Action This Day

[warshipbuilder]

Now back to your reguarly scheduled ATD. Should be good until Christmas.

17-6-44
401 Sqn RCAF (Tangmere – Spitfire LFIXB)
Locally weather was 10/10 cloud at 1500 ft., lifting to 500 at mid-channel and over France, with broken cloud below. It gradually cleared through-out the day until by evening there wasn't a cloud in the sky. A very strong cross-wind made landing very tricky.

The Squadron carried out an uneventful patrol over the UTAH area of the beach head at 0600 hours. The Squadron was put on 30 minutes on returning.

The squadron was airborne on the second patrol at 1330 hours over the beach-head, on the eastern end, and one section at a time swept inland to shoot up enemy transport. The Squadron returned to base and reverted to a 30 minute state again. The pilots took advantage of this lull, and during the afternoon moved from their Nissen Hut to the rooms newly vacated by 127 Wing.

In the evening the Squadron was airborne at 2105 hours and took over patrol over the Sword area, and after an uneventful patrol, returned to base.

BOMBER COMMAND
RAILWAYS
317 aircraft – 196 Lancasters, 90 Halifaxes, 19 Mosquitoes, 12 Stirlings – of 1, 3, 4 and 8 Groups attacked railway targets at Aulnoye, Montdidier and St-Martin-l’Hortier. 1 Lancaster was lost on the Montdidier raid. All targets were covered by cloud and the Master Bombers at Aulnoye and Montdidier ordered their forces to stop bombing after only 7 and 12 aircraft had bombed respectively. 87 aircraft of 4 Group bombed their target at St-Martin-l’Hortier but no results were seen.

FLYING-BOMB SITE
114 aircraft – 90 Halifaxes, 19 Lancasters, 5 Mosquitoes – of 6 and 8 Groups bombed a site at Oisemont, near Abbeville. No results were observed and no aircraft were lost.

Minor Operations: 30 Mosquitoes to Berlin and 4 to the Scholven/Buer oil plant, 10 R.C.M. sorties, 54 Mosquitoes on Serrate, Intruder and flying bomb patrols, 8 Stirlings and 4 Halifaxes minelaying in the Channel Islands, 12 Halifaxes on Resistance operations. No aircraft lost.

Total effort for the night: 553 sorties, 1 aircraft (0.2 percent) lost.
17-6-44
401 Sqn RCAF (Tangmere – Spitfire LFIXB
Locally weather was 10/10 cloud at 1500 ft., lifting to 500 at mid-channel and over France, with broken cloud below. It gradually cleared through-out the day until by evening there wasn't a cloud in the sky. A very strong cross-wind made landing very tricky.

The Squadron carried out an uneventful patrol over the UTAH area of the beach head at 0600 hours. The Squadron was put on 30 minutes on returning.

The squadron was airborne on the second patrol at 1330 hours over the beach-head, on the eastern end, and one section at a time swept inland to shoot up enemy transport. The Squadron returned to base and reverted to a 30 minute state again. The pilots took advantage of this lull, and during the afternoon moved from their Nissen Hut to the rooms newly vacated by 127 Wing.

In the evening the Squadron was airborne at 2105 hours and took over patrol over the Sword area, and after an uneventful patrol, returned to base.

BOMBER COMMAND
RAILWAYS
317 aircraft – 196 Lancasters, 90 Halifaxes, 19 Mosquitoes, 12 Stirlings – of 1, 3, 4 and 8 Groups attacked railway targets at Aulnoye, Montdidier and St-Martin-l’Hortier. 1 Lancaster was lost on the Montdidier raid. All targets were covered by cloud and the Master Bombers at Aulnoye and Montdidier ordered their forces to stop bombing after only 7 and 12 aircraft had bombed respectively. 87 aircraft of 4 Group bombed their target at St-Martin-l’Hortier but no results were seen.

FLYING-BOMB SITE
114 aircraft – 90 Halifaxes, 19 Lancasters, 5 Mosquitoes – of 6 and 8 Groups bombed a site at Oisemont, near Abbeville. No results were observed and no aircraft were lost.

Minor Operations: 30 Mosquitoes to Berlin and 4 to the Scholven/Buer oil plant, 10 R.C.M. sorties, 54 Mosquitoes on Serrate, Intruder and flying bomb patrols, 8 Stirlings and 4 Halifaxes minelaying in the Channel Islands, 12 Halifaxes on Resistance operations. No aircraft lost.

Total effort for the night: 553 sorties, 1 aircraft (0.2 percent) lost.

Screenshot (67918).png (150.69 KiB) Viewed 1563 times

2

Screenshot (67919).png (117.85 KiB) Viewed 1563 times

3

Screenshot (67920).png (195.32 KiB) Viewed 1563 times

4

Screenshot (67921).png (94.45 KiB) Viewed 1563 times

2nd TAF
A few minutes after midnight, just into the 17th, Flg Off I.S.Girvan/Lt Cordwell, RN, of 410 Squadron claimed a Ju 88 shot down south-east of Valenges, while a little over an hour later a Ju 188 was damaged by a 409 Squadron crew. Following the earlier engagement, Girvan's Mosquito was shot-up by Flak, and he was obliged to crash-land at Ford on return. Flt Lt M.M.Davison/ Flg Off A.C.Willmott of 264 Squadron then claimed a Ju 188 west of Cherbourg, while Flg Off R.A.Crone/Flg Off H.F.Colebrook of 29 Squadron claimed a Do 217 shot down and a second damaged over St Trond airfield in Holland, whilst on an intruder sortie. At 0423, slightly before dawn, Sqn Ldr E.N.Bunting/Flt Lt C.P.Reed of 488 Squadron claimed a Fw 190 south of St. Lo. Two further claims were made during the night by ADGB squadrons.


The day was marked by the arrival in thebridgehead of more units. Dakotas carrying 121 Wing ground crews from Holmesley South, landed at B.5, but found the area still under fire from German artillery. Many of the guns were located and silenced by the Typhoons which operated from there during the day, but it would be another seven days before they joined their ground crews at the designated French base.

At 0645 two spotter Spitfire Vs of 26 Squadron encountered three Bf 109s, the pilots between them claiming one of the latter probably shot down, although in the event they would receive credit only for one damaged. Luftwaffe fighters were in evidence from early in the day; at 0638 pilots of II./JG 26 claimed two P-51s in the Caen area, whilst at 0712 Lt Nitz of III./JG 2 claimed a Spitfire here. He may have shot down Wt Off L.W.Love of 412 Squadron, whose aircraft was last seen three miles north of Troarn; he did not return, having been killed in action.


The Mustangs of both wings were active again, but as 129 Squadron took off to undertake an armed reconnaissance, Flg Off S.Payne crashed at Coolham and was killed. Over the target area Flt Lt N.S.Green's Mustang was hit by Flak and he crashed at Le Beny Bocage where he was killed and his aircraft burnt out. During the mid-morning two 182 Squadron Typhoons were hit and damaged by Flak, whilst a 197 Squadron aircraft was shot down south of Caen, Plt Off J.Watson losing his life. Six more Mustangs, this time from 65 Squadron, were off at 1305. Having spotted and strafed a staff car, the pilots then saw both Fw 190s and Bf 109s in the Alençon area at 1550, Flg Off C.P.Ashworth and Flt Sgt G.C.Dinsdale jointly claiming one of these shot down. Another Typhoon was then lost to Flak, Flg Off W.F.Anderson of 247 Squadron baling out near Missy.

At 1825 310 Squadron dispatched 12 Spitfires over the beaches; 403 Squadron were also over this area by 1900. At 1905 Flg Off W.H.Rhodes was attacked by two Fw 190s and his Spitfire was damaged. However, he then managed to claim damage to one of his attackers, but Wt Off A.B.Clenard was shot down; he returned next day, having come down just within enemy lines, from where he made good his escape.

Meanwhile at 1910 the Czech pilots of 310 Squadron, who had seen, but been unable to engage, 30 Bf 109s, now saw two Fw 190s. These were attacked by Flg Off O.Smik, who claimed one shot down single-handed and shared the second with Flg Off F.Vindis. It appears that the German fighters were from III./JG 54, which claimed three Spitfires and a P-47 in the area between 1903-1908, two of the former being claimed by Hptm 'Bazi' Weiss, the Gruppenkommandeur; this unit lost one Fw 190. At much the same time Uffz Lissack of II./JG 26 claimed a P-51 in the Canmont area. This may well have been a Mustang I of 430 Squadron in which Flt Lt R.B.Moore was reported to have been shot down and killed in the Conde-Flers area during the afternoon whilst engaged on a Tack sortie.

During the late afternoon period, six of 122 Squadron's Mustangs undertook an armed reconnaissance, bombing a train which was spotted at about 1930-1945. As they did so, three Bf 109s of IV./JG 27 attacked them, Lt Hans-Gunnar Culemann shooting down the Commanding Officer, Sqn Ldr E.L.Joyce, DFM, who was killed. Joyce had by this time claimed nine or ten victories, most of them over the Western Desert. Plt Off J.N.Thorne, a US citizen, managed to shoot down one of the attackers; his victim may have been a leading Ritterkreuzträger, Lt Ernst- Wilhelm Reinert, who baled out. Reinert was an extremely successful fighter pilot, who had at this stage of the war already claimed 168 victories, 51 of them over Tunisia against the Western Allies. About an hour later another section of 122 Squadron Mustangs, which had been sent off to attack a station at Boury Achard, encountered two Bf 109s south of Dreux after they had bombed. These were both claimed shot down, one by Flg Off M.H.Pinches, the other by three pilots.

Eight more Mustangs, this time from 306 Squadron, took off at 2000 and bombed a rail embankment. At 2200 two Fw 190s were seen near Nogent, and both were claimed shot down to the south-west of this location by four of the Polish pilots.

During the day another Typhoon had been lost, an aircraft of 257 Squadron last being seen to the south-west of Caen. Flt Lt W.W.Kistler was later reported to be a prisoner, but no Jagdwaffe claims for a Typhoon are recorded on this date, and it is likely that he was another victim of Flak.

In the course of the day Spitfire pilots had claimed four victories (two of them by ADGB's 611 Squadron), while the Mustang units had claimed a further six. USAAF fighters added claims for 17 destroyed, three probables and seven damaged, whilst Luftwaffe losses to all causes amongst its fighters amounted to 18 Fw 190s and 12 Bf 1095.

USAAF
FRANCE: During the morning, of 332 Eighth Air Force B-17s and B-24s dispatched against various GAF airdromes, 168 attack their assigned targets, 18 attack an unassigned airdrome, 31 attack an unassigned rail bridge, and 15 attack various other targets of opportunity. Two of the B-17s are lost.

Escort for the Eighth Air Force morning mission is provided by 427 VIII Fighter Command fighters, of which one is lost with its pilot. Also, 99 VIII Fighter Command P-38 fighter-bombers attack rail bridges at two locations. Four P-38s are lost with their pilots.

Two hundred sixty-five IX Bomber Command B-26s attack fuel dumps, a rail line, and a bridge; and Ninth Air Force fighters and fighter-bombers mount more than 1,300 tactical sorties against an array of ground targets in and around the Normandy battle area.

During the afternoon, 274 2d and 3d Bombardment division B-24s attack the Angers, Laval, and Tours airdromes as well as two auxiliary airfields. One B-24 is lost.

Two hundred seventy VIII Fighter Command P-47s and P-51s escort the Eighth Air Force B-24s; 49 P-38s and 39 P-47s attack rail bridges at two locations; and 47 P-47s escort the P-38 and P-47 fighter-bombers. Three VIII Fighter Command fighters and their pilots are lost.

During the course of numerous small engagements between 1345 and 1930 hours, VIII Fighter Command and Ninth Air Force fighters down 17 GAF fighters.

Operational control of all tactical missions—including tactical-bomber missions—in France is assumed by the IX TAC advance headquarters, which is in Normandy.

ITALY: All of the Fifteenth Air Force and most of the Twelfth Air Force are grounded by bad weather. However, Twelfth Air Force B-26s attack a bridge, A-20s attack an ammunition dump, and fighter-bombers attack several gun emplacements, a few bridges, and some coastal shipping. Support is also provided to an invasion of Elba Island by Free French Army forces.

BASE CHANGE
92 Sqn (Spirfire VIII) moves to Fabrica
145 Sqn (Spirfire VIII) moves to Fabrica
164 Sqn (Typhoon IB) moves to Funtingdon
184 Sqn (Typhoon IB) moves to Holmsley South
318 Sqn (Spitfire VB/VC) moves to SanVito
417 Sqn RCAF (Spirfire VIII) moves to Fabrica

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
169 Sqn (Great Massingham) flies its last OM in the Mosquito NFII
426 Sqn RCAF (Linton-on-Ouse) flies its last OM in the Halifax III

[warshipbuilder]

18-6-44
414 Sqn RCAF (Odiham – Mustang I)
Twenty seven Tac/R's were carried out in Normandy and all but six were made from B2 Airfield France. The weather was good until near evening when it became quite dusky. The Squadron was shocked quite severely in the late evening to learn that F/L MacKelvie and F/O Bromley had not returned from a Taq/R in the Le Beney Bocage area. Total ops hours for the day was 30.50. Two short non-op sorties were made for 45 minutes.

ADDENDUM – Mustang I AM251. Pilot F/O RA Bromley KIA. Claimed by JG26.

Mustang I AM220. Pilot F/L JA MacKelvie KIA. Claimed by JG26.

BOMBER COMMAND
Watten
In a period of bad flying weather, only 10 Mosquitoes could be sent to attack a large concrete flying-bomb storage building in the woods at Watten, near St-Omer. 9 aircraft bombed but no details of the results are available. No aircraft lost.

5 Halifaxes and 2 Stirlings laid mines off Brest and St-Malo.

Screenshot (67922).png (97.27 KiB) Viewed 1538 times

2

Screenshot (67923).png (98.18 KiB) Viewed 1538 times

2nd TAF
The early hours of the 18th saw the night fighters again hunting German bombers. At 0010 Flt Lt Charles Edinger/Flg Off Charles Vaessen of 410 Squadron claimed a Ju 188 over the Channel. Two and a half hours later Flt Lt Peter Hall/Flg Off Richard Marriott of 488 Squadron claimed a Ju 88 and Sqn Ldr L.A.March/Flt Lt K.M.Eyolfson of 410 Squadron claimed a Ju 188.

During the night Flg Off J.P.Brooke/Plt Off J.Hutchinson of 264 Squadron claimed two more Ju 188s and Flg Off J.C.Duffy/Flt Sgt Newhouse yet another. Flt Lt Ivor Cosby/Flt Lt E.R.Murphy and Flt Lt M.M.Davison/Flg Off Willmott, all also of this unit, each claimed Fw 190s. At 0421 Flg Off Douglas Robinson/Flg Off K.C.Keeping of 488 Squadron added a further Focke-Wulf and Flt Sgt Johnson of 29 Squadron claimed a Ju 88 to bring 85 Group's 'bag' for the night to ten. 18 June was marked by the arrival of US troops on the western side of the Cotentin Peninsula, cutting off the German forces in the port of Cherbourg itself. This was a very significant advance which appeared to offer the opportunity to seize a major seaport in the near future. The line on the western side of the bridgehead had now been considerably expanded, but in the east it was still stalled around Caen, where the bulk of the German armour was continuing to build up, facing the British and Canadians. The lack of progress here was constraining the planned movement of 2nd TAF units to the area, although in England more units were moving to airfields closer to the Normandy coast. The Spitfires of 126 Wing now began flying in to B.4, where the pilots would start to add dive-bombing and strafing to their patrolling duties; with this move, all three Canadian Spitfire wings were now on the Continent. Funtington was now clear of 122 Wing's Mustangs, and the two Typhoon squadrons of 136 Wing moved there on this date, while 129 Wing's single unit - 184 Squadron - moved to Holmesley South, joining the 121 Wing squadrons which were visiting various Normandy strips during the day until B.5 became habitable. Whilst making landings in France, the pilots of this unit had been disconcerted to find that the Servicing Commando personnel there knew little about the Sabre engine with which the Typhoon was powered, having been trained to cope with the Merlins of the Spitfires and Mustang IIIs.

A further move during the day was made by 123 Wing, which left Thorney Island to join 136 Wing at Funtington. This allowed the Mosquito VI fighter-bombers of 140 Wing-21, 464 and 487 Squadrons to move from Hunsdon to Thorney. Next day the night fighters of 148 Wing would take their place at Hunsdon, vacating West Malling. 34(PR) Wing's 16 Squadron received the news during the day that the unit's unarmed Spitfire XIs were to be supplemented by six armed Mark IXs for low level photographic 'dicing' sorties.

Following recent losses of senior pilots, Wg Cdr J.R.Baldwin now took over 146 Wing, whilst command of 122 Squadron passed to Sqn Ldr J.T.Shaw, DSO, DFC, who like his predecessor, 'Nipper' Joyce, had been a Hurricane night intruder pilot earlier in the war. Baldwin had previously completed a Typhoon tour that saw him start by joining 609 Squadron straight from OTU, and finish as Commanding Officer of 198 Squadron, having also become the top-scoring Typhoon pilot. His 'rest tour' had been cut short for him to take up this appointment.

Over Normandy activity became sustained during the afternoon. Spitfires of 132 Squadron on a patrol in the Evreux area encountered six Fw 190s, one being claimed damaged by Sqn Ldr Geoffrey Page and Flg Off B.F.Collings. However Flt Lt R.L.F.Day, DFC, who had been a pilot of Defiant night fighters earlier in the war, was lost; he was seen chasing one of the Focke- Wulfs and was believed to have been brought down by ground-fire, although a claim for a Spitfire was made by Lt Waldemar Söffing of I./JG 26.

Two Typhoons of 198 Squadron were shot down by Flak during the afternoon, Plt Off D.W.Mason being killed and Flg Off R.A.Armstrong captured, while four more from 247 Squadron suffered damage to various causes; another from 245 Squadron was damaged by Flak. It was not until some 40 years later that the wreckage of Mason's aircraft with his remains still in situ, was to be found.

