Action This Day

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453 Sqn RAAF (Detling – Spitfire LFIXB) 14-4-44
Squadron took of for dive bombing Just before lunch. Bombs were dropped from 8-4,000ft but mostly undershot the target. The flak was very intense and accurate over the target. One aircraft, piloted by P/O R. Yarra was hit and seen to blow up. He had been with the Squadron nearly a year and was a very good type.

ADDENDUM – Spitfire LFIXB MK324 FU-Y. Pilot: P/O RE Yarra KIA. Shot down by flak, dive-bombing Noball target near Abbeville.

2nd TAF
Two Spitfires were lost to Flak, with both pilots killed. One of these was Plt Off R.E.Yarra of 453 Squadron, lost near Abbeville; he was brother to Flt Lt J.W. Slim' Yarra, DFM, an 'ace' of the defence of Malta in 1942, who had also been shot down by Flak whilst serving with 453 Squadron in December 1942.

USAAF
ETO: The CCS shift direct operational control of the U.S. and British strategic air forces in Europe to Gen Dwight D. Eisenhower.

ITALY: Twelfth Air Force B-25s attack Viterbo Airdrome and a marshalling yard at Leghorn; Twelfth Air Force B-26s attack rail targets at six locations; and XII Air Support Command fighter-bombers attack rail targets, gun emplacements, supply dumps, and several factories in central Italy.

RAF BASE CHANGES
302 Sqn (Spitfire IX) moves to Deanland
406 Sqn (Beaufighter VIF) moves to Winkleigh
627 Sqn (Mosquito BIV) moves to Woodhall Spa

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
72 Sqn (Lago) flies its last OM in the Spitfire IX
260 Sqn (Cutella) flies its first OM in the Mustang III
406 Sqn (Winkleigh) flies its first OM in the Mosquito NFXIII
486 Sqn RAAF (Castle Camps) flies its last OM in the Typhoon IB

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401 Sqn RCAF (Fairwood Common – Spitfire LFIXB) 15-4-44
Tuesday. Today we were to leave Fairwood Common for Tangmere, where the Airfield had moved, but we couldn't get off in the morning due to weather. We finally got permission to Leave at 1400 hours, and were halfway across the Bristol Chamel when we were recalled to Fairwood because of bad weather between Wales and Tangmere, so back we went and remained at Fairwood for Saturday night.

2nd TAF
85 Group's 150 Airfield at Bradwell Bay was joined by 3 Squadron, bringing the first Hawker Tempest Vs to the command. Later in the month the Airfield would move to Newchurch, where it would be joined by the similarly-equipped 486 Squadron, and by 56 Squadron, now temporarily flying Spitfire IXs whilst awaiting Tempests.

Note – 3 Sqn moved to Bradwell Bay on 6/3/44 and received its first Tempests on 14/4/44. They did not go operational with them until 23/4/44. Or so sayeth the Squadron ORB.

USAAF
ETO: The Allied Expeditionary Air Force (Europe) issues its overall operational plan for Operation NEPTUNE, the cross-Channel phase of Operation OVERLORD.

GERMANY: Six hundred sixteen Eighth and Ninth air force fighters mount strafing missions against GAF bases in western and central Germany, but three fighter groups abort in the face of bad weather. Fifteen GAF fighters, an He-111, and an Fi-156 are downed in air-to-air combat, and 40 GAF aircraft are claimed as destroyed on the ground. In large part because of bad weather, USAAF losses are 33 fighters downed and 30 pilots lost. Capt Raymond C. Care, a six-victory ace with the 4th Fighter Group’s 334th Fighter Squadron, is shot down by flak and captured near Celle; and Maj Leroy A. Schreiber, the commanding officer of the 56th Fighter Group’s 62d Fighter Squadron and a 12-victory P-47 ace, is shot down by flak and killed over Flensburg Airdrome.

ITALY: The XII Air Support Command is redesignated XII Tactical Air Command (XII TAC).

Twelfth Air Force B-25s and B-26s attack a marshalling yard, a tunnel, and several rail bridges in central Italy; and XII TAC fighter-bombers attack ammunition dumps, rail lines, and bridges in central Italy, as well as numerous tactical targets, including gun emplacements and tanks, in the U.S. Fifth Army battle area.

The 332d Fighter Group is reassigned from the Twelfth Air Force to the Fifteenth Air Force’s 306th Fighter Group, and it begins transitioning to P-47s and retraining for escort duty.

ROMANIA: Fifteenth Air Force B-24s attack marshalling yards at Bucharest, and Fifteenth Air Force B-17s attack a marshalling yard at Ploesti.

YUGOSLAVIA: Fifteenth Air Force B-17s attack a marshalling yard at Nis.

RAF BASE CHANGES
19 Sqn (Mustang III) moves to Ford
61 Sqn (Lancaster I/III) moves to Skellingthorpe
65 Sqn (Mustang III) moves to Ford
122 Sqn (Mustang III) moves to Ford
232 Sqn (Spitfire IX) moves to Poretta
412 Sqn RCAF (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to Tangmere

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
500 Sqn (La Senia) flies its last OM in the Hudson V

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401 Sqn RCAF (Fairwood Common – Spitfire LFIXB) 16-4-44
The weather at Fairwood was poor in the morning, clearing up some after lunch and we got strapped in our aircraft to take off for Tangmere, but this was cancelled at the last minute due to bad weather at Tangmere. No. 411 Squadron had taken off from Tangmere to come to Fairwood but they had turned back due to the weather on the way. We therefore again unpacked our bags and stayed for another night.

USAAF
ITALY: Twelfth Air Force B-25s attack rail-bridge approaches at two locations; XII TAC A-20s attack fuel dumps; and XII TAC fighter-bombers attack a tunnel, a marshalling yard, a rail line, a town, and numerous targets of opportunity throughout central Italy.

ROMANIA: Fifteenth Air Force B-17s and B-24s attack marshalling yards at Brasov, and B-24s attack a marshalling yard at Turnu Severin.

In the first theater mission in P-51s, the 31st Fighter Group escorts heavy bombers to Turnu Severin. Fifty escort fighters that fail to rendezvous with the heavy bombers attack the rail lines around Craiova.

YUGOSLAVIA: Fifteenth Air Force B-17s attack an aircraft factory and airdrome at Belgrade.

RAF BASE CHANGES
308 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to Ford

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
46 Sqn (Idku) flies its last OM in the Beaufighter TFX

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428 Sqn RCAF (Middleton St. George – Halifax II) 17-4-44
Sixteen crews were detailed for operations, four on bombing and twelve on mining. The bombing crews were scrubbed, but the “Town Boys” gardened in the KIEL area. P/O G.W. LILLICO (J.85364 R.C.A.F.) and crew did not return. Gordon had just received his commission a short while and was highly popular, as were all his crew. We all hope good news of them soon. All the rest returned safely with no incidents being reported.

ADDENDUM – Halifax II JW973 NA-D. Crew: P/O GW Lillico RCAF KIA, Sgt J Doyle KIA, WO2 K Johnson RCAF KIA, F/S T Zbytnuik RCAF KIA, P/O JM Westlake RCAF KIA, Sgt JG Manson RCAF KIA, Sgt WJ Olmstead RCAF KIA. Lost without a trace. All are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.

BOMBER COMMAND
COLOGNE
26 Mosquitoes; none lost.

Minor Operations: 2 Mosquitoes to Le Mans railway yards, 2 Serrate patrols, 14 Halifaxes and 6 Stirlings minelaying in Kiel Bay and the Frisians, 4 O.T.U. sorties. 1 Halifax minelayer lost.

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USAAF
BULGARIA: Fifteenth Air Force B-24s attack marshalling yards at Sofia, and seven GAF fighters are downed around Sofia between 1215 and 1300 hours by 31st Fighter Group P-51 pilots and 325th Fighter Group P-47 pilots.

ETO: Gen Dwight D. Eisenhower directs the Allied strategic air forces in Europe to focus the bulk of their power against the GAF and supporting industries. The objective is to prevent German tactical air units from mounting a counterattack against the invasion fleet and beaches during the landing or consolidation phases of Operation OVERLORD. In addition, Eisenhower explicitly adds strategic oil targets to the overall target list, with the specific intention of both diminishing the flow of oil products to the Axis armed forces and forcing GAF fighters into the air against what is perceived as being the overwhelming strength of the Allied fighter forces accompanying each strategic bomber mission.

FRANCE: Fourteen 2d Bombardment Division B-24s, including five pathfinder aircraft, conduct an experimental attack against the V-weapons site at Wizernes.

ITALY: Twelfth Air Force B-25s attack bridges at two locations; XII TAC A-20s attack fuel dumps near Rome; and XII TAC fighter-bombers attack various transportation targets, gun emplacements around Orte, and gun emplacements, motor vehicles, and dumps in the Anzio battle area.

YUGOSLAVIA: Fifteenth Air Force B-17s attack a marshalling yard at Sava, an aircraft factory in Belgrade, and the Belgrade/Rogozarski Airdrome. 82d Fighter Group P-38 pilots down an He-111 and two Ju-52 over Belgrade.

