Action This Day

[warshipbuilder]

420 Sqn RCAF (Tholthorpe – Halifax III) 15-2-44
F/O. MACKNESS,R., of the Public Relations 3-Branch, R.C.A.F. H.Q., arrived at the unit today. Representatives from the Home and Forces Program recorded a few remarks given by W/C McIntosh and several aircrew.

If operations are not scrubbed we will have our first operation since our return from N.W.A. tonight. Indications are good. The boys are all in high spirits, their conversion is over, 420 squadron is ready.

12 aircraft were bombed up and took off to raid target BERLIN. Due to adverse weather settling in over Base all returning aircraft were diverted. One aircraft proceeded to base and after several overshoots crashed, killing two members of the crew and slightly injuring the other members. Those killed were R93150 W02 WHALE, L.L. W/Op, and R103176 Sgt. DOWNEY, B., Air Gunner. A sortie completed on night 15th February appears at end of 541.

BOMBER COMMAND
BERLIN
After a rest of more than 2 weeks for the regular bomber squadrons, 891 aircraft – 561 Lancasters, 314 Halifaxes, 16 Mosquitoes – were dispatched. This was the largest force sent to Berlin and the largest non-1,000 bomber force sent to any target, exceeding the previous record of 826 aircraft (which included Stirlings and Wellingtons) sent to Dortmund on the night of 23/24 May 1943. It was also the first time that more than 500 Lancasters and more than 300 Halifaxes were dispatched. The quantity of bombs dropped, 2,642 tons, was also a record.

The German controllers were able to plot the bomber stream soon after it left the English coast but the swing north over Denmark for the approach flight proved too far distant for many of the German fighters. The German controller ordered the fighters not to fly over Berlin, leaving the target area free for the Flak, but many fighters ignored him and attacked bombers over the city. The diversion to Frankfurt-on-Oder failed to draw any fighters. 43 aircraft – 26 Lancasters, 17 Halifaxes – were lost, 4.8 percent of the force.

Berlin was covered by cloud for most of the raid. Heavy bombing fell on the centre and south-western districts but many places out in the country again recorded bombs, with 59 people being killed there. Damage in Berlin was extensive with 599 large and 572 medium fires and nearly 1,000 houses and 526 temporary wooden barracks, of which there were now a large number in Berlin, destroyed. Some of Berlin’s most important war industries were hit, including the large Sie-mensstadt area. 320 people were killed – 196 civilians, 34 service personnel, 9 air-raid workers, 80 foreign workers and 1 prisoner of war. The diminishing proportion of civilian casualties reflects the large-scale evacuation which had now taken place but a further 260 civilians were recorded as being ‘buried alive’ and it is not known how many of these survived.

This was really the end of the true ‘Battle of Berlin’; only one more raid took place on the city in this period and that was not for more than a month.

DIVERSION AND SUPPORT OPERATIONS
23 Oboe Mosquitoes attacked 5 night-fighter airfields in Holland, 43 Stirlings and 4 Pathfinder Halifaxes carried out minelaying in Kiel Bay, 24 Lancasters of 8 Group made a diversion raid on Frankfurt-on-Oder (where 147 buildings were damaged, 25 people were killed and 34 were seriously injured), 9 aircraft made R.C.M. flights and 14 Mosquitoes carried out Serrate patrols. A Serrate Mosquito was the only aircraft lost.

MINOR OPERATIONS
2 Mosquitoes to Aachen, 6 Stirlings and 6 Wellingtons minelaying off Bayonne and Lorient, 48 aircraft on Resistance operations. 1 Stirling lost from a Resistance flight.

Total effort for the night: 1,070 sorties, 45 aircraft (4.2 percent) lost.

Operations for the night:

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2nd TAF
Bostons of 88 and 342 Squadrons attacked a target in the Cherbourg area, where very intense Flak was experienced. The Flak shot down the aircraft flown by 88 Squadron's Commanding Officer, Wg Cdr A.B. Wheeler, DFC, which fell in flames; several more Bostons were hit and damaged.

During the day 19 and 65 Squadrons undertook their first operational sorties with the new Mustang IIIs, while 315 Squadron received a new commanding officer in the person of Sqn Ldr E.Horbaczewski, one of the most successful Polish fighter pilots.

USAAF
BELGIUM: Forty-two VIII Fighter Command P-47 dive-bombers unable to locate their primary target in France bomb an airdrome thought to be in Belgium, either at Nieuport or Coxyde.

ENGLAND: The Eighth Air Force’s independent 803d Provisional Bombardment Squadron (Radio Counter Measures) is transferred from the administrative control of the 1st Bombardment Division to that of the VIII Air Force Composite Command.

FRANCE: Fifty-two 2d Bombardment Division B-24s of the 93d, 389th, 445th, and 453d Heavy Bombardment groups attack V-weapons sites in the Pas-de-Calais area with 150 tons of bombs. Escort is provided by 95 P-47s of the 4th and 356th Fighter groups.

During the morning, 247 IX Bomber Command B-26s attack Cherbourg/Maupertus Airdrome, several V-weapons sites, and several targets of opportunity. During the afternoon, 141 IX Bomber Command B-26s attack V-weapons construction sites along the Channel coast.

The IX Bomber Command’s 391st Medium Bombardment Group, in B-26s, makes its combat debut.

ITALY: Fifteenth Air Force B-17s mount the first heavy-bomber attack on German Army fortifications on Monte Cassino, where the entire Allied ground effort has come to a halt in the face of unprecedented German resistance enhanced by a seemingly unbreachable defensive position. The 142 B-17s assigned to the mission drop 353 tons of bombs on the monastery, which, along with XII Bomber Command B-25s and B-26s, reduce the irreplaceable historical treasure to rubble. For all that, German Army resistance to follow-on ground attacks appears unfazed.

More than 60 Fifteenth Air Force B-24s attack marshalling yards at two locations; XII Bomber Command B-26s attack a rail line and a marshalling yard; XII Air Support Command A-20s attack road targets; and XII Air Support Command fighters and fighter-bombers attack numerous tactical and transportation targets in and around Rome and the battle areas.

52d Fighter Group Spitfire pilots down four GAF fighters and damage several other aircraft near Viterbo Airdrome, in central Italy, at about 1635 hours.

RAF
BASE CHANGES
1 Sqn (Typhoon IB) moves to Martlesham Heath
56 Sqn (Typhoon IB) moves to Scorton

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
19 Sqn (Gravesend) flies its first OM in the Mustang III
65 Sqn (Gravesend) flies its first OM in the Mustang III
416 Sqn RCAF (Digby) flies its first OM in the Spitfire LFIXB
420 Sqn RCAF (Tholthorpe) flies its first OM in the Halifax III
427 Sqn RCAF (Leeming) flies its first OM in the Halifax III

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401 Sqn RCAF (Biggin Hill – Spitfire LFIXB) 16-2-44
Weather was 10/10 cloud with drizzle. No flying was done, but the pilots did a revolver shooting practice. The Squadron was released in the afternoon.

USAAF
ITALY: Sixteen German Army divisions open an offensive against the Anzio beachhead, and so all available aircraft in the theater are ordered to conduct an all-out aerial counteroffensive against the German forces. During the first day, more than 250 fighter and fighter-bomber sorties are mounted by the XII Air Support Command and the Fifteenth Air Force. To help stem the flow of German Army troops and materiel toward Anzio, unescorted Fifteenth Air Force B-24s attack rail lines, road and rail bridges, and marshalling yards at six locations.

XII Bomber Command B-25s attack the targets in the Campoleone area and the marshalling yard at Orte; XII Bomber Command B-26s attack a rail station, a factory, bridges at two locations, and a town; XII Air Support Command A-20s join RAF light and medium bombers in attacks on German Army troop concentrations all around the Anzio beachhead; and XII Air Support Command fighters and fighter-bombers also attack tactical targets along the U.S. Fifth Army front.

RAF
BASE CHANGES
18 Sqn (Boston III) moves to Marcianise
248 Sqn (Non-Op) moves to Portreath
316 Sqn (Spitfire VB) moves to Woodvale

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
48 Sqn (Gibraltar) flies its last OM in the Hudson VI

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401 Sqn RCAF (Biggin Hill – Spitfire LFIXB) 17-2-44
Weather was 10/10 cloud with drizzle, and snow. No flying was undertaken. A lecture was given at Intelligence in the morning. In the afternoon we had a practice briefing and. scrambled, and the surplus pilots were released. P/O G.R. Stephen and F/O H.K. Hamilton came back today after a short stay in hospital.

USAAF
ENGLAND: The Ninth Air Force establishes an advance headquarters at Uxbridge, from which it will oversee tactical operations in France immediately following the OVERLORD invasion. The new advance headquarters will also liase with the RAF’s Second Tactical Air Force.

The 52d Troop Carrier Wing headquarters begins operating with the IX Troop Carrier Command following its transfer, along with its four troop carrier groups from the Twelfth Air Force.

ITALY: Allied naval bombardment and air attacks, including more than 800 medium- and heavy-bomber sorties, help prevent the German Army counterattack from breaking into the Anzio beachhead area. The Twelfth Air Force is engaged to the hilt in turning back the German Army counterattack against the beachhead, and all types of aircraft, including Fifteenth Air Force fighters and fighter-bombers, are employed in direct- and close-support tactical missions as well as attacks on German Army lines of supply and communication. Also, unescorted Fifteenth Air Force heavy bombers attack motor-vehicle parks, troop concentrations, and storage dumps.

In the day’s only air action in support of the U.S. Fifth Army, XII Air Support Command A-36s attack Monte Cassino Monastery.

The Fifteenth Air Force’s 455th and 456th Heavy Bombardment groups, in B-24s, are declared operational.

RAF
FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
118 Sqn (Detling) flies its first OM in the Spitfire LFIXB

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174 Sqn (Westhampnett – Typhoon IB) 18-2-44
Weather cold with occasional snowflakes. 10/10 at 200’. Squadron briefed for Fighter Escort (take-off 11.10 hrs). F/Sgt. BROWN and F/Sgt. BOUCHER attempted to get to ODIHAM in Tiger Moth but returned. F/O. BOLSOVER went to KENLEY in Hurricane for "Downpour". F/O. RENAUD (CAN) and F/Sgt. BROWN missing from Fighter Escort. F/Lt. GRANTHAN landed at HAWKINGE, and F/Sgt. WHEELER at LYDD and continued to HAWKINGE on return from Fighter Escort. Squadron released at 15.45 hrs.

ADDENDUM – Typhoon IB JR133 XP-? Pilot: F/O E Renaud RCAF POW. Shot down by Lt Waldemar Radner of JG 26.

Typhoon IB JP793 XP-? Pilot: F/S HS Brown KIA. Ditched and lost in the English Channel during a snow storm, 20 km SSE Beachy Head.

2nd TAF
During the month French Resistance workers had contacted the Special Operations Executive in England to request that an attack be made on the Gestapo headquarters in Amiens. Some 700 members of the Resistance were being held there, all of whom faced the death penalty. If an attack could be made, then many might be freed, even though some prisoners would probably be killed in the operation - but they were doomed men in any event.

The request was referred to the Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, who passed it to HQ, 2nd TAF, for implementation. Operation 'Jericho' was therefore planned, to be undertaken by 2 Group's 140 Airfield Mosquitoes from Hunsdon, as "Ramrod 564. Grp Capt Charles Pickard, famous for appearing in the film Target for Tonight, had moved with the Airfield from Sculthorpe, and was still Airfield Commanding Officer. He decided that he would lead personally a force of 18 aircraft, drawn equally from 21, 464 and 487 Squadrons, each flight being headed by the respective squadron commander. It was planned that these would attack in three waves, the first two briefed to attack specific targets, while the third was to be held in reserve against failure of either of the first waves. The attacking formations were to be accompanied by a Mosquito of the Film Production Unit, which would film the results.

