate and attack their primary target, an oil plant at Magdeburg, in bad weather; 359 others attack the city of Magdeburg, and 35 attack targets of opportunity. Also, 243 2d Bombardment Division B-24s attack a motor-vehicle plant at Kassel, and 301 3d Bombardment Division B-17s attack an oil plant at Merseburg. Thirty-four heavy bombers are lost, of which 23 are 1st Bombardment Division B-17s downed in particularly violent GAF fighter attacks over Magdeburg.

Escort for the heavy bombers is provided by 646 VIII Fighter Command fighters, of which seven are lost with their pilots.

VIII Fighter Command fighters down 30 GAF aircraft over Germany between 1130 and 1750 hours. 1stLt George W. Gleason, a P-51 pilot with the 479th Fighter Group’s 434th Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status when he downs a Bf-109 and an FW-190 near Halberstadt between 1115 and 1130 hours; 1stLt Robert H. Ammon, a P-51 pilot with the 339th Fighter Group’s 503d Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status when he downs two FW-190s near Brunswick at 1145 hours; and 1stLt Ernest C. Fiebelkorn, a P-51 pilot with the 20th Fighter Group’s 77th Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status when he downs three Bf-109s and an FW-190 near Magdeburg between 1140 hours and noon.

Ninth Air Force fighter-bombers attack rail lines west of the Rhine River.

ITALY: All Fifteenth Air Force and Twelfth Air Force bombers are grounded by bad weather, but some XII Fighter Command fighter-bombers are able to attack roads and rail lines in reduced strength.

BASE CHANGES
3 Sqn (Tempest V) moves to B.60 Grimbergen
19 Sqn (Mustang III) moves to Matlask
56 Sqn (Tempest V) moves to B.60 Grimbergen
122 Sqn (Mustang III) moves to Matlask
225 Sqn (Spitfire VB/VC/LFIXB/LFIXE) moves to Peretola
241 Sqn (Spitfire VIII) moves to Rimini
486 Sqn RAAF (Tempest V) moves to B.60 Grimbergen
547 Sqn (Liberator V/VI) moves to Leuchars
619 Sqn (Lancaster I/III) moves to Strubby

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
234 Sqn (North Weald) flies its last OM in the Spitfire VB
411 & 412 Sqn RCAF (B.68 Le Culot) flies their last OM in the Spitfire LFIXB and their first OM in the Spitfire LFIXE

[warshipbuilder]

29-9-44
416 Sqn RCAF (B.68 Le Culot – Spitfire LFIXB)
F/O F.G. Picard, "Pie" for short arrived today to replace Lyle England who was posted after his unfortunate accident. F/L’s Ockenden and Mason are tour expired and will probably do the reminder of their flying at an O.T.U. somewhere in England. F/L "Jake" Kitchener took over “B” Flight today and proved his worth when he knocked out two FW 190’s in a show over Arnhem. The other boys who scored wore on to follows: F/L "Dave" Harling, P/O WG Roddie, P/O “Bill” Unsler, F/L Neil Russell, F/L. J.B. McNeil all with a FW 190 destroyed and F/L "Lou” Short with a 190 damaged.

BOMBER COMMAND
MINOR OPERATIONS
3 Liberators and 2 Wellingtons on R.C.M. sorties, 3 Lysanders on Resistance operations, 72 Halifaxes on petrol-carrying flights. 1 Lysander lost.
________________________________________
29/30 September 1944
MINOR OPERATIONS
40 Mosquitoes to Karlsruhe, 25 R.C.M. sorties, 42 Mosquito patrols, 15 Lancasters minelaying in the Kattegat and off Heligoland. No aircraft lost.

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2nd TAF
Morning brought a resumption of fighting over the Nijmegen area despite worsening weather conditions. 401 Squadron set off on patrol with 13 Spitfires at 0845, but it was approaching 1030 before 30-plus Bf 109s and Fw 190s were intercepted. By this time 421 and 443 Squadrons were also in the air, as were Typhoons of 438 Squadron. 401's pilots claimed 11 Messerschmitts and a single Focke-Wulf, Flt Lts Rod Smith and Hedley 'Snooks' Everard claiming two apiece, as did Flg Offs John Hughes and Doug Husband; the only loss was Flg Off C.G.Hutchings, who was shot down and killed.

Within minutes 12 more Spitfires from 421 Squadron on a low patrol also reported large numbers of German fighters, another four Bf 109s being added to the Canadians' scoreboard, this time without loss; Flt Lt Gordon Smith claimed two. Also at low-altitude, but a little way behind 421 Squadron, came 443 Squadron, this unit's pilots having also originally taken off at 0845. They too reported a large 'gaggle' of hostiles, claiming seven Bf 109s and a lone Fw 190. Flt Lt Gordon Troke and Flg Offs Gordon Ockenden and Rooney Hodgins claimed two apiece. Flt Lt J.R.Irwin's aircraft was damaged by fire from a Focke-Wulf and he force-landed near Grave, while two more Spitfires suffered damage, but returned.438 Squadron's Typhoons were engaged by Bf 109s of II./JG 27, andFlg Off J.E.Cornelius, a US citizen, was shot down and killed south-west of Bocholt by FhjUffz Hans Utz, while Flg Off R.G.Fox claimed to have inflicted some damage on one of their attackers, firing all his ammunition as it escaped into cloud. More Spitfires appeared in the Nijmegen area a few minutes later, this time flown by French pilots of 340 Squadron. Six fighters were engaged and Lt J.Guignard was able to claim one Messerschmitt as a probable.