RAF BASE CHANGES
21 Sqn (Mosquito FBVI) moves to Gravesend
329 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to Merston
340 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to Merston
341 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to Merston
411 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to Tangmere
416 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to Tangmere
487 Sqn RNZAF (Mosquito FBVI) moves to Gravesend
619 Sqn (Lancaster I/III) moves to Dunholme Lodge

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432 Sqn RCAF (East Moor – Halifax III) 18-4-44
Fourteen aircraft were detailed for a bombing operation on the Marshalling Yards at Noisy-le-Sec near Paris. All aircraft took off and successfully bombed the yards with good results. One of our aircraft failed to return from this operation and nothing was heard from any member of the crew after the take off time.

ADDENDUM – Halifax III LW643 QO-E. Crew: F/O ACG Mercer RCAF KIA, P/O WH Kent KIA, P/O JB Bell RCAF KIA, F/O AH Redmond KIA, Sgt SD Pett POW, Sgt GJ Shaugnessy RCAF EVD, SGT A McCluskie KIA, P/O AM McGregor KIA. T/o 2958 East Moor. Cause of loss unclear. Those who died rest in Clichy New Communal Cemetery.

BOMBER COMMAND
ROUEN
273 Lancasters and 16 Mosquitoes of 1, 3 and 8 Groups. No aircraft lost. Bomber Command claimed a concentrated attack on the railway yards, with much destruction.

JUVISY
202 Lancasters and 4 Mosquitoes of 5 Group, with 3 Oboe Mosquitoes of 8 Group. 1 Lancaster lost. The attack appeared to be completely successful.

NOISY-LE-SEC
181 aircraft – 112 Halifaxes, 61 Lancasters, 8 Mosquitoes – of 6 and 8 Groups. The Mosquitoes also operated against Tergnier. 4 Halifaxes lost.

The local report describes results which were typical of these railway-target raids. The marshalling yards, the engine-sheds and the railway workshops suffered great damage. Approximately 200 delayed-action bombs continued to explode in the week after the raid. A through line was established several days later but the marshalling yards were not completely repaired until 6 years after the war. In addition to this railway damage, however, the bombing area was measured as 6 km long and 3 km wide. 750 houses were destroyed and more than 2,000 damaged. 464 French people were killed and 370 injured.

TERGNIER
171 aircraft – 139 Halifaxes, 24 Lancasters, 8 Mosquitoes – of 3, 4 and 8 Groups. 6 Halifaxes lost. 50 railway lines were blocked but most of the bombing fell on housing areas south-west of the railway yards. French casualties are not known.

MINELAYING OPERATION
168 aircraft – 88 Halifaxes, 44 Stirlings, 36 Lancasters – to Swinemünde, Kiel Bay and to the Danish coast. 2 Stirlings and 1 Halifax lost.

Minor Operations: Mosquitoes – 24 to Berlin, 2 to Osnabrück and 2 to Le Mans, 9 R.C.M. sorties, 32 Serrate patrols, 46 O.T.U. sorties. No aircraft lost.

Total effort for the night: 1,125 sorties, 14 aircraft (1.2 percent) lost. The total number of sorties on this night was a new Bomber Command record.

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Operations Map

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2nd TAF
Whilst undertaking an exercise over southern England during the early morning, a Ju 188 of 2./KG 66 was seen coned by AA bursts over Southampton by pilots of 266 Squadron from nearby Needs Oar Point. Two of the unit's pilots shot this bomber down. When the wreckage was examined it was found to contain the bodies of seven crew, rather than the usual four. Although this was later to give rise to rumours of deserters or spies, it now appears that the unfortunate crew were carrying a number of ground personnel with them whilst repositioning from a rear base to a forward one, and had become hopelessly lost.

That night, soon after midnight, Flg Off S.B.Huppert/ Plt Off J.S.Christie of 410 Squadron, which had recently arrived at Hunsdon as an 85 Group unit, claimed an He 177 shot down in flames; this was 6N+AK of 2./KG 100, Fw H.Reis and three other members of the crew baled out near Saffron Walden, Hertfordshire. Another 410 Squadron crew claimed damage to a Ju 188.

USAAF
ENGLAND: The nascent XIX Air Support Command is redesignated XIX Tactical Air Command (TAC), and the IX Air Support Command is redesignated IX TAC.

The air echelon of the 34th Heavy Bombardment Group, in B-24s, arrives from the United States via the southern ferry route and is assigned to the 3d Bombardment Division’s 93d Combat Bombardment Wing; and the air echelon of the 492d Heavy Bombardment Group, in B-24s, arrives from the United States via the southern ferry route and is assigned to the 3d Bombardment Divisions 14th Combat Bombardment Wing.

FRANCE: Two hundred seventy-seven IX Bomber Command B-26s and 37 A-20s attack marshalling yards and gun emplacements at Calais, Charleroi/St.-Martin, and Dunkirk.

Twelve 2d Bombardment Division B-24s conduct an experimental attack against V-weapons sites at Watten.

GERMANY: Two hundred seventy-five 1st Bombardment Division B-17s attack aircraft-industry targets at Oranienburg and several targets of opportunity, including Perleberg Airdrome; 159 2d Bombardment Division B-24s attack aircraft-industry targets at Brandenburg and Rathenow; 89 2d Bombardment Division B-24s attack various targets of opportunity; and 210 3d Bombardment Division B-17s attack Luneberg Airdrome, an aircraft-industry plant at Oranienburg, and several tar- gets of opportunity. Nineteen heavy bombers are lost, including a B-17 interned in Switzerland.

Escort for the heavy bombers is provided by 634 USAAF fighters. 4th Fighter Group P-51 pilots down four GAF fighters over Germany between 1425 and 1500. While leading the 4th Fighter Group on a bomber-escort mission, Maj George Carpenter, the commanding officer of the group’s 335th Fighter Squadron, brings his final personal tally to 13.833 confirmed victories when he downs a Bf-109 near Nauen at 1425 hours and an FW-190 near the Rhine Canal at 1435 hours. Unfortunately, Carpenter’s P-51 is shot down over Stendal and he is taken prisoner. In all, five USAAF fighters and their pilots are lost.

ITALY: XII TAC P-40s and P-47s attack fuel dumps and rail and communications targets, and Fifteenth Air Force P-38s and P-47s down seven GAF fighters and damage or possibly destroy six others during a midafternoon fighter sweep to the Udine area.

RAF BASE CHANGES
97 Sqn (Lancaster I/III) moves to Coningsby
132 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to Ford
401 Sqn RCAF (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to Tangmere
403 Sqn RCAF (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to Tangmere
421 Sqn RCAF (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to Tangmere
453 Sqn RAAF (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to Ford
602 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to Ford

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
83 Sqn (Coningsby – Lancaster I/III) flies its first OM of the war
222 Sqn (Selsey) flies its first OM in the Spitfire LFIXE
300 Sqn (Faldingworth) flies its first OM in the Lancaster

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605 Sqn (Manston – Mosquito FBVI) 20-4-44
While "B" Flight had their flight party at which an inordinate amount of beer was consumed and a good time had by all, the Squadron was highly active in the evening. F/O. BRISTED & SGT. BURRACE had an uneventful "Flower" to VENLO. F/LT. WARNER, D.F.C. & F/O. ORRINIE, D.F.C. went to BONN, which was obscured by 10/10 aloud. Bombing was seen at COLOGNE. W/CDR. STARR, D.F.C. and P/O. IRVINE went to RHEINE. Both RHEINE and HOPSTEN were lit but no enemy aircraft were seen. P/O.COLLINS and F/SGT. STIRLING Went LAON/JUVINCOURT where they damaged an u/i E/A as it was circling the airfield. (JUVINCOURT) Range 3000-300 feet 90° deflection. All these sorties were in support of Bomber Command, as was F/SGT.CASSIDY"S and F/SGT. STICKLEY flight to ST. DIZER which was uneventful. F/LT. WHITTEN-BROWN & F/LT. BRENIS, F/LT. KNIGHT and F/O. DAVY went on operational sorties to GILZE and DEELEN respectively. The trips were uneventful. F/LT.RHODES & SGT. LITTLE went on Intruder patrol to MARX. AALBORG, MARX and VAR all lit, cannons fired up the runway after an aircraft which had just landed at MANX. F/LT.MUSGRAVE & F/SGT. SAMWELL went on an uneventful Intruder to VARRELBUSCH. F/LT. PENJELLY & SGT. NEWTON to an uneventful sortie to SOESTERBERG and DEELEN. F/O. WALTON and SGT, PRITCHARD went to GILZE and EINDHOVEN; the latter was not lit but there was some activity at GILZE where 3 aircraft lights were seen. The last was attacked from 150 yards 5° port of astern with a 1 second burst. Flames burst out in the starboard engine, the enemy aircraft made an unsuccessful attempt to land and was last seen still burning. F/LT. HOLLAND & F/O. WILSON are missing from a sortie to RHEINE/HANDORP. Their loss will be keenly felt as both were exceptionally keen types and had already a very creditable score of successes.