TacR Mustangs were extremely active, but became involved in a number of engagements. In the mid-afternoon Flg Off L.W.Burt of 2 Squadron claimed damage to a Bf 109 over Mortaigne, whilst two of 268 Squadron's aircraft set off for the Falaise-Vimoutiers-Gace-Argentan area at 1954. Flt Lt W.N.Tuele was able to claim one of six Fw 190s which attacked him at 2045; it appears that his claim for this aircraft as shot down was reduced to one damaged however.

During the late afternoon a pair of 414 Squadron aircraft had set off for the Le Beny Bocage area, but failed to return, Flt Lt J.A.MacKelvie and Flg Off R.A.Bromley both being shot down in the target area by Fw 190s of II./JG 26 at 1729, one of these falling to Lt Adolf Glunz, a leading 'Experte.

Around 2010-2020, two more P-51s were claimed, this time by pilots of I./JG 2. It would seem that these were a pair of 268 Squadron Mustang IAs flown by Flt Lt F.J.Reahill and Flg Off R.P.Howe, who were reported lost to fighters in the Laigle-Dreux area at about 2035. Some two hours later this unit lost another Mustang, a standard Mark I, also shot down by enemy aircraft in the Versailles-La Loupe area; Flt Lt R.G.Brown survived unhurt, but no Jagdwaffe claim for his aircraft has been found.

A 430 Squadron Mustang I was attacked by six Fw 190s near St Germain when overflying German tanks during the day, and was damaged, but escaped. A Mitchell of 226 Squadron was reported lost to a fighter on this date, but no Luftwaffe claim for such an aircraft was submitted by day fighters, although it is possible that this aircraft was lost following nightfall and was the victim of a night fighter.

USAAF
FRANCE: Fifty-eight 2d Bombardment Division B-17s, escorted by 48 P-47s, attack V-weapons sites at Watten using GH radar, but a planned attack by VIII Fighter Command P-38 and P-47 fighter-bombers against rail bridges in the St. Quentin area is aborted because of bad weather.

During the morning, nearly 130 IX Bomber Command B-26s and A-20s attack marshalling yards at Meudon and Rennes, and fuel dumps at two locations.

During the afternoon, IX Bomber Command B-26s attack three V-weapons sites through heavy cloud cover.

Throughout the day, Ninth Air Force fighter-bombers attack transportation and tactical targets in the Cherbourg Peninsula.

The only victory credit of the day is awarded to 406th Fighter Group P-47 pilots who down a Bf-110 near Trouville-sur-Mer at 2045 hours.

An advance echelon of P-47s from the Ninth Air Force’s 48th Fighter Group (100th Fighter Wing, IX Tactical Air Command) begins operating out of Advance Landing Ground A-4, at Deaux Jumeaux, in Normandy, to provide direct support for Allied ground forces in the beachhead area.

GERMANY: In the first large strategic mission since D day, 1,378 Eighth Air Force B-17s and B-24s are dispatched to attack oil refineries around Hamburg and Misburg (Hannover), and two GAF control centers. Bad weather encountered along the way results in more than 150 aborts, and many bomber formations must settle for secondary targets and targets of opportunity, es-pecially the city of Hamburg, which receives the brunt of many piecemeal attacks. The city of Hannover and the Misburg refineries are also struck, as is the city of Bremen, several other towns and cities, and several GAF airdromes. Seven B-17s and four B-24s are lost. Among those killed is Col Ernest H. Lawson, commanding officer of the 1st Bombardment Division’s 305th Heavy Bombardment Group.

Escort for the heavy bombers is provided by 537 VIII Fighter Command fighters. There are no losses and no victory claims.

ITALY: All Twelfth and Fifteenth air force bombers are grounded by bad weather, but XII TAC fighter-bombers are able attack several gun emplacements on Elba Islandand some coastal shipping near Piombino.

BASE CHANGE
21 Sqn (Mosquito FBVI) moves to Thorney Island
183 Sqn (Typhoon IB) moves to Funtingdon
198 Sqn (Typhoon IB) moves to Funtingdon
241 Sqn (Spitfire VIII/IX) moves to San Vito
303 Sqn (Spitfire VB) moves to Westhampnett
401 Sqn RCAF (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to B.4 Beny-sur-Mer
410 Sqn RCAF (Mosquito NFXIII) moves to Zeals
487 Sqn RNZAF (Mosquito FBVI) moves to Thorney Island
609 Sqn (Typhoon IB) moves to B.2 Bazenville

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
169 Sqn (Great Massingham) flies its first OM in the Mosquito FBVI
235 Sqn (Portreath) flies its first OM in the Mosquito FBVI

[warshipbuilder]

19-6-44
316 Sqn (Polish) (Coltishall – Mustang III)
Squadron took off for Roadstead 69 as Close Escortrt of 30 Beaufighters going to attack shipping. The weather was very poor and took from us one pilot F/S. Nilej who returning from this trip fell into the sea and drowned, while descending through the cloud. 4 A/C. carried out Jim Crow along enemy ooast. 2 A/C. scrambled. Training consisted of local flying and 7 trips for practice bombing. To day one more pilot reported to the Squadron for flying duties.

ADDENDUM – Mustang III FX888 SZ-J. Pilot: F/S J Nilej KIA. Crashed off Yarmouth.

BOMBER COMMAND
WATTEN
After standing by for 3 days waiting for cloud over the Pas de Calais to clear, 19 Lancasters and 2 Mosquitoes of 617 Squadron, with 9 Mosquitoes of 8 Group providing preliminary marking, attacked the flying-bomb store, but the conditions were too difficult for accurate marking and the nearest Tallboy bomb was 50 yards from the concrete store.

2nd TAF
In the early hours 85 Group's Mosquitoes again achieved some success, 1/Lt A.A.Harrington, USAAF/Sgt D.G.Tongue and Flg Off G.E.Edwards/Flt Sgt Georges of 410 Squadron each claiming Ju 888 in the Vire area. A 409 Squadron crew also claimed a Do 217 damaged, whilst another shot down a V-1 flying bomb. Daybreak however, was to bring disaster.

During the early hours a gale suddenly sprang up in the Channel from the north-east. Completely unexpected, this grew steadily worse and was to cause the most terrible damage. The two Mulberry harbours were at this point about half finished, but within hours the American harbour at St Laurent had been destroyed, whilst the British one at Arromanches had been badly damaged. Two-and-a-half miles of artificial floating roadway which was on its way, was caught at sea and lost. The gale raged for three days and was the worst experienced in June for 40 years. Some 800 vessels were left stranded or damaged, more being destroyed by this one freak of nature than had been achieved by all the German gunfire, mines, bombs and E-Boats since the landings had begun.

As a consequence, deliveries of ammunition and other supplies were seriously reduced, and the arrival of troop reinforcements was delayed. The planned British offensive had to be postponed. It would be a further week before the US forces on the Cotentin Peninsula were able to take Cherbourg itself, but this then proved to have been so effectively demolished that it would be 16 July before anything of note could be landed there. It was a major setback to the Allied plans.

The weather also had a serious effect on the air war, and for the next three days activity was on a much reduced scale. With the onset of the V-1 attacks on Southern England, much of the effort of 2 Group's medium bombers reverted to the 'Noball' launching sites, the first such raids being launched on this date. While escorting Lancasters, Spitfire pilots of 332 Squadron saw a V-1 and Sgt E. Veierstad broke away to attack this. As he did so, the missile exploded, damaging his Spitfire severely, and he was obliged to bale out into the Channel from where he was safely picked up.

In the bridgehead, 403 Squadron at B.2 recorded that the strip was bombed by Fw 190s during the day. From Selsey the Spitfire pilots of 349 Squadron undertook their first bombing sorties since D-Day. However the Squadron had been experiencing a very high accident rate at this time, and was threatened with posting out of 2nd TAF if performance did not improve. Another Auster unit, 658 Squadron, flew in to France during the day to commence spotting operations.

During a patrol over the devastated beaches and shipping, a Spitfire of 302 Squadron was apparently hit by Flak and Wt Off Lucyszu was reported missing; he would return.

USAAF
FRANCE: Despite heavy cloud cover that results in more than 200 aborts, a total of 261 Eighth Air Force B-17s attack the Bordeaux/Merignac, Cabanac, Cazaux, Cormes Ecluse, and Lanes-de-Bussac airdromes. Five B-17s are lost over Bordeaux/Merignac and two are interned in Spain. Escort for the bombers attacking the airdromes is provided by 88 P-38s and 261 P-51s, of which four P-38s and six P-51s are lost with their pilots.

Also during the morning, despite bad weather that results in nearly 400 aborts, two mixed formations aggregating 216 Eighth Air Force B-17s and 294 B-24s using GH radar attack V-weapons sites in and around the Pas-de-Calais area. Escort is provided by a total of 715 VIII Fighter Command fighters. There are no bombers or fighters lost. Following its escort assignment, one P-38 group dive-bombs and strafes several transportation targets.

There are no IX Bomber Command bombing missions, but nearly 200 Ninth Air Force fighters conduct patrols over France during the morning. During the afternoon, Ninth Air Force fighter-bombers attack six V-weapons sites.

The IX TAC’s 368th Fighter Group becomes the first USAAF unit to be permanently assigned to a base in France—Advance Landing Ground A-3, at Cardonville, a crude wire-mesh runway that has been constructed by an engineer aviation battalion overseen by the IX Engineer Command.

ITALY: All Twelfth and Fifteenth air force bombers are grounded by bad weather, but fighters of the Twelfth Air Force’s 87th Fighter Wing support Free French Army ground units on Elba Island during the afternoon; and XII TAC fighter-bombers are able to attack gun emplacements, a factory, some coastal shipping, and several rail lines in north-central Italy, also during the afternoon.

BASE CHANGE
41 Sqn (Spitfire XII) moves to West Malling
130 Sqn (Spitfire VB) moves to Westhampnett
174 Sqn (Typhoon IB) moves to B.2 Bazenville
225 Sqn (Spitfire VB/VC/IX) moves to Tarquinia
234 Sqn (Spitfire VB) moves to Predannack
263 Sqn (Typhoon IB) moves to Bolt Head
402 Sqn RCAF (Spitfire VB) moves to Westhampnett
409 Sqn RCAF (Mosquito NFXII) moves to Hunsdon
411 Sqn RCAF (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to B.4 Beny-sur-Mer
412 Sqn RCAF (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to B.4 Beny-sur-Mer

[warshipbuilder]

20-6-44
317 Sqn (Polish) (Chailey – Spitfire LFIXB)
F/L MARTINI Led 12 A/C. on ASSAULT AREA - LOW COVER AND SHIPPING COVER. Patrolled Assault. area and Shipping uneventfully. H. Assault area 8-10/10 at 800-2.000ft. - Vis. 5-8 miles. Shipping - Clear Vis. 10-15 miles.

F/O. KIRCHNER led 11 A/C, on NEPTUNE LOW COVER ASSAULT AREA AND SHIPPING COVER. Patrolled Eastern and Western, area uneventfully- Shipping cover uneventful. 8 A/C. patrolled EAST ordered to intercept E/A. & engaged 3 F.W. 190 T.6570 above clouds and 2 F.W. 190 were destroyed. At 16.15 ordered to set Vector 190° - own flak from CARENTAN AREA F. <unreadable> SE of BAYEUX heavy and light accurate intense. H. Channel clear French coast and Inland in Assault area 4/10 to 10/10 from 400 to 2000ft. Vis - varying from 1 to 20 miles.

1 F.W.190 destroyed by F/L KHAPIK and 1 F.W.190 by F/S WOJCIEHOWSKI F/S. WINSKI N.Y.R

ADDENDUM – Spitfire LFIXB JH-T. Pilot: F/S L Winski safe. Fight with FW190, force landed in Allied territory.

BOMBER COMMAND
Wizernes
17 Lancasters and 3 Mosquitoes of 617 Squadron attempted to attack a large, concrete-covered V-weapon site in a quarry at Wizernes, but the target was cloud-covered and no bombs were dropped.

2nd TAF
Activities by night continued, at 0220 Plt Off Christian Vlotman (Dutch)/Sgt J.L.Wood of 488 Squadron claiming a Fw 190 south of Falaise, while Sqn Ldr F.J.A.Chase/Flg Off A.F.Watson of 264 Squadron claimed a Ju 88 over the Channel. 409 Squadron, still apparently having some difficulty in shooting down the bombers which its crews were intercepting, again claimed damage to a Ju 88. On a very early low-level shipping patrol, pilots of 331 Squadron encountered a Bf 109 east of Douvres, which was jointly claimed shot down in flames by Capt N.K.Jorstad, Lt K.M.Kopperud and 2/Lt P.P.M.Coucheron.

More Typhoon units moved into the bridgehead on this date, 182 and 247 Squadrons from 124 Wing arriving at B.6, followed next day by 181 Squadron. Over the next few days their place at Hurn would be taken by 123 and 136 Wing squadrons. The Canadian Spitfires having vacated Tangmere, 132 and 134 Wings now moved in here, while 135 Wing would move to Funtington on the 22nd. 11 Group units, active over the Invasion area, were also on the move, 80 and 274 Squadrons going to Merston.

From Needs Oar Point, during the day, Typhoons of 193 and 257 Squadrons attacked a railway tunnel, bombing both ends simultaneously and blocking it completely. At 1459 Spitfires of 317 Squadron, led by the 131 Wing Leader, Wg Cdr J.Kowalski, undertook another low altitude patrol, meeting three Fw 190s. One was claimed shot down by Flt Sgt L. Winski, and one probably so by Kowalski at 1600; more were seen five minutes later, Flt Sgt T.Wojciechowski claiming one and Flt Lt H.Knapik another probable. Winski's aircraft was damaged and he force- landed in Allied territory, one other Spitfire being damaged. Both these aircraft were reported to have been hit by Flak, and indeed no claims were submitted by German pilots.

Half an hour behind them, Mustangs of 19 Squadron had set out to bomb marshalling yards at Rambouillet. Before the attack could be made, 16 Fw 190s of III./JG 54 were seen over Dreux and bombs were jettisoned so that the Mustangs could give battle, which they did at 1630. Sqn Ldr W.M.Gilmour claimed one and one damaged, as did four other pilots. However, Plt Off F.D.Schofield was shot down, but managed to evade capture. One JG 54 Fw 190 was lost, but the Germans severely overestimated the results which they believed they had achieved, claiming no fewer than eight P-51s shot down! Four of these were claimed by Hptm 'Bully' Lang.

Four Spitfires and a 129 Squadron Mustang were damaged during the day, but the only other fighter loss was a Typhoon of 198 Squadron in which Plt Off J.S.Fraser-Petherbridge was killed south-west of Lisieux, when shot down by Flak. The mediums suffered more severely however, as they continued. their attacks on the 'Noball' targets. Seventeen bombers drawn from 180 and 320 Squadrons raided one such target, the former unit losing one aircraft to Flak with a second damaged, whilst the latter lost two, one seen to go down to Flak and the other simply reported as missing.

USAAF
FRANCE: During the morning, 126 2d Bombardment Division B-24s, escorted by 44 VIII Fighter Command P-47s, attack V-weapons sites in the Pas-de-Calais area. One B-24 and one P-47 are lost.

Approximately 370 IX Bomber Command B-26s and A-20s attack nine V-weapons sites and a coastal-defense battery.

During the afternoon, 196 Eighth Air Force B-17s and 33 B-24s, escorted by 72 VIII Fighter Command P-47s and 40 P-51s, attack V-weapons sites in the Pas-de-Calais area. One B-24 is lost.

Two hundred two VIII Fighter Command fighters and fighter-bombers bomb and strafe numerous targets across central France, especially in the Paris area. Two P-51s are lost with their pilots.

Throughout the day, Ninth Air Force fighters and fighter-bombers mount more than 1,000 tactical sorties against targets in the battle area as well as rail lines, bridges, and marshalling yards servicing the battle area.

USAAF fighter pilots down 16 GAF fighters over France between 0700 and 1944 hours.

The IX TAC’s 366th Fighter Group moves into Advance Landing Ground A-1, at St.-Pierre-du-Mont.

GERMANY: Four hundred fifty-four 1st Bombardment Division B-17s attack oil and industrial targets at Hamburg; 316 2d Bombardment Division B-24s attack industrial targets at Politz and Ostermoor; 284 3d Bombardment Division B-17s attack industrial targets at Fallersleben, Konigsburg, and Magdeburg; 169 3d Bombardment Division B-24s attack oil targets at Hannover; and 26 heavy bombers attack various targets of opportunity. Losses are 13 B-17s and 35 B-24s, of which 20 2d Bombardment Division B-24s are interned in Sweden.

Escort for the heavy bombers is provided by 637 VIII Fighter Command fighters, of which five are lost with two pilots, and 81 IX Fighter Command P-51s, of which one is lost with its pilot. Maj James A. Goodson, a 14-victory ace with the 4th Fighter Group’s 336th Fighter Squadron, is shot down by flak over Neubrandenburg Airdrome and taken prisoner.

In all, while escorting the various heavy-bomber formations to Germany, USAAF fighter pilots down 34 GAF fighters, two Ju-88s, and an Fi-156 between 0905 and 1030 hours. LtCol James A. Clark, Jr., of the 4th Fighter Group, brings his final personal tally to 10.5 confirmed victories when he downs an Me-410 near Anklam at 0930 hours.

ITALY: Despite bad weather, approximately 60 Twelfth Air Force medium bombers attack rail targets between Genoa and La Spezia; and XII TAC fighter-bombers attack rail and road bridges in and near the battle area, and damage an Italian Navy aircraft carrier tied up in Genoa harbor.

NETHERLANDS: Forty-eight VIII Fight-er Command P-47 fighter-bombers bomb several airdromes.