Three patrols were to be undertaken over the Nijmegen area by 412 Squadron during the day, on the second of which at about 1050, large numbers of German aircraft were spotted. This time Fw 190s were the main opponents, three of these being claimed shot down. Eight rocket-firing Typhoons from 137 Squadron were undertaking an armed reconnaissance over the Emmerich- Goch-Cleve-Wesel area at this time and were attacking MET when a large force of Messerschmitts and Focke-Wulfs attempted to bounce them. However, Spitfires intervened, and Flt Lt W.B.Short was able to claim one Fw 190 as a probable, although this claim was subsequently down-graded to 'damaged'.

Their rescuers were from 416 Squadron which had been on low patrol when the German aircraft were seen, and also, it would appear, Tempests of the newly-arrived 56 Squadron. TheCanadians claimed seven Focke-Wulfs over the Emmerich-Nijmegen area, while the Tempest pilots added five more and a probable. 416 Squadron's Flt Lt John Mitchner claimed two as did Flg Off David Ness, a Canadian pilot with 56 Squadron, and Flg Off Jim Payton of the same unit. At least some of their victims appear to have been from JG 11, which lost seven Fw 190s in the Arnhem area, while III./JG 4 lost three and I./JG 76 lost no fewer than eight Bf 109s. Against their tormentors, the German pilots seem to have been rather more than optimistic, but the variety of units submitting claims does give an indication of the identity of those against whom the Allied pilots had been pitted, although details of the losses of these units were not available to the authors at the time of writing. At 1118 FhjUffz Werner Just of II./JG 27 claimed a Spitfire, whilst between then and 1135, nine more were claimed by pilots of 16./JG 300, 1., 2. and 4. Staffeln of JG 76, Stab, III. and 9./JG 4.

As mentioned, only one Spitfire had actually been shot down and two others damaged, but a second Typhoon is known to have been shot down by fighters in which Flt Sgt T.S.Edwards, RNZAF, of 182 Squadron was killed. This may have been the victim of Hptm Hasenberg or Lt Boer of II./JG 4, both of whom claimed P-47s.

During the day 181 Squadron also lost a Typhoon and 3 Squadron a Tempest, both these falling to Flak with the pilots becoming prisoners. The Tempest pilot, Ray Clapperton, DFC, had been one of the unit's top-scorers against the V-1s, having accounted for 24 of these missiles during the summer. During the mid afternoon period one of 416 Squadron's aircraft also fell to the ever-present Flak, Wt Off R.E.Chambers being killed, whilst a Mosquito VI from 140 Wing also failed to return from the Utrecht-Dusseldorf area.

USAAF
ENGLAND: Most of the Eighth Air Force is grounded by bad weather.

ETO: During the day, Ninth Air Force fighters and fighter-bombers complete more than 1,500 effective combat sorties.

During the night of September 29–30, specially equipped, bomb-armed 474th Fighter Group P-38s fly night-intruder missions against German Army supply columns. However, the results of this and three previous night missions by the P-38s are deemed insignificant, and the P-38 night-intruder program is abandoned.

FRANCE: One hundred ninety Eighth Air Force B-24s transport fuel supplies to France.

The 9th Bombardment Division’s 322d Medium Bombardment Group displaces to Advance Landing Ground A-61, at Beauvais/Tille Airdrome.

The 371st Fighter Group is formally transferred from the Ninth Air Force to the XII TAC.

GERMANY: More than 400 9th Bombardment Division B-26s and A-20s attack antitank barriers at Webenheim; marshalling yards and rail sidings at Bingen, Euskirchen, and Prum; and warehouses, barracks, rail sidings, and marshalling yards at Bitburg and Julich.

ITALY: Twelfth Air Force bombers are grounded by bad weather, and only 52 XII Fighter Command fighter-bomber sorties are flown against rail targets south of Milan.

An FW-190 downed over Pontevillo by a 350th Fighter Group P-47 pilot is the last of only 16 Axis aircraft downed in the entire theater during the month of September.

BASE CHANGES
65 Sqn (Mustang III) moves to Matlask
80 Sqn (Tempest V) moves to B.70 Deurne
274 Sqn (Tempest V) moves to B.70 Deurne
350 Sqn (Spitfire XIV) moves to Lympne
453 Sqn RAAF (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to Coltishall
602 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to Coltishall

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
10 Sqn RAAF (Mount Batten) flies its first OM in the Sunderland V
202 Sqn (Castle Archdale) flies its last OM in the Catalina I