ADDENDUM – Mosquito FBVI NS928 UP-? Crew: F/L GA Holland RCAF KIA, F/O WH Wilkinson KIA. Both are buried in the Reichswald War Cemetery.

BOMBER COMMAND
57 Lancasters and 22 Mosquitoes of 1, 3, 6 and 8 Groups. 4 Lancasters lost.

This concentrated attack fell into areas of Cologne which were north and west of the city centre and partly industrial in nature. 192 industrial premises suffered various degrees of damage, together with 725 buildings described as ‘dwelling-houses with commercial premises attached’. 7 railway stations or yards were also severely damaged.

But more general city buildings were also heavily bombed: 46 churches and chapels, the Opera House (partly burnt out), the city market halls, etc. The Capitol cinema, the largest in Cologne, was destroyed by fire. 1,861 houses or apartments were destroyed and more than 20,000 damaged. There were 1,290 separate fires. 664 people were killed and 1,067 were injured. The Cologne report mentions ‘high-explosive bombs of new calibre which penetrated the normally safe basement shelters’; 80 percent of the dead were in those shelters.

LA CHAPELLE
The raid on this railway target just north of Paris was the first major test for the new 5 Group marking method, with the group employing not only 617 Squadron’s low-level markers but the three Pathfinder squadrons recently transferred from 8 Group. A few regular 8 Group Mosquitoes were also used to drop markers by Oboe to provide a first indication of the target’s location for the main 5 Group marking force. 247 Lancasters of 5 Group and 22 Mosquitoes from 5 and 8 Groups dispatched. 6 Lancasters lost.

The bombing force was split into two parts, with an interval between them of 1 hour, and each part of the force aimed at different halves of the railway yards. There were a few difficulties at the opening of the attack, with the markers of the Oboe Mosquitoes being a fraction late and with communications between the various controlling aircraft being faulty, but these difficulties were soon overcome and both parts of the bombing force achieved extremely accurate and concentrated bombing. Unfortunately, no report is available from La Chapelle.

OTTIGNIES
196 aircraft – 175 Halifaxes, 14 Lancasters, 7 Mosquitoes – from 4 and 8 Groups. No aircraft lost. The southern half of the railway yards was severely damaged.

LENS
175 aircraft – 154 Halifaxes, 14 Lancasters, 7 Mosquitoes – of 6 and 8 Groups. 1 Halifax lost. The railway yards were accurately bombed, with particular damage being caused to the engine-sheds and the carriage-repair workshop.

Chambly
14 Stirlings, using the G-H blind-bombing device, to bomb a railway depot but only 4 aircraft bombed and 1 was lost.

Minor Operations: 8 Mosquitoes to Berlin, 14 R.C.M. sorties, 25 Serrate and 8 Intruder patrols, 30 Stirlings and 8 Halifaxes minelaying off French ports, 2 aircraft on Resistance operations, 27 O.T.U. sorties. 2 Serrate Mosquitoes and 1 O.T.U. Wellington lost.

Total effort for the night: 1,155 sorties, 15 aircraft (1.3 percent) lost. The number of sorties flown was a new record. Small jumps in record efforts will no longer be recorded in the diary.

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Operations Map

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2nd TAF
During the night 85 Group's night fighters gained their third success since the Group was set up, Flg Off Corre/Plt Off Bines of 264 Squadron claiming an He 177 40 miles north-east of Spurn Point during another Luftwaffe raid on Hull.

USAAF
BELGIUM: Thirty-six 78th Fighter Group P-47s, escorted by 56 55th Fighter Group P-38s, dispatched to attack St.-Trond Airdrome jettison their bombs into the English Channel and abort in the face of bad weather.

FRANCE: Of 560 Eighth Air Force B-17s and 282 B-24s dispatched against 33 V-weapons sites in the Pas-de-Calais and Cherbourg areas, 375 B-17s and 174 B-24s attack 24 of the briefed targets, and 12 B-17s and seven B-24s attack various targets of opportunity. Nine heavy bombers are lost.

Escort for the heavy bombers is provided by 388 VIII Fighter Command fighters, whose pilots down four Bf-109s and a Ju-88 over central France between 1800 and 1945 hours. Two P-51s and their pilots are lost.

Nearly 400 IX Bomber Command B-26s and A-20s attack gun emplacements at five locations, V-weapons sites, Poix Airdrome, and targets of opportunity around Pas-de-Calais; and nearly 140 Ninth Air Force P-47s bomb the marshalling yards at Creil and Mantes-la-Jolie.

The IX Fighter Command’s 48th Fighter Group, in P-47s, makes its combat debut, as does the IX Bomber Command’s 397th Medium Bombardment Group, in B-26s.

In the first true fighter-bomber mission undertaken by VIII Fighter Command P-51s, 33 357th Fighter Group P-51s, escorted by 31 78th Fighter Group P-47s, attack Cambrai/Epinoy Airdrome with two 500-pound bombs apiece, and one P-51 attacks Vitry-en-Artois Airdrome.

ITALY: Although some Fifteenth Air Force heavy bombers dispatched against communications targets in northern Italy are forced to abort in the face of bad weather, B-24s are able to attack the naval base at Trieste, the harbor at Venice, the shipyard at Monfalcone, and marshalling yards at three locations; and B-17s attack the port facilities at Venice and marshalling yards at Ancona, Castelfranco, and Padua.

1stLt John W. McGuyrt, Jr., a P-38 pilot with the 14th Fighter Group’s 48th Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status when he downs a Bf-109 over Trieste at 1300 hours.

Twelfth Air Force B-25s and B-26s, and XII TAC A-20s attack the Arezzo viaduct, bridges at two locations, and a marshalling yard and three fuel dumps at Leghorn; and XII TAC fighter-bombers attack fuel dumps and rail and road targets in central Italy, and numerous tactical targets in the Cassino area.

RAF BASE CHANGES
438 Sqn RCAF (Typhoon IB) moves to Hurn
440 Sqn RCAF (Typhoon IB) moves to Hurn

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
213 Sqn (El Gamil) flies its first OM in the Spitfire VB
214 Sqn (Sculthorpe) flies its first OM in the Fortress II
409 Sqn RCAF (Hunsdon) flies its last OM in the Beaufighter VIF
460 Sqn RAAF (Binbrook) flies its last OM in the Lancaster I

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349 Belgian Sqn (Selsey – Spitfire LFIXB) 21-4-44
In the morning 18 aircraft of 349 Squadron dive-bomb Behan West of Abbeville, with good results. Flak was encountered and F/O MOREAU, probity hit in the engine, had to bale out 20 miles off Beachy Head. He was picked up by a Walrus within 40 minutes. Squadron, after giving fixes, landed as Friston to refuel. A "show" for 17.00 hours was cancelled.

BOMBER COMMAND
COLOGNE
24 Mosquitoes bombed the Cologne area through complete cloud cover. No aircraft lost.

Minor Operations: 4 R.C.M. sorties, 40 Halifaxes and 18 Stirlings minelaying off Brest and Lorient and in the Frisians, 9 aircraft on Resistance operations, 11 O.T.U. aircraft and 4 Stirlings on leaflet flights to France. No aircraft lost.

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USAAF
BELGIUM: More than 175 Ninth Air Force P-47 dive-bombers attack the marshalling yards and targets of opportunity at Haine-St.-Pierre (France), Hasselt, Montignies-sur-Sambre, and Namur.

ETO: Bad weather forces the indefinite cancellation of the start of the Eighth Air Force strategic heavy-bomber offensive against Axis oil targets.

FRANCE: Two hundred thirty-six IX Bomber Command B-26s and 34 A-20s attack V-weapons sites and coastal defenses at Abbeville, Amiens, Berck-sur-Mer, Etaples, and St.-Omer. Four B-26s are lost.

ITALY: XII TAC A-20s attack an ammunition dump; and XII TAC fighter- bombers attack road, rail, and tactical targets around Rome and throughout the battle area.

ROMANIA: Fifteenth Air Force B-17s attack the oil-producing and refining facilities at Ploesti.

While escorting the B-17s, in the first significant fighter action in the theater involving P-51s, 31st Fighter Group P-51 pilots down 13 Axis fighters and damage or possibly down 17 others between noon and 1215 hours. 1stLt Leland P. Molland, a P-51 pilot with the 308th Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status with 5.5 victories when he downs a Bf-109 and an Mc.202 over Ploesti. Two 31st Fighter Group P-51s are lost with their pilots.

More than 100 304th Heavy Bombardment Wing B-24s attack Turnu Severin and marshalling yards at Bucharest, and 14th Fighter Group P-38 pilots down ten Axis fighters between 1435 and 1445 hours.

UNITED STATES: The 491st Heavy Bombardment Group, in B-24s, departs for England via the southern ferry route.