BASE CHANGE
1 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to Harrowbeer
96 Sqn (Mosquito NFXIII) moves to Ford
175 Sqn (Typhoon IB) moves to B.3 St.Croix
181 Sqn (Typhoon IB) moves to B.6 Coulombs
182 Sqn (Typhoon IB) moves to B.6 Coulombs
247 Sqn (Typhoon IB) moves to B.6 Coulombs
322 Sqn (Spitfire XIV) moves to West Malling

[warshipbuilder]

21-6-44
467 Sqn RAAF (Waddington – Lancaster I/III)
Ground staff still at it early this morning, and then the bomb fell – the Op was scrubbed. Bad luck for all the personnel who had toiled valiantly in cold weather all through the night.

However to compensate Ops. were on again today and 19 were detailed. Later 2 were cancelled and 17 took off for a GERMAN trrget for a change. It was GELSENKIRCHEN.

Unfortunately two crews did not return this morning, those of AUSA414341 P/O E.V. DEARNALEY (32 sorties) and AUS406636 F/L L.R.BRINE (3 sorties). P/O DEARNALEY had a second Pilot as well, AUS60895 P/O J.MITCHELL. It was certainly very bad luck for P/O DEARNALY and crew as they were very close to finishing their tour. The pilot was recently awarded an Immediate D.F.C. The target seemed to be very well protected, and this Squadron got off fairly lightly, as the majority of the Squadrons had losses of five and six crews.

There was 10/10ths cloud over GELSENKIRCHEN, through which the ground sent plenty of heavy flak. Also, to make matters more difficult, numerous fighter present, and these took a heavy toll of the force. The results of the trip were difficult to assess owing to the conditions, but a good glow could be seen on the clouds, indicating numerous fires.

P/O SCHOLEFIELD obtained a hit by flak in the Bomb Almer's perspex, but no one was injured. P/O SAYERS had two combats but the only damage was a few holes near the Mid Upper turret. His gunners however did better, and one of the enemy aircraft was seen to go down with his port engine on fire. This aircraft was claimed as destroyed. P/O RYAN’s port outer caught on fire over Base and he had to feather it wad land on three.

ADDENDUM – Lancaster I LL971 PO-N. Crew: F/L LR Brine RAAF KIA, Sgt FN Smith KIA, F/S VD Luton RAAF KIA, F/S BJ Sutton RAAF EVD, F/S SJ Saligari RAAF, F/S DG Cranston RAAF KIA. Shot down by Lt Richard Heuke (1st victory) 4./NJG1 at 0126. Crashed at Zwillbrock, a village practically on the Dutch/German border some 8 km WNW of Vreden. Those who died are buried in the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery. Their average age was 21,

Lancaster III ED532 PO-H. Crew: P/O EV Dearnaley DFC RAAF KIA, P/O J Mitchell RAAF KIA, F/S SHD Breeden KIA, F/S GAA Court RAAF, F/S R McP Hill RAAF KIA, Sgt JE Emmett KIA, Sgt R Trevathan KIA, F/S RJ Carlill RAAF KIA. Shot down by Hptm Ernst-Wilhelm Modrow (24th victory) 1./NJG1 at 0139 and crashed at Sundern. All now rest in the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery. Modrow shot down 4 aircraft this night.

BOMBER COMMAND
WESSELING
133 Lancasters and 6 Mosquitoes to attack the synthetic-oil plant at Wesseling; all the aircraft in this force were from 5 Group except for 5 Lancasters provided by 1 Group.

The weather forecast for the target area (and for the attack on Scholven/Buer which took place at the same time) predicted clear conditions but the bombing force encountered 10/10ths low cloud. The planned 5 Group low-level marking method could not be used and the reserve method, in which the Lancasters bombed on H2S, was used instead. German night fighters made contact with the bomber force and 37 Lancasters were lost, 44, 49 and 619 Squadrons each losing 6 aircraft. The casualty rate represented 27.8 percent of the Lancaster force.

Post-raid reconnaissance showed that only slight damage was caused to the oil plant and this is borne out by a local German report which adds the information that 15 Germans, 5 foreign workers and 1 prisoner of war were killed in the nearby town of Wesseling. But a secret German report quoted in the British Official History* records a 40 percent production loss at Wesseling after this raid. It is possible that the loss was only of short duration.

SCHOLVEN/BUER
123 Lancasters and 9 Mosquitoes of 1, 5 and 8 Groups (124 aircraft from 5 Group) to attack the synthetic-oil plant. 8 Lancasters lost.

This target was also cloud-covered and the 5 Group marking method could not be used, the Pathfinder aircraft present providing Oboe-based sky-marking instead. Again there is a contradiction in reports on the effect of the bombing. Post-raid photographs appeared to show no new damage but the German secret reports indicate a 20 percent production loss.

Minor Operations: 32 Mosquitoes to Berlin, 41 Mosquito patrols, 13 Stirlings minelaying off Guernsey, St-Malo and St-Nazaire, 10 Halifaxes on Resistance operations. 1 Mosquito of 100 Group lost.

Total effort for the night: 361 sorties, 46 aircraft (12.7 percent) lost.

Screenshot (67935).png (155.79 KiB) Viewed 1462 times

2

Screenshot (67936)A.png (130.85 KiB) Viewed 1462 times

3

Screenshot (67936)B.png (150.79 KiB) Viewed 1462 times

4

Screenshot (67937).png (200.39 KiB) Viewed 1462 times

2nd TAF
By night the defending Mosquitoes achieved less success, the only claim being made by Flt Lt M.C.Taylor/Wt Off W.L.Mitchell of 409 Squadron, this crew claiming a Ju 188 probably destroyed to the north-west of Caen. 2 Group continued to suffer however, a Mosquito VI of 21 Squadron falling to a fighter over Mezidon, while a 464 Squadron aircraft crashed when attempting to make a single-engined landing at Thorney Island on return from a sortie.

19 Squadron Mustangs took off on an armed reconnaissance to the south of Argentan at 1755 hours, whilst five minutes later, four Mustang Is of 430 Squadron also got into the air, two to provide cover for a second pair which were to undertake a TacR. Over the Dreux area the two pairs became separated and the two aircraft undertaking the reconnaissance failed to return, Flg Off H.K.Jones was killed and Plt Off C.E.Butchart was taken POW.

Meanwhile the pilots of the Mustang IIIs had spotted 12 Bf 109s over the same area, engaging these and claiming four shot down, one each by Flt Lt R.A.Haywood, Flt Lt D.P.Lamb, Flg Off J.Paton and Flt Sgt Basilios Vassiliades, while Wt Off A.Sima claimed one damaged. Bob Haywood's aircraft was hit and damaged, and he was wounded in both legs, but he had managed to continue the engagement until he had shot down the aircraft which had attacked him. He then returned to base and made a splendid landing despite his injuries.

It would appear that both Mustang formations had encountered Messerschmitts of III./JG 3, this unit claiming four P-51s shot down over Dreux at 1920, whilst losing three Bf 109s. It is possible that III./JG 26 was also involved, for Lt Karl-Heinz Kempf of this unit claimed a P-51 at 1937, whilst one of this unit's Bf 109s was lost on this date. Jagdwaffe losses of Bf 109s in France on this date amounted to nine, of which only one appears to have been claimed by US fighters. During the evening, 2nd TAF suffered some further losses. A Mustang of 306 Squadron was shot down by Flak whilst engaged on an armed reconnaissance south-west of Paris, Flt Sgt W.Mrozowski baling out; he evaded capture. Over the beaches a patrolling Spitfire of 401 Squadron flown by Flg Off H.E.Fenwick, DFC, gave chase to a lone raider near Bayeux. Whilst so engaged, the Spitfire was shot down by Allied AA fire and Fenwick was killed; he had served with distinction over Tunisia during 1942-43. Elsewhere one of 168 Squadron's Mustang Is had also been hit by Flak when east of Trun, Flt Lt D.G.Dickson suffering wounds.

On this date 4 Squadron Spitfire XIs had been particularly active, but the sorties flown between dawn and dusk provide a good indication of the typical duties undertaken by PR pilots. The squadron recorded: "Flt Lt R.M.Cowell photographed the Seine from Paris to Meulan; Flt Lt G.G. Tozer, DFC, photographed the Laigle and Houdon marshalling yards; Flt Lt B.E.Crawley photographed bridges over the Seine; Flt Lt D.J.Bignell photographed the Paris-Chartres and Alençon area; Flt Lt C.A.B.Slack photographed the Bernay-Beaumont-Conches and Dreux area; Flt Lt D.C.Wilkins made three runs over Conches and Vimoutiers; Flg Off A.R.Hutchinson and Fig Off T.A.Priddle photographed the Gace-Breteuil-Livarot and Evreux area."

It will also be noted the relative seniority of the pilots involved in this specialist work-six out of the eight flying that day being Flight Lieutenants.

USAAF
ENGLAND: MajGen Earle E. Partridge, formerly Eighth Air Force deputy commanding general, succeeds MajGen Curtis E. LeMay as commanding general of the Eighth Air Force’s 3d Bombardment Division when LeMay is reassigned to the USAAF B-29 bomber program.

FRANCE: More than 250 IX Bomber Command B-26s and A-20s attack 13 V-weapons sites in the Pas-de-Calais area.

Late in the afternoon, 70 2d Bombardment Division B-24s, escorted by 99 VIII Fighter Command P-47s, attack a total of 39 V-weapons sites at Siracourt and two German Army supply points. One B-24 is downed by flak. One escort fighter group strafes rail traffic and canal barges.

During the early evening, XIX TAC fighter-bomber pilots down a GAF fighter over Rouen and two GAF fighters near Paris.

GERMANY: Four hundred fifty-six 1st Bombardment Division B-17s, 103 3d Bombardment Division B-17s, and 47 2d Bombardment Division B-24s attack the city of Berlin; and 252 2d Bombardment Division B-24s, 85 3d Bombardment Division B-17s, and 12 1st Bombardment Division B-17s attack assigned industrial targets and several targets of opportunity, mostly in the Berlin area.

Escort for the Berlin-area heavy-bomber mission is provided by 958 VIII Fighter Command fighters and 441 IX Fighter Command fighters. Sixteen escort fighters are lost with 14 pilots.

In the second Operation FRANTIC mission of the war—the first from the U.K.—114 3d Bombardment Division B-17s, escorted by 70 4th and 352d Fighter group P-51s, attack oil targets around Ruhland (south of Berlin) and proceed on to bases in the Soviet Union. One B-17 is lost to unknown causes. Seventy P-51 escorts proceed with the B-17s all the way to the Soviet Union, and 162 escort fighters return to their bases in England.

USAAF escort fighters down 17 GAF fighters over Germany and seven GAF fighters over Poland. 1stLt John F. Thornell, Jr., a P-51 ace with the 352d Fighter Group’s 328th Fighter Squadron, brings his final personal tally to 17.25 confirmed victories when he shares in the downing of an Me-410 near Dahmsdorf at 1005 hours; Capt George M. Lamb, a P-51 pilot with the 354th Fighter Group’s 356th Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status when he downs two Me-410s near Berlin at 1130 hours; and two 4th Fighter Group P-51 pilots achieve ace status during the target withdrawal from Ruhland to Poltava, Soviet Union: 1stLt Joseph L. Lang, when he downs a Bf-109 near Warsaw at 1145 hours; and Capt Frank C. Jones, when he downs a Bf-109 near Kobrin, Poland, at 1300 hours.

ITALY: Twelfth Air Force B-25s and B-26s attack rail bridges in north and north-central Italy and shipping in Leghorn harbor; XII TAC A-20s attack ammunition dumps; and XII TAC fighter-bombers attack rail and road targets near the German Army’s new Gothic Line.

SOVIET UNION: During the night of June 21-22, GAF bombers attack the USAAF base at Poltava Airdrome by flare light. Forty-seven of the 73 B-17s at the base are destroyed and many others are heavily damaged, as are a number of P-51s. Large supplies of fuel and munitions are also destroyed.


BASE CHANGE
164 Sqn (Typhoon IB) moves to Hurn
332 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to Tangmere

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
219 Sqn (Bradwell Bay) flies its first OM in the Mosquito NF30
327 Sqn (Bastia/Borgo) flies its first OM in the Spitfire VIII
426 Sqn RCAF (Linton-on-Ouse) flies its first OM in the Halifax VII

[warshipbuilder]

22-6-44
460 Sqn RAAF (Binbrook – Lancaster III)
Weather:- FINE. OPERATIONS. Aircraft were detailed for operations, RHEIMS being the target.. Two of the aircraft, Lancaster NE-116 and Lancaster LM-547 failed to return.

ADDENDUM – Lancaster III LM547 AR-F2. Crew: F/O FS Lambie RAAF KIA, Sgt EJ Foddering KIA, W/O WW English RAAF KIA, F/S KJ Tomkins RAAF KIA, F/S DM Shelton RAAF KIA, Sgt KH Spiers KIA, F/O SJ Allsep RAAF KIA. Shot down by Fw Karrl-Heinz Loll (1st victory) 2/NJG3 at 0119. Crashed at Frettemolle, 9 km SW of Poix-de-la-Somme where all are buried in the town’s churchyard.

Lancaster III NE116 AR-G. Crew: F/S LR Pearson RAAF, Sgt JA Jillings KIA, F/S W Schwilk RAAF EVD, F/S WJ Flynn RAAF EVD, Sgt SD Keenen KIA, Sgt KG Mason KIA, F/S W Worthington KIA. Shot down by Hptm Gerhard Raht (33rd victory) Stab. 1/NJG.2 at 0019. Crashed and exploded at Morenval, 8 km NNE of Crepy-en-Valois. Those who died are buried in Morenval Communal Cemetery.

BOMBER COMMAND
V-WEAPON SITES
234 aircraft – 119 Lancasters, 102 Halifaxes, 13 Mosquitoes – of 1, 4, 5 and 8 Groups to special V-weapon sites and stores. The sites at Mimoyecques and Siracourt were accurately bombed by 1 and 4 Group forces with Pathfinder marking but the 617 Squadron force attacking Wizernes failed to find its target because of cloud and returned without dropping its bombs. 1 Halifax lost from the Siracourt raid.

2 Mosquitoes flew uneventful Ranger patrols.
________________________________________
22/23 June 1944
RAILWAYS
221 aircraft – 111 Lancasters, 100 Halifaxes, io Mosquitoes – of 1, 4 and 8 Groups attacked railway yards at Laon and Rheims. 4 Halifaxes lost from the Laon raid and 4 Lancasters from the Rheims raid. The bombing at both targets was successful.

Minor Operations: 29 Mosquitoes to Hamburg and 8 to Rouen, 15 R.C.M. sorties, 35 Mosquito patrols, 6 Halifaxes and 4 Stirlings minelaying off French ports. No aircraft lost.

Screenshot (67944).png (125.38 KiB) Viewed 1443 times

2

Screenshot (67945)A.png (170.38 KiB) Viewed 1443 times

3

Screenshot (67945)B.png (196.38 KiB) Viewed 1443 times

2nd TAF
During the night of 21/22nd, at 0240 another 464 Squadron Mosquito VI was lost, this one falling to a fighter over Normandy, where Flt Lt J.L..Martin and Sgt H.L.Morgan were killed. This unit was to acquire a new Commanding Officer on 22nd when Wg Cdr G. Peter' Panitz, previously a night fighter pilot, took over from Wg Cdr Iredale.

Allied night fighters were active as usual. Flt Lt Price/Sub Lt Armitage of 29 Squadron claimed a Bf 110 over Coulonnieres, and Flt Sgt R.Beynon/Flt Sgt Price of the same unit claimed a Ju 188 probably shot down over Bourges, while Flt Lt P.V.G.Sandeman/Flg Off Coates of 604 Squadron claimed a Ju 188 shot down south-south-east of Ventnor, Isle of Wight.

During a mid-morning patrol over the 'Utah' beach area, 340 Squadron Spitfires encountered Fw 190s, one being claimed probably destroyed. The Mustangs remained active in their fighter- bombing role; during one sortie by 19 Squadron Flt Lt B.G.Collyn's aircraft was hit by Flak, causing him to bale out into Allied-held territory south-west of Quetteliou; he returned safely. The first sustained action in the air occurred at 1435 as 144 Wing Spitfires from 441 and 442 Squadrons were scrambled, led by Wg Cdr Johnson. 442 Squadron and the Wing Leader reported eight Bf 109s and Fw 190s between Ste Croix and Argentan, Johnson claiming one Focke-Wulf, a second being claimed by Sqn Ldr Dal Russel and Flt Lt J.T.Marriott jointly, while Fig Off W.R.Weeks and Plt Off F.B.Young claimed a Messerschmitt apiece.

Five minutes later the 441 Squadron pilots reported three Fw 190s south-west of Domfront, one being claimed by Flg Off J.W.Fleming, and one by three pilots jointly. From the details of Fleming's combat report, it seems likely that he had been responsible for despatching one of the Luftwaffe's top fighter pilots on the Western Front. He reported: "I sighted two aircraft on the deck and immediately went down on them. I took the leading aircraft and opened fire at approximately 400 yards. He broke immediately, and pulled straight up in the air. I held my fire and, when within 50 yards of him, I saw strikes and then he blew up."

Hptm Josef 'Sepp' Wurmheller of III./JG 2, who had claimed 102 victories and been awarded the Ritterkreuz with Eichenlaub, was killed, as was a second pilot from his Gruppe's 9. Staffel.

During the afternoon 133 Wing, which had moved to Holmesley South, suffered a number of losses. From 315 Squadron, Flt Lt H.Stefankiewicz and Wt Off O.H.T.Tamowicz were brought down by Flak in the Cherbourg area. The former was killed, but the latter crash-landed in a marsh, suffering wounds. Seeing an ELG under construction nearby, his Commanding Officer, Sqn Ldr Horbaczewski, landed, borrowed a jeep, and waded through mud and water to pull the pilot out of his cockpit, aided by some US engineers. He then placed Tamowiecz in the cockpit of his own Mustang, FB382, PK-G, sat on his knees, and flew back to England. 129 Squadron was also to suffer on this date and in the same area; Flt Lt A.J.Hancock, DFC & Bar, was killed when his aircraft was shot down by Flak three miles south-west of Thiberville, whilst Flt Lt A.C.Leigh's aircraft was hit in the sump, causing him to force-land on a US ALG. Hancock was another of the RAF's veterans, who had been credited with a number of victories in the Western Desert prior to flying Mustangs.