Each wave was to have an escort of Typhoons, which were to be provided by 174 and 245 Squadrons from Westhampnett, and a third (ADGB) unit from Manston. The Mosquitoes went off at 1051, but there appears to have been a failure in communications regarding the fighter escort, for at Westhampnett briefing was carried out in great haste at 1055, the first Typhoons not getting airborne until 1110. Further, there had been no opportunity to fit long-range tanks.

At Manston the weather was appalling, with very low cloud and snow squalls. The commanding officer of the ADGB unit ordered to take part, refused to allow his unit to fly, and at the last moment a few aircraft of 198 Squadron were sent off instead, arriving over the target too late to see anything other than the FPU Mosquito.

At Westhampnett the weather was slightly better, and eight Typhoons of 174 Squadron got off, followed by eight more from 245 Squadron, all briefed to rendezvous with the Mosquitoes over Littlehampton. The weather upset this arrangement, but 174 Squadron did meet four Mosquitoes of the second wave, joined by four more of these aircraft mid-Channel. 245 Squadron located three more, all that remained of the third wave. Having flown straight into snow clouds, two Mosquitoes from each of 21 and 464 Squadrons had turned back.

The remaining 15 Mosquitoes and their escorting Typhoons flew on, but as they approached Amiens the Flak opened up and one 464 Squadron Mosquito was hit in the port engine; despite a neck wound, Flt Lt Hanafin feathered the propeller, jettisoned his bombs, and turned back; he would make a successful single-engined landing at Ford. Wg Cdr I.S.Smith led the 487 Squadron formation towards the target, followed by 464 Squadron's remaining quartet, the crews seeing Fw 190s taxying out at Glisy airfield as they passed.

The attacks by these two squadrons were of pinpoint accuracy, blowing holes in the walls and demolishing guard towers. Grp Capt Pickard, having completed his own bombing run, circled above to observe results, and was able to advise Wg Cdr Dole that the job was complete and that the 21 Squadron aircraft need not attack.

As the formation headed away, Fw 190s of 7./JG 26 attempted to intercept, but were warded off by the Typhoons. Flg Off J.E.Renaud of 174 Squadron was at low-level, about four miles north of Amiens, when he heard a loud explosion, the engine stopped, and he crash-landed near Poulainville to become a POW, believing that he had been brought down by Flak. In fact, he had failed to see Lt Waldemar Radner's Focke-Wulf on his tail, but he was actually shot down by this pilot for his 12th victory.

Flak meanwhile had caught Sqn Ldr A.I.McRitchie's 464 Squadron Mosquito near Albert, and he was obliged to crash-land, suffering injury in doing so, but then discovered that his navigator, Flt Lt R.W.Sampson, was dead. Plt Off Sparkes of 487 Squadron also had his aircraft badly damaged by Flak, but returned to base.

Pickard had delayed his departure from the scene too long, and he was intercepted by two Fw 190s and shot down by Lt Wilhelm Mayer, he and his navigator, Flt Lt Broadley, were both killed when their aircraft crashed at St Gratien, eight miles north of the target. Mayer then pursued one of the 487 Squadron aircraft, inflicting considerable damage before it escaped; he claimed this as probably destroyed, ten minutes after he had dispatched Pickard's aircraft.

While two of the 174 Squadron Typhoons were ordered to escort the FPU Mosquito back to safety, the degrees but being low on fuel I led the remainder of my section back on a course of 330 degrees, dropping to sea level as the weather further deteriorated with flurries of snow. Boucher and Brown lost contact and climbed into cloud; Boucher managed to land at Lydd to refuel before returning to Westhampnett, but Brown regretfully did not return to base. Either he ran out of fuel before reaching land or iced-up in the cloud. I continued at sea level on a revised course given to me by "Redhead" control and later caught a glimpse of cliffs right in front of my nose. After pulling up into cloud I saw ice on the wings, so I turned south and let down over the sea and thence back to Westhampnett which was relatively clear. Flight time was 1 hour 55 minutes and there was very little fuel left."

Despite the ugly weather, the 21 Squadron formation, with the 245 Squadron Typhoons returned safely, as did those aircraft dispatched by 198 Squadron, none of these having encountered the intercepting Fw 190s.

Had the raid been worth the effort and loss? A total of 258 prisoners escaped, including a Monsieur Vivant, a most important member of the Resistance, but 102 others were killed by the bombs. Regrettably, many of the escapees were soon recaptured.

And then there is this version of events:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JORZ4WM ... eaderFilms

For those of you who are older like myself and if you know him, as Paul Harvey use to say “And now you know the rest of the story.” Or is it just a really good conspiracy theory? You decide.

USAAF
ENGLAND: Headquarters, Eighth Air Force, establishes the 8th Provisional Photographic Reconnaissance Wing and appoints Col Elliott Roosevelt (the Ninth Air Force Director of Reconnaissance) as its commanding officer.

The final air echelon of the 458th Heavy Bombardment Group, in B-24s, arrives for service with the 2d Bombardment Division’s 96th Combat Bombardment Wing.

ITALY: The Fifteenth Air Force and the XII Bomber Command are grounded by bad weather; XII Air Support Command A-20s attack troop concentrations at Piedimonte; and A-36s and P-40s mount numerous direct-support missions and sorties against German Army forces trying to break into the Anzio beachhead.

Several attempted GAF attacks against the Anzio beachhead are turned back by patrolling USAAF fighters, and one Bf-109 is downed over the beachhead by a 31st Fighter Group Spitfire pilot.

RAF
BASE CHANGES
12 Sqn SAAF (Non-Op) moves to Biferno
320 Sqn (Mitchell II) moves to Dunsfold
400 Sqn RCAF (Non-Op) moves to Odiham

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

[warshipbuilder]

408 Sqn RCAF (Linton-on-Ouse – Lancaster II) 19-2-44
Bomber Command called on the Squadron today for a full out effort on operations tonight. For this request, 19 aircraft were prepared and set for the scheduled take-off, but not long before the take-off, one aircraft was taken off. The first aircraft was airborne at 2338 hours, and by 0010 the eighteen aircraft were on their way to give the city of LEIPZIG a devastating blow. Unfortunately, all the aircraft were not successful in reaching their objective as two were forced to return early; one due to starboard outer engine failure and the other due to oxygen failure. The Squadron also received a severe blow out of this operation as four aircraft failed to return and are pronounced lost over the target. The remaining twelve crew report that the attack was not all in vain, as the glow of fires in the target area could be seen some distance away.

ADDENDUM – Lancaster II DS788 EQ-C. Crew: F/O JA Frampton RCAF KIA, Sgt FWC Robinson EVD, F/S JJ Astles RCAF KIA, F/O GW Reynolds RCAF POW, Sgt KW Tindall KIA, Sgt KH Bennett RCAF KIA, Sgt K Smith RCAF KIA. T/o Linton-on-Ouse 0003 on their operational debut. Shot down by a night fighter from 20,000 feet, whose fire destroyed the rudders and caused the Lancaster to crash at Kropswolde in the SW outskirts of Hoogezand Sappemeer Holland. Those who died are buried in the local Protestant churchyard. Aged 19 F/O Frampton was amongst the youngest pilots killed on Bomber Command operations in 1944. Wreckage from his aircraft was salvaged in October 1973.

Lancster II LL632 EQ-G. Crew: F/S BV Greip RCAF POW, Sgt J Meikle POW, F/S JS James RCAF KIA, F/O RT Wall RCAF POW, Sgt JB McKinnon RCAF POW, Sgt W Plunkett RCAF KIA, Sgt CA Hughes KIA. T/o 0006 Linton-on-Ouse. Outbound, and while flying at 21,000 feet near Stendal, was attacked from astern by a night fighter, Oblt Werner Hopf (4th victory) StabV./NJG5. Sgt Hughes was mortally wounded and when the fighter broke away it left the Lancaster’s starboard wing burning fiercely. Both Air Gunners now rest in Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery.

Lancaster II LL719 EQ-V. Crew: F/O GW McK Richer RCAF KIA, Sgt CWG Roberts KIA, F/S DI Bowden RCAF KIA, Sgt GN Bennett RCAF KIA, WO2 SL Roach RCAF KIA, Sgt RG Kelly RCAF KIA, Sgt FG Skeet KIA. T/o 0008 Linton-on-Ouse. Probably shot down by Hptm Ernst Zechlin (6th victory) 4./NJG5 at 0358 hours. Hptm Zechlin was then shot down by Flak at 0420 hours. It is also possible this aircraft was brought down by a Lt Glaas of Stab III./JG30 or Lt Ernst-Erich Hirschfeld of 5./JG300. Sgt Bennett and WO2 Roach are buried in 1939-1945 War Cemetery at Berlin, the others rest in French soil at Choloy War Cemetery.

Lancaster II LL720 EQ-R. Crew: F/L ES Winn RCAF KIA, Sgt EW Bolt KIA, F/O JR Leaman RCAF KIA, F/O JR Bonneville RCAF KIA, F/S RH Wade RCAF KIA, T/S NNH Brown USAAF, Sgt E Dramnitzki RCAF KIA. T/o 2348 Linto-on-Ouse. Shot down by Hptm Eckart-Wilhelm von Bonin (29th victory) crashed Westerschelde, 12 km N Hulst at 0538 hours. Six are buried in Schoonselhof Cemetery, Antwerpen. T/S Brown however, has been interred in his country’s Military Cemetery at Neuville-en-Condroz.

BOMBER COMMAND
LEIPZIG
823 aircraft – 561 Lancasters, 255 Halifaxes, 7 Mosquitoes. 78 aircraft – 44 Lancasters and 34 Halifaxes – lost, 9.5 percent of the force. The Halifax loss rate was 13.3 percent of those dispatched and 14.9 percent of those Halifaxes which reached the enemy coast after ‘early returns’ had turned back. The Halifax IIs and Vs were permanently withdrawn from operations to Germany after this raid.

This was an unhappy raid for Bomber Command. The German controllers only sent part of their force of fighters to the Kiel minelaying diversion. When the main bomber force crossed the Dutch coast, they were met by a further part of the German fighter force and those German fighters which had been sent north to Kiel hurriedly returned. The bomber stream was thus under attack all the way to the target. There were further difficulties at the target because winds were not as forecast and many aircraft reached the Leipzig area too early and had to orbit and await the Pathfinders. 4 aircraft were lost by collision and approximately 20 were shot down by Flak.

Leipzig was cloud-covered and the Pathfinders had to use sky-marking. The raid appeared to be concentrated in its early stages but scattered later. There are few details of the effects of the bombing. No report is available from Germany and there was no immediate post-raid reconnaissance flight. When photographs were eventually taken, they included the results of an American raid which took place on the following day.

DIVERSION AND SUPPORT OPERATIONS
45 Stirlings and 4 Pathfinder Halifaxes minelaying in Kiel Bay, 16 Oboe Mosquitoes bombing night-fighter airfields in Holland, 15 Mosquitoes on a diversion raid to Berlin, 12 Serrate patrols. 1 Mosquito lost from the Berlin raid.

3 Mosquitoes attacked Aachen and 3 more bombed flying-bomb sites in France without loss.

Total effort for the night: 921 sorties, 79 aircraft (8.6 percent) lost. This was the heaviest Bomber Command loss of the war so far, easily exceeding the 58 aircraft lost on 21/22 January 1943 when Magdeburg was the main target.

Actual 408 Squadron navigators map of this operation:

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USAAF
ITALY: XII Bomber Command B-25s attack German Army troop concentrations north of the Anzio beachhead area, and XII Air Support Command A-36s and P-40s mount more than 200 sorties against tactical targets along the Anzio battle lines.

52d Fighter Group Spitfire pilots down 12 Bf-109s in a running fight over central Italy between 1310 and 1355 hours, and other Twelfth Air Force fighter pilots down six other GAF fighters throughout the day.