RAF BASE CHANGES
26 Sqn (Non-Op) moves to Ayr

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405 Sqn RCAF (Gransden Lodge – Lancaster III) 22-4-44
Weather: Fine all day. Visibility good. Winds moderate W.N.W.’ly backing S.W.’ly
Flying Training: 12:07 Hours (Day)
OPERATIONS: BOMBING ATTACK ON “DUSSELDORF” 7 AIRCRAFT DETAILED

Seven Lancaster III aircraft attacked primary, dropping 30 x 2,000 H.C., 8 x T.I. green, 2 x 4,000 H.C., 960 x 4 lb. incendiaries, from 0144 to 01.32 between 16,000 and 19,000 feet. Weather: no cloud, with slight haze and vapour, trails at 18,500 feet. One aircraft, “O” bombed on ‘Y’ on passing out test. Six bombed red T.I. or concentration of red and green T.I. which were identified as being in built-up area. Three red T.I.’s cascaded at 0112 hours, and marking then continuous and concentrated and well placed. A considerable undershoot to South-west and South-east, 3 to 5 miles was reported from incendiaries and possibly dummy red T.I. which attracted some bombing, but the target area was well covered with Incendiary and red fires and smoke. Great Yellow explosion in target area was reported at 0149 hours. Flak was moderate and searchlights very active aided by vapour trails. Many aircraft coned. Three fighters sighted over target. Seven aircraft attempted photos.

Operational Flying Time: 23:26 Hours (Night).

OPERATIONS: BOMBING ATTACK ON “LAON” (Marshalling Yards) 7 AIRCRAFT DETAILED

Six Lancaster III aircraft attacked primary, dropping 85 x 1,000 M.C., from 0008 to 0025 hours from 8,000 to 5,000 feet. Weather: no cloud with good visibility. Two T.I. yellow reported on target at 0002 hours. At 0005 hours, illuminator flares were reported but no further T.I. M.C. (between 000s and 0005 hours) ordered "Do not bomb" and asked for more Illuminators. At 0007 hours, told to bomb slightly to north of green T.I. and this order was later cancelled and then ordered to bomb T.I. red. M.C. was jammed at 0012 hours. The bombing a very concentrated and on the Marshalling Yard, and the M.C. remarked on the concentrated bombing. At 0006 hours, very big explosion occurred, identified as No. 4 Shed in Marshalling Yard. Aircraft ‘Y’ was attacked by a JU.88 over Leon, and rear gunner, CAN/R. 189722 SGT McGron J.R. was killed instantly. Aircraft ‘K’ was hit by flak, and mid-upper gunner RAF/43618 F/S Foulds J., was slightly wounded. Aircraft ‘U’ failed to return from this operation.

ADDENDUM – Lancaster III JB684 LQ-U. Crew: F/S RA Saltzberry RCAF KIA, Sgt JT Berkey RCAF KIA, WO2 WR Oliver RCAF KIA, F/S EL Alberts KIA, Sgt S Bosworth KIA, P/O JW Tonkyn KIA, Sgt J Grodecki RCAF KIA.

BOMBER COMMAND
DÜSSELDORF
596 aircraft – 323 Lancasters, 254 Halifaxes, 19 Mosquitoes – of all groups except 5 Group. 29 aircraft – 16 Halifaxes and 13 Lancasters – lost, 4.9 percent of the force.

2,150 tons of bombs were dropped in this old-style heavy attack on a German city which caused much destruction but also allowed the German night-fighter force to penetrate the bomber stream. The attack fell mostly in the northern districts of Düsseldorf. Widespread damage was caused. Among the mass of statistics in the local report are: 56 large industrial premises hit (of which 7 were completely destroyed), more than 2,000 houses destroyed or badly damaged. Casualties recorded by 2.0 p.m. on 25 April were 883 people killed, 593 injured and 403 still to be dug out of wrecked buildings; at least three quarters of this last figure would have been dead.

BRUNSWICK
238 Lancasters and 17 Mosquitoes of 5 Group and 10 Lancasters of 1 Group. Few German fighters were attracted to this raid and only 4 Lancasters were lost, 1.5 percent of the force.

This raid is of importance to the history of the bombing war because it was the first time that the 5 Group low-level marking method was used over a heavily defended German city. The raid was not successful. The initial marking by 617 Squadron Mosquitoes was accurate but many of the main force of bombers did not bomb these, partly because of a thin layer of cloud which hampered visibility and partly because of faulty communications between the various bomber controllers. Many bombs were dropped in the centre of the city but the remainder of the force bombed reserve H2S-aimed target indicators which were well to the south. Brunswick’s records contain little information on this raid and the fact that only 44 people were killed shows that the damage caused was not extensive.

LAON
181 aircraft – 69 Halifaxes, 52 Lancasters, 48 Stirlings, 12 Mosquitoes – of 3, 4, 6 and 8 Groups. 9 aircraft – 4 Lancasters, 3 Stirlings, 2 Halifaxes – lost, 5.0 percent of the force.

The attack on the railway yards was carried out in 2 waves and severe damage was caused. The aircraft of one of the Master Bombers, Wing Commander A. G. S. Cousens of 635 Squadron, was shot down; Wing Commander Cousens was killed.

Minor Operations: 17 Mosquitoes on diversion raid to Mannheim and 2 more to a flying-bomb store at Wissant, 10 R.C.M. sorties, 19 Serrate and 7 Intruder patrols, 19 aircraft on leaflet flights. No aircraft lost.

Total effort for the night: 1,116 sorties, 42 aircraft (3.8 percent) lost.

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Operations Map:

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USAAF
BELGIUM: Approximately 275 Ninth Air Force P-47s and P-51s attack several marshalling yards in Belgium.

ENGLAND: Eighth Air Force headquarters activates the 802d Provisional Reconnaissance Group to oversee three independent reconnaissance units: the 8th Provisional Heavy Weather Reconnaissance Squadron (B-17s), the Provisional Light Weather Reconnaissance Squadron (Mosquitoes), and the Provisional Special Weather Reconnaissance Squadron.

The 398th Heavy Bombardment Group, in B-17s, arrives from the United States and is assigned to the 1st Bombardment Division’s 1st Combat Bombardment Wing.

FRANCE: A total of more than 400 IX Bomber Command B-26 sorties and nearly 90 A-20 sorties are mounted throughout the day against V-weapons sites around St.-Omer and Hesdin.

GERMANY: Of 803 Eighth Air Force heavy bombers dispatched against marshalling yards at Hamm, 398 B-17s and 240 B-24s attack the primaries, 15 B-24s attack the city of Hamm, 20 B-24s attack Bonn, 50 B-17s attack Koblenz, 19 B-17s attack Soest, and 37 B-17s attack various targets of opportunity. Only one heavy bomber is lost over the Continent, but 14 other are downed when GAF fighters infiltrate the returning bomber streams over England after dark.

Escort for the heavy bombers is provided by 859 USAAF fighters, including 314 on loan from the IX Fighter Command. After leaving the bombers at the conclusion of their escort duties, 356th Fighter Group P-47s conduct dive-bombing attacks with 100-pound bombs (two per airplane) on targets of opportunity encountered during the return flight. Thirteen USAAF fighters are lost with 12 pilots.

Eighth and Ninth air force escort pilots down 36 GAF fighters over Germany between 1240 and 1530 hours. Capt Albert L. Schlegel, a P-51 pilot with the 4th Fighter Group’s 335th Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status when he downs two Bf-109s near Kassel at 1750 hours; 1stLt Kendall E. Carlson, a P-47 pilot with the 4th Fighter Group’s 336th Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status when he downs a Bf-109 and shares in the downing of a second Bf-109 near Kassel at 1800 hours; and Capt Robert L. Buttke, a P-38 pilot with the 55th Fighter Group’s 343d Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status when he downs a Bf-109 near Hamm at 1935 hours.

ITALY: Twelfth Air Force B-25s and B-26s attack bridges and rail lines in central Italy, the town area at Orvieto, and the harbor at San Stefano al Mare; XII TAC A-20s attack a town and ammunition dumps; and XII TAC fighter-bombers attack gun emplacements around the Anzio beachhead, a marshalling yard at Siena, various rail targets in the Florence area; and four towns.

RAF BASE CHANGES
164 Sqn (Typhoon IB) moves to Thorney Island
198 Sqn (Typhoon IB) moves to Lianbedr
327 Sqn (Spitfire VB/VC/IX) moves to Bastia/Borgo
443 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to Funtington
571 Sqn (Mosquito BXVI) moves to Oakington

[warshipbuilder]

Dear Reader

Unfortunately, ATD will be shortened or completely missed due to family considerations and travel for the next two months. Bad timing considering Overlord is on the horizon. Sorry about that, but completely out of my hands.

25-4-44
BOMBER COMMAND
MINOR OPERATIONS
4 Mosquitoes to Cologne, 25 Stirlings minelaying off the French coast, 9 O.T.U. sorties. No losses.

USAAF
FRANCE: Ninety-eight 1st Bombardment Division B-17s attack Metz/Frescati Airdrome; 42 1st Bombardment Division B-17s attack Nancy/Essay Airdrome; and 121 3d Bombardment Division B-17s attack Dijon/Longvic Airdrome. Two 1st Bombardment Division B-17s are lost.