Not only the Mustangs fell foul of the Flak, for Sqn Ldr I.J.Davies, Commanding Officer of the Typhoon-equipped 198 Squadron, was lost when hit by Flak whilst providing close support for US forces near Cherbourg. Davies, who had been Commanding Officer for only two short, but momentous, weeks, was killed when he baled out too low whilst trying to reach the American lines. 257 Squadron's Flt Sgt G.Turton was also killed attempting to force-land his Typhoon in the Argentan area after it had been crippled. A third Typhoon, from 181 Squadron, landed at B.6 in a seriously damaged condition.

Bf 109 pilots of IV./JG 27 claimed a Spitfire at 1410 near Caen, which was probably an ADGB aircraft from 130 Squadron. During the evening Oblt Kirchmayr of II./JG 1 claimed a second of these aircraft, 66 Squadron losing a Spitfire flown by Wt Off C.Neal at about 2120 hours. Two Mustang IAs of 268 Squadron took off on a Tack operation at 1946, but before reaching their target area, they were attacked by Fw 190s; Flt Lt V.E.Lewis was wounded, but managed to land his damaged aircraft safely at an ELS within the bridgehead, and was removed to a forward hospital. He had probably been attacked by aircraft of III/JG 54, Hptm 'Bazi' Weiss claiming a P-51 in the Bernay area at 2115.

Four minutes after the 268 Squadron pair had taken off, two more followed, but these were attacked in error by US P-47s. These were evaded and the British pilots returned safely to base. Another Mustang from 2 Squadron was shot down by Flak to the south of Versailles at about 2140 when on a sortie to Alençon, Flg Off P.G.Wilson being killed, although he was believed to have baled out. Two more Mark Is, this time from 168 Squadron, were also hit by Flak, Flt Lt W.K. Dodgson crash-landing in hostile territory north of Sees, but making good his escape, while Flg Off D.A.Forknall force-landed at B.9 where his aircraft was written-off.

The ALG B.6, where 124 Wing squadrons had been joined temporarily by 245 Squadron, had been over-flown by a Bf 109 during the evening of the 21st; 245 Squadron's diarist gloomily recorded: "We shall be shelled or bombed soon and this will be expensive with no blast shelters for the aircraft." He was quite correct in his surmise, for with morning on the 22nd, shells had started landing on the strip and by 1030 the Typhoons had been ordered back to England. All units had suffered damage by this time, 247 Squadron for example flying back 14 aircraft of which only four were undamaged, while four which were not fit to be flown were left behind. This did not ultimately prove as dire as anticipated, however, for three were subsequently repaired, the Wing's only write-off (out of a total of 65 aircraft) being a single aircraft of 181 Squadron.

Meanwhile 2 Group's mediums had undertaken a successful operation during the evening. At the Caen/Mondeville Steel Works some strongpoints had been holding up the British advance since 10 June. Several Groups had attacked these targets without success, but now in the evening Mitchells of 226 Squadron bombed with considerable accuracy, followed by 24 Bostons of 88 and 342 Squadrons, with one 88 Squadron Boston crash-landing at base on return. 2nd TAF HQ were to receive a message from 51st Highland Division next day requesting them to "... thank the squadrons for excellent bombing."

2 Group was to suffer one loss on this date however, when a 21 Squadron Mosquito VI flown by Flt Lt The Honourable M.J.Wedgwood Benn, brother of the later famous left-wing Labour MP and Government Minister, Anthony Wedgwood Benn, suffered a failure of its airspeed indicator whilst returning from a night 'Ranger. Another Mosquito pilot flew alongside to monitor the speed as Benn sought to land at Thorney Island, but his speed was too high, and the aircraft overshot and crashed through the sea wall into the water. The force of this caused the armour plate behind his seat to move forward, and this broke his back as the aircraft broke up. His navigator, Flg Off W.A.Roe, who had suffered only minor injuries, managed to get him free of the cockpit and held his head above water until help arrived, but Benn was to die from his injuries in the airfield sick quarters next day.

The day had cost the Jagdwaffe six Fw 190s and 22 Bf 109s, but claims by US fighters totalled 21 and two probables. 17 of these claims were made against Bf 109s and three against Fw 190s, plus one for an Fi 156.

Following the return to English soil of all the Typhoon squadrons, stock was taken, for the units operating from the continental ALGs had already been experiencing more engine trouble than normal, which initially had been thought to arise purely from the unfamiliarity of the Servicing Commandos with their Sabre engines. Inspection of the four squadrons now back at Holmsley South showed that no fewer than 37 engines showed sleeve valve wear sufficient to require replacement. Construction of the strips in Normandy had robbed the soil of its normal covering, allowing clouds of fine dust to billow over the area every time an aircraft moved or the wind blew. This dust had turned the surrounding countryside white and had played havoc with the Sabre's moving parts. Napiers, the manufacturers, responded immediately in this crisis, designing, manufacturing and flying the prototype of a dust deflector within 24 hours. Half the company's sheet metal workers were at work by midnight that day, producing deflectors in quantity, allowing all Typhoons to be fitted within a week.

The device was a mushroom-shaped dome which sat over the carburettor air intake, deflecting dust and sand without preventing the ingress of air. This did not prove to be the complete answer however, for the Sabre retained its propensity for backfiring, which could cause a red-hot dome to be shot across the airfield! The dome was later replaced by a drum-shaped filter which had 'cuckoo-doors' to cope with backfires.

USAAF
FRANCE: Mixed formations totaling 217 Eighth Air Force B-17s and B-24s attack V-weapons sites in the Pas-de-Calais area. One B-17 is lost. A small number of the 165 VIII Fighter Command P-47s and 97 P-51s providing escort for the heavy bombers also attack marshalling yards and GAF airdromes during their return to England. One fighter is lost with its pilot.


During the afternoon, numerous small formations amounting to 604 Eighth Air Force B-17s and B-24s attack more than 25 targets throughout northwestern France, including GAF airdromes, bridges, and marshalling yards. Seven heavy bombers are lost. Escort for the heavy bombers is provided by 372 VIII Fighter Command fighters, of which five are lost with their pilots.


One hundred one 3d Bombardment Division B-17s attack an oil depot in Paris. Two B-17s are lost. Escort for the Paris mission is provided by 78 VIII Fighter Command P-51s, of which three are lost with their pilots.


Throughout the day, IX Bomber Command B-26s and A-20s mount more than 600 sorties, and Ninth Air Force fighters and fighter-bombers mount more than 1,200 sorties. The bulk of the effort consists of a 55-minute rolling aerial bombardment in support of a morning assault by the U.S. First Army’s VII Corps against the port of Cherbourg. This is by far the largest sustained ground-support effort to this point in the war, and it requires pinpoint accuracy combined with split-second timing as bombs are dropped just ahead of the advancing ground units. Later in the day, IX Bomber Command B-26s attack marshalling yards, fuel dumps, and a German Army headquarters; and fighter-bombers attack numerous tactical and transportation targets. One Ninth Air Force bomber and 24 Ninth Air Force fighters are lost.


During the afternoon and evening, USAAF fighter pilots down 20 GAF fighters and one Fi-156. 1stLt Clarence O. Johnson, a P-38 pilot with the 479th Fighter Group’s 436th Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status when he downs an Fi-156 observation plane near Rheims at 1530 hours. (Johnson’s four earlier victories were scored with the 82d Fighter Group in the MTO.) Also, Maj Randall O. Hendricks, the commanding officer of the 368th Fighter Group’s 397th Fighter Squadron, in P-47s, achieves ace status when he downs a Bf-109 over France at 1420 hours.


ITALY: More than 600 Fifteenth Air Force B-17s and B-24s attack nine marshalling yards in northern Italy, a motor-transport factory in Turin, a motor-transport depot, an airdrome, three rail and road bridges, and oil tanks; Twelfth Air Force B-25s and B-26s attack several bridges and viaducts in northern Italy; XII TAC A-20s attack ammunition dumps; and XII TAC fighter-bombers attack rail lines between Bologna and Pistoia, as well as several rail and road bridges, mainly around Pisa.


SOVIET UNION: During the night of June 22–23, GAF bombers attack the USAAF bases at Mirgorod and Piryatin. No Eighth Air Force airplanes are lost or damaged—they have been moved to Soviet Air Force bases much farther to the east—but fuel and munitions at both USAAF bases are destroyed.

BASE CHANGE
1 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to Detling
5 Sqn SAAF (Kittyhawk IV) moves to Salerium
13 Sqn (Baltimore IV/V) moves to Tarquinia
66 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to Tangmere
129 Sqn(Mustang III) moves to Holmsley South
165 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to Detling
182 Sqn (Typhoon IB) moves to Hurn
183 Sqn (Typhoon IB) moves to Hurn
198 Sqn (Typhoon IB) moves to Hurn
229 Sqn (Spitfire IX) moves to Tangmere
306 Sqn (Mustang III) moves to Holmsley South
310 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to Tangmere
312 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to Tangmere
313 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to Tangmere
329 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to Funtingdon
340 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to Funtingdon
341 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to Funtingdon
609 Sqn (Typhoon IB) moves to Hurn

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
112 Sqn (Guidonia) flies its last OM in the Kitthawk IV
235 Sqn (Portreath) flies its last OM in the Beaufighter TFX

[warshipbuilder]

23-6-44
7 Sqn (Oakington – Lancaster III)
Two aircraft set off first to attack Constructional Works at L'HEY. The target was covered by10/10ths cloud but markers were accurately placed and bombing well concentrated, but detailedassessment of results was impossible owing to cloud. The enemy put up slight flak at theoutset but nil later. No searchlights were seen but there was evidence of much fighter activity in the target area.

A force of fourteen aircraft set out shortly after the first two with a similar target at COUBRONNE which also was covered by cloud but Red T.I's were well placed according to GEEchecks. There was some interference with the R/T transmissions of the Master Bomber but mostcrews heard his instructions to bomb on GEE with check from the markers. Results were generally unobserved but one crew reported a large explosion followed by a second, less intense,shortly afterwards. Slight flak was met but there was considerable enemy fighter activitybetween the Coast and the target. Two aircraft were lost in the night's operations.One aircraft (Captain: P/L. B.G. Prow, IPC) was attacked by 3 enemy fighters and though considerably damaged, landed safely at Woodbridge. One enemy aircraft was claimed as destroyedand another damaged.

ADDENDUM – Lancaster III ND590 MG-B. Crew: F/L WA Irwin DFC RNZAF KIA, F/S E Cornish KIA, S/L RW Brown DFC KIA, F/L CH Drewer RAAF KIA, W/O CA McCarthy RAAF KIA, F/S JT Ward KIA, F/S R Nixon KIA. T/o 0002 Oakington. Shot down by Hptm Josef Krahforst (6th victory) 2./NJG4 or Hptm Werner Husemann (19th victory) Stab1./NJG3or Lt Manfred Scheunpflug (2nd victory) Stab1./NJG3 in the St. Omer-Ypres area. All are buried in Warhem Communal Cemetery. S/L Brown was from Antler, Saskatchewan.

Lancaster III ND766 MG-S. T/o 2356 Oakington. Crew: F/L MG Wakefield KIA, Sgt JM Watson KIA, F/L F Lively KIA, F/O CM Andrew RCAF KIA, F/S FJ May KIA, Sgt K Boulger KIA, Sgt RL Bouttell KIA. Shot down by – see above. Four rest in Esquelbecq Military Cemetery; Sgt Watson and Sgt Boulger lie in Wormhout Communal Cemetery;while Sgt Bouttell is buried in Ledringhem Churchyard.

Note:- 35 Sqn Lancaster ND734, is the other possible victim of the 3 night fighters.

BOMBER COMMAND
2 Mosquitoes on uneventful Ranger patrols.

23/24 June 1944
FLYING-BOMB SITES
412 aircraft - 226 Lancasters, 164 Halifaxes, 22 Mosquitoes - of 3, 4, 6 and 8 Groupsattacked 4 flying-bomb sites, which were all hit. 5 Lancasters lost.

RAILWAYS
203 Lancasters and 4 Mosquitoes of 1 and 5 Groups attacked railway yards at Limoges andSaintes. Both targets were bombed with great accuracy. 2 Lancasters of 1 Group were lostfrom the Saintes raid.

Minor Operations: 32 Mosquitoes to Bremen and 10 to a railway junction at Boves near Amiens, 14 R.C.M.sorties, 27 Mosquito patrols, 12 aircraft minelaying off French ports. 1 Stirling lost from the minelayingforce.

Total effort for the night: 714 sorties, 8 aircraft (1.1 percent) lost.

Screenshot (67946).png (173.67 KiB) Viewed 1428 times

2

Screenshot (67947).png (215.29 KiB) Viewed 1428 times

3

Screenshot (67948).png (164.59 KiB) Viewed 1428 times

4

Screenshot (67949).png (159 KiB) Viewed 1428 times

2nd TAF
The early hours brought more successes for the night fighters, Plt Off O.J.McCabe/Wt Off J.T.Riley of 488 Squadron claiming a Ju 188 east of Bayeux, Flg Off J.S.Smith/Flg OffRoberts of 604 Squadron and Flg Off J.C.Trigg/Flt Lt Smith of 264 Squadron each claimingJu 88s north-west of Le Havre and north of Rouen respectively.

With morning the Typhoons were out in force again; at 1010 one of 439 Squadron's aircraftsuccumbed to Flak, Flg Off A.R. Brown baling out mid-Channel and being rescued. A198 Squadron aircraft was also hit by Flak and damaged; Flt Sgt P.S.Barton attempted to get it backto England, but south of the Isle of Wight the engine failed, and he was lost when it went downinto the sea. Another Typhoon of ADGB's 263 Squadron suffered similarly, but the pilot wasrescued by a Walrus after baling out 35 miles south of Bolt Head, whilst earlier in the morninganother ADGB aircraft, this time a Spitfire V of 303 Squadron, had also been lost to Flak in theCarentan area, a notable pilot, Wt Off Aleksander Chudek, VM, DFM, losing his life.

Typhoons from 609 Squadron flew a mid-morning armed reconnaissance over the Lisieux-Evreux area. Here one pilot who was lagging behind the formation saw a Bf 109 diving on theSquadron, and jettisoning his rockets and long-range tanks, opened fire on the intruder, therebywarning the other pilots. These turned and engaged a number of Fw 190s, Flt Lt E.R.A.Robertsclaiming one shot down, while four more were claimed damaged. The pilots returned convincedthat the Typhoons had had the best of it, even with their rocket launching rails still in place.

Somewhat less than an hour later, Spitfire pilots of 132 and 602 Squadrons on patrol over theeastern beaches, saw ten Bf 109s and four Fw 190s approaching head-on and at once engaged.Sqn Ldr Geoffrey Page of 132 Squadron claimed a Fw 190 while Flt Lt T.A.Burke of 602 Squadronclaimed a Bf 109 and a second damaged; other 602 Squadron pilots claimed one of each probablydestroyed and one of each damaged. One Spitfire was claimed in the Falaise area at 1140 byLt Rudolf Wirtgen of I./JG 2, but no losses were actually suffered.

Into the area west of Dreux at midday came 12 Mustangs from 306 Squadron, eight carrying bombsand four acting as top cover. A railway station was bombed at Verneuil, but west of Dreux Bf 109s andFw 190s, apparently respectively from III/JG 3 and II./JG 26, were encountered, the Messerschmittpilots claiming three P-51s shot down. On this occasion Sqn Ldr J.P.Marciniak, Flt Lt R.P. Budrewicz,Flt Lt E.Tomanek and Flt Sgt M.K.Michalkiewicz were all shot down, Marciniak being killed while thetwo Flt Lts became prisoners. A fifth Mustang was damaged and made an emergency landing at an ELS.In return however, the surviving Polish pilots claimed three Fw 190s and five Bf 109s shot down, andtwo Fw 190s damaged. III./JG 27 lost at least four Bf 109s, two of the pilots being wounded.

Half an hour later another Fw 190 was claimed damaged by patrolling Spitfires of421 Squadron to the east of Caen and again there was a Jagdwaffe claim for a Spitfire at aroundthis time, made by Hptm Hermann Staiger of I./JG 26 over Pont l'Evêque.

During the early afternoon two 414 Squadron Mustang Is set off on a Tack. They wereattacked by seven Fw 190s of II./JG 26 in the Bayeux area at 1308, Sqn Ldr E.H.Stover, DFC,baling out into Allied territory, wounded, but claiming one of the attackers damaged, whileFlt Lt E.N.F.Rettie was also wounded, but managed to crash-land in the St. Lô area. Their victorswere Lts Gerhard Vogt and Wilhelm Hofmann, who recorded their claims at 1308. At 1330 twoof 26 Squadron's Spitfire V 'spotters' were intercepted west of Criqueville by Fw 190s ofIII./JG 54, and Flt Lt E.K.Heywood and Flg Off A.Griffiths were both shot down (the latterreportedly by Flak) and claimed by Lt Alfred Gross and Uffz Erwin Schleef.

This Jagdgruppe would appear to have been encountered again mid-afternoon, when229 Squadron, an ADGB unit, patrolled north of Caen. Here Flt Lt R.H.Small, RAAF, was seen toshoot down one of six Fw 190s which were met over the area. Three more of the German fightersthen joined the engagement, and Small was shot down and killed, while Flg Off D.R.Armstrong,(RCAF) was also hit and he crash-landed his Spitfire at an ALG. Flt Sgt Hayes' aircraft wasdamaged, but he managed to return. It seems that Small had shot down Uffz Otto Venjakob, whohad claimed 17 victories, but he and Armstrong had fallen to Hptm 'Bazi' Weiss and Uffz Enser.

Five Spitfires of 403 Squadron then encountered 15 bomb-carrying Fw 190s, Flt Lt P.Loganand Flt Lt M.J.Gordon each claiming one and a damaged, whilst Flg Off B.K.Oliver claimed athird damaged at 1640-45. Meanwhile at 1600 hours Ofw Rudolf Hübl of I./JG 1 claimed a P-51over the Caumont-l'Evêque area, and this may have been either a Mustang I of 168 Squadron inwhich Flg Off J.W.Walker was last seen four miles north-east of Falaise, or one flown byFlt Lt A.S. Baker, Wing Operations Officer of 34 Wing in the Sens-Montdidier area; Walker waskilled, but Baker later returned safely.