Col Peter S. Rask becomes commanding officer of the XII Troop Carrier Command, which is slated to be disbanded within several weeks

RAF
BASE CHANGES
19 Sqn (Beaufighterr TFX) moves to Alghero
310, 312 & 313 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) move to Mendelsham

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
192 Sqn (Foulsham) flies its last OM in the Halifax V
424 Sqn RCAF (Skipton-on-Swale) flies its first OM in the Halifax III
425 Sqn RCAF (Thothorpe) flies its first OM in the Halifax III

[warshipbuilder]

425 Sqn RCAF (Tholthorpe – Halifax III) 20-2-44
8 crews were detailed for operations over Stuttgart. Attack appears to have been successful as crews report many fires, other scattered, but <unreadable> P.F.F. <unreadable>. Glow could be seen about 100 miles away. Defences: Heavy flak, slight, in Ioose barrage up to 24,000 ft. Searchlights few and ineffective. Weather over target 5 to 7/10ths cloud, tops about 6.000 ft. P.F.F. skymarkers good and T.I. visible at times through breaks in clouds. Fighter opposition sightings only. One aircraft returned early due to Starboard outer engine u/s. One aircraft is missing.

ADDENDUM – Halifax III LW390 KW-J. Crew: F/S AH Waite RCAF KIA, Sgt W Johnstone EVD, F/S WR MacDougall RCAF POW, F/S EA Powell RCAF EVD, WO2 NG Redmond RCAF POW, Sgt GT Gibson RCAF POW, Sgt HE Gammon RCAF EVD. T/o 0005 Tholthorpe. Shot down by Oblt Josef Nabrich (4th victory) 3./NJG1, crashed in Doullens area at 0543 hours. F/S White lies in Monchy-Breton Churchyard.

BOMBER COMMAND
STUTTGART
598 aircraft – 460 Lancasters, 126 Halifaxes, 12 Mosquitoes. The North Sea sweep and the Munich diversion successfully drew the German fighters up 2 hours before the main bomber force flew inland and only 9 aircraft – 7 Lancasters and 2 Halifaxes – were lost, 1.5 percent of the force. 4 further Lancasters and 1 Halifax crashed in England.

Stuttgart was cloud-covered and the bombing became scattered. The local report states that considerable damage was caused in the centre of the city and in the north-eastern and north-western suburbs of Bad Canstatt and Feuerbach. Several important cultural buildings in the centre of the city were badly damaged – the Neues Schloss, the Landtag (regional parliament building), the state picture gallery, the state archives, the state theatre and two old churches. In the Feuerbach suburb, however, the Bosch factory, which produced dynamos, injection pumps and magnetos and was considered to be one of the most important factories in Germany, was heavily damaged. 125 people were killed and 510 injured.

DIVERSION AND SUPPORT OPERATIONS
156 aircraft – 132 from training units and 24 from squadrons – flew a large training exercise across the North Sea as a preliminary feint; 24 Mosquitoes attacked airfields in Holland; 7 Mosquitoes made a diversionary raid on Munich and there were 7 Serrate patrols. No aircraft lost.

28 Stirlings and 6 Wellingtons laid mines off French ports. 1 Wellington lost.

Total effort for the night: 826 sorties, 10 aircraft (1.2 percent) lost.

Operation as planned:

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Operations map for the night:

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USAAF
GERMANY: The Eighth Air Force kicks off the “Big Week” bomber offensive (Operation ARGUMENT) against German industrial targets. The objective is to mount at least one large bomber strike every day for a full week, and the goal, aside from damaging industrial targets, is to draw large parts of the GAF interceptor force into attritional battles. The February 20 mission against aircraft-industry targets in and around Leipzig (1st Bombardment Division) and Brunswick (2d Bombardment Division), and the Tutow Airdrome (3d Bombardment Division) is the first 1,000-bomber mission ever attempted, but aborts for various reasons pare the actual number of heavy bombers completing the mission from 1,003 dispatched to 823 effective.

Two hundred seventy-six 1st Bombardment Division B-17s attack the Leipzig/Mockau Airdrome and several briefed aircraft-industry plants, and 64 1st Bombardment Division B-17s attack Oschersleben and other targets of opportunity. Seven B-17s are lost.

During the 1st Bombardment Division Leipzig attack, 1stLt William R. Lawley, Jr., the pilot of a 305th Heavy Bombardment Group B-17, is awarded a Medal of Honor after being severely wounded, as are most of his crewmembers. After pulling out of a steep dive, Lawley realizes that most of his crewmen would be unable to bail out, so he stays at the control and nurses the damaged airplane back to England, where he makes a successful crash-landing. Also, in a 351st Heavy Bombardment Group B-17, in which the co-pilot is killed and the pilot is too severely wounded to fly the damaged airplane, 2dLt Walter E. Truemper, the navigator, and Sgt Archibald Mathies, the flight engineer, bring the plane back to England. After the rest of the crew—except for the wounded pilot—has bailed out over their home base at Polebrook, Truemper and Mathies attempt to land. However, the airplane crashes on the fourth attempt, and all three men aboard are killed. Truemper and Mathies are awarded posthumous Medals of Honor.

One hundred sixty-three 2d Bombardment Division B-24s attack several aircraft-industry factories around Brunswick and Gotha, as briefed, but 81 other B-24s are obliged for various reasons to attack several wide-ranging targets of opportunity. Eight B-24s are lost.

Severe cloud cover renders the planned 3d Bombardment Division attacks something of a shambles, but 296 B-17s nevertheless attack Tutow Airdrome and several wide-ranging targets of opportunity. Six B-17s are lost and one B-17 lands in Sweden.

Of the record 835 USAAF fighters dispatched, four are lost with their pilots. USAAF fighter pilots down 59 GAF fighters and two Ju-88 attack aircraft over Germany and Belgium between 1230 and 1520 hours. Two P-51 pilots of the 354th Fighter Group’s 353d Fighter Squadron achieve ace status: Capt Don M. Beerbower, when he downs a Bf-109 near Oschersleben at 1310 hours and a Bf-110 near Muhlhausen at 1345 hours; and Capt Jack T. Bradley, when he downs a Bf-109 near Dessau at 1320 hours. Also, Capt Lindol F. Graham, a P-38 pilot with the 20th Fighter Group’s 79th Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status when he downs two Bf-110s near Brunswick at 1330 hours; Capt Leroy A. Schreiber, a P-51 pilot with the 56th Fighter Group’s 62d Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status with 7.5 victories, when he downs three Bf-109s near Steinhuder Lake at 1345 hours; Capt Norman E. Olson, a P-47 pilot with the 355th Fighter Group’s 357th Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status when he downs a Bf-109 over Siegen at 1422 hours; and 2dLt Grant M. Turley, a P-47 pilot with the 78th Fighter Group’s 82d Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status when he downs a Bf-109 near Koblenz at 1450 hours.

This day’s action is marked by two other special events: the first use in combat of the 150-gallon jettisonable belly tank by USAAF fighters supporting the 1st Bombardment Division over Leipzig, and the first double missions flown by the 55th, 356th, 361st, and 362d Fighter groups.

The day’s planned mission by the Fifteenth Air Force B-17s against aircraft-industry targets at Regensburg is aborted due to icing conditions at altitude over the Alps.

ITALY: One hundred five Fifteenth Air Force B-24s support Allied ground forces in the Anzio beachhead; XII Bomber Command B-25s attack assembly areas and dumps north of the Anzio beachhead; XII Bomber Command B-26s attack troop concentrations along roads around Vallalta; XII Air Support Command A-20s attack troop concentrations and numerous motor vehicles; and XII Air Support Command A-36s and P-40s attack two towns, troops, trucks, tanks, and a factory.

Thanks in large part to the response of the theater air forces, the German Army offensive against the Anzio beachhead is decisively defeated.

NETHERLANDS: Thirty-five IX Bomber Command B-26s attack Haamstede Airdrome (target of opportunity), but approximately 100 other B-26s dispatched against several airdromes are forced to abort in the face of bad weather.

RAF
BASE CHANGES
41 Sqn (Spitfire XII) & 91 Sqn (Spitfire XII) move to Tangmere
193 Sqn (Typhoon IB) moves to Fairlop
268 Sqn (Mustang IA) moves to North Weald
414 Sqn RCAF (Mustang I) moves to Odiham
609 Sqn (Typhoon IB) moves to Manston

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
213 Sqn (Idku) flies its last OM in the Hurricane IIC
248 Sqn (Portreath) flies its first OM in the Mosquito FBVI
349 Sqn (Friston) flies its last OM in the Spitfire VC

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218 Sqn (Downham Market – Stirling III) 21-2-44
OPERATIONAL SUMMARY.
The effort was Gardening. Aircraft "J" F/Lt. Wisemen failed to return. The target was off Borkum and 4 Stirlings planted 24 vegetables, in primary target area from 900-1500 ft. at 2029 to 2036½ hrs. Visibility was excellent in area. Heavy flak experience from Borkum. 45,000 Ibs. of seeds were sown during this operation.

ADDENDUM – Stirling III EJ125 HA-J. Crew: F/L JI Wisemen KIA, Sgt VL Twydell KIA, F/O WP Cragg KIA, F/O HP Theriault RCAF KIA, Sgt D Copley KIA, Sgt GH Foreman KIA, F/S GS Brasington RAAF KIA. T/o 1810 Downham Market. Believed to have crashed into the sea off Rottumroog. The body of F/L Wisemen was found on 8 May 1944 near Pieterburen. He now lies in Eenrum General Cemetery. F/S Brasington was washed ashore on 16 March 1944. He now lies in Sage War Cemetery. The others are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.

BOMBER COMMAND
MINOR OPERATIONS
17 Mosquitoes to Duisburg, Stuttgart and 2 flying-bomb sites, 1 Serrate patrol, 41 aircraft minelaying in the Frisians and off French ports, 10 O.T.U. sorties. 1 Stirling minelayer lost.

2nd TAF
Four Typhoons of 247 Squadron escorted a pair of PR Mosquitoes over Amiens to photograph the results of the Operation 'Jericho' attack. As the French coast was crossed, intense Flak was encountered ("the worst yet..." claimed 247's ORB) and Flt Lt C.E.Brayshaw, 247's 'A' Flight commander, was seriously hit. 'Bray' turned back with a smoking engine, but pieces of elevator were seen to fall away from the Typhoon which plunged vertically from 700 feet into the sea ten miles north of Cabourg. He had previously survived a ditching off the south coast of England in September 1943. Two more of the Typhoons were also hit and damaged, with one pilot wounded.

USAAF
BELGIUM: Of more than 200 IX Bomber Command B-26s dispatched in the morning against Coxyde/Furnes Airdrome, only 18 locate and attack the target, and all the rest abort in the face of bad weather. It is well worth noting that the B-26 leading the successful attack is a pathfinder model from IX Bomber Command’s 1st Provisional Pathfinder Squadron—making that unit’s combat debut. The B-26 pathfinder crew is able to locate the target through the weather because of the GEE navigational radar it has aboard. This is the Ninth Air Force’s first use of blind-bombing equipment.
ENGLAND: One hundred eighty-five IX Bomber Command B-26s dispatched against airdromes in France and the Netherlands are recalled because of bad weather.

MajGen Elwood R. Quesada is reappointed to head the moribund IX Fighter Command, temporarily an unmanned paper organization subordinate to Headquarters, Ninth Air Force. The reconstituted IX Fighter Command will oversee operations and training of all Ninth Air Force fighter units. Until operational units are assigned, however, the small XIX Air Support Command headquarters establishment will handle administrative duties for the IX Fighter Command.

The veteran 52d Troop Carrier Wing arrives in England from the Mediterranean area and is assigned to the IX Troop Carrier Command. It consists of the 61st, 313th, 315th, and 316th Troop Carrier groups. (The last named was the old Ninth Air Force’s first and only troop carrier unit in North Africa and Sicily.)

The 466th Heavy Bombardment Group, in B-24s, arrives from the United States via the southern ferry route for service with the 2d Bombardment Division.

The 440th Troop Carrier Group arrives from the United States for service with the IX Troop Carrier Command.

The Ninth Air Force’s 10th Photographic Reconnaissance Group headquarters and the group’s 30th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron arrive from the United States. (The group’s 31st, 33d, and 34th Photographic Reconnaissance squadrons are slated to arrive over the next two months.) The entire group is equipped with F-5 aircraft.