In a special test of new GH pathfinding equipment, 27 2d Bombardment Division B-24s attack V-weapons sites at Wizernes.

55th Fighter Group P-38s, led by a droopsnoot model, bomb Amiens/Glisy Airdrome and then rendezvous with heavy bombers to provide withdrawal escort.

Seven hundred nineteen USAAF fighters provide escort for heavy bombers attacking targets in France and Germany. Two P-51s and their pilots are lost, and three GAF fighters and a Do-217 are downed during the morning.

The IX Fighter Command’s 474th Fighter Group, in P-38s, makes its combat debut.

Two hundred forty IX Bomber Command B-26s and 69 A-20s attack V-weapons sites along the Channel coast and gun emplacements at seven locations; and nearly 150 Ninth Air Force P-47s dive-bomb airdromes in France and Belgium.

GERMANY: Of 199 2d Bombardment Division B-24s dispatched against marshalling yards at Mannheim, just seven attack the primary, 16 attack a marshalling yard at Landau, and eight attack other targets of opportunity. Losses are five B-24s, plus three B-24s interned in Switzerland.

ITALY: Although more than 300 Fifteenth Air Force heavy bombers abort in the face of bad weather, nearly 150 B-24s attack Varese and an aircraft factory at Turin, and Fifteenth Air Force B-17s attack the marshalling yards at Vicenza; Twelfth Air Force B-25s and B-26s attack dumps, a marshalling yard, and several bridges and bridge approaches; XII TAC A-20s attack dumps; XII TAC P-40s and P-47s attack gun emplacements, an ammunition dump, and roads and road traffic north of Rome; and XII TAC P-47s attack several Axis destroyers at sea off Elba Island.

[warshipbuilder]

26-4-44
BOMBER COMMAND
ESSEN
493 aircraft – 342 Lancasters, 133 Halifaxes, 18 Mosquitoes – from all groups except 5 Group. 7 aircraft – 6 Lancasters, 1 Halifax – lost, 1.4 percent of the force. The Bomber Command report states that this was an accurate attack, based on good Pathfinder ground-marking. The only report available from Essen states that 313 people were killed and 1,224 injured.

SCHWEINFURT
206 Lancasters and 11 Mosquitoes of 5 Group and 9 Lancasters of 1 Group. 21 Lancasters lost, 9.3 percent of the force.

This raid was a failure. The low-level marking provided for the first time by Mosquitoes of 627 Squadron was not accurate. Unexpectedly strong head winds delayed the Lancaster marker aircraft and the main force of bombers. German night fighters were carrying out fierce attacks throughout the period of the raid. The bombing was not accurate and much of it fell outside Schweinfurt. Only 2 people were killed in Schweinfurt.

A Victoria Cross was awarded after the war to Sergeant Norman Jackson, a flight engineer in a Lancaster of 106 Squadron which was shot down near Schweinfurt. The Lancaster was hit by a German night fighter and a fire started in a fuel tank in the wing near the fuselage. Sergeant Jackson climbed out of a hatch with a fire extinguisher, with another crew member holding the rigging lines of Jackson’s parachute which had opened in the aircraft. Sergeant Jackson lost the fire extinguisher and, as both he and his parachute rigging were being affected by the fire, the men in the aircraft let the parachute go. Sergeant Jackson survived, though with serious burns and a broken ankle received on landing with his partially burnt parachute. The remainder of the crew baled out soon afterwards.

VILLENEUVE-ST-GEORGES
217 aircraft – 183 Halifaxes, 20 Lancasters, 14 Mosquitoes – of 4, 6 and 8 Groups. 1 Halifax lost.

Bomber Command claims that the southern end of the railway yards was successfully bombed. The local report states that this raid was more accurate than the one earlier in the month, although civilian areas were again hit and 29 people were killed and 52 were injured.

Support and Minor Operations: 16 Mosquitoes to Hamburg (which reports no casualties, 1 fire and 50 people bombed out), 10 Stirlings to Chambly, 12 R.C.M. sorties, 20 Serrate and 13 Intruder patrols, 16 Halifaxes and 6 Stirlings minelaying off the Dutch coast and in the Frisians, 10 aircraft on Resistance operations, 21 O.T.U. flights. 1 Serrate Mosquito lost.

Total effort for the night: 1,060 sorties, 30 aircraft (2.8 percent) lost.

USAAF
ENGLAND: The Ninth Air Force issues its “Ninth Air Force Tactical Air Plan for Operation NEPTUNE.”

FRANCE: Thirty-three 55th Fighter Group P-38s, guided by a droopsnoot model, attack Le Mans Airdrome in the morning, and 24 352d Fighter Group P-51s dive-bomb Cormeilles-en-Vexin Airdrome in the afternoon. Also, 43 P-47s and 47 P-51s that were to have escorted B-17s to Cologne conduct sweeps over France.

GERMANY: After being diverted from their primary targets by heavy overcast, 165 1st Bombardment Division B-17s and 127 3d Bombardment Division B-17s attack aircraft-industry targets at Brunswick, and 47 3d Bombardment Division B-17s drop their bombs in the area between Hildesheim and Hannover. Unable to reach Paderborn, 238 2d Bombardment Division B-24s return to England with their bombs, and 62 1st Bombardment Division B-17s dispatched to Cologne are recalled while still over the English Channel because of an adverse weather report.

Escort for the heavy bombers is provided by 554 USAAF fighters, of which five are lost with their pilots over the Continent and two are lost, with one of the pilots killed, in a midair collision over their base. No GAF aircraft are downed.

Approximately 125 IX Bomber Command B-26s attack Plattling Airdrome.

ITALY: Most USAAF missions in the theater are canceled in the face of bad weather, but some XII TAC P-47s are able to attack road and rail targets of opportunity, the landing ground at Canino, a marshalling yard at Leghorn, and a fuel dump.

[warshipbuilder]

27-4-44
BOMBER COMMAND
FRIEDRICHSHAFEN
322 Lancasters and 1 Mosquito of 1, 3, 6 and 8 Groups. This was a raid with some interesting aspects. The Air Ministry had urged Bomber Command to attack this relatively small town in moonlight because it contained important factories making engines and gearboxes for German tanks. But the flight to this target, deep in Southern Germany on a moonlit night, was potentially very dangerous; the disastrous attack on Nuremberg had taken place only 4 weeks previously in similar conditions. However, Friedrichshafen was further south and on the fringe of the German night-fighter defences; because of this and the various diversions which confused the German controllers, the bombers reached the target without being intercepted. However, the German fighters arrived at the target while the raid was taking place and 18 Lancasters were lost, 5.6 percent of the force.

1,234 tons of bombs were dropped in an outstandingly successful attack based on good Pathfinder marking; Bomber Command later estimated that 99 acres of Friedrichshafen, 67 percent of the town’s built-up area, were devastated. Several factories were badly damaged and the tank gearbox factory was destroyed. When the American bombing survey team investigated this raid after the war, German officials said that this was the most damaging raid on tank production of the war. A civil report states that 136 people were killed and 375 injured in Friedrichshafen, and that 656 houses were destroyed and 421 severely damaged.

AULNOYE
223 aircraft – 191 Halifaxes, 16 Lancasters, 16 Mosquitoes – of 4, 6 and 8 Groups. 1 Halifax lost. Bombing was concentrated and much damage was caused to the railway yards.

MONTZEN
144 aircraft – 120 Halifaxes, 16 Lancasters, 8 Mosquitoes – of 4, 6 and 8 Groups. The bombing force, particularly the second of the 2 waves, was intercepted by German fighters and 14 Halifaxes and 1 Lancaster were shot down. Only one part of the railway yards was hit by the bombing.

The only Lancaster lost was that of Squadron Leader E. M. Blenkinsopp, a Canadian pilot of 405 Squadron who was acting as Deputy Master Bomber. Blenkinsopp managed to team up with a Belgian Resistance group and remained with them until captured by the Germans in December 1944. He was taken to Hamburg to work as a forced labourer and later died in Belsen concentration camp ‘of heart failure’. He has no known grave.

SUPPORT AND MINOR OPERATIONS
159 O.T.U. aircraft on a diversionary sweep over the North Sea, 24 Mosquitoes on diversion raid to Stuttgart, 11 R.C.M. sorties, 19 Serrate and 6 Intruder patrols, 8 Halifaxes minelaying off Brest and Cherbourg, 44 aircraft on Resistance operations. 1 Serrate Mosquito lost.

Total effort for the night: 961 sorties, 35 aircraft (3.6 percent) lost.

USAAF
BELGIUM: On their second mission of the day, 118 3d Bombardment Division B-17s divert from their primary target in France because of cloud cover. Ninety-eight attack Le Culot Airdrome, and 20 attack Ostend/Middelkerke Airdrome. Two B-17s are lost. Also, one squadron of 353d Fighter Group P-47s dive-bombs Florennes/Juzaine Airdrome with 100-pound bombs before rendezvousing with the heavy bombers to provide withdrawal support.