This extremely busy day was still far from over, when at 2100 hours Spitfires from 442 and 443 Squadrons from 144 Wing, and 421 Squadron from 127 Wing set off to undertake sweeps over the forward area. At 2145 five Fw 190s were seen by 443 Squadron pilots near Alençon, and two were claimed shot down by the commanding officer, Wally McLeod, Flt Lt W.V.Shenk claiming a third damaged.

Five minutes later it was the turn of 421 Squadron which encountered 15-plus Fw 190s and eight Bf 109s in the Le Merlerault area. In moments, four Focke-Wulfs had been claimed shot down and two damaged, with two Bf 109s also damaged, all for the loss of Wt Off R.G.Wallace's Spitfire; two Spitfires were claimed by pilots of III./JG 2. The identity of the Canadian pilots' victims has not been definitely established; on this date however, the Jagdwaffe recorded the loss of 20 fighters, eight of these being Fw 190s. 2nd TAF and RAF units had claimed 19, including 14 Fw 190s, whilst US fighter pilots had submitted six claims, including four Messerschmitts and a single Focke-Wulf. The final loss of the day occurred around 2155 as dusk moved towards full darkness, Flg Off R.G.Hattie of 440 Squadron baling out of his Flak-damaged Typhoon near Juvigny. Other Luftwaffe claims on this date had been for an Auster shot down over Caen by a II./JG 2 Fw 190, and another 'Lysander' in the Bayeux area by II./JG 5. 652 Squadron suffered no fewer than seven interceptions of its little spotter aircraft during the day, Capt Bowden's aircraft being shot down when under attack by five Bf 109s, while Capt Vipand crashed into a tree as he endeavoured to evade four more; neither he nor his observer were hurt. Supporting the Austers, Bofors gunners claimed to have shot down three Bf 109s whilst they were engaged in attacking these light aircraft, and a fourth was seen to fall to a Spitfire. It does appear therefore that some German pilots were incorrectly identifying Austers as Lysanders, due to their high wing configuration.

During much the same twilight period the first of the night fighters arrived, Sqn Ldr P.B.Elwell/Flg Off F.Ferguson of 264 Squadron being intercepted by five Fw 190s. They succeeded in avoiding their attacks in the dusk, claiming one shot down and one probable, whilst shaking a third off their tail. At midnight came another claim when Flg Off W.H.Vincent/ Flt Lt D.A.Thorpe at last achieved a confirmed victory for 409 Squadron, claiming a Ju 188 15 miles north-west of Caen.

USAAF
FRANCE: One hundred ten 1st Bombardment Division B-17s and 102 2d Bombardment Division B-24s attack 12 V-weapons sites in the Pas-de-Calais area usingGH radar. Escort is provided by 141 VIII Fighter Command P-51s, which strafe transportation targets in the Paris area following withdrawal by the bombers. One P-51 is lost with its pilot.

More than 90 3d Bombardment Division B-17s fail to complete their briefed mission against Nanteuil because of bad weather, but 13 B-17s are able to attack the target, and two B-17s attack targets of opportunity. One B-17 is lost. Also, 183 2d and 3d Bombardment division B-24s attack Coulommiers, Juvincourt, Laon/Athies, and Soissons airdromes. Six B-24s are lost. Escort for these heavy-bomber missions is provided by 155 VIII Fighter Command P-47s and 83 P-51s. Following the escort mission, P-47s bomb a marshalling yard at Givet.

One hundred sixty-nine VIII Fighter Command P-38 fighter-bombers attack bridges in the Paris area. Two P-38s are lost with their pilots.

IX Bomber Command B-26s and A-20s are grounded during the morning by bad weather, but during the afternoon 175 B-26s and A-20s attack seven V-weapons sites. Many of the 630 Ninth Air Force fighters escorting the bombers to France bomb and strafe communications centers and rail and road traffic.

IX TAC fighter and fighter-bomber pilots down five GAF fighters and one Fi-156 between 0700 and 1822 hours.

The IX TAC’s 371st Fighter Group moves into Advance Landing Ground A-6, at Beauzeville, and the 354th Fighter Group makes a permanent move into Advance Landing Ground A-2, at Criqueville (from which it has been conducting some operations since June 16).

ITALY: Twelfth Air Force B-25s and B-26s are grounded by bad weather, but XII TAC A-20s attack ammunition dumps, and several P-47 groups that are able to get airborne attack rail targets near the battle area.

ROMANIA: As 139 Fifteenth Air Force heavy bombers attack targets throughout the Ploesti oil complex with 283 tons of bombs, 2dLt David R. Kingsley, the bombardier of a severely crippled 97th Heavy Bombardment Group B-17, is killed in the crash of his airplane moments after giving his parachute to the seriously wounded tail gunner and helping the man bail out. For his selfless act, Kingsley is awarded a posthumous Medal of Honor. Altogether, six heavy bombers are lost in this attack.

Fifteenth Air Force B-24s also attack oil-industry targets around Giurgiu.

In all, 25 Axis fighters are downed along the bomber routes between 0940 and 1030 hours by fighter pilots of the 31st, 52d, and 325th Fighter groups. Four P-51 pilots achieve ace status while escorting the bombers on this mission: Capt James O. Tyler, of the 52d Fighter Group’s 4th Fighter Squadron, when he downs an FW-190 and a G.50 fighter near Bucharest; 1stLt Daniel J. Zoerb, of the 52d Fighter Group’s 2d Fighter Squadron, when he shares in the downing of an FW-190 and a Bf-109 near Bucharest; 1stLt Walter J. Goehausen, Jr., of the 31st Fighter Group’s 308th Fighter Squadron, when he downs a Bf-109 near Bucharest; and 2dLt Cecil O. Dean, of the 325th Fighter Group’s 317th Fighter Squadron, when he downs an FW-190 near Ploesti.

BASE CHANGE
1 Sqn SAAF (Spitfire VIII) moves to Orvieto
2 Sqn SAAF (Spitfire IX) moves to Cisterna
4 Sqn SAAF (Spitfire IX) moves to Cisterna
7 Sqn SAAF (Spitfire IX) moves to Orvieto
40 Sqn SAAF TR (Spitfire IX) moves to Orvieto
55 Sqn (Baltimore V) moves to Tarquinia
64 Sqn (Spitfire VB) moves to Harrowbeer
208 Sqn (Spitfire VB/IX) moves to Orvieto
247 Sqn (Typhoon IB) moves to Hurn
250 Sqn (Kittyhawk IV) moves to Falenum
260 Sqn (Mustang III) moves to Falerium
315 Sqn (Mustang III) moves to Holmsley South
608 Sqn (Hudson IIIA/V/VI) moves to Pomigliano
611 Sqn (Spitfire VB) moves to Harrowbeer


FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
87 Sqn (Foggia) flies its last OM in the Spitfire IX
241 Sqn (San Vito) flies its last OM in the Spitfire IX
514 Sqn (Waterbeach) flies its first OM’s in the Lancaster I & III

[warshipbuilder]

24-6-44
463 Sqn RAAF (Waddington – Lancaster I/III)
Slightly overcast but ops on again with a will. The constructional sites of the Flying Bombs at PROUVILLE were attacked. Our Squadron participated in this attack, sending aircraft which dropped 72½ Tons of Bombs on these sites. These sites are very small in size, and are constructed of heavy cement, sometimes 25ft. thick. However, the confusion caused amongst the ground staff must have been tremendous. The attack was not a success as regards bombing. Unfortunately, our new C.O., Wing Commander Donaldson, together with P/O. Martin, P/O. Tilbrook and their respective crews failed to return from this operation.

ADDENDUM – Lancaster III LM571 JO-? Crew: P/O JF Martin RAAF KIA, Sgt PD Taylor KIA, W/O BE Kelly RAAF KIA, F/S TA Malcolm RAAF POW, F/S GW Bateman RAAF KIA, F/S LGL Hunter RAAF KIA, F/S BR Barber RAAF KIA. T/o 2249 Waddington. Shot down by Lt Erich Jung (5th victory) 6./NJG2 and crashed at Bussus-Bussuel, 12 km E of Abbeville at 0034. Those who lost their lives lie in Bussus-Bussuel Communal Cemetery.

Lancaster III LM574 JO-J. Crew: P/O JM Tillbrook RAAF KIA, Sgt DJ Dowe KIA, W/O HG Carlyle RAAF KIA, F/O A Siddall POW, W/O AC Mineef RAAF KIA, Sgt CF Penn KIA, F/S MM Lack RAAF KIA. T/o 2244 Waddington. Shot down by Obstlt Helmut Lent (100th victory) Stab NJG3 at 13,000 ft, whose fire caused an explosion, throwing clear F/O Syddall. Debris from the Lancaster fell at Longuevillette, 3 m SW of Doullens. Those who died are buried at Amiens in St. Pierre Cemetery.

Lancaster III LM597 JO-W. Crew: W/C DR Donaldson RAAF EVD, Sgt LF Boness EVD, F/O RN Hooper RAAF EVD, F/O CD Small POW, F/S KC Sheel RAAF POW, F/S JE Morrison RAAF POW, F/O JA Cullity RAAF EVD. T/o 2229 Waddington. Shot down by Hptm Paul Zorner (50th victory) Stab lll./NJG5 at 0032, crashing at Oeuf-en-Ternois, 6 km W Saint-Pol-sur-Ternoise. W/C Donaldson was amongst the most senior officers to evade capture in 1944.

BOMBER COMMAND
FLYING-BOMB SITES
321 aircraft – 200 Halifaxes, 106 Lancasters, 15 Mosquitoes – of 1, 4, 6 and 8 Groups attacked 3 sites in clear weather conditions. All targets were accurately bombed; no aircraft lost.

16 Lancasters and 2 Mosquitoes of 617 Squadron bombed the Wizernes site and scored several hits with their Tallboy bombs. 1 Lancaster was shot down by Flak, the first loss by the squadron for exactly 2 months.

________________________________________
24/25 June 1944
FLYING-BOMB SITES
739 aircraft – 535 Lancasters, 165 Halifaxes, 39 Mosquitoes – from all groups attacked 7 sites, causing fresh damage at most of the targets. (The flying-bomb sites were now becoming so cratered by R.A.F., 8th Air Force and 2nd Tactical Air Force bombing that results for individual raids were becoming difficult to determine.)

22 Lancasters were lost from these raids; it was a clear, moonlit night and most of the bomber casualties were caused by German night fighters, often operating with the help of searchlights. It is not known why all of the casualties were Lancasters.

Minor Operations: 27 Mosquitoes to Berlin, 7 R.C.M. sorties, 34 Mosquito patrols, 13 aircraft minelaying off French ports and in the Kattegat. 1 Mosquito lost from the Berlin raid.

Total effort for the night: 820 sorties, 23 aircraft (2.8 percent) lost.
24-6-44
463 Sqn RAAF (Waddington – Lancaster I/III)
Slightly overcast but ops on again with a will. The constructional sites of the Flying Bombs at PROUVILLE were attacked. Our Squadron participated in this attack, sending aircraft which dropped 72½ Tons of Bombs on these sites. These sites are very small in size, and are constructed of heavy cement, sometimes 25ft. thick. However, the confusion caused amongst the ground staff must have been tremendous. The attack was not a success as regards bombing. Unfortunately, our new C.O., Wing Commander Donaldson, together with P/O. Martin, P/O. Tilbrook and their respective crews failed to return from this operation.

ADDENDUM – Lancaster III LM571 JO-? Crew: P/O JF Martin RAAF KIA, Sgt PD Taylor KIA, W/O BE Kelly RAAF KIA, F/S TA Malcolm RAAF POW, F/S GW Bateman RAAF KIA, F/S LGL Hunter RAAF KIA, F/S BR Barber RAAF KIA. T/o 2249 Waddington. Shot down by Lt Erich Jung (5th victory) 6./NJG2 and crashed at Bussus-Bussuel, 12 km E of Abbeville at 0034. Those who lost their lives lie in Bussus-Bussuel Communal Cemetery.

Lancaster III LM574 JO-J. Crew: P/O JM Tillbrook RAAF KIA, Sgt DJ Dowe KIA, W/O HG Carlyle RAAF KIA, F/O A Siddall POW, W/O AC Mineef RAAF KIA, Sgt CF Penn KIA, F/S MM Lack RAAF KIA. T/o 2244 Waddington. Shot down by Obstlt Helmut Lent (100th victory) Stab NJG3 at 13,000 ft, whose fire caused an explosion, throwing clear F/O Syddall. Debris from the Lancaster fell at Longuevillette, 3 m SW of Doullens. Those who died are buried at Amiens in St. Pierre Cemetery.

Lancaster III LM597 JO-W. Crew: W/C DR Donaldson RAAF EVD, Sgt LF Boness EVD, F/O RN Hooper RAAF EVD, F/O CD Small POW, F/S KC Sheel RAAF POW, F/S JE Morrison RAAF POW, F/O JA Cullity RAAF EVD. T/o 2229 Waddington. Shot down by Hptm Paul Zorner (50th victory) Stab lll./NJG5 at 0032, crashing at Oeuf-en-Ternois, 6 km W Saint-Pol-sur-Ternoise. W/C Donaldson was amongst the most senior officers to evade capture in 1944.

BOMBER COMMAND
FLYING-BOMB SITES
321 aircraft – 200 Halifaxes, 106 Lancasters, 15 Mosquitoes – of 1, 4, 6 and 8 Groups attacked 3 sites in clear weather conditions. All targets were accurately bombed; no aircraft lost.

16 Lancasters and 2 Mosquitoes of 617 Squadron bombed the Wizernes site and scored several hits with their Tallboy bombs. 1 Lancaster was shot down by Flak, the first loss by the squadron for exactly 2 months.

________________________________________
24/25 June 1944
FLYING-BOMB SITES
739 aircraft – 535 Lancasters, 165 Halifaxes, 39 Mosquitoes – from all groups attacked 7 sites, causing fresh damage at most of the targets. (The flying-bomb sites were now becoming so cratered by R.A.F., 8th Air Force and 2nd Tactical Air Force bombing that results for individual raids were becoming difficult to determine.)

22 Lancasters were lost from these raids; it was a clear, moonlit night and most of the bomber casualties were caused by German night fighters, often operating with the help of searchlights. It is not known why all of the casualties were Lancasters.

Minor Operations: 27 Mosquitoes to Berlin, 7 R.C.M. sorties, 34 Mosquito patrols, 13 aircraft minelaying off French ports and in the Kattegat. 1 Mosquito lost from the Berlin raid.

Total effort for the night: 820 sorties, 23 aircraft (2.8 percent) lost.

Screenshot (67951).png (167.75 KiB) Viewed 1422 times

2

Screenshot (67952).png (215.55 KiB) Viewed 1422 times

3

Screenshot (67953).png (175.08 KiB) Viewed 1422 times

4

Screenshot (67954).png (83.66 KiB) Viewed 1422 times

2nd TAF
A little over two hours later, at 0209, Wt Off Robert Jones/Flt Sgt Gregory of 410 Squadron claimed another Ju 188 north-west of the beaches. However another of this unit's Mosquitoes was shot down by Flak over Barfleur, Flg Offs J.R.Steepe and D.H.Baker both being killed.

Soon after dawn a 245 Squadron Typhoon was damaged by Flak, but at 0605 122 Wing Mustangs from 19, 65 and 122 Squadrons were led by Wg Cdr Robin Johnston on an armed reconnaissance, bombing and strafing before landing to refuel at B.7, from where they were to operate for the rest of the day. Whilst they were over the target area at about 0720, large formations of Bf 109s and Fw 190s were encountered, and a large dogfight commenced. 19 Squadron pilots claimed four Fw 190s and a Bf 109 shot down, one of each being claimed by Flt Sgt Basilios Vassilliades, who also claimed damage to an He 111 which he spotted on the ground. 65 Squadron added three more Fw 190s, two of them by Flg Off T. "Tony' Jonsson, DFM, the only Icelandic pilot with the RAF, while Flg Off C. Jimmie' Talalla, a Singhalese, added a Bf 109 and Wg Cdr Johnston another Fw 190. Talalla's brother was also in 2nd TAF as a Typhoon pilot with 182 Squadron. 65 Squadron was hard hit in return however, Flt Lt B.P.W.Clapin, Flt Sgts W.A.Sumner and E.T.Williams, and Sgt D.C.Webb, all being shot down. Sumner was killed, but the other three evaded capture and returned later.

There is little doubt but that their opponents were from III./JG 54 and II./JG 26, pilots from these units claiming seven P-51s in the area at around 0715. Four of these claims were made by Hptm 'Bully' Lang, one by Lt Hans Dortenmann and one by Uffz Erwin Schleef of the former unit, and one by Lt Wilhelm Hofmann of the latter. III./JG 54 lost three Focke-Wulfs in the area, while II./JG 26 lost one.

A little later at 0728 pilots of II./JG 26 claimed a Spitfire in the Evreux area and a P-51 east of Brezolles, these being claimed by Hptm Walter Matoni and Oblt Stoll respectively, but no further 2nd TAF losses have been discovered. A little over an hour later, 12 Spitfires of 331 Squadron patrolled over the beaches, led by the 132 Wing Leader, Lt Col R.A.Berg. Here a dozen Bf 109s were seen, Berg claiming one shot down, whilst 2/Lt J.W.Garben claimed two and 2/Lt O.F.Solvang one more.