GERMANY: Although briefed for attacks against airdromes at Gutersloh, Lippstadt, and Werl, 285 of 336 1st Bombardment Division B-17s are obliged by bad weather to attack targets of opportunity—seven airdromes and a marshalling yard at Lingen.

The 457th Heavy Bombardment Group, in B-17s, makes its combat debut as part of the 1st Bombardment Division’s 94th Combat Bombardment Wing.

The 2d Bombardment Division is briefed to attack the Achmer and Handorf airdromes, but bad weather disperses the B-24 formations. Achmer Airdrome is attacked by only 11 aircraft while 203 others attack targets of opportunity—three other airdromes and Lingen.

One hundred seventy-five of the 281 3d Bombardment Division B-17s dispatched attacked their briefed primaries, Diepholz Airdrome and the city of Brunswick, but bad weather obliges 88 other B-17s to divert to targets of opportunity—two GAF airdromes and the city of Hannover.

Overall, 13 B-17s and three B-24s are lost with 163 crewmen, and six B-17s and one B-24 written off.

Escort and support is provided by 69 P-38s, 542 P-47s, and 68 P-51s, of which two P-47s and three P-51s are lost with their pilots. USAAF fighter pilots down 27 GAF fighters over Germany and the Netherlands between 1320 and 1545 hours. 1stLt Charles F. Gumm, Jr., a P-51 pilot with the 354th Fighter Group’s 355th Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status when he downs a Bf-110 over Brunswick at about 1430 hours; and Capt Robert W. Stephens, a P-51 pilot with the 354th Fighter Group’s 355th Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status when he downs a Bf-110 over Brunswick at 1430 hours. Gumm and Stephens are the Ninth Air Force’s first aces since the move to England.

ITALY: Fifteenth Air Force heavy bombers are grounded by bad weather; XII Bomber Command B-25s attack the marshalling yards at Orte; XII Bomber Command B-26s and XII Air Support Command A-36s and P-40s attack troop concentrations, a fuel dump, and tanks and motor vehicles around Campoleone; and XII Air Support Command fighter-bombers also block the Itri-Gaeta road.

USAAF fighter pilots down three Bf-109s over Italy.

RAF
BASE CHANGES
21 Sqn SAAF (Baltimore III/IV) moves to Biferno
48 Sqn (Non-Op) leaves Gibraltar for the UK
181 Sqn (Typhoon IB) moves to Merston
310 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to Hutton Cranswick

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
213 Sqn (Idku) flies its first OM in the Spitfire IX
248 Sqn (Portreath) flies its first OM in the Mosquito FBXVIII

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263 Sqn (Beaulieu – Typhoon IB) 22-2-44
Nine A/C flew to Harrowbeer at first light. From there they took-off for a sweep but, owing to cloud made a brief shipping recco, west of the Channel, Islands.

This operation proved disastrous to the Squadron. S/Ldr. G.B. Warnes DSO DFC ditched his A/C not due to e/action and was seen swimming towards what looked like an uninflated dinghy. F/O R.B.Tuff then said that he would bale out to help the C.O. F/L G.G. Racine told him not to do this but it seems that he did bale out. F/O R.C. Hunter was simply not seen or heard of after the C.O. went in. Extensive A/S/R measures, using every available resource, were laid on, and continued but nothing has been seen of these three officers, who are missing under circumstances which give little hope. The weather was bitterly cold. S/Ldr Warnes came to the Squadron as a Pilot officer in September 1941. He took command of "B" Flight in Oct. 1941 and of the Squadron in December 1942 the development of divebombing and the success obtained by the Squadron as an anti-shipping unit owe very much to the leadership and tactical brilliance of Squadron Leader Warnes.

He obtained the D.F.C. early in 1943 and the D.S.O. ot the conclusion of, his first operation tour in June 1943. After five months “rest” from operations at No 10 Group, he returned to the Squadron in December 1943, and supervised its re-equipment with Typhoons and then the operations of the past three weeks.

As a leader he was absolutely trusted - P/O Tuff’s tribute to him, Ieaves no more to be said. He was regarded and admired as a friend of all ranks throughout No 10 Group. In the hearts of many intimate friends he leaves a place which cannot possibly be filled.

ADDENDUM – Typhoon IB MN249 HE-? Pilot: S/L GB Warnes DSO DFC KIA.

Typhoon IB JR302 HE-? Pilot: F/O RB Tuff RAAF KIA

Typhoon IB JR304 HE-? Pilot: F/O RC Hunter KIA

BOMBER COMMAND
MINOR OPERATIONS
Mosquitoes: 10 to Stuttgart, 8 to Duisburg and 3 to Aachen, 71 Halifaxes and 40 Stirlings sent minelaying off North German coast recalled because of bad weather at bases, 2 R.C.M. sorties, 2 Serrate patrols. No aircraft lost.

USAAF
ENGLAND: Headquarters, Eighth Air Force, is officially reconstituted as Headquarters, U.S. Strategic Air Forces in Europe (USSTAF), and the VIII Bomber Command headquarters is officially renamed Headquarters, Eighth Air Force. Unofficially, this arrangement has been in effect since January 6.

The 53d Troop Carrier Wing headquarters arrives in England and is assigned to the IX Troop Carrier Command. Its subordinate units are the 437th, 438th, and 439th Troop Carrier groups, which all arrived in England earlier in the month.

GERMANY: As part of the Big Week operation, in the first successful coordinated attack of its kind, Eighth and Fifteenth air force heavy bombers strike targets in Germany from two directions at the same time. However, in the case of the U.K.-based heavy bombers, severe weather conditions over northwestern Europe oblige 544 of 799 B-17s and B-24s to be recalled or abort on their own. Just 81 of 289 1st Bombardment Division B-17s attack the briefed primaries—aircraft-industry factories at Aschersleben and Bernburg—while 100 others attack various targets of opportunity. The entire 3d Bombardment Division (333 B-17s) is recalled. And only 74 of 177 2d Bombardment Division B-24s dispatched drop their bombs—and blanket four Dutch towns in the mistaken notion that they are over Germany. To top off this incredibly bad day, 38 B-17s, three B-24s, and 397 crewmen are lost, four B-17s are written off, and 35 crewmen are killed.

Escort and support for the Eighth Air Force heavy bombers is provided by 659 USAAF fighters, of which eight P-47s and three P-51s are lost with their pilots. One of the missing pilots is Maj Walter C. Beckham, an 18-victory P-47 ace with the 353d Fighter Group’s 351st Fighter Squadron, who is shot down and taken prisoner while strafing parked FW-190s at the Ostheim Airdrome. At the time he is downed, Beckham is the Eighth Air Force’s top-scoring ace.

While escorting the bombers and looking for targets to attack, USAAF fighter pilots down 57 GAF fighters, a Ju-88, and an Italian-made flying boat over Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands between 1215 and 1555 hours. 1stLt George F. Hall, a P-47 pilot with the 56th Fighter Group’s 63d Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status when he downs two Bf-110s near Paderborn at 1245 hours; Capt John W. Vogt, Jr., a P-47 pilot with the 56th Fighter Group’s 63d Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status when he downs a Bf-110 near Paderborn at 1245 hours; 1stLt Donovan F. Smith, a P-47 pilot with the 56th Fighter Group’s 61st Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status when he downs an FW-190 near Lippstadt at 1350 hours; Capt James N. Poindexter, a P-47 pilot with the 353d Fighter Group’s 352d Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status when he downs two Bf-109s near Cologne at 1510 hours; and Maj Jack J. Oberhansly, the commanding officer of the 78th Fighter Group’s 82d Fighter Squadron, in P-47s, achieves ace status when he shares in the downing of two FW-190s over Walcheren Island (Netherlands) at 1510 hours.

The 365th Fighter Group, a IX Fighter Command P-47 unit, makes its combat debut while on loan to the Eighth Air Force.

In the main Fifteenth Air Force attack of the day—against aircraft factories in the city of Regensburg, in southern Germany—118 B-24s demolish a good part of the Obertraubling Messerschmitt fighter assembly plant, but an attack by an estimated 120 GAF fighters downs 14 B-24s. At the same time, 65 B-17s attack the nearby Prufening Messerschmitt components factory with 153 tons of bombs, losing five aircraft to GAF fighters. Also hit by 42 tons of bombs is the marshalling yard at Peterhausen, a secondary target that is struck after 21 Fifteenth Air Force B-17s go astray of the main body of heavy bombers bound for Regensburg.

Penetration and target escort is provided by 122 Fifteenth Air Force P-38s, and withdrawal escort is provided by 63 P-47s. One P-38 and one P-47 are lost. Despite the ample opportunities to score, no GAF fighters are downed on this mission by Fifteenth Air Force fighters.

ITALY: XII Bomber Command B-25s attack a marshalling yard and a rail bridge; XII Bomber Command B-26s attack a rail bridge; XII Air Support Command A-20s, P-40s, and P-47s attack targets near Campoleone; XII Air Support Command A-36s attack gun emplacements and troops near Carroceto; and XII Air Support Command P-47s attack the road net around Roccasecca.

Fighter pilots of the Twelfth Air Force’s 31st and 324th Fighter groups down nine Bf-109s and damage or possibly down eight other GAF fighters in two separate engagements over central Italy between 0750 and 0910 hours.

NETHERLANDS: Sixty-six IX Bomber Command B-26s attack Gilze-Rijen Airdrome, but more than 100 others abort in the face of bad weather.

YUGOSLAVIA: 304th Heavy Bombardment Wing B-24s attack port facilities at Sibenik, and 28 5th Heavy Bombardment Wing B-17s attack the airdrome at Zagreb.

RAF
BASE CHANGES
241 Sqn (Spitfire VIII/IX) & 274 Sqn (Spitfire VC) move to Canne
312 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to Southend

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
272 Sqn (Alghero) flies its last OM in the Beaufighter VIF
349 Sqn (Friston) flies its last OM in the Spitfire VB

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504 Sqn (Hornchurch – Spitfire LFIXB) 23-2-44
A grievous misfortune befell the squadron very early in the day. During an air raid over the London area in a clear starlight sky, a stick of 250 and 500 lb. bombs fell unluckily in the midst of the Squadron's aircraft dispersed around a section of the perimeter, resulting in the complete destruction of 8 Spitfires and serious damage to two others, five more being less seriously damaged. The time of the incident was 0045 hrs. Two members of the maintenance staff who were on duty at dispersal were seriously injured. Squadron Leader Admin. and Technical Officer were quickly on the scene, as also the Station Fire Section and the NFS. Eight of the aircraft, however, were well alight with ammunition exploding. The new 'watch tower’ dispersal suffered the loss of all its windows through blast. All the fires were extinguished in the early hours and with the light of morning the scene was one of unremitting labour in the clearance of debris.

BOMBER COMMAND
MINOR OPERATIONS
17 Mosquitoes to Düsseldorf, 2 Serrate patrols, 3 O.T.U. sorties. No aircraft lost. A Mosquito of 692 Squadron on the Düsseldorf raid was the first Mosquito to drop a 4,000-lb bomb. The Mosquitoes of the Light Night Striking Force regularly carried such heavy bombs during the remaining months of the war to targets as far distant as Berlin.

2nd TAF
Soon after midnight an apparently stray stick of 250 and 500 lb bombs fell across 504 Squadron's dispersal at Hornchurch, destroying or damaging 15 of its Spitfire IXB’s (acquired only the previous month) and seriously injuring two groundcrew.

Wg Cdr K.H.Blair, DFC, completed his tour with 613 Squadron on 23rd, handing over to Sqn Ldr R.N.Bateson, DFC, previously one of the flight commanders. Next day, 485 (RNZAF) Squadron arrived at 135 Airfield from Drem to join 2nd TAF.

USAAF
AUSTRIA: Eighty-one Fifteenth Air Force B-24s attack an aircraft assembly plant at Steyr, and 21 B-24s demolish much of the Steyr factory responsible for 10 percent of Germany’s anti-friction ball-bearing production. Although the bombing results are excellent, the bomber force is attacked over the Alps during the withdrawal by an estimated 120 GAF fighters, and it sustains the Fifteenth Air Force’s worst one-day loss ratio to date: 17 B-24s downed against just one Me-210 downed and two Bf-110s damaged by 14th Fighter Group P-38 escort pilots.