FRANCE: Nearly 450 IX Bomber Command B-26s and A-20s, along with 275 Ninth Air Force P-47 and P-51 dive- bombers, attack coastal batteries, gun emplacements, military encampments, airdromes, and marshalling yards in France and Belgium.

Due to ongoing poor weather conditions over Germany, Eighth Air Force heavy bombers are used to bolster the Ninth Air Force’s offensive against transportation targets and V-weapons sites in France. In all, 307 1st and 3d Bombardment division B-17s and 169 2d Bombardment Division B-24s attack 21 of 25 briefed and five unbriefed V-weapons sites in the Cherbourg and Pas-de-Calais areas. Four heavy bombers are lost.

Escort for the heavy bombers is provided by 357 VIII Fighter Command fighters, of which one is downed in action and another is lost to engine failure. Both pilots are listed as missing. No GAF aircraft are claimed.

Finding their primary target obscured by clouds, 36 20th Fighter Group P-38s, led by a droopsnoot model, attack Albert/Meaulte Airdrome with 1,000-pound bombs. However, one P-38 squadron mistakenly attacked by P-47s is forced to jettison its bombs. Also, 53 55th Fighter Group P-38s, led by a droopsnoot model, attack Roye/Amy Airdrome with 1,000-pound bombs; and 23 356th Fighter Group P-51s dive-bomb Cormeilles-en-Vexin Airdrome.

Finally, in the Eighth Air Force’s second round of heavy-bomber missions for the day, 103 1st Bombardment Division B-17s attack Nancy/Essay Airdrome; 60 1st Bombardment Division B-17s attack the Toul/Croix de Metz Airdrome; and 118 and 72 2d Bombardment Division B-24s, respectively, attack the marshalling yards at Blainville-sur-L’Eau and Chalons-sur-Marne. Two B-17s are lost.

In all, escort and support for the afternoon heavy-bomber missions are provided by 543 VIII Fighter Command fighters, of which four are lost with three pilots. Four GAF FW-190s are downed by five 356th Fighter Group P-47 pilots at 1730 hours.

ITALY: Bad weather grounds the Twelfth and Fifteenth air forces, except for a small number of XII TAC P-40s that are able to attack a supply dump near Rome.

[warshipbuilder]

28-4-44
BOMBER COMMAND
ST-MÉDARD-EN-JALLES
88 Lancasters and 4 Mosquitoes of 5 Group to attack this explosives factory near Bordeaux. Only 26 aircraft bombed the target. Because of haze and smoke from fires started by flares in woods near the factory, the Master Bomber ordered the remainder of the force to retain their bombs. No aircraft lost.

OSLO
51 Lancasters and 4 Mosquitoes of 5 Group were dispatched and bombed an airframe factory near Oslo. Visibility was clear; the bombing was accurate and no aircraft were lost.

Minor Operations: 26 Mosquitoes to Hamburg (3 small fires, 2 people killed, 97 bombed out), 2 R.C.M. sorties, 40 aircraft on Resistance operations. No aircraft lost.

USAAF
FRANCE: Unable to locate their primary target, 16 IX Bomber Command B-26s attack Cormeilles-en-Vexin Airdrome, and 250 IX Bomber Command B-26s dispatched to attack marshalling yards in France are recalled because of heavy cloud cover over the targets.

One hundred sixteen 1st Bombardment Division B-17s, escorted by 205 VIII Fighter Command fighters, attack Avord Airdrome. Losses are two B-17s with their crews and two P-51s with their pilots.

Of 106 3d Bombardment Division B-17s dispatched against V-weapons sites at Sottevast, just 18 attack the primary and targets of opportunity. Two B-17s are lost, and Col Robert H. Kelley, the 100th Heavy Bombardment Group commander, is killed.

Thirty-four 20th Fighter Group P-38s, led by a droopsnoot model, bomb Tours Airdrome. Forty-nine 55th Fighter Group P-38s, led by a droopsnoot model, bomb Chateaudun Airdrome, which is also dive-bombed by 32 353d Fighter Group P-47s.

During the afternoon, 47 2d Bombardment Division B-24s, escorted by 50 361st Fighter Group P-47s, attack the V-weapons sites at Marquise/Mimoyecques. One B-24 is lost.

Diverted from their primary target by cloud cover, 16 56th Fighter Group P-47s dive-bomb an unidentified Paris-area airdrome with 500-pound fragmentation bombs.

ITALY: One hundred sixty-eight Fifteenth Air Force B-24s attack the port area at San Stefano al Mare; 108 Fifteenth Air Force B-24s attack the port area at Orbetello; 188 Fifteenth Air Force B-24s and B-17s attack a steel works and the port area at Piombino; Twelfth Air Force B-25s and B-26s attack rail bridges and viaducts; XII TAC A-20s attack a fuel dump; and XII TAC P-40s and P-47s attack a fuel dump, gun emplacements, and numerous rail targets throughout Italy.

[warshipbuilder]

29-4-44
BOMBER COMMAND
ST-MÉDARD-EN-JALLES
68 Lancasters and 5 Mosquitoes of 5 Group returned to the explosives factory and carried out concentrated bombing on it without loss.
CLERMONT-FERRAND
54 Lancasters and 5 Mosquitoes of 5 Group attacked the Michelin tyre factory accurately and without loss.

Minor Operations: 8 Mosquitoes to Oberhausen and 4 to Achères railway yards, 5 R.C.M. sorties, 6 Serrate patrols, 34 Halifaxes and 4 Stirlings minelaying off French ports and in the Frisians. 20 aircraft on Resistance operations, 9 O.T.U. sorties. No aircraft lost.

USAAF
FRANCE: Two hundred seventeen IX Bomber Command B-26s dispatched against marshalling yards in northern France abort in the face of heavy cloud cover over the targets.

Five hundred thirty-two Fifteenth Air Force heavy bombers attack the harbor area at Toulon with 1,312 tons of bombs.

A total of 11 GAF fighters are downed over southern France and the Mediterranean between 1130 and 1210 hours by escort pilots of the 1st, 31st, and 82d Fighter groups.

The 484th Heavy Bombardment Group, in B-24s, makes its combat debut with the Fifteenth Air Force’s 49th Heavy Bombardment Wing.

GERMANY: Three hundred sixty-eight Eighth Air Force B-17s and 210 B-24s attack the city of Berlin, and 38 B-17s attack various targets of opportunity in the Berlin and Magdeburg areas. Thirty-eight B-17s and 25 B-24s are lost with a total of 18 crewmen killed and 606 missing.

Escort for the heavy bombers is provided by 814 USAAF fighters, of which 13 are lost with 12 pilots.

Despite the appearance of large numbers of GAF fighters over Berlin, only 11 of them are downed along the bomber routes between 1035 and 1305 hours. 1stLt Lowell K. Brueland, a P-51 pilot with the 354th Fighter Group’s 355th Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status when he downs a Bf-109 near Stendal.

ITALY: Five Fifteenth Air Force B-17s attack the Ancona-Rimini rail line with radio-guided Azon bombs; Twelfth Air Force B-25s attack a rail bridge and a viaduct; Twelfth Air Force B-26s attack bridges and bridge approaches at two locations; XII TAC A-20s attack a dump near Rome; and XII TAC P-40s and P-47s attack a town, gun emplacements near Anzio, the dock area at San Vincenzo, a marshalling yard, and road and rail targets.

[warshipbuilder]

30-4-44
BOMBER COMMAND
SOMAIN
143 aircraft – 114 Halifaxes, 20 Lancasters, 9 Mosquitoes – of 6 and 8 Groups. 1 Halifax lost.

The initial Oboe marking was inaccurate and the Master Bomber ordered the bombing force to wait. Most of the Halifaxes making up the Main Force either did not hear or ignored his orders and their bombs missed the target. Some damage was caused to the railway yards by the remainder of the force. A report from the French Railways (S.N.C.F., Région de Lille) says that some of the bombing fell into the local Cité de Cheminots (railwaymen’s housing), although no casualties there are mentioned in the report. 3 railwaymen were killed inside the railway yards. It is probable that much of the bombing fell in open country.

ACHÈRES
128 aircraft – 107 Halifaxes, 13 Lancasters, 8 Mosquitoes – of 4 and 8 Groups attacked the railway yards without loss.

The Mayor of the small town of Achères reports that the bombing completely destroyed the railway yards and that there were no civilian victims, the Mayor attributing this to the fact that the bombers flew at comparatively low level.

MAINTENON
116 Lancasters of 1 Group attacked the largest Luftwaffe bomb and ammunition dump in Northern France. The marking for this raid appears to have been provided by the 1 Group Marking Flight, based at Binbrook; the Bomber Command records do not mention any other group taking part. The raid was entirely successful and a spectacular series of explosions were seen on the ground. French houses near by were not hit.

Minor Operations: 28 Mosquitoes to Saarbrücken and 5 to Düren, 14 R.C.M. sorties, 9 Serrate and 5 Intruder patrols, 48 Halifaxes minelaying off the French coast, 36 aircraft on Resistance operations. No aircraft lost.