Wg Cdr Stanislaw Skalski then led 24 Mustangs of 133 Wing on an armed reconnaissance towards Evreux. Railway buildings were attacked, but an estimated 40 German fighters then attempted to "bounce' the formation. Skalski attacked one, which he reported collided with a second, whilst endeavouring to avoid his fire, both crashing. Two more Bf 109s were claimed by Flg Off Jerzy Polak of 315 Squadron, whilst other pilots of this unit claimed an Fw 190 and a Bf 109 shot down, plus four Bf 109s and two Fw 190s damaged. Their opponents seem to have been aircraft of I. and II./JG 2 and III./JG 3, pilots from these Gruppen claiming three P-51s shot down in the Evreux- Dreux area, one of the claims being made by Maj Erich Hohagen, Kommandeur of L/JG 2. 315 Squadron lost a single Mustang in which Wt Off J.Adamiak was killed, falling near Tillieres.

There had undoubtedly been a degree of overclaiming on this date. Mustang pilots claimed 14 victories and the Spitfires five more, whilst US fighters had added another four - all Bf 109s. Eight of the claims submitted by Mustang units had been for Fw 190s. However, Jagdwaffe losses amounted to four Focke-Wulfs and 11 Messerschmitts to all causes.

The day had not been an expensive one for the Typhoons however. One did force-land south of Bernay after being hit by Flak during the latter part of the morning, Flg Off K.C.Matthews of 183 Squadron becoming a POW, whilst in the early afternoon a 197 Squadron aircraft had force- landed in Allied territory after being hit, but Plt Off R.H.Jones was unhurt. One Mitchell of 320 Squadron had, however, fallen to Flak during an attack on an important target identified as a V-1 headquarters in the Château D'Ansenne, with the crew lost.

As night fell an ADGB Spitfire V of 130 Squadron on a late beachhead patrol engaged a Ju 88 off Le Havre, but was shot down, and Flt Sgt W.F.Hircock was killed.

USAAF
ENGLAND: The 422d Heavy Bombardment Squadron (the Eighth Air Force’s independent night-leaflet squadron) is redesignated as the 406th Heavy Bombardment Squadron.


FRANCE: During the morning, 74 1st Bombardment Division B-17s and 265 2d and 3d Bombardment division B-24s attack airdromes, auxiliary fighter strips, and bridges in central and northwestern France. Two B-24s are lost. Also, 11 1st Bombardment Division B-17s unable to attack their targets in Germany attack the city of Rouen. One B-17 is lost. Three hundred seven VIII Fighter Command fighters provide escort for the morning heavy-bomber missions, and one fighter is lost with its pilot.


More than 430 IX Bomber Command B-26s and A-20s attack V-weapons sites, gun emplacements, fuel dumps, marshalling yards at two locations, and a rail bridge. Also, 11 Ninth Air Force fighter groups provide escort for the bombers and attack fuel dumps, bridges, and rail targets west of Paris.


During the afternoon, 57 1st Bombardment Division B-17s and 105 2d Bombardment Division B-24s attack two electrical and power stations, a marshalling yard at St.-Pol-sur-Mer, and V-weapons sites in the Pas-de-Calais area. Two B-24s are lost.


One hundred eighteen VIII Fighter Command fighters provide escort for the afternoon mission. Also, 25 VIII Fighter Command P-51s conducting a sweep through the Angers-Le Mans area destroy 25 GAF aircraft on the ground.


Ninth Air Force fighter and fighter-bomber pilots down four GAF fighters and one Ju-52 between 1245 and 1830 hours.


GERMANY: Two hundred thirteen Eighth Air Force B-17s attack oil-industry targets at Bremen, 40 B-17s attack the city of Bremen, and 53 B-17s unable to attack targets in Bremen attack an aircraft-industry site at Wesermunde. One B-17 is lost.


Two hundred fifty-one VIII Fighter Command P-38s and P-47s provide escort for the heavy-bomber mission to Bremen.


ITALY: Twelfth Air Force bombers are grounded by bad weather, and fighter-bomber operations are severely restricted, but some XII TAC P-47 groups are able to attack several bridges, rail lines, gun emplacements, and tactical targets in and around the battle area.


ROMANIA: Fifteenth Air Force B-24s attack oil-industry targets at Ploesti and the rail depot at Craiova, and Fifteenth Air Force B-17s attack a rail bridge.


Pilots of the 31st, 82d, and 325th Fighter groups down 14 Axis fighters over Bulgaria and Romania between 0850 and 1030 hours. 1stLt Wayne L. Lowry, a P-51 pilot with the 325th Fighter Group’s 317th Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status when he downs a Bf-109 and an FW-190 near Bucharest between 0935 and 0945 hours.

BASE CHANGE
3 Sqn RAAF (Kittyhawk IV) moves to Falerium
21 Sqn SAAF (Baltimore III/IV) moves to Pescara
68 Sqn (Beaufighter VIF) moves to Castle Camps
72 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to Grosseto
112 Sqn (Non-Op) moves to Falerium
450 Sqn RAAF (Kittyhawk IV) moves to Falerium

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


2nd TAF
A little over two hours later, at 0209, Wt Off Robert Jones/Flt Sgt Gregory of 410 Squadron claimed another Ju 188 north-west of the beaches. However another of this unit's Mosquitoes was shot down by Flak over Barfleur, Flg Offs J.R.Steepe and D.H.Baker both being killed.

Soon after dawn a 245 Squadron Typhoon was damaged by Flak, but at 0605 122 Wing Mustangs from 19, 65 and 122 Squadrons were led by Wg Cdr Robin Johnston on an armed reconnaissance, bombing and strafing before landing to refuel at B.7, from where they were to operate for the rest of the day. Whilst they were over the target area at about 0720, large formations of Bf 109s and Fw 190s were encountered, and a large dogfight commenced. 19 Squadron pilots claimed four Fw 190s and a Bf 109 shot down, one of each being claimed by Flt Sgt Basilios Vassilliades, who also claimed damage to an He 111 which he spotted on the ground. 65 Squadron added three more Fw 190s, two of them by Flg Off T. "Tony' Jonsson, DFM, the only Icelandic pilot with the RAF, while Flg Off C. Jimmie' Talalla, a Singhalese, added a Bf 109 and Wg Cdr Johnston another Fw 190. Talalla's brother was also in 2nd TAF as a Typhoon pilot with 182 Squadron. 65 Squadron was hard hit in return however, Flt Lt B.P.W.Clapin, Flt Sgts W.A.Sumner and E.T.Williams, and Sgt D.C.Webb, all being shot down. Sumner was killed, but the other three evaded capture and returned later.

There is little doubt but that their opponents were from III./JG 54 and II./JG 26, pilots from these units claiming seven P-51s in the area at around 0715. Four of these claims were made by Hptm 'Bully' Lang, one by Lt Hans Dortenmann and one by Uffz Erwin Schleef of the former unit, and one by Lt Wilhelm Hofmann of the latter. III./JG 54 lost three Focke-Wulfs in the area, while II./JG 26 lost one.

A little later at 0728 pilots of II./JG 26 claimed a Spitfire in the Evreux area and a P-51 east of Brezolles, these being claimed by Hptm Walter Matoni and Oblt Stoll respectively, but no further 2nd TAF losses have been discovered. A little over an hour later, 12 Spitfires of 331 Squadron patrolled over the beaches, led by the 132 Wing Leader, Lt Col R.A.Berg. Here a dozen Bf 109s were seen, Berg claiming one shot down, whilst 2/Lt J.W.Garben claimed two and 2/Lt O.F.Solvang one more.

Wg Cdr Stanislaw Skalski then led 24 Mustangs of 133 Wing on an armed reconnaissance towards Evreux. Railway buildings were attacked, but an estimated 40 German fighters then attempted to "bounce' the formation. Skalski attacked one, which he reported collided with a second, whilst endeavouring to avoid his fire, both crashing. Two more Bf 109s were claimed by Flg Off Jerzy Polak of 315 Squadron, whilst other pilots of this unit claimed an Fw 190 and a Bf 109 shot down, plus four Bf 109s and two Fw 190s damaged. Their opponents seem to have been aircraft of I. and II./JG 2 and III./JG 3, pilots from these Gruppen claiming three P-51s shot down in the Evreux- Dreux area, one of the claims being made by Maj Erich Hohagen, Kommandeur of L/JG 2. 315 Squadron lost a single Mustang in which Wt Off J.Adamiak was killed, falling near Tillieres.

There had undoubtedly been a degree of overclaiming on this date. Mustang pilots claimed 14 victories and the Spitfires five more, whilst US fighters had added another four - all Bf 109s. Eight of the claims submitted by Mustang units had been for Fw 190s. However, Jagdwaffe losses amounted to four Focke-Wulfs and 11 Messerschmitts to all causes.

The day had not been an expensive one for the Typhoons however. One did force-land south of Bernay after being hit by Flak during the latter part of the morning, Flg Off K.C.Matthews of 183 Squadron becoming a POW, whilst in the early afternoon a 197 Squadron aircraft had force- landed in Allied territory after being hit, but Plt Off R.H.Jones was unhurt. One Mitchell of 320 Squadron had, however, fallen to Flak during an attack on an important target identified as a V-1 headquarters in the Château D'Ansenne, with the crew lost.

As night fell an ADGB Spitfire V of 130 Squadron on a late beachhead patrol engaged a Ju 88 off Le Havre, but was shot down, and Flt Sgt W.F.Hircock was killed.

USAAF
ENGLAND: The 422d Heavy Bombardment Squadron (the Eighth Air Force’s independent night-leaflet squadron) is redesignated as the 406th Heavy Bombardment Squadron.


FRANCE: During the morning, 74 1st Bombardment Division B-17s and 265 2d and 3d Bombardment division B-24s attack airdromes, auxiliary fighter strips, and bridges in central and northwestern France. Two B-24s are lost. Also, 11 1st Bombardment Division B-17s unable to attack their targets in Germany attack the city of Rouen. One B-17 is lost. Three hundred seven VIII Fighter Command fighters provide escort for the morning heavy-bomber missions, and one fighter is lost with its pilot.


More than 430 IX Bomber Command B-26s and A-20s attack V-weapons sites, gun emplacements, fuel dumps, marshalling yards at two locations, and a rail bridge. Also, 11 Ninth Air Force fighter groups provide escort for the bombers and attack fuel dumps, bridges, and rail targets west of Paris.


During the afternoon, 57 1st Bombardment Division B-17s and 105 2d Bombardment Division B-24s attack two electrical and power stations, a marshalling yard at St.-Pol-sur-Mer, and V-weapons sites in the Pas-de-Calais area. Two B-24s are lost.


One hundred eighteen VIII Fighter Command fighters provide escort for the afternoon mission. Also, 25 VIII Fighter Command P-51s conducting a sweep through the Angers-Le Mans area destroy 25 GAF aircraft on the ground.


Ninth Air Force fighter and fighter-bomber pilots down four GAF fighters and one Ju-52 between 1245 and 1830 hours.


GERMANY: Two hundred thirteen Eighth Air Force B-17s attack oil-industry targets at Bremen, 40 B-17s attack the city of Bremen, and 53 B-17s unable to attack targets in Bremen attack an aircraft-industry site at Wesermunde. One B-17 is lost.


Two hundred fifty-one VIII Fighter Command P-38s and P-47s provide escort for the heavy-bomber mission to Bremen.


ITALY: Twelfth Air Force bombers are grounded by bad weather, and fighter-bomber operations are severely restricted, but some XII TAC P-47 groups are able to attack several bridges, rail lines, gun emplacements, and tactical targets in and around the battle area.


ROMANIA: Fifteenth Air Force B-24s attack oil-industry targets at Ploesti and the rail depot at Craiova, and Fifteenth Air Force B-17s attack a rail bridge.


Pilots of the 31st, 82d, and 325th Fighter groups down 14 Axis fighters over Bulgaria and Romania between 0850 and 1030 hours. 1stLt Wayne L. Lowry, a P-51 pilot with the 325th Fighter Group’s 317th Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status when he downs a Bf-109 and an FW-190 near Bucharest between 0935 and 0945 hours.

BASE CHANGE
3 Sqn RAAF (Kittyhawk IV) moves to Falerium
21 Sqn SAAF (Baltimore III/IV) moves to Pescara
68 Sqn (Beaufighter VIF) moves to Castle Camps
72 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to Grosseto
112 Sqn (Non-Op) moves to Falerium
450 Sqn RAAF (Kittyhawk IV) moves to Falerium

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

[warshipbuilder]

25-6-44
102 Sqn (Pocklington – Halifax III)
This was the second daylight operation undertaken by the Squadron on an early morning take-off. 18 aircraft set out to attack MONTORGUEIL in the Pas De Calais area 17 aircraft returned one aircraft was seen to explode over the target area. Bombing started at 0929 and finished at 0931. Bombing heights were from 16800 feet to 17600 feet. Flak medium to heavy. Opinion of crews was that the attack was successful. No enemy fighters were seen. One aircraft landed away at CARNABY.

ADDENDUM – Halifax III MZ753 DY-M. Crew: S/L GB Treasure KIA, Sgt D Sykes KIA, F/O SJ Bailey KIA, F/O G Fraser KIA, Sgt RW Collins KIA, Sgt LT Archard KIA, Sgt EG Bland KIA. T/o 0749 Pocklington. Collided in the air with a 77 Sqn aircraft, Halifax III KN-N, both machines falling at Fontaine l’Etalon, 8 km SSE of Hesdin. Both crews rest in the churchyard at Fontaine l’Etalon.

BOMBER COMMAND
FLYING-BOMB SITES
323 aircraft – 202 Halifaxes, 106 Lancasters, 15 Mosquitoes – of 1, 4, 6 and 8 Groups attacked 3 sites. The weather was clear and it was believed that all 3 raids were accurate. 2 Halifaxes of 4 Group were lost from the raid on the Montorgueil site.

617 Squadron sent 17 Lancasters, 2 Mosquitoes and 1 Mustang to bomb the Siracourt flying-bomb store. The Mustang was flown by Wing Commander Cheshire and used as a low-level marker aircraft. The Mustang had only arrived at Woodhall Spa that afternoon, by courtesy of the Eighth Air Force, and this was Cheshire’s first flight in it. The Lancasters scored 3 direct hits on the concrete store with Tallboy bombs and no aircraft were lost. Cheshire had to make his first landing in the unfamiliar Mustang when he returned to his home airfield after dark.

________________________________________

25/26 June 1944
HOMBERG
42 Mosquitoes of 8 Group to bomb the Rheinpreussen synthetic-oil plant at Homberg/Meerbeck; photographs showed that no new damage was caused. No aircraft lost.

Minor Operations: 8 Mosquitoes flew R.C.M. sorties and 16 Mosquitoes carried out Serrate patrols. No aircraft lost.

Screenshot (67960).png (100.59 KiB) Viewed 1403 times

2

Screenshot (67961).png (107.94 KiB) Viewed 1403 times

2nd TAF
At 0040 Wt Off W.G.Kirkwood/Wt Off C.N.Matheson of 409 Squadron claimed a Ju 188, another of these bombers being reported damaged by 410 Squadron at 0145. Just before dawn at 0407, Flt Lt G.E.Jameson/Flg Off A.N.Crookes of 488 Squadron claimed an Me 410 20 miles south-west of Bayeux. During the night however, two of 21 Squadron's Mosquito VIs were lost. From the first at 0200, Flt Lt B.P.Horsley and Flg Off F.C.Gunn baled out over the Channel Horsley and was picked up, but Gunn was not found. The second aircraft had been borrowed by Wg Cdr 'Bob' Braham, DSO & 2 Bars, DFC & 2 Bars, for another long day patrol towards Denmark. Here the aircraft was intercepted, again by Fw Spreckels of Stab/JG 1, and was shot down into the sea. Braham and his navigator, Flt Lt D.Walsh, DFC, RAAF, were rescued by a German vessel, and spent the rest of the war as POWs.

With dawn Wg Cdr George Keefer of 126 Wing scrambled at 0430, catching and shooting down a Bf 109 south of Caen - probably a night fighter on its way home. This however was to be the soleclaim of the day for 2nd TAF and the RAF. On this date a new British offensive was opened as Operation 'Epsom, comprising 60,000 men of the newly-arrived VIII Corps under General O'Connor, supported by 600 tanks and 700 guns, advancing from between XXX and I Corps, struck towards Gavrus and Evrecy to the west of Caen and Carpiquet airfield. The advance would be made in the face of five Panzer divisions and part of a sixth, and was to meet extremely stiff opposition.

During the day the only actions reported by 2nd TAF were an attack by Bf 109s on a 438 Squadron Typhoon flown by Flt Lt J.R.Beirnes, which was damaged, whilst a 193 Squadron aircraft crashed in the sea south of The Needles, Isle of Wight, in low cloud. One of 63 Squadron's Spitfire Vs was shot down by Flak near Bayeux, with the loss of Flt Lt B.F.Cleeton, whilst a second crash-landed in Allied territory, and in which Flg Off G.R.Duff was injured.

125 Wing now moved to Normandy to join the other 83 Group Spitfire units there, 132, 453 and 602 Squadrons all flying in to B.11, Longues. 122 Wing also moved in, its three Mustang squadrons going to B.7 at Martragny.

Whilst few Luftwaffe aircraft had been seen over the British zone throughout the day, the story had been very different further west. In their best day since the landings had begun, US fighters had been involved in a veritable orgy of combat, claiming 49 German fighters shot down, one probable and another 28 damaged. Against these claims the Jagdwaffe had lost 36 aircraft - a massive enough loss in itself; 23 of these losses were suffered by JG 2 and JG 3, which lost 11 and 12 respectively.

USAAF
FRANCE: During the day, a total of 500 Eighth Air Force B-17s and B-24s attack five airdromes, an oil dump, and numerous power and transformer stations. Five B-17s and two B-24s are lost.


VIII Fighter Command fighters mount a total of 430 escort sorties. Many of the escort fighter groups conduct strafing attacks after being released from escort duty. Two fighters and their pilots are lost. Also, 41 VIII Fighter Command P-47 fighter-bombers attack the Evreux/Fauville Airdrome.


More than 400 IX Bomber Command B-26s and A-20s attack rail bridges at four locations and fuel dumps at three locations; and fighter-bombers from 14 Ninth Air Force tactical groups escort the bombers or conduct dive-bombing attacks at Argentan, Chartes, Dreux, Orleans, and Tours.