GERMANY: 1stLt John B. Carder, a P-51 pilot with the 357th Fighter Group’s 364th Fighter Squadron, shoots down over Germany a P-47 with GAF markings. Although the markings and the downing show up clearly on Carder’s gun-camera film, the victory is not officially awarded.

ITALY: Almost the entire Twelfth Air Force is grounded by bad weather, but a small number of XII Air Support Command P-40s are able to patrol the Anzio beachhead area and attack gun emplacements near Campoleone.

RAF
BASE CHANGES
29 Sqn (Mosquito NFXII/NFXIII) moves to Drem
56 Sqn (Typhoon IB) moves to Acklington
66 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to Lianbedr
80 Sqn (Spitfire VB/VC) moves to Canoe
311 Sqn (Liberator V) moves to Predannack
451 Sqn RAAF (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to Almaza

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
237 Sqn (Sidi Barrani) flies its last OM in the Spitfire VC
349 Sqn (Friston) flies its first OM in the Spitfire LFIXB

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405 Sqn RCAF (Gransden Lodge – Lancaster III) 24-2-44

Weather: Fine all day with mist until 1100 hours and slight mist 1100 to 1300 hours, 2000 to 2400 hours, winds light <unreadable>

Training: 3:30 hours x-country flights to was the only flying training carried out today. Preparation for operation prevented further progress in ground training.

OPERATION: BOMBING ATTACK ON “SCHWEINFURT” (FIRST ATTACK) 5 A/C DETAILED (TWO MISSING) Three aircraft attacked primary from 2301 hours to 2305 hours, between 19,200 feet and 16,800 feet. Nil cloud and excellent visibility. Attack started with flares at 2359 hours. Our two visual markers both identified the Aiming Point and report T.I. red on A.P. with other T.I. reds on East end of marshalling yard and in the New Town. Both agree that though the town area was well covered with incendiaries, there was a pronounced spread for 5 to 6 miles to the West and W.S.W. that several T.I. reds were also in open country to the West. Three very good fires in town area. Flak, slight to moderate. S/L numerous but generally ineffective. 30 attempted photos. No fighter activity reported.
Operational Flying Time: 19:58 HOURS (NIGHT)

OPERATION: BOMBING ATTACK ON “SCHWEINFURT” (SECOND ATTACK) 9 A/C DETAILED
Eight Lancasters attacked primary, dropping 1 x flares green/red, 5 x 4,000 H.C.,20 x 1,000 M.C., 14 x 2,000 M.C., 7 x T.I. red, 4 x T.I. green, between 19,000 and 17,000 feet and between 01.02 and 01.08 hours. Weather was clear with much smoke and haze over the area of attack. All crews reported a concentrated attack commencing North of area previously on fire, bombing to greens South of the existing fires and T.I.s illuminating built-up area. Five or six outstanding large fires were seen. Only two or three loads of incendiaries were away from the main attack, one two miles to North and one 2 miles to the South. One crew reported big explosion at 01.30 hours. Flak was moderate H/F bursting from 17,000 to 22,000 feet with some medium flak below at 15,000 feet. S/L were numerous in half circle to N.E. of town, some individual and some coning and a cone of 15 to 20 to North of town. Seven aircraft attempted photographs.
Operational flying time: 72:51 HOURS (NIGHT)

ADDENDUM – Lancaster III JB241 LQ-K. Crew: F/O BGD Jackson RCAF DFC, F/S FJ Abery KIA, F/O JA Radfrord RCAF POW, F/O RH Freiberger RCAF POW, F/S PGF Redstone KIA, F/O DJ Eastham RCAF KIA, F/S S Kay RCAF KIA. T/o 1854 Gransden Lodge. Possibly shot down by Htm Gerhard Raht (19th victory) 4./NJG3. Outbound, and flying at 20,000 feet, attacked from below by a night-fighter, whose fire set light to the starboard inner engine and wing. Within seconds of the abandon order being given, an explosion occurred throwing clear the three survivors, leaving the Lancaster to crash Bermering, 6 km ENE of Morhange, France. Those who perished lie in Bermerange Communal Cemetery.

Lancaster III ND526 LQ-R. Crew: F/O RL Christison RCAF POW, Sgt CWL Tongue KIA, F/S ME Schwartz RCAF KIA, F/O JR Shaw RCAF POW, F/O JR Shaw POW, F/L JW Fielding RCAF POW, Sgt GSH Robinson RCAF POW, Sgt EL Poure RCAF POW. T/o 1855 Gransden Lodge. Outbound, flying at 19,500 feet, came under sustained fire from a night-fighter and very severely damaged in the starboard wing. Burning, the Lancaster came down near Weyer, 20 km NW of Saverne, France. The two airmen who died are buried in Weyer Communal Cemetery.

BOMBER COMMAND
SCHWEINFURT
734 aircraft – 554 Lancasters, 169 Halifaxes, 11 Mosquitoes – carried out the first Bomber Command raid on this target, home of Germany’s main ball-bearing factories. 266 American B-17s had raided the factories the previous day.

Bomber Command introduced a novel tactic on this night. The Schweinfurt force was split into two parts – 392 aircraft and 342 aircraft, separated by a 2-hour interval. Part of the German fighter force was drawn up by earlier diversions. The first wave of the Schweinfurt bombers lost 22 aircraft, 5.6 percent; the second wave lost only 11 aircraft, 3.2 percent, and it is believed that only 4 bombers from the second wave were shot down by night fighters. Total losses were 33 aircraft – 26 Lancasters, 7 Halifaxes – 4.5 percent of the force.

Both phases of the bombing suffered from undershooting by some of the Pathfinder backers-up and by many of the Main Force crews. Schweinfurt records refer to ‘nominal damage’ in the R.A.F. night raid and give a combined figure of 362 people killed by the American raid the previous day and by this R.A.F. raid No breakdown of this figure is available.

DIVERSION AND SUPPORT OPERATIONS
179 training aircraft on a diversionary sweep over the North Sea, 60 Halifaxes and 50 Stirlings minelaying in Kiel Bay and the Kattegat, 15 Mosquitoes to airfields in Holland, 8 Mosquitoes to Kiel and 7 to Aachen, 12 Serrate patrols. 2 Stirlings were lost from the minelaying operation and 1 Serrate Mosquito of 141 Squadron was lost, the first Serrate aircraft to be lost under Bomber Command control.

5 Wellingtons laid mines off Lorient without loss.

Total effort for the night: 1,070 sorties, 36 aircraft (3.4 percent) lost.

Operation as planned:

Screenshot (50637).png (188.45 KiB) Viewed 999 times

Operations map for the night:

Screenshot (50638).png (87.31 KiB) Viewed 999 times

USAAF
AUSTRIA: In another mission coordinated with the Eighth Air Force, Fifteenth Air Force B-17s attack aircraft-components targets at Steyr. Beginning 100 miles short of the target, at least 130 GAF fighters arriving in waves mount unrelenting attacks, including aerial-rocket attacks, that down ten 2d Heavy Bombardment Group B-17s before a single bomb is dropped. Despite intense flak coverage, a total of 87 B-17s drop 261 tons of bombs that completely level the primary target and also destroy a large supply of ball bearings stored in another facility. Once beyond the flak belt, the bombers are again attacked by waves of GAF fighters, some firing rockets. Although a withdrawal-escort force of 87 P-38s and 59 P-47s arrives, four more 2d Heavy Bombardment Group B-17s and two B-17s from other groups are lost. Three P-38s are also lost, but 82d Fighter Group P-38 pilots down two Bf-109s and eight Bf-110s and Me-210s after 1300 hours, and a 325th Fighter Group P-47 pilot is credited with downing two Bf-109s, bringing the total score to 12 GAF fighters downed by USAAF fighters plus 11 GAF fighters claimed as destroyed by bomber gunners.

ENGLAND: The IX Air Support Command advance headquarters at Uxbridge assumes operational control for fighter groups that have been on loan to the VIII Fighter Command. Also, the 70th Fighter Wing headquarters begins overseeing operations of several Ninth Air Force fighter groups.

FRANCE: One hundred forty-five IX Bomber Command B-26s mount afternoon attacks against V-weapons sites between St.-Omer and Abbeville.

GERMANY: Continuing the Big Week operation, the Eighth Air Force dispatches 505 heavy bombers against aviation-industry targets at Gotha, Kreising, Posen (Poznan, Poland), Schweinfurt, and Tutow. In the end, due to mishaps and bad weather, 295 3d Bombardment Division B-17s attack Rostock and other targets of opportunity; 238 1st Bombardment Division B-17s attack Schweinfurt, as briefed; 169 2d Bombardment Division B-24s attack Gotha, as briefed; and 44 B-24s accidentally release their bombs over Eisenach. Losses for the day are 16 B-17s and 33 B-24s with 484 crewmen missing and five crewmen killed, plus two writeoffs and a B-17 interned in Sweden.

Escort and support for the Eighth Air Force bombers sent against Gotha and Schweinfurt is provided by 70 P-38s, 609 P-47s, and 88 P-51s, including double missions flown by the 359th and 365th Fighter groups. Against credits for downing 36 GAF fighters and a Ju-88 over Germany (and one FW-190 over Linz, Austria) between 1215 and 1430 hours, USAAF fighter losses are four P-38s, four P-47s, and two P-51s and their pilots.

1stLt John H. Truluck, Jr., a P-47 pilot with the 56th Fighter Group’s 63d Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status when he downs an FW-190 over Herford at 1255 hours; and Maj James C. Stewart, the commanding officer of the 56th Fighter Group’s 61st Fighter Squadron, in P-47s, achieves ace status when he downs an FW-190 over Kassel at 1300 hours.

The 363d Fighter Group, a IX Fighter Command P-51 unit, makes its combat debut while on loan to the Eighth Air Force; and the 458th Heavy Bombardment Group, in B-24s, makes its combat debut.

Demonstrating the awesome potential of the Combined Bomber Offensive, RAF heavy bombers follow up on the Eighth Air Force’s daylight attack on Schweinfurt with an attack on the city during the night of February 24–25.

ITALY: XII Bomber Command B-26s attack Fabrica di Roma Airdrome; and XII Air Support Command A-36s, P-40s, and P-47s attack gun emplacements, tanks, troops, trucks, motor vehicles, and a bridge.

Twenty-seven Fifteenth Air Force B-17s that become separated from the force bound for Steyr, Austria, attack the oil refinery at Fiume. One B-17 is lost.

NETHERLANDS: During the morning, 226 IX Bomber Command B-26s attack the Deelen, Leeuwarden, and Gilze-Rijen airdromes.

RAF
BASE CHANGES
6 Sqn (Non-Op) moves to Grottaglie
7 Sqn SAAF (Spitfire VC) moves to Savoia
253 Sqn (Spitfire VC/IX)

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
43 Sqn (Lago) flies its first OM in the Spitfire IX
432 Sqn RCAF (East Moor) flies its first OM in the Halifax III

[warshipbuilder]

427 Sqn RCAF (Leeming – Halifax III) 25-2-44
Weather: Cloudy with rain during morning. Visibility moderate to good.

The U.S.A.A.F. had during the day carried out a devastating daylight raid on specific targets in AUGSBURG, in an attempt to destroy the MESSERSCHMITT works in that area, leaving the city, a mass of flames and debris to ensure the success of the allied Intention, a similar raid of heavy bombers more detailed for the evening, and the Lions sent out ten experienced crews.

One of the ten which became airborne returned early, soon after take-off when the oil pressure in the starboard outer engine seriously dropped and caused a dangerous overheating. This aircraft "E”, piloted by F/S C. COATHUP.

The remaining aircraft proceeded to the target and found it clear, with no cloud and visibility good. To find the target was an easy matter, because fires were still burning after the daylight offensive, which could be seen from a distance of 100 miles on the inward journey. Crews had been briefed not to be misled by previous fires and were exceedingly careful that their loads of incendiaries were dropped on the P.F.F. markers.