Total effort for the night: 532 sorties, 1 aircraft (0.2 percent) lost.

USAAF
FRANCE: More than 300 IX Bomber Command B-26s and A-20s attack V-weapons sites, construction sites, and marshalling yards.

One hundred fourteen 1st Bombardment Division B-17s attack Lyon/Bron Airdrome; 52 2d Bombardment Division B-24s attack V-weapons sites at St- Pol/Siracourt; and 118 3d Bombardment Division B-17s attack Clermont-Ferrand/Aulnat Airdrome. One B-17 is lost.

Escort for the Eighth Air Force heavy bombers is provided by 644 USAAF fighters, of which five are lost with four pilots.

Forty-four 20th Fighter Group P-38s, led by a droopsnoot model and escorted by 55th Fighter Group P-38s, bomb Tours Airdrome from high altitude with four 500-pound bombs apiece and then sweep ahead of the heavy bombers; the VIII Fighter Command’s 339th Fighter Group, in P-51s, makes its combat debut by mounting a fighter sweep ahead of the heavy bombers; and a squadron of 353d Fighter Group P-47s dive-bombs Romorantin/Prunieres Airdrome before rendezvousing with the heavy bombers.

Eighteen GAF fighters are downed by USAAF fighters over France between 0920 hours and noon. 1stLt Richard A. Peterson, a P-51 pilot with the 357th Fighter Group’s 364th Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status when he downs two FW-190s near Auxerre at 1140 hours; Capt Joseph E. Broadhead, a P-51 pilot with the 357th Fighter Group’s 362d Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status when he downs a Bf-109 over Paris at 1145 hours; and 1stLt Joseph F. Pierce, a P-51 pilot with the 357th Fighter Group’s 363d Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status when he downs two FW-190s near Orleans at 1150 hours.

In separate afternoon attacks, 22 20th Fighter Group P-38s, led by a droopsnoot model and escorted by 364th Fighter Group P-38s, attack Orleans/Bricy Airdrome from high altitude with nearly seven tons of fragmentation bombs; 21 353d Fighter Group P-47s dive-bomb Orleans/Bricy Airdrome; and five 353d Fighter Group P-47s dive-bomb a V-weapons site after becoming separated from the main force.

ITALY: Fifteenth Air Force B-24s attack marshalling yards at Alessandria and Milan; and Fifteenth Air Force B-17s attack the airdrome at Reggio Emilia and aircraft-industry targets at Milan and Varese.

The 464th Heavy Bombardment Group, in B-24s, makes its combat debut as part of the 55th Heavy Bombardment Wing.

[warshipbuilder]

1-5-44
BOMBER COMMAND
TOULOUSE
131 Lancasters and 8 Mosquitoes of 5 Group attacked the aircraft assembly factory and an explosives factory. Both targets were hit and no aircraft were lost.

ST-GHISLAIN
137 aircraft – 89 Halifaxes, 40 Lancasters, 8 Mosquitoes – of 6 and 8 Groups attacked the railway yards with great accuracy. 1 Halifax and 1 Lancaster lost.

MALINES
132 aircraft – 110 Halifaxes, 14 Lancasters, 8 Mosquitoes – of 4 and 8 Groups. 1 Halifax lost.

The bombing was scattered, although the locomotive sheds were damaged. A report from Malines shows that extensive damage was caused to civilian areas; 1,355 buildings were destroyed or seriously damaged and 2,365 were slightly damaged and there were many Belgian casualties – 171 killed, 123 injured.

CHAMBLY
120 aircraft – 96 Lancasters, 16 Stirlings, 8 Mosquitoes – of 3 and 8 Groups. 3 Lancasters and 2 Stirlings lost.

Chambly was the main railway stores and repair depot for the Northern French system which the Allied bombers were trying to put out of action. The local report (provided by the office of the present Chief Engineer at Chambly) shows that the raid was extremely successful. Approximately 500 high-explosive bombs fell inside the railway depot area and serious damage was caused to all departments. The depot was completely out of action for 10 days. There were no casualties in the depot, nor in Chambly, but the wind took some of the markers eastwards towards the village of Persan and 5 people were killed there.

USAAF
BELGIUM: During the afternoon, 13 3d Bombardment Division B-17s and 59 2d Bombardment Division B-24s attack a marshalling yard at Brussels, and 40 2d Bombardment Division B-24s attack a marshalling yard at Liege.

IX Bomber Command B-26s and A-20s attack a variety of industrial targets and marshalling yards.

The IX Bomber Command’s 410th Light Bombardment Group, in A-20s, makes its combat debut. It is the last of eleven IX Bomber Command combat groups to enter combat.

ENGLAND: The Ninth Air Force’s 50th, 370th, and 404th Fighter groups (in P-47s, P-47s, and P-38s, respectively) are declared operational.

FRANCE: Of 531 Eighth Air Force heavy bombers dispatched in the morning against 23 V-weapons sites in France, more than 400 abort in the face of bad weather. Only 22 3d Bombardment Division B-17s and 57 2d Bombardment Division B-24s attack assigned targets in the Pas-de-Calais area, and a total of 51 1st Bombardment Division B-17s attack Montdidier, Poix, and Roye/Amy airdromes as targets of opportunity.

IX Bomber Command B-26s and A-20s attack a variety of industrial targets and marshalling yards.

In the afternoon, 57 and 52 1st Bombardment Division B-17s, respectively, attack the marshalling yards at Reims and Troyes, and 42 and 64 3d Bombardment Division B-17s, respectively, at- tack the marshalling yards at Metz and Saarguemines.

GERMANY: 4th Fighter Group P-51 pilots down five Bf-109s, and a 355th Fighter Group P-51 pilot downs a sixth Bf-109 over northwestern Germany between 1810 and 1830 hours.

ITALY: Fifteenth Air Force B-24s attack Castel Maggiore and a rail bridge; Fifteenth Air Force B-17s attack a marshalling yard at Bolzano; Twelfth Air Force B-25s and B-26s attack several bridges in central and northern Italy and several marshalling yards in and around Florence; XII TAC A-20s attack an ammunition dump; and XII TAC fighter-bombers attack dumps, rail targets, a factory, several Axis ships at sea, and several tunnels.

UNITED STATES: The 493d Heavy Bombardment Group, in B-24s, begins its departure for England via the northern ferry route for service with the 3d Bombardment Division’s 93d Combat Bombardment Wing. This group will be the last heavy-bomber unit to be assigned to the Eighth Air Force.

[warshipbuilder]

2-5-44
BOMBER COMMAND
MINOR OPERATIONS
29 Mosquitoes to Leverkusen and 7 to Achères, 2 R.C.M. sorties, 9 Stirlings minelaying in the Frisian Islands. No losses.

USAAF
ETO: More than 250 IX Bomber Command B-26s and A-20s attack marshalling yards at three locations, and more than 400 Ninth Air Force P-47s and P-51s attack airdromes and marshalling yards throughout France, Belgium, and the Netherlands.

FRANCE: Fifty 2d Bombardment Division B-24s, escorted by 108 VIII Fighter Command fighters, attack V-weapons sites in the Pas-de-Calais area using GH blind-bombing equipment.

ITALY: Although more than 300 Fifteenth Air Force B-17s and B-24s abort in the face of bad weather, nearly 250 Fifteenth Air Force B-24s attack marshalling yards at Castel Maggiore and Parma, port facilities at La Spezia, and rail bridges at Faenza and Orbetello; Twelfth Air Force B-25s and B-26s attack bridges and marshalling yards; XII TAC A-20s attack an ammunition dump near Rome; and XII TAC fighter-bombers attack rail and road targets, bridges, landing grounds, and dumps in central and northern Italy.

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BOMBER COMMAND
MAILLY-LE-CAMP
346 Lancasters and 14 Mosquitoes of 1 and 5 Groups and 2 Pathfinder Mosquitoes to bomb a German military camp situated close to the French village of Mailly. 42 Lancasters lost, 11.6 percent of the force.

The control of this raid in the target area failed to operate according to plan. The initial low-level markers were accurate and were well backed up by Lancaster marker aircraft. The ‘Marker Leader’, Wind Commander Cheshire, ordered the Main Force to come in and bomb but the ‘Main Force Controller’, Wing Commander L. C. Deane, could not transmit the order to do so to the waiting Lancasters because his V.H.F. radio set was being drowned by an American forces broadcast and his wireless transmitter was wrongly tuned. German fighters arrived during the delay and bomber casualties were heavy.

The main attack eventually started when the Deputy Controller, Squadron Leader E. N. M. Sparks, took over. Approximately 1,500 tons of bombs were dropped with great accuracy. 114 barrack buildings, 47 transport sheds and some ammunition buildings in the camp were hit; 102 vehicles, including 37 tanks, were destroyed. 218 German soldiers were killed and 156 were injured. Most of the casualties were Panzer N.C.O.s. There were no French casualties through bombing but some people were killed when a Lancaster crashed on their house.