VIII Fighter Command and Ninth Air Force fighter and fighter-bomber pilots down 49 GAF fighters between 0700 and 1940 hours.


The IX TAC’s 50th Fighter Group moves into Advance Landing Ground A-10, at Carentan.
U.S. First Army ground forces capture Cherbourg/Maupertus Airdrome.


Fifteenth Air Force heavy bombers attack oil-industry targets and a marshalling yard at Sete, port facilities at Toulon, and a marshalling yard at Avignon.


1stLt Robert E. Riddle, a P-51 pilot with the 31st Fighter Group’s 307th Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status when he downs a Bf-109 near Avignon at 0956 hours; and Col Charles M. McCorkle, the commanding officer of the 31st Fighter Group, brings his final personal tally to 11 confirmed victories when he downs a Bf-109 near Avignon at 0956 hours.


During the night of June 25–26, 320 3d Bombardment Division B-17s attack seven rail bridges in the Paris area, Paris/Orly Airport, and a nearby marshalling yard; and 109 2d Bombardment Division B-24s attack three airdromes. Also, under cover of the bombing attacks, a number of 3d Bombardment Division B-17s drop supplies and a U.S. Office of Strategic Services (OSS) arms instructor to French partisans operating in the Paris area. One B-17 and five B-24s are lost.


ITALY: Twelfth Air Force B-25s and B-26s are grounded by bad weather; XII TAC A-20s attack ammunition dumps; XII TAC fighter-bombers attack towns and rail lines around the battle area; and a Fifteenth Air Force fighter group strafes all the traffic and other targets along the road linking Fiume, Italy, with Senje, Yugoslavia.

BASE CHANGE
12 Sqn SAAF (Marauder II) moves to Pescara
18 Sqn (Boston III) moves to Tarquinia
19 Sqn (Mustang III) moves to B.7 Martragny
43 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to Grosseto
65 Sqn (Mustang III) moves to B.7 Martragny
93 Sqn (Spitfire IX) moves to Grosseto
111 Sqn (Spitfire IX) moves to Grosseto
114 Sqn (Boston III/IIIA) moves to Tarquinia
122 Sqn (Mustang III) moves to B.7 Martragny
132 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to B.14 Amblie
175 Sqn (Typhoon IB) moves to B.5 Le Fresne/Camilly
453 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to B.11 Longues-sur-Mere
602 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to B.11 Longues-sur-Mere

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
328 Sqn (Bastia/Borgo) flies its first OM in the Spitfire VIII
346 Sqn (Elvington) flies its first OM in the Halifax III

[warshipbuilder]

26-6-44
692 Sqn (Gransden Lodge – Mosquito BIV/BXVI)
Twelve aircraft detailed for operations, one aircraft missing, operations carried out.

ADDENDUM – Mosquito BXVI MM139 P3-? Crew: F/L JP Farrow DFM DFC RNZAF POW, F/O CR Strang RNZAF KIA. T/o 2338 Gransden Lodge to carry out a low level attack on railway workshops. Hit by flak. F/O is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.

BOMBER COMMAND
2 Mosquitoes on uneventful Ranger patrols.

________________________________________

26/27 June 1944
GÖTINGEN
35 Mosquitoes of 8 Group attacked Göttingen with the intention of hitting the railway workshops. The raid was carried out from medium altitude – 4,000 to 10,000 ft – but the marker aircraft experienced difficulties in locating the target and the bombing was scattered. 1 Mosquito lost.

This may have been an experimental raid, to try out the 8 Group Mosquitoes in a precision bombing role, but this type of operation was not repeated.

8 Halifaxes of 6 Group laid mines off French ports without loss.

Screenshot (67964).png (98.84 KiB) Viewed 1376 times

2

Screenshot (67965).png (105.77 KiB) Viewed 1376 times

2nd TAF

During the next two days the weather would be poor, greatly restricting 2nd TAF's ability to play an active part in 'Epsom. The effect on the US front was even more extreme in the air, where after the violent actions of the 25th, no claims were to be made at all!

At 0045-0050 Flt Lt D.T.Steele/Flg Off Storrs of 409 Squadron claimed damage to a Do 217 and then claimed a Ju 188 shot down south-east of Le Havre. Whilst on an early patrol at 0640, Spitfires of 403 Squadron engaged Bf 109s over Lisieux airfield, claiming three shot down and two damaged.

Mid-morning Sous Lt Pierre Clostermann was sitting in the cockpit of his 602 Squadron Spitfire at readiness when he was scrambled after Bf 109s, claiming one of these probably destroyed at 1125. Five minutes later he spotted four Fw 190s, claiming one of these shot down. In this area between 1100-1120, Hptm 'Bully' Lang of III./JG 54 claimed one Spitfire over Bernay and Lt Oeckel of III./JG 26 one east of Caen. At 1215 a Fw 190 was claimed damaged west of Rouen by Flt Lt W.A.Prest of 443 Squadron.

On this date, although only four victories and one probable were claimed by 2nd TAF, and none by the USAAF, the Jagdwaffe reported the loss to various causes of 12 fighters.

USAAF
AUSTRIA: Six hundred seventy-seven Fifteenth Air Force B-17s and B-24s, escorted by 260 fighters, attack five of the seven oil refineries and an oil depot in the Vienna area. Thirty USAAF heavy bombers and fighters are downed during attacks by more than 150 Axis fighters during the target penetration phase.

82d Fighter Group P-38 pilots down 13 of the GAF fighters, mostly twin-engine Messerschmitts, over Bratislava, Czechoslovakia. 2dLt James D. Holloway, of the 82d Fighter Group’s 95th Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status when he downs two Me-410s and a Bf-110. In all, along the bomber routes between 0855 and 1015 hours, pilots of the 1st, 31st, 52d, and 82d Fighter groups down 44 GAF aircraft, including a number of rocket-firing Ju-88s.

ENGLAND: Except for a few reconnaissance and fighter sorties over Normandy, the Eighth and Ninth air forces are grounded by bad weather.

FRANCE: Cherbourg falls to U.S. First Army ground forces.

ITALY: Twelfth Air Force bombers and most fighter-bombers are grounded by bad weather, but some XII TAC fighter-bombers manage to attack several rail and tactical targets near the Gothic Line.

POLAND: Seventy-two B-17s and 103 P-51 comprising the Eighth Air Force FRANTIC force leave the Soviet Union for USAAF bases in Italy. Along the way, they bomb the oil plant at Drohobycz, Poland. The Eighth Air Force formation is met along the withdrawal route by Fifteenth Air Force escort fighters.

BASE CHANGE
223 Sqn (Baltimore V) moves to Pescara
303 Sqn (Spitfire VB) moves to Merston
315 Sqn (Mustang III) moves to Ford
318 Sqn (Spitfire VB/VC) moves to Totoretto

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
331 Sqn (Bognar) flies its last OM in the Spitfire IX

[warshipbuilder]

27-6-44
BOMBER COMMAND
MIMOYECQUES
104 Halifaxes of 4 Group with 5 Mosquitoes and 2 Lancasters of the Pathfinders attacked the V-weapon site without loss. Bombing conditions were good and two large explosions were seen on the ground.
________________________________________
27/28 June 1944
FLYING-BOMB SITES
721 aircraft – 477 Lancasters, 207 Halifaxes, 37 Mosquitoes – attacked 6 sites. All raids were believed to have been successful. 3 Lancasters lost.
RAILWAYS
214 Lancasters and 9 Mosquitoes of 1, 5 and 8 Groups attacked Vaires and Vitry railway yards. The 8 Group raid on Vaires was particularly accurate; the Vitry yards were hit only at the western end. 4 Lancasters lost, 2 from each raid.
Minor Operations: 22 R.C.M. sorties, 61 Mosquito patrols, 8 Halifaxes minelaying off Biscay ports, 14 Halifaxes on Resistance operations. 2 Mosquitoes were lost but other Mosquitoes claimed 6 German night fighters destroyed.
Total effort for the night: 1,049 sorties, 9 aircraft (0.9 percent) lost.

USAAF
FRANCE: Bad weather prevents 251 Eighth Air Force B-17s and B-24s from attacking V-weapons sites in the Pas-de-Calais area, but 218 of the heavy bombers scatter their bombs more or less throughout the target area, upon a canal lock, several supply dumps, and Creil Airdrome. Five B-24s are lost.

Among the airmen missing on this mission is BriGen A. W. Vanaman, the Eighth Air Force chief of intelligence, who is captured after bailing out of a B-24 plagued by a burning fuel leak. The B-24 returns to base with half its crew, BriGen Vanaman spends the rest of the war as a prisoner, and the Germans refuse to believe that he is not an intentional plant so do not use any of the information they manage to extract from him.

One hundred ninety-five VIII Fighter Command P-38s and P-51s provide escort for the heavy bombers, and many of the P-51s attack targets of opportunity while returning to England. Two P-51s are lost with their pilots.

During the afternoon, 46 VIII Fighter Command P-38s (of 193 dispatched) attack Connantre Airdrome; 36 VIII Fighter Command P-47s (of 158 dispatched) attack Villeneuve/Zertes Airdrome; and 32 VIII Fighter Command P-47s (of 49 dispatched) attack Coulommiers Airdrome after failing to locate their primary target. Three P-38s are lost. Also, 246 VIII Fighter Command fighters conduct sweeps against transportation targets of opportunity around Paris.

More than 700 Ninth Air Force fighters and fighter-bombers patrol over the Normandy battle area or attack rail, road, and communications targets throughout France.

VIII Fighter Command fighters down 14 GAF fighters between 1935 and 2050 hours.

HUNGARY: Fifteenth Air Force B-17s attack marshalling yards at Budapest. Capt David “C” Wilhelm, a P-51 pilot with the 31st Fighter Group’s 309th Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status when he downs an Me-210 at 1010 hours.

ITALY: Twelfth Air Force B-25s and B-26s are grounded by bad weather; XII TAC A-20s attack ammunition dumps; and XII TAC fighter-bombers attack bridges, rail and road targets, and tactical targets in or near the battle area.

POLAND: Fifteenth Air Force B-24s attack oil-industry targets at Drohobycz. While escorting the bombers over Hungary, pilots of the 31st, 52d, 82d, and 325th Fighter groups down 20 Axis aircraft between 0935 and 1035 hours.

YUGOSLAVIA: Fifteenth Air Force B-24s attack marshalling yards at Brod.

[warshipbuilder]

28-6-44
424 Sqn RCAF (Skipton-on-Swale – Halifax III)
WEATHER -Fair to cloudy with an occasional shower. Visibility good. Winds S.W.’ ly.

OPERATIONS-The Squadron was ordered to detail 17 A/C for operations this morning. All was ready and a stand by order came through, This lasted into the afternoon and then a night raid was planned. 15 A/C took off for the target which was METZ It is presumed that all A/C bombed the target although two failed to return. Weather over the target was clear the and crews were able to bomb visually with the aid of the T.I.'s. Defences consisted of slight flak and intense enemy aircraft activity on the outward route, especially in the area NE of PARIS.

Operational Flying Time - Right 89 hrs, 27 mins. Non-Operational Flying – Nil.

ADDENDUM - Halifax III LV910 QB-Y. Crew: F/O E Brown RCAF POW, Sgt H Brown EVD, F/O HR Weller RCAF POW, F/O EW McCreight RCAF EVD, F/S GN Johnston RCAF POW, Sgt MS Lindsay RCAF EVD, Sgt HJ Branch RCAF POW. Possibly shot down by Fw Johannes Gajewski (4th victory) 6./NJG2 at 0106, crashing in the Soissons-Fismes area. F/O Brown was admitted to a hospital in Reims, where a foot was amputated. He was liberated when the US Third Army entered Reims in August.

Halifax III LV961 QB-G. Crew: F/O GW Johnson RCAF KIA, Sgt T Davies KIA, F/O EW Polliott RCAF KIA, F/O RH Dickinson RCAF KIA, F/S JB Patterson RCAF KIA, Sgt GH Isaac RCAF KIA, Sgt FE Joynson RCAF KIA. T/o 2156 Skipton-on-Swale. Probably shot down by Uffz Gottfried Schneider (6th victory) 3./NJG3 at 0040, crashing in the Beaumont area, N Paris. All are at rest in Marrisel French National Cemetery.

BOMBER COMMAND
WIZERNES
103 Halifaxes of 4 Group with 5 Mosquitoes and 2 Lancasters of the Pathfinders attacked the V-weapon site without loss. No report of the bombing results was filed.

2 Mosquitoes flew uneventful Ranger patrols.

________________________________________
28/29 June 1944
RAILWAYS
202 Halifaxes of 4 and 6 Groups with 28 Pathfinder Lancasters attacked yards at Blainville and Metz. Both targets were hit. 20 aircraft were lost, 11 Halifaxes of 4 Group and 1 Lancaster from the Blainville raid and 7 Halifaxes of 6 Group and 1 Lancaster from Metz. The combined loss rate was 8.7 percent.

Minor Operations: 33 Mosquitoes to Saarbrücken and 10 to Scholven/Buer oil plant, 21 R.C.M. sorties, 35 Mosquito patrols, 8 Halifaxes and 4 Stirlings minelaying off Lorient and St-Malo. No aircraft lost.

Screenshot (67976).png (149.74 KiB) Viewed 1344 times

2

Screenshot (67977)A.png (163.43 KiB) Viewed 1344 times

3

Screenshot (67977)B.png (175.19 KiB) Viewed 1344 times

4

Screenshot (67978).png (103.18 KiB) Viewed 1344 times

2nd TAF
By night German bombers flew down the Seine, attempting to lay mines in the estuary and Flg Off E.A.Turner/Fg Off T.V.Arden of 264 Squadron were able to claim a Ju 188 shot down in the area. By day the weight of Luftwaffe sorties transferred to the British front in an effort to support the units on the ground opposing VIII Corps' offensive. On this date, whilst USAAF pilots saw very few hostile aircraft and were able to submit only three claims, 2nd TAF Spitfire pilots would claim 26 enemy aircraft- their best day yet - and all these claims would be made by the pilots of the Canadian units of 83 Group.

412 Squadron was off on patrol at 0520, Flg Off W.J.Banks claiming a Bf 109 from six fighters which were intercepted, motor vehicles also being strafed. Four 403 Squadron aircraft were up at the same time, Flt Lt Andy Mackenzie claiming a Fw 190 over Evreux, although two of the unit's Spitfires were shot down, with Flg Off J.L.Lanfranchi killed and Flg Off W.H.Rhodes captured. 412 Squadron had also lost Wt Off A.E.Sellar as a prisoner, but due to engine failure which caused him to crash-land south-east of Caen.

Four 401 Squadron aircraft set off on patrol at 0910, meeting 20 Fw 190s with a top cover of 20 Bf 109s to the south of Caen; two of the former were claimed by Flt Lts A.E.Halcrow and R.M.Stayner. About two hours later aircraft from 442, 443 and 416 Squadrons were in the air. 416 Squadron was engaged first at 1125, two Fw 190s and a Bf 109 being claimed in the Caen area. Five minutes later Wg Cdr Johnson claimed two Bf 109s here, while his 144 Wing pilots of 442 Squadron attacked two more, a probable and a damaged being claimed. 443 Squadron then took up the attack at 1135, three Fw 190s claimed destroyed when eight to ten of these fighters were seen in the Villiers area.

At 1225 411 Squadron was off on one of three operations it was to undertake during this day. South of Caen at least 15 Bf 109s and Fw 190s were seen at about 1315, one of each being claimed 20 miles south of Le Havre, with two Fw 190s damaged. 416 Squadron was back in the air at 1525, six pilots patrolling over the front, where at between 1600-1630 Fw 190s and Bf 109s were met, one of the former claimed by Flt Lt G.R.Patterson. At 1700 it was the turn of 442 Squadron again, six pilots having taken off at 1615, who met a large formation of Fw 190s near Caen, claiming three of these damaged south of Cabourg.

Six 421 Squadron aircraft took up the patrol from 1725. At 1800 Flg Off John McElroy and Flt Lt 'Hank' Żary each claimed Bf 109s over Caen, whilst two more were believed to have been damaged. At 1920 411 Squadron was on its final patrol south of Caen when 10-15 Fw 190s and Bf 109s were engaged, Flt R.K.Hayward claiming two Focke-Wulfs and Flt Lt G.W.Johnson a third. One Spitfire was damaged during this encounter.

So far the day had cost only the two 403 Squadron Spitfires during the early patrol, but now the final sorties of the day, whilst bringing more victories, were also to suffer some losses. 401 Squadron took off at 2115 on an armed reconnaissance, but whilst some vehicles were being strafed the squadron was 'bounced by a dozen Fw 190s and a large dogfight ensued. Flg Off Bill Klersy claimed two destroyed, while Flt Lt 'Hap' Kennedy and Flt Lt W.R.Tew each claimed one, but Flt Lts G.B.Murray and R.B.Davidson were both shot down and killed. Kennedy later wrote in Black Crosses off my Wingtip: "...we were jumped by a squadron of Focke-Wulf 190s out of the sun. A good old fashioned scrap followed right down to ground level. My new Spit IX was too much for a Focke Wulf pilot who stayed around for the scrap. He had a good aircraft, but could not turn with a Spit IX, and when I got on his tail I knew I had him. One short burst and he was into the trees with a great flash of fire."

There is little doubt that the opponents were pilots of I./JG 1 and L/JG 11, the former unit claiming one Spitfire and the latter two more in this area at this time.

A little earlier at 2016, Lt Culemann of III./JG 27 had claimed a P-51 to the east of Caen, and this would appear to have been a 430 Squadron Mustang I flown by Flg Off F.H.Byron, which was attacked by six Bf 109s whilst he and another pilot were seeking to undertake a TacR sortie in the Bretville area; Byron was killed. Other claims by Luftwaffe pilots had included a Spitfire by I./JG 2 at 0927, another by II./JG 26 at 1121 and three by I. and II./JG 1 at 1720. It is very likely that all these claims were made during engagements with the Canadian Spitfires, but on all occasions no losses had actually been suffered. The three RCAF Wings had indeed claimed 26 victories for the loss of four aircraft and three pilots, one of whom survived as a POW.