Fires were to be seen everywhere, which soon became welded into a solid mass from which the pall of smoke lay like a cloud over the city, rising from 8,000 to a height of 15,000 feet, with almost daylight visibility below. It was an excellent evening for taking photographs and the amount of film exposed exceeded all previous records.

Unfortunately, the "B" Flight Deputy Flight Commander, F/L J.R.G."Taffy" Milton, RAF, failed to return from the operation. It's one year ago today that a "sprog crew, captained by SGT. MILTON (as he was then), arrived to the LIONS from 22.0.T.U., bringing with him excellent recommendations relating to his capabilities as a pilot and a captain He did very well with the squadron during that time, but of late experiencing difficulty in completing the few remaining sorties, in his tour, due in most cases to faulty aircraft, and in the others to flying strain. The somber man, was very methodical and precise in all he undertook, and prior to each operation, he would inspect his whole aircraft with a fine tooth comb, to ensure that every instrument and electrical device was functioning in perfect order. He will be missed.

ADDENDUM – Halifax III LK759 LZ-Z. Crew: F/L JRG Milton KIA, Sgt FC Barker, F/O AW Shirley RCAF KIA, P/O KK Hignett KIA, P/O FJ Thompson POW, Sgt MR Singer KIA, P/O AC Middleton KIA. T/o 2140 East Moor. Shot down by an Me 110 flown by Hptm Hans-Karl Kamp NJG4 and crashed at Beuren, 18 km SSE of Trier. F/O Thompson was thrown clear as the Halifax exploded. His companions are buried in Köln-Süd Friedhof.

BOMBER COMMAND
AUGSBURG
594 aircraft – 461 Lancasters, 123 Halifaxes, 10 Mosquitoes – on the first large raid to this target. The various diversions and the splitting of the main bomber force into 2 waves again reduced casualties still further. 21 aircraft – 16 Lancasters, 5 Halifaxes – lost, 3.6 percent of the force; at least 4 of these casualties were due to collision.

The bombing at Augsburg was outstandingly successful in clear weather conditions and against this ‘virgin’ target with only weak Flak defences. The Pathfinder ground-marking was accurate and more than 2,000 tons of bombs were dropped by the 2 waves of the force.

The R.A.F. night raid became controversial because of the effects of its outstanding accuracy. The beautiful old centre of Augsburg was completely destroyed by high explosive and fire, with much less than the usual spread of bombing to the more modern outer areas, where some industry was located. 2,920 houses were destroyed and more than 5,000 were damaged; 85,000–90,000 people were bombed out. Among the main public and cultural buildings destroyed or seriously damaged were the old Rathaus (completely destroyed), 16 churches and 11 hospitals, but all patients in the hospitals were safely evacuated except for 2 women foreign workers. The total value of lost works of art was estimated to be 800 million Reichsmarks (£80 millon). Among the buildings destroyed was the famous puppet threatre – Heimbühne Puppenschrein – of Walter Oehmichen. Oehmichen re-created his puppets and, exactly 4 years later, opened the ‘Augsburger Puppenkiste’ (packing-case puppet theatre) now well known in Germany and often seen on television. There were 246 large or medium fires and 820 small ones; the temperature was so cold (minus 18° Celsius) that the River Lech was frozen over and many of the water hoses also froze. Between 678 and 762 people were killed and approximately 2,500 were injured. The Germans publicized it as an extreme example of ‘terror bombing’.

Part of the bombing of the second wave of aircraft did spread to the northern and eastern parts of Augsburg and damage was caused to an important aircraft component factory and to some former paper and cotton mills which had been taken over by the M.A.N. engineering company.

DIVERSION AND SUPPORT OPERATIONS
131 aircraft minelaying in Kiel Bay, 22 Mosquitoes to airfields in Holland, 15 Mosquitoes on diversionary raids to 4 towns to the north of the Augsburg routes, 5 R.C.M. sorties, 10 Serrate patrols. 3 Halifaxes and 1 Stirling lost from the minelaying operation.

Total effort for the night: 777 sorties, 25 aircraft (32 percent) lost.

Operation as planned:

Screenshot (51680).png (293.94 KiB) Viewed 984 times

Operations map for the night:

Screenshot (51681).png (101.45 KiB) Viewed 984 times

2nd TAF
Mitchells from 226 and 320 Squadrons bombed a 'Noball' site near Abbeville. Flak here was both intense and accurate, and no fewer than 13 of 226 Squadron's bombers were badly hit. One crashed at once into the sea, while a second ditched in the Channel on the way back to England. A third, on fire, reached Friston where it crash-landed.

The Mosquitoes of 305 Squadron, now fully operational, began attacks on 'Noball' targets on this date, while 122 Squadron became the third unit to become operational on Mustang IIIs.

USAAF
AUSTRIA: A small force of Fifteenth Air Force B-17s attacks the Klagenfurt Airdrome, and 16 Fifteenth Air Force B-24s that become separated from the day’s main effort against Regensburg, Germany, attack a marshalling yard at Zell-am-See. A 14th Fighter Group P-38 escort pilot downs a Bf-110 south of Salzburg at 1340 hours.

BELGIUM: IX Bomber Command B-26s mount a morning attack against St.-Trond Airdrome.

ENGLAND: MajGen Paul L. Williams succeeds MajGen Benjamin F. Giles as head of the IX Troop Carrier Command.

FRANCE: IX Bomber Command B-26s mount a morning attack against Cambrai/Epinoy Airdrome, but 164 B-26s dispatched in the afternoon against various military targets in northern France are recalled because of bad weather.

Aircraft from the Ninth Air Force’s 10th Photographic Reconnaissance Group complete their unit’s first operational mission, over the Cherbourg Peninsula.

GERMANY: The Eighth and Fifteenth air forces conclude Big Week with coordinated attacks on aircraft-industry targets, including a one-two punch against Regensburg.

One hundred ninety-six 1st Bombardment Division B-17s attack aircraft- industry factories at Augsburg; 50 1st Bombardment Division B-17s attack aircraft-industry factories at Stuttgart; 172 2d Bombardment Division B-24s attack aircraft-industry factories at Furth; and 267 3d Bombardment Division B-17s attack aircraft-industry factories at Regensburg. Twenty-five B-17s and six B-24s are lost with 305 crewmen killed or missing; three B-17s are written off, and one B-17 lands in Switzerland.

Escort and support for the bombers is provided by 899 Eighth and Ninth air force fighter sorties, including double missions flown by the 361st, 363d, and 365th Fighter groups. One P-47 and two P-51s are lost with their pilots.

USAAF fighter pilots down 25 GAF fighters and two Ju-88s over Germany, France, Luxembourg, and Belgium between 1206 and 1515 hours. 1stLt Frank Q. O’Connor, a P-51 pilot with the 354th Fighter Group’s 356th Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status when he downs a Bf-109 near Mannheim at 1440 hours.

German opposition against the main Fifteenth Air Force strike against Regensburg is concentrated on the 36 B-17s that are leading the main body of 103 47th Heavy Bombardment Wing B-24s by a considerable margin. Owing to a lack of sufficient long-range fighters in the theater, the heavy bombers are not escorted during the target-penetration phase of the mission; 85 P-38s and 40 P-47s will be on hand, however, during target withdrawal. More than 100 GAF fighters attack the in-bound B-17s over Fiume and manage to down 11 301st Heavy Bombardment Group B-17s long before the target is reached. The bombing run by the 25 remaining lead B-17s hits the primary target with many bombs, but the GAF fighters return once the B-17s clear the flak belt, and they continue to make firing passes for another 30 minutes, albeit without downing any more B-17s. Claims by bomber gunners amount to an improbably high 31 GAF fighters downed, but many claims are undoubtedly correct.

During the second phase of the attack, by 103 304th Heavy Bombardment Wing B-24s, GAF fighters begin attacking the heavy bombers some 300 miles from the target, and continue to do so in several waves all the way to Regensburg and on the way out, beyond the flak belt. The Prufening Messerschmitt aircraft components factory is severely damaged by bombs.

In sum, of the 149 Fifteenth Air Force heavy bombers dispatched to attack the Prufening Messerschmitt factory, ten abort and 33 are downed. The onus for the exceptionally high 24 percent loss rate among the bombers is put on the inadequate number of long-range fighter escorts with sufficient range to reach Germany from bases in southern Italy.

Six Fifteenth Air Force heavy bombers are lost attacking other targets, as well as three P-38s and a P-47 engaged in the Regensburg withdrawal.

Shortly after the Fifteenth Air Force heavy bombers depart the Regensburg area, 267 Eighth Air Force B-17s arrive to find that most of the GAF fighters are on the ground being refueled and rearmed. Troubled by fewer than 50 GAF fighters (which nonetheless down 12 B-17s) the Eighth Air Force bombers complete the destruction of the Prufening factory and also severely damage the Obertraubling aircraft-industry plant.

Other Eighth Air Force bombers attack Furth and Stuttgart, and RAF Bomber Command bombers return to Stuttgart during the night of February 25–26.

ITALY: Sixteen 304th Heavy Bombardment Wing B-24s attack a marshalling yard at Fiume; and XII Air Support Command A-36s and P-40s attack numerous targets in or near the battle areas.

YUGOSLAVIA: Twenty-one Fifteenth Air Force B-17s attack warehouses in the dock area at Pola, and Fifteenth Air Force B-24s attack the port area at Zara.

RAF
BASE CHANGES
41 Sqn SAAF (Spitfire IX) moves to LG-Z
213 Sqn (Spitfire IX) moves to El Gamil
222 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to Acklington
235 Sqn (Beaufighter TFX) moves to St. Angelo
310 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to Mendlesham
322 Sqn (Spitfire VB) moves to Ayr

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
60 Sqn SAAF R (San Severo) flies its first OM in the Mosquito PRXVI
122 Sqn (Gravesend) flies its first OM in the Mustang III
264 Sqn (Church Fenton) flies its first OM in the Mosquito NFXIII
305 Sqn (Lasham) flies its first OM in the Mosquito FBVI
456 Sqn RAAF (Fairwood Common) flies its last OM in the Mosquito NFXII

[warshipbuilder]

401 Sqn RCAF (Biggin Hill – Spitfire LFIXB) 26-2-44
Weather was very bad with visibility in the morning of 20 yards, clearing in the afternoon, to 2 miles, but with low cloud and haze. No flying was carried out, and the Squadron was released at 11.30 hours. During the afternoon, some of the pilots went to the "Jail" pub, and others helped in the gym, to decorate it for the dance. At 2000 hours, we all went over to the dance to serve beer to the airmen. This dance was given by the Officers for the airmen, and refreshments were provided as well, as 100 Canadian W.D.'s from R.C.A.F. Overseas H.Q. were invited. The whole affair was a great success, and the groundcrew really enjoyed the evening which finished at 0100 hours. F/Lt. R.A. Haywood returned from a long stay in hospital at Orpington, and is now going on 14 days sick leave.

2nd TAF
During a 'Ranger' near Laval in the early afternoon, two pilots of 245 Squadron caught and shot down a Fieseler Fi 156 Storch liaison aircraft.

USAAF
YUGOSLAVIA: In the day’s only air action in all of Europe, XII Air Support Command P-47s attack ships near Velaluka.

RAF
BASE CHANGES
462 Sqn RAAF (LG.144) flies its last OM in the Halifax II

[warshipbuilder]

401 Sqn RCAF (Biggin Hill – Spitfire LFIXB) 27-2-44
The aerodrome was fog-bound all day. At dawn, F/Lt. J. Sheppard and P/O H.K. Hilton did readiness until 0930 hours when three sections carried on for the remainder of the morning. In the afternoon, “B” Flight carried on while the rest polished aircraft and had a general clean-up. F/O W.A. Bishop went to sick quarters with a bad cold.

USAAF
ENGLAND: The VIII Air Force Composite Command assumes control of the 36th and 406th Heavy Bombardment squadrons, special-operations units that have been under the temporary administrative control of the 482d Heavy Pathfinding Bombardment Group since December 4, 1943.