The night-fighter attacks continued over the target and on the return route. Among the aircraft shot down was that of Squadron Leader Sparks, who had stayed over the target to the end. Sparks evaded capture and soon returned to England. The squadrons of 1 Group, which made up the second wave of the attack, suffered the most casualties – 28 aircraft out of their 173 dispatched. 460 (Australian) Squadron, from Binbrook, lost 5 out of its 17 Lancasters on the raid.

MONTDIDIER
84 Lancasters and 8 Mosquitoes attacked a Luftwaffe airfield and caused much damage among buildings and installations on the northern part of the airfield. 4 Lancasters lost.

Minor Operations: 27 Mosquitoes to Ludwigshafen and 14 to an ammunition dump at Châteaudun, 3 R.C.M. sorties, 7 Intruder and 6 Serrate patrols, 32 Halifaxes minelaying off the French coast and in the Frisians, 23 aircraft on Resistance operations, 34 O.T.U. sorties. 4 aircraft lost: 1 R.C.M. Halifax, 1 Serrate Mosquito, 1 Resistance operation Lysander and 1 O.T.U. Wellington.

Total effort for the night: 598 sorties, 50 aircraft (8.3 percent) lost.

USAAF
FRANCE: Forty-seven 2d Bombardment Division B-24s, escorted by 101 VIII Fighter Command fighters, attack V-weapons sites around Wizernes using GH blind-bombing equipment.

ITALY: Twelfth Air Force B-25s and B-26s attack a marshalling yard and several bridges and bridge approaches; XII TAC A-20s attack several ammunition dumps; and XII TAC fighter-bombers attack gun emplacements, bridges, rail lines, and buildings in the U.S. Fifth Army battle areas, plus rail lines, road bridges, dumps, and port facilities at Civitavecchia and Montalto di Castro, Axis vessels at sea, and numerous other targets of opportunity throughout northern and central Italy.

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4-5-44
BOMBER COMMAND
MINOR OPERATIONS
28 Mosquitoes to Ludwigshafen and 4 to Leverkusen, 20 Halifaxes minelaying off Channel and Biscay ports. No losses.

USAAF
ENGLAND: The newly arrived 491st Heavy Bombardment Group, in B-24s, is assigned to the 2d Bombardment Division’s 95th Combat Bombardment Wing.

FRANCE: Approximately 170 IX Bomber Command B-26s and 36 A-20s attack German Army gun and troop emplacements at six locations.

GERMANY: Three hundred sixty 1st Bombardment Division B-17s and 231 2d Bombardment Division B-24s are thwarted by heavy clouds from reaching assigned targets at Berlin and central Germany, but 40 of the B-17s are able to attack the Bergen/Alkmaar Airdrome (Netherlands) through holes in the clouds during their return flight to England.

Of 516 USAAF fighters dispatched to escort Eighth Air Force heavy bombers to Germany and back, three are lost in action and five are written off following various mishaps.

USAAF escort pilots down 11 GAF fighters in aerial engagements along the bomber routes. Capt Frank Q. O’Connor, a P-51 ace with the 354th Fighter Group’s 356th Fighter Squadron, brings his final personal tally to 10.75 confirmed victories when he downs a Bf-109 near Hannover at 1045 hours.

ITALY: Twelfth Air Force B-25s and B-26s attack rail lines, marshalling yards, and rail bridges; and XII TAC fighter-bombers attack gun emplacements and a radar station near Anzio, marshalling yards at two locations, shipping at Leghorn, dumps, rail lines, a bridge, troop emplacements, and numerous other targets.

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5-5-44
BOMBER COMMAND
MINOR OPERATIONS
16 Halifaxes and 12 Stirlings minelaying off Channel and Biscay ports, 30 aircraft on Resistance operations, 6 O.T.U. sorties. No losses.

USAAF
ENGLAND: BriGen Myron R. Wood assumes command of the IX Air Force Service Command.

The newly arrived 489th Heavy Bombardment Group, in B-24s, is assigned to the 2d Bombardment Division’s 95th Combat Bombardment Wing.

FRANCE: Thirty-three 2d Bombardment Division B-24s led by a GH-equipped pathfinder attack the V-weapons site at Sottevast, but they are forced to bomb visually when the GH equipment malfunctions. Four crewmen are killed when a battle-damaged B-24 crashes while landing.

GERMANY: Capt Frank J. Koraleski, Jr., a P-51 pilot with the 355th Fighter Group’s 354th Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status when he shares in the downing of a Do-217 (with four other pilots), a Bf-109 (with one other pilot), and an FW-44 biplane trainer (also with one other pilot) near Landsberg Airdrome between 1510 and 1530 hours.

ITALY: XII TAC A-20s attack a supply dump; and XII TAC fighter-bombers attack rail lines north and east of Rome, gun emplacements around Anzio, dumps, barges, the Canino landing ground, and numerous rail lines.

ROMANIA: Four hundred eighty-five Fifteenth Air Force heavy bombers attack marshalling yards and a pumping station at Ploesti; and 39 B-17s attack a marshalling yard at Turnu Severin. Nineteen bombers are lost over Ploesti to Axis fighters.

The 465th Heavy Bombardment Group, in B-24s, makes its combat debut over Ploesti as part of the 55th Heavy Bombardment Wing.

31st Fighter Group P-51 pilots down nine Axis fighters around Ploesti between 1355 and 1440 hours. 1stLt Raymond F. Harmeyer, a P-51 pilot with the 31st Fighter Group’s 309th Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status when he downs a Bf-109 over Ploesti.

YUGOSLAVIA: One hundred sixteen Fifteenth Air Force B-24s attack Axis troops around Podgorica.

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6-5-44
BOMBER COMMAND
MANTES-LA-JOLIE
149 aircraft – 77 Halifaxes, 64 Lancasters, 8 Mosquitoes – of 4 and 8 Groups attacked railway installations in the Gassicourt suburb. 2 Lancasters and 1 Halifax lost.

Bomber Command’s records state that ‘stores depots and locomotive sheds’ were severely damaged but the local report shows that some of the bombing fell outside the railway objective. The western part of the town – including ‘old Mantes’, the suburb of Gassicourt and the hamlet of Dennemont – were all bombed. The church, the old town hall and the school at Gassicourt were destroyed, together with 128 houses. 740 other houses were damaged. 54 civilians were killed.

SABLE-SUR-SARTHE
64 Lancasters and 4 Mosquitoes of 5 Group attacked an ammunition dump which was destroyed by ‘enormous explosions’. No aircraft lost.

AUBIGNE
52 Lancasters of 1 Group attacked an ammunition dump accurately and the entire target was destroyed. 1 aircraft lost.

The only Lancaster shot down on this raid, from 576 Squadron, contained a senior officer who was flying as second pilot. This was Air Commodore R. Ivelaw-Chapman, who was commanding a ‘base’ (usually 3 airfields) in 1 Group. Ivelaw-Chapman had only just taken up this position after a staff job in which he had had access to details of the coming invasion. There was great anxiety in England that, if Ivelaw-Chapman became a prisoner of war, the Germans might hand him over to the Gestapo for questioning. He was taken prisoner but the Germans never realized his importance and he was treated in the normal manner.

Minor Operations: 28 Mosquitoes to Ludwigshafen, 5 to Leverkusen and 2 to Châteaudun, 9 R.C.M. sorties, 9 Serrate and 5 Intruder patrols, 8 Halifaxes and 6 Stirlings minelaying off Biscay ports. 33 aircraft on Resistance operations, 6 O.T.U. sorties. 1 Mosquito lost from the Leverkusen raid.

Total effort for the night: 380 sorties, 5 aircraft (1.3 percent) lost.

USAAF
FRANCE: Seventy 2d Bombardment Division B-24s attack the V-weapons sites at Siracourt, but 90 1st Bombardment Division B-17s dispatched against V-weapons sites in the Pas-de-Calais area abort in the face of heavy cloud cover over the target. Escort for the heavy bombers is provided by 185 USAAF fighters, including the veteran 359th Fighter Group, on its first P-51 mission.

The 398th Heavy Bombardment Group, in B-17s, makes its combat debut.

IX Bomber Command B-26s and A-20s dispatched to attack coastal-defense targets in France abort in the face of bad weather.

The Ninth Air Force’s 10th Photographic Reconnaissance Group, in F-5s, begins an intense two-week effort to fully photo-map the OVERLORD invasion beaches and adjacent areas using the low-level oblique technique. (One F-5 and its pilot will be lost in the course of eleven single-plane sorties.)

ITALY: XII TAC A-20s attack storage dumps, and XII TAC fighter-bombers attack numerous rail and road targets, and several gun emplacements.

ROMANIA: Fifteenth Air Force B-17s and B-24s attack aircraft-industry targets around Brasov; B-17s attack a marshalling yard at Turnu Severin; and Fifteenth Air Force B-24s attack a marshalling yards at Campina, near the Ploesti oil complex.

1st, 14th, and 82d Fighter group P-38 pilots are credited with downing seven GAF fighters while escorting the heavy bombers on these various missions.