FRANCE: Of 258 Eighth Air Force B-17s dispatched against a number of V-weapons sites around Pas-de-Calais, 109 attack assigned targets and 23 attack various targets of opportunity. Escort for the B-17s is provided by 197 fighters, including 21 P-51s of a newly reequipped squadron of the 4th Fighter Group. One GAF fighter is downed against no USAAF losses.

Three 2d Bombardment Division B-24 groups are dispatched against V-weapons sites but, of 81 B-24s dispatched, only 49 attack their assigned targets. Escort for the B-24s is provided by 61 56th Fighter Group P-47s.

ITALY: Most of the Twelfth Air Force is grounded by bad weather, but XII Air Support Command A-36s attack Guidonia and Littoria airdromes, the port area at Ladispoli, and rail cars north of Rome; and P-40s attack Littoria and nearby road targets.

RAF
BASE CHANGES
485 Sqn RNZAF (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to Hornchurch
486 Sqn RAAF (Typhoon IB) moves to Drem

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
91 Sqn (Tangmere) flies its last OM in the Spitfire XII
459 Sqn RAAF (Gambut III) flies its last OM in the Hudson (various Mks)

[warshipbuilder]

65 Sqn (Gravesend – Mustang III) 28-2-44
3/10 cloud. Vis. Good. Briefed at 11.30 hours we were airborne at 12:35 hours. Operation; Fighter Umbrella at 19,000 for Marauders bombing airfield & NOBAL targets in the POIX AMIENS area. Soon after the form up and whilst still circling at 2,500 feet, W/C R. Grant N.Z. leading the Squadron, broke away with engine trouble. Deputy Wing Leader, F/L R. Barrett, N.Z.,leading Yellow Section was also having trouble with smoke in his cockpit, but after a little delay we reformed around him and the operation went according to plans. The wing patrolled at 19,000 ft. between POIX and NAZBROOKE crossed out again behind a box of Marauders at Le Touquet and landed at Base at 14.30 hours with nothing to report. We were greeted with sad news on our return W/C Grant had been killed. Apparently, after breaking away from the Squadron, he glided down with a dead engine to within about 300 fast from the ground when for some unaccountable reason he was seen to pull up and bale out. His parachute only partially opened. It is a sad loss to the Wing. Weather continued to be good, but there was no more flying. Fearing gloom should grip the Squadron, we had a party in the evening. Rendezvous was at the White Hart, from there onto the Central. Our numbers induced the Manager to open the Dance floor for us. With Drum Piano and Mike at our disposal, we had quite a lot of fun.

BOMBER COMMAND
8 O.T.U. Wellingtons carried out leaflet operations to France without loss.

2nd TAF
The month ended with the loss of 122 Airfield's Wing Leader. Wg Cdr Reg Grant was taking off when his new Mustang III suffered engine failure, and oil sprayed back over the windscreen, blocking his vision. He attempted to glide back to the airfield, but stalled and crashed to his death. Sqn Ldr 'Robin' Johnston, DFC, who had recently replaced him as Commanding Officer of 65 Squadron, was at once promoted to take his place, his squadron being taken over by Sqn Ldr D.F. ‘Jerry' Westenra, DFC.

With their new aircraft, this Airfield's squadrons initially flew bomber escort operations and sweeps, providing cover to B-17s and B-24s as far afield as Berlin, to B-26s and 2 Group Mitchells and Bostons over France and the Low Countries, and occasionally to Coastal Command Beaufighters attacking shipping off the Dutch coast. These operations would continue throughout March.

Up to this stage, all the Spitfire squadrons were still engaged mainly on escort sorties to the bomber formations, interspersed with occasional sweeps and 'Rangers', and with visits to the various APCs. Early in 1944 training came more to the fore and several squadrons took part in large-scale exercises in co-operation with the Army.

USAAF
FRANCE: One hundred eighty IX Bomber Command B-26s attack Rosieres-en-Santerre Airdrome and V-weapons sites, but bad weather hampers the bombing, and 34 other B-26s are unable to locate targets.

ITALY: XII Bomber Command B-26s attack the landing ground at Canino, but heavy cloud cover causes most bombs to miss the target. Also, XII Air Support Command A-36s attack Guidonia, Littoria, and Marcigliana airdromes.

YUGOSLAVIA: XII Air Support Command P-47s attack vessels off Dubrovnik as well as targets of opportunity on land.

[warshipbuilder]

340 (FF) Sqn (Perranporth – Spitfire LFIXB) 29-2-44
The weather was fair with visibility about 10 miles. An Instep was laid on, four of our aircraft taking off after eight of 341 Squadron. Red 1 S/Lt BORROSSIS failed to return. The other pilots of the section were Lt. Osmanville, Lt. Homolle, and F/Sgt Boudard. They stated that S/Lt. Borrossi's machine struck the sea and exploded. They circled around for ten minutes and only saw the too familiar patch of oil come to the surface. Lt. Homolle flew to 30,000 ft. to try and give a fix but his transmission was not received. The accident occurred at 0857 hrs. 125 miles S.W. of Land's End and when the patrol was being vectored onto a course of 039 degrees Lt. Homolle was under the impression that S/Lt Borrossis in adjusting his compass unknowingly pushed his stick forward and with the result that the nose of his aircraft struck the sea. They were flying at zero feet at this time.

BOMBER COMMAND

MINOR OPERATIONS
15 Mosquitoes to Düsseldorf and 1 to a flying-bomb site at Sottevaast, 20 O.T.U. sorties. 1 O.T.U. Whitley lost.

USAAF

FRANCE: Thirty-eight 2d Bombardment Division B-24s, escorted by 79 P-47s, attack a V-weapons site with more than 112 tons of bombs. One P-47 is lost over France due to engine failure, and its pilot is captured.

Nineteen IX Bomber Command B-26s attack Breck-sur-Mer and nearby coastal fortifications, but 218 other B-26s dispatched to attack V-weapons sites abort in the face of bad weather.

GERMANY: Two hundred fifteen 3d Bombardment Division B-17s attack aircraft- industry targets in and around Brunswick with about 425 tons of bombs. One B-17 ditches off the Dutch coast and its crew is taken prisoner. Escort and support for the Brunswick mission is provided by 554 fighters, of which four are lost with their pilots.

One Ju-52 is downed over the Netherlands at 1025 hours. It is strikingly obvious to many of the men involved in this day’s mission that the GAF has been exhausted by the Big Week offensive.

ITALY: The Fifteenth Air Force is grounded by bad weather over its scheduled targets; XII Bomber Command B-25s attack troop positions and gun emplacements; XII Bomber Command B-26s attack Viterbo Airdrome and satellite fields, as well as targets of opportunity in central Italy; XII Air Support Command A-20s, A-36s, and P-40s attack troop concentrations. around the Anzio beachhead; XII Air Support Command P-40s attack German Army tanks near Littoria and a barracks and rail yard at Cisterna; and XII Air Support Command P-47s attack the railroad station at Giulianova.

Three FW-190s are downed over central Italy by 31st Fighter Group Spitfire pilots.

YUGOSLAVIA: IX Air Support Command P-47s attack ships off Dubrovnik

RAF
BASE CHANGES
2 Sqn (Mustang IA) moves to Sawbridgworth
91 Sqn (Non-Op) moves to Castle Camps
414 Sqn (Mustang I) moves to Dundonald
456 Sqn (Mosquito NFXVII) moves to Ford
540 Sqn (Mosquito PRIX) moves to Benson

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
33 Sqn (Mersa Matruh) flies its last OM in the Spitfire VB
94 Sqn (El Adem South) flies its first OM in the Spitfire IX
210 Sqn (Sullom Voe) flies its last OM in the Catalina IB
604 Sqn (Scorton) flies its last OM in the Beaufighter VIF

[Orm]

Total effort for the night: 777 sorties, 25 aircraft (32 percent) lost.

Thank you, again, for this outstandingly interesting thread. Thank you.

Noted a small error a few days ago, on the 25th (The Augsburg raid). It should be 3.2% losses. Not 32.

[warshipbuilder]

Noted a small error a few days ago, on the 25th (The Augsburg raid). It should be 3.2% losses. Not 32.

Au contraire, mon ami. It was a trick, I just wanted to see if you were paying attention.

All kidding aside, thanks for letting me know and I am glad you are enjoying the read.

[warshipbuilder]

76 Sqn (Home-on-Spalding Moor – Halifax III) 1-3-44
Thirteen air tests were carried out in preparation for operations ordered for the same number of aircraft. Three Local Flights and one Cross Country were also completed, the total flying time for the day being 14.50 hours, of the thirteen aircraft detailed for the attack on STUTTGART, two had to be cancelled owing to Magneto trouble, while a third, which did succeed in taking-off, crashed one mile N.W. of the airfield. This aircraft was wrecked and the entire crew killed. The remaining ten carried on and of these nine are known to have successfully pressed home the attack. The enemy defences, both ground and Fighter, were almost negligible. One of our aircraft failed to return. The crew state was 21 and the serviceability 13.

WEATHER: Cloudy early, becoming fine. Cloudy with a period of snow in the evening. Good visibility during the day.

ADDENDUM – Halifax III LW636 MP-M. Crew: F/S HT Davies KIA, Sgt A Fenwick KIA, F/S CW Jackson POW, F/S RB Basford KIA, Sgt A Drake KIA, Sgt GD Greenhill KIA, F/S KG Wilson KIA. T/o 2329 Holme-on-Spalding Moor. Shot down by Hptm Gerhard Friedrich (7th victory) 1./NJG6. Crashed at Celles-sur-Plaine, on the E bank of the Plaine, 18 km N of St. Die, France. Those who died are buried in Choloy War Cemetery.

BOMBER COMMAND
Day Operations, 1–16 March 1944
On 5 days during this period, 2 Bomber Command Oboe Mosquitoes acted as ‘formation leaders’ for bomber units of the Second Tactical Air Force attacking flying-bomb sites. The formation bombed as soon as it saw the bombs of the Oboe Mosquito being released. There were no losses from the 10 Bomber Command sorties flown in this period.

1/2 March 1944
STUTTGART
557 aircraft – 415 Lancasters, 129 Halifaxes, 13 Mosquitoes. Thick cloud on the routes to and from Stuttgart made it difficult for the German fighters to get into the bomber stream and only 4 aircraft – 3 Lancasters and 1 Halifax – were lost, 0.7 percent of the force.

The same cloud was present over the target and the Pathfinder markers quickly disappeared into it. Returning crews were unable to judge how successful the raid had been but the local report shows that much new damage was caused in the central, western and northern parts of Stuttgart. Several more historic buildings in the centre were hit, including the Kronprinzenpalais and the Altes Schloss. The Neues Schloss, severely damaged 10 nights earlier, was now totally destroyed. Much housing was hit and 125 people were killed and 510 injured. Several important industrial premises were seriously damaged, including the Bosch works and the Daimler-Benz motor factory, and ‘the remains’ of the main railway station, hit in earlier raids, were further damaged.

DIVERSION AND SUPPORT OPERATIONS
18 Mosquitoes to airfields in Holland, 11 Mosquitoes on a diversion raid to Munich, 6 R.C.M. sorties, 10 Serrate patrols. No aircraft lost.

Minor Operations: 1 Mosquito to a flying-bomb site, 10 Halifaxes and 1 Stirling on Resistance operations, 16 O.T.U. sorties. No losses.

Total effort for the night: 630 sorties, 4 aircraft (0.6 percent) lost.

Screenshot (56017).png (118.27 KiB) Viewed 849 times

2nd TAF
March 1944
As mentioned, 84 Group received its first Typhoon squadrons at 146 Airfield during February, and the second wing of these aircraft was not far behind. On 1 March, 198 and 609 Squadrons which had recently moved to Manston, became the nucleus for the re-formed 123 Airfield. This Airfield would now operate as part of 20 Wing, which had recently lost 135 Airfield on transfer of the latter to 23 Wing.

These squadrons now forming 123 Airfield had seen considerable success over the past six months as long-range fighters, and operating together had gained a large number of aerial victories - far more than any other Typhoon units attained during the course of the war. The squadrons were not happy about the change as they lost several of their pilots to bring them to 2nd TAF established strength, and received a completely new ground echelon. They also lost their role and identity as long-range units, becoming close-support squadrons instead. As there was no operational flying, morale slumped temporarily.

On 1 March 66 Squadron moved to 132 Airfield, North Weald, to operate with the resident Norwegian squadrons there. By this time the Airfield was commanded by the great fighter pilot, Grp Capt A.G. Sailor' Malan, DSO & Bar, DFC & Bar, and was led by Wg Cdr F.D.S.Scott- Malden, DFC & Bar, who had recently taken over from the Dane, Kaj Birksted.

Amongst the reconnaissance units, 414 Squadron was dispatched to Dundonald on a Naval Bombardment Spotting Course for ten days, while 130 Airfield moved from the rather crowded North Weald to Sawbridgeworth, 2 and 268 Squadrons flying over on 1st, followed by 4 Squadron two days later.

On 6 March, 184 Squadron moved to Odiham and here gave up its Hurricanes, the last in the front line in north-west Europe, re-equipping with Typhoons; 136 Airfield's 164 Squadron had done so back in January. In the air the month had commenced rather quietly, but on the 1st, Spitfires of 308 Squadron on a 'Ranger' over Creil airfield during the afternoon, encountered some Fw 190s, one of which Sgt T.Rybczynski claimed to have shot down.

USAAF
ENGLAND: The VIII Air Force Service Command is redesignated Air Service Command, USSTAF; the VIII Strategic Air Depot Area is redesignated VIII Air Force Service Command; the IX Troop Carrier Command establishes a pathfinder school to train special crews for invasion duties; and the 71st Fighter Wing headquarters begins overseeing the operations of several Ninth Air Force fighter groups.

ITALY: Twelfth and Fifteenth air force bombers are grounded by bad weather; XII Air Support Command P-40s attack motor vehicles and gun emplacements in support of the U.S. Fifth Army; and XII Air Support Command P-47s attack a vessel in the Adriatic Sea.

The XII Provisional Troop Carrier Command is disbanded, and the 51st Troop Carrier Wing is placed directly under Headquarters, Twelfth Air Force; Headquarters, XII Bomber Command, is effectively disbanded, and the 42d Medium Bombardment Wing (three B-26 groups) and the 57th Medium Bombardment Wing (three B-25 groups) are placed directly under Headquarters, Twelfth Air Force. The XII Air Support Command and XII Fighter Command remain in operation as they are.

RAF BASE CHANGES
66 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to North Weald
68 Sqn (Beaufighter VIF) moves to Fairwood Common
268 Sqn (Mustang IA) moves to Sawbridgeworth
300 Sqn (Wellington III) moves to Fadingworth
322 Sqn (Spitfire VB) moves to Hawkinge
335 Sqn (Spitfire VB/VC) moves to Bersis
409 Sqn RCAF (Beaufighter VIF) moves to Hunsdon
462 Sqn RAAF renamed 614 Sqn

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
43 Sqn (Lago) flies its last OM in the Spitfire IX
76 Sqn (Home-on-Spalding Moor) flies its first OM in the Halifax III
109 Sqn (Marham) flies its first OM in the Mosquito BXVI
151 Sqn (Colerne) flies its last OM in the Mosquito NFXII
610 Sqn (Exeter) flies its last OM in the Spitfire VB

[warshipbuilder]

453 Sqn RAAF (Detling – Spitfire LFIXB) 2-3-44
The Squadron took off today on a Ramrod - quite a long show, flying 1 hr 55 mins. 45 gallon tanks are being used and as far as we are concerned we have ever before made such deep penetration. We gave cover to Fortresses going to Germany as far as the St. Quentin area and was quite uneventful. A number of pilots have been suffering severely from the cold and electrically heated equipment is being supplied. Another Ramrod this afternoon – cover to area bombing in the St. Pol area- uneventful. This was F/O D.S. Murray’s and F/Sgt. R.W. Gorman's first operational trip.

ADDENDUM – Spitfire LFIXB MH736 FU-X. Pilot F/S FF Cowpe. Ramrod a.m. Hit by flak, crash-landed N of Romney. Cat B damage to aircraft.

BOMBER COMMAND
MEULAN-LES-MEUREAUX
117 Halifaxes and 6 Mosquitoes of 4, 6 and 8 Groups to attack the S.N.C.A. aircraft factory, 15 miles outside Paris. The Oboe marking was accurate and the Halifaxes seriously damaged the factory buildings. No aircraft lost.

Minor Operations: 15 Lancasters of 617 Squadron in successful raid on aircraft factory at Albert in France, 13 Mosquitoes to 3 targets in Germany and a flying-bomb site, 2 R.C.M. sorties, 8 Serrate patrols, 8 Stirlings minelaying off French Channel ports, 44 aircraft on Resistance operations, 10 O.T.U. sorties.

Total effort for the night: 223 sorties with no aircraft lost.

Screenshot (56604).png (186.95 KiB) Viewed 830 times

USAAF
FRANCE: Eighty-four 3d Bombardment Division B-17s, escorted by 281 USAAF fighters, attack the Chartres Airdrome with 158 tons of bombs. One B-17 is lost.

In two separate missions, the IX Bomber Command mounts a total of 353 B-26 sorties against V-weapons sites and the Amiens/Glisy, Rosieres-en-Santerre, and Tergnier airdromes. Also, in IX Bomber Command’s first directed mission against the Axis rail system, 126 B-26s attack a marshalling yard at Amiens.

GERMANY: Of 327 1st Bombardment Division B-17s and 154 2d Bombardment Division B-24s dispatched to attack marshalling yards at Frankfurt am Main, only 101 B-17s and 36 B-24s are able to locate the assigned target area through thick cloud cover. One hundred ninety-two B-17s and 46 B-24s attack various targets of opportunity.

The 458th Heavy Bombardment Group, a B-24 unit assigned to the 2d Bombardment Division’s 96th Combat Bombardment Wing, makes it combat debut.

Of 589 USAAF fighters assigned to escort and support the Frankfurt am Main mission, four are lost with three of the pilots.

VIII Fighter Command escort pilots down 16 GAF fighters along the heavy-bomber route, primarily over Belgium, between 1145 and 1420 hours. 1stLt Vasseure F. Wynn, a P-51 pilot with the 4th Fighter Group’s 334th Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status when he downs a Bf-109 near Koblenz at 1155 hours. (Wynn’s score includes 2.5 victories earned while he was flying with the RAF.)

ITALY: Fifteenth Air Force B-17s, B-24s, P-38s, and P-47s mount 351 bomber sorties and more than 150 fighter sorties against targets around the Anzio beachhead; Twelfth Air Force B-26s attack an assembly area near Carroceto, and B-25s and B-26s attack an assembly area and gun emplacements near Cisterna di Roma; and XII Air Support Command A-36s and P-40s attack troop positions and gun emplacements in the Anzio battle area and around Cisterna and Littoria.

The 304th Heavy Bombardment Wing’s 459th Heavy Bombardment Group, in B-24s, makes its combat debut.

YUGOSLAVIA: XII Air Support Command P-47s attack a ship off Sibenik.

RAF BASE CHANGES
307 Sqn (Non-Op) moves to Coleby Grange

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
12 Sqn SAAF (Biferno) flies its first OM in the Marauder I
192 Sqn (Foulsham) flies its first OM in the Halifax III
429 Sqn RCAF (Leeming) flies its last OM in the Halifax V

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401 Sqn RCAF (Biggin Hill – Spitfire LFIXB) 3-3-44

Weather was very clear with unlimited visibility except for slight local haze.

The Wing was briefed at 0700 hours, and 401 and 412 Squadrons were airborne at 08.35 as close Escort to 108 Marauders bombing Laon aerodrome- a very deep penetration. The bombers were difficult to keep in formation but they were herded back. The Wing landed at 1008 at R.A.F. Manston. The Wing is now using 130 octane petrol and is the only one to do so. R.A.F. Manston is our forward refuelling base and special Bowsers are set aside for us. The show planned for the afternoon was cancelled and the Squadron returned to Biggin Hill at 15.15 hours. Just before we landed, two aircraft of 412 Squadron collided on the runway and F/O Berryman was quite badly burned in the ensuing blaze. “A” Flight carried out readiness until 19.37 with 3 sections. “B” Flt. had done dawn readiness.

BOMBER COMMAND
MINOR OPERATIONS
16 Mosquitoes to Berlin, 10 to Düsseldorf, 1 to Krefeld and 2 to Sottevaast flying-bomb site, 45 aircraft minelaying off French ports, 9 O.T.U. sorties. No losses.

3 Wellington minelaying sorties flown on this night by 300 (Polish) Squadron, based at Ingham, were the last Wellington operations flown by a normal Bomber Command squadron; R.C.M. squadrons of 100 Group would continue to use Wellingtons in small numbers for several months and the O.T.U.s would use Wellingtons until the end of the war.

USAAF
FRANCE: Two hundred eighteen IX Bomber Command B-26s attack German Army installations at two locations, and the Beauvais/Tille, Laon/Couvron, Montdidier, Rosieres-en-Santerre, and Roye/Amy airdromes.

GERMANY: Seven hundred forty-eight Eighth Air Force heavy bombers are dispatched against industrial and aviation-industry targets in Berlin, Oranienburg, and Erkner, but bad weather results in 669 aborts. Only 75 B-17s and four B-24s attack targets of opportunity. Eight heavy bombers are lost to enemy fire, and three are downed following a midair collision.
Col Harold J. Rau, the commanding officer of the 20th Fighter Group, in P-38s, becomes the first USAAF fighter pilot to catch a distant glimpse of the city of Berlin.

A record 730 USAAF fighters are dispatched to escort the heavy bombers, including VIII Fighter Command’s new 364th Fighter Group, in P-38s, in its combat debut. Of these, six P-51s and one P-38 are lost with six pilots, and one P-47 crash-lands at its base.

VIII Fighter Command escort pilots down eight GAF fighters over Germany between 1130 and 1230 hours. 1stLt Vermont Garrison, a P-47 ace with the 4th Fighter Group’s 336th Fighter Squadron, downs a Bf-109 near Berlin at about 1215, bringing his personal tally to 7.333 confirmed victories, but he is downed by flak and taken prisoner.

HUNGARY: 1stLt Max J. Wright, a P-38 pilot with the 14th Fighter Group’s 48th Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status when he downs an Me-210 over Budapest at 1103 hours.

ITALY: The Twelfth Air Force opens an offensive against rail lines running through Rome. All three B-25 groups of the 57th Medium Bombardment Wing are grounded by bad weather, but an attack by all three B-26 groups of the 42d Medium Bombardment Wing against a marshalling yard at Ostiense is among the most accurate of the war, with all bombs falling within 200 yards of the target. Damage to tracks, facilities, and rolling stock is extensive. B-26s also attack Benedetto de Marsi.

Fifteenth Air Force B-24s attack the landing ground at Canino, and the Fabrica di Roma and Viterbo airdromes, but results are poor due to cloudy weather over the targets; at least 80 B-24s and more than 100 P-38s abort in the face of bad weather; and Fifteenth Air Force B-17s attack Rome’s Littorio and Tiburtina marshalling yards with results rated as “good.” While supporting the Viterbo attack, 325th Fighter Group P-47 pilots down seven GAF fighters between 1135 hours and noon.

XII Air Support Command A-36s attack a tent camp and a train between Rome and Magliano Romano, and P-40s attack gun emplacements north of the Anzio beachhead area.

RAF BASE CHANGES
312 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to Mendlesham
614 Sqn (Non-Op) moves to Celone

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
300 Sqn (Faldingworth) flies its last OM in the Wellington III
329 Sqn (Perranporth – Spitfire LFIXB) flies its first OM of the war
400 Sqn RCAF (Odiham) flies its first OM in the Spitfire PRXI