Jagdwaffe losses had totalled 29 for the day- coincidentally exactly the number claimed by Allied fighters. Ten Fw 190s and 19 Bf 109s made up the total, JG 26 with seven losses and JG 27 with eight bearing the brunt of the day's casualties. Allied claims had veered in the opposite direction, totalling 18 Fw 190s and 11 Bf 109s. This appears to denote either some poor aircraft recognition, or the normal proportion of overclaiming, which seems the more likely, despite the apparent convenience of the matching overall totals.

Amongst other units operating during the day, 181 Squadron had one Typhoon damaged by Flak, which force-landed in friendly territory, whilst a Spitfire of 310 Squadron was shot down by Flak near Caen, and Sgt J.Bauer killed. This latter squadron had been operating from B.10, to which the pilots of 134 Wing had flown; they would return to England next day. The day had also seen the movement of 131 Wing's Polish Spitfire squadrons to Appledram, and ADGB's 229 Squadron to Gatwick.

USAAF
BELGIUM: Eleven 2d Bombardment Division B-24s that are unable to attack assigned targets at Saarbrucken, Germany, attack Florennes/Juzaine Airdrome.


ENGLAND: All Ninth Air Force bomber and fighter units based in the U.K. are grounded by bad weather.


FRANCE: Three hundred forty-one Eighth Air Force B-17s attack two bridges, an oil dump, and five airdromes. One B-17 is lost. More than 200 IX TAC fighter-bombers operating from advance landing grounds in Normandy attack bridges, rail facilities, ammunition and fuel dumps, gun emplacements, troop concentrations, motor vehicles, and many other tactical targets in and around the battle area.


Thirty VIII Fighter Command P-47s, of 50 dispatched, attack La Perthe Airdrome, and VIII Fighter Command pilots down two GAF fighters over France, and one over Belgium.


The IX TAC’s 48th Fighter Group makes a permanent move into Advance Landing Ground A-4, at Deaux Jumeaux, from which elements have been operating since June 18.


GERMANY: Three hundred thirty-one 2d Bombardment Division B-24s attack marshalling yards at Saarbrucken. One B-24 is lost.


ITALY: All Twelfth Air Force bombers and most XII TAC fighter-bombers are grounded by bad weather, but some XII TAC fighter-bombers are able to attack rail lines servicing the Gothic Line.


ROMANIA: Fifteenth Air Force B-24s attack Karlova Airdrome and oil-industry targets around Bucharest, and 40 escort fighters conduct a sweep over Bucharest.


Pilots of the 31st, 52d, and 325th Fighter groups down 20 Axis fighters over and around Bucharest between 0958 and 1025 hours. 2dLt James W. Empey, a P-51 pilot with the 52d Fighter Group’s 2d Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status when he downs a Bf-109.

BASE CHANGE
10 Sqn SAAF (Spitfire VB/VC) moves to Idku
41 Sqn (Spitfire XII) moves to Westhampnett
229 Sqn (Spitfire IX) moves to Gatwick
247 Sqn (Typhoon IB) moves to B.9 Coulombs
302 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to Appledram
308 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to Appledram
310 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to B.10 Plumetot
312 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to B.10 Plumetot
313 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to B.10 Plumetot
317 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to Appledram
440 Sqn RCAF (Typhoon IB) moves to B.9 Lantheuil

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
13 Sqn (Tarquinia) flies its last OM in the Baltimore IV

[warshipbuilder]

29-6-44
12 Sqn (Wickenby – Lancaster I/III)
Weather: Cloudy with frequent showers, Vis good, Wind S/SSW 10-20 M.P.H. failing light at night. Operations ordered for 14 aircraft: Target Siracourt 15th Raid: Captains as follows -F/0.Honor, F/O. Landon, P/O. Leuty, F/O. Vernon, P/O. Underwood, P/O. Trooter, F/S. Turner, P/O. Pollard, P/O. Thompson, P/O. Downing, P/O. Owens, P/0. Hancox, P/O. Pappas, F/S. Lowry. Another daylight raid with fighter escort was carried out out in Siracourt in the Pas-De-Calais area. The weather conditions were poor and despite a slight improvement in the target area, cloud prevented good aiming. The usual standard of accuracy as a consequence suffered. Fighter opposition was negligible, although the flak encountered was considerable. Fourteen aircraft came under orders - one is reported missing and the remainder all bombed the "Primary”.
ADDENDUM - Lancaster I LL910 PH-A. Crew: P/O KA Underwood KIA, Sgt J Marshall POW, F/S HJ Heavener KIA, F/O LV Boyes POW, Sgt DW O’Brien POW, Sgt H Ball POW, Sgt GH Beevers KIA. T/o 1212 Wickenby. Hit by flak at 12,000 feet and only partially abandoned before crashing at Troisvaux in the Pas-de-Calais, 2 km north of St-Pol-sur-Ternoise. Those who died are buried in Troisvaux Communal Cemetery.

BOMBER COMMAND
FLYING-BOMB SITES
286 Lancasters and 19 Mosquitoes of 1, 5 and 8 Groups attacked 2 flying-bomb launching sites and a store. There was partial cloud cover over all the targets; some bombing was accurate but some was scattered. 5 aircraft – 3 Lancasters and 2 Mosquitoes – lost, including the aircraft of the Master Bomber on the raid to the Siracourt site, Flight Lieutenant S. E. C. Clarke of 7 Squadron, but Clarke survived.
2 Mosquitoes carried out Ranger patrols and 1 shot up an E-boat while flying back to England. No aircraft lost.

________________________________________

29/30 June 1944
MINOR OPERATIONS
2 Fortresses on R.C.M. sorties, 14 Mosquitoes on flying-bomb patrols, 8 Stirlings minelaying off Biscay coasts, 16 aircraft on Resistance operations. 1 Mosquito shot down a flying bomb, probably the first 100 Group Mosquito success against the flying bombs. No Bomber Command aircraft lost.

Screenshot (67983).png (87.63 KiB) Viewed 1334 times

2

Screenshot (67984).png (103.7 KiB) Viewed 1334 times

2nd TAF
Twenty minutes after midnight, 28/29 June, Wt Offs W.G.Kirkwood and C.N. Matheson of 409 Squadron claimed a Ju 188 north of Bayeux, while 20 minutes later Flt Lt G.E.Jameson/ Flg Off A.N.Crooke of 488 Squadron claimed a Ju 88 north-east of Caen. 29 Squadron however, noted that it had been ordered to cease beachhead patrols.

Improved weather allowed the air forces to operate in strength on the 29th. The day was also to see the arrival in France of the last elements of 83 Group, the reconnaissance squadrons of 39 Wing moving from Odiham to B.8, Sommervieu. Amongst the 84 Group units, it was also the turn of 145 Wing to operate from the bridgehead, this formation's French squadrons flying in to B.3 for this purpose.

On an early Tack to the north of Paris, a Mustang II of 2 Squadron was lost and its Chinese pilot, Flt Lt Tai-Hai Tan, was killed. It was believed to have been intercepted by fighters, but no matching Luftwaffe claim has been found.

At 0830 during a patrol, the Spitfires of 135 Wing were surprised by German fighters, Flt Lt R.F.Bass of 222 Squadron being shot down and killed by Fw 190s south-west of Lisieux, Lt Heinz Kemethmüller and Lt Wilhelm Hofmann of II./JG 26 both claiming Spitfires, the first at 0840 north of Caen and the second (by Hofmann) south-east of Lisieux eight minutes later. Against this attack, Flt Lt D.W.Beedham of 222 Squadron was able to claim damage to a Focke-Wulf, while Flg Off Johnny Houlton of 485 Squadron made a similar claim against a Bf 109 to the south-east of Caen.

About 45 minutes later Mustang pilots of 65 Squadron who were undertaking a sweep to Dreux, led by Wg Cdr Robin Johnston, spotted a lone Bf 109. Johnston and Flt Lt R.L.Sutherland jointly dispatched this, but as he attacked, Sutherland overshot. He pulled up violently, stalled, and went into a spin, crashing to his death. During the morning a second Mustang was lost when a 129 Squadron aircraft was hit by Flak north of Sees whilst attacking motor transport, with Flt Sgt D.J.F.Rivett also killed. Another 133 Wing Mustang was damaged.

Once again, it was to be a busy day for the Typhoons, for a German counter-attack against VIII Corps' thrust was launched, and in the better weather conditions now prevailing, ground support operations could be maximised. Attacks by these aircraft were therefore able to foil the advance of a column of 40 tanks near Carpiquet.

Their duties gave Typhoon pilots little chance to indulge in air combat. The activities of the patrolling Spitfires and Mustangs had undoubtedly been effective in freeing these powerful aircraft for their predominantly ground-attack role, and indeed of nearly 70 Typhoons which had been lost in action since 6 June, no more than six had fallen victim to German fighters, the majority having succumbed to fire from the ground. Against opposing fighters however, only nine would be claimed shot down during the month; yet more than half of that total would be achieved on 29th!

Late in the morning 183 Squadron set off on an armed reconnaissance to attack railway marshalling yards, escorted by ten more aircraft from 193 Squadron, led by Wg Cdr Baldwin. Near Conches airfield a substantial number of Bf 109s were seen, Baldwin ordering the 193 Squadron pilots to jettison long-range tanks, then leading the squadron down in a classic 'bounce. At this point more Messerschmitts appeared, and a dogfight developed in and out of cloud. Having personally claimed two shot down and a third damaged, Baldwin found that there were large numbers of hostile aircraft milling around, so he called on his pilots to make use of cloud cover and return immediately. This was achieved successfully, although two Typhoons suffered some damage, one force-landing at B.2 and the other at US ALG A.3. Three more Bf 109s were claimed by the returning pilots, plus four damaged; it seems likely that their opponents were aircraft of JG 27, the Gruppen of this unit losing a significant number of Bf 109s during the day (four by II. Gruppe alone). Between 1150-1157 Oberstlt Gustav Rödel, the Geschwaderkommodore of JG 27, claimed three fighters which he identified as P-47s to raise his personal score to 97, whilst Fw Hans Moser of the unit's 9. Staffel claimed two more. From the location and timing it may be that they incorrectly identified their opponents.

127 Wing Spitfires were also engaged early in the afternoon, Flt Lt J.D.Lindsay of 403 Squadron claiming a Fw 190 south-east of Caen, although another of the unit's aircraft was hit both by fighters and Flak, going down near Lisieux; Wt Off R.C.A.Shannon survived and avoided capture, returning later. Another of the Wing's Spitfires, a 416 Squadron machine, was also lost to Flak when flown by the Wing's Commanding Officer, Sqn Ldr F.E.Green, DFC, who was injured when he crash-landed the damaged aircraft at B.2. This squadron's Commanding Officer, Sqn Ldr Dan Noonan, finished his tour on this date, John McElroy being posted in from 421 Squadron to take over his position.

During an afternoon patrol, which commenced at 1530, Flt Lt H.C.Trainor of 411 Squadron claimed a Bf 109 shot down five miles east of Caen. A Mustang I of 414 Squadron was hit by Flak and force-landed in Allied territory, the pilot, Flg Off P.T.Cooke, having been wounded.

With evening Spitfires from 602 Squadron undertook an armed reconnaissance, whilst others from 145 Wing made a wing-strength sweep over the Evreux area. From the former unit Sous Lt Pierre Clostermann became lost in cloud. Emerging, he saw eight Fw 190s ahead which at once attacked him. He managed to get back into cloud, and on emerging again, saw a lone Focke-Wulf at ground level, which he claimed to have shot down. This may possibly have been a Tack aircraft of 2/NAGr 13, reported lost on this date.

Meanwhile the pilots of the French Wing and their New Zealand Wing Leader, had spotted eight Fw 190s and Bf 109s below them in the Evreux area, Wg Cdr Bill Crawford-Compton claiming one of each shot down over the Beaumont-le-Roger area, whilst Lt J.Guignard from 340 Squadron claimed another Fw 190.

This brought the number of fighters which had been claimed by 2nd TAF pilots to 13. To these must be added ten USAAF claims. Jagdwaffe losses amounted to 22 aircraft, including seven Fw 190s and 15 Bf 109s. As indicated, JG 27 had fared worst, 11 of the Messerschmitts having been lost by this Geschwader.

A Typhoon was lost during the evening, when Flg Off C.A.Rowland of 609 Squadron was shot down and killed near St Maske Couches, reportedly by fighters, although no claim has been found. 26 Squadron, which had spent the whole month spotting for the naval guns, recorded on this date that the unit undertook two escort operations for Dakota transport aircraft flying in supplies.

USAAF
FRANCE: Nearly 200 IX Bomber Command B-26s and A-20s attack gun emplacements, rail lines, and rail bridges; and Ninth Air Force fighters and fighter-bombers attack gun emplacements, rail and road traffic, bridges, and tactical targets.

Ninth Air Force fighter and fighter-bomber pilots down nine GAF fighters between 0705 and 1422 hours.

The IX TAC’s 365th Fighter Group moves into Advance Landing Ground A-7, at Azeville.

GERMANY: Of 1,150 Eighth Air Force heavy bombers dispatched, more than 400 abort due to assembly problems in heavy clouds over England. However, 705 B-17s and B-24s attack ten aircraft-industry factories, a motor-vehicle factory, a synthetic oil plant, a ball-bearing factory, a marshalling yard, seven airdromes, and a military encampment, all in or around Leipzig. Six B-17s and nine B-24s are lost.

Escort for the Leipzig mission is provided by 674 VIII and IX Fighter command fighters, of which three are lost with their pilots. On the return flight, fighters from nine escort groups attack locomotives and rail cars, motor vehicles, barges, and German Army troops. The escort fighters also destroy 16 GAF aircraft on the ground.

USAAF escort fighter pilots down 35 GAF fighters over Germany between 0840 and 1012 hours. Three P-51 pilots with the 357th Fighter Group’s 363d Fighter Squadron achieve ace status: Capt Donald H. Bockhay, when he downs a Bf-109 near Schoningen at 0905 hours; Capt James W. Browning, when he downs an Me-410 and shares in the downing of an FW-190 and another Me-410 near Leipzig between 0925 and 0955 hours; and Capt Robert W. Foy, when he downs an FW-190 and two Bf-109s near Leipzig at 0905 hours.

ITALY: Twelfth Air Force B-25s, B-26s, A-20s, and P-47s attack a large number of bridges, viaducts, rail lines, rail cars, locomotives, motor vehicles, landing grounds, ammunition dumps, and other targets in or near the Gothic Line.

NETHERLANDS: Four VIII Fighter Command P-38s attack Axis ships at sea off Ijmuiden.

BASE CHANGE
24 Sqn (Marauder II/III) moves to Pescara
168 Sqn (Mustang I) moves to B.8 Sommervieu
266 Sqn (Typhoon IB) moves to Eastchurch
310 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to Tangmere
313 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to Tangmere
430 Sqn RCAF (Mustang I) moves to B. Sommervieu

[warshipbuilder]

30-6-44
100 Sqn (Grimsby – LancasterI/III)
OPERATIONS: 19 aircraft offered and detailed for a night attack on the Marshalling Yards at VIERZON, 50 miles south of ORLEANS, known to hold at least a division of Rommel’s Panzer troops. All 19 aircraft took off and 17 bombed the primary in aconcentrated attack on markers dropped by the Special dutiesFlight. Two Aircraft "C” P/O KAYand "H" P/O ESTEL failed to return. 100/M P/O REES. evading a fighter got into an uncontrollable 9000 ft dive after turning on its back, loosing ailerons, and damaging various perspex panels pulling out at 3000 ft, the Bomb Amer having baled out.

ADDENDUM - Lancaster III LL958 HW-C. Crew: P/O W Kay POW, Sgt H Dale POW, F/S FH Fulsher RCAF POW, F/O JD Frink USAAF POW, Sgt E Harrop EVD, F/S JE Sharpley KIA, Sgt WE Struck RCAF EVD. T/o 2210 Grimsby. Shot down Oblt Jacob Schauss (20th victory) 4./NJG4 crashed Vouzon 5 km NNE from Lamotte-Beuvron. F/S Sharpley is buried in Vouzon Commuanl Cemetery.

Lancaster I LL958 HW-H. Crew: P/O JE Estell RAAF KIA, Sgt WJ Marks KIA, Sgt WW Ozeroff RCAF KIA, F/S NW Miles RAAF KIA, F/S JK Cory RAAF KIA, F/S AJ Routley RAAF KIA, F/S JA Hollands RAAF KIA. Shot down by Hptm Fritz Söthe (12th victory) 4./NJG4 crashed NE of the Foret de Boulogne near the village of la Ferte-St-Cyr, 26 km ENE of Blois. All lie in Ferte-St-Cyr Communal Cemetery.

BOMBER COMMAND
VILLERS-BOCAGE
266 aircraft – 151 Lancasters, 105 Halifaxes, 10 Mosquitoes – of 3, 4 and 8 Groups to bomb a road junction through which the tanks of two German Panzer divisions, the 2nd and 9th, would have to pass in order to carry out a planned attack on the junction of the British and American armies in Normandy that night. The raid was controlled with great care by the Master Bomber, who ordered the bombing force to come down to 4,000 ft in order to be sure of seeing the markers in the smoke and dust of the exploding bombs. 1,100 tons of bombs were dropped with great accuracy and the planned German attack did not take place. 1 Halifax and 1 Lancaster lost.

OISEMONT
102 Lancasters and 5 Mosquitoes of 1 and 8 Groups bombed a flying-bomb launching site. The attack took place through 10/10ths cloud and results were not observed. No aircraft were lost.

6 Mosquitoes flew uneventful Ranger patrols.

________________________________________
30 June/1 July 1944
VIERZON
118 Lancasters of 1 Group attacked railway yards at this small town south of Orléans and bombed with great accuracy, a success for 1 Group’s own marking flight. 14 Lancasters were lost, nearly 12 percent of the force.

Minor Operations: 40 Mosquitoes to Homberg oil plant, 6 R.C.M. sorties, 29 Mosquitoes on fighter patrols, 6 Stirlings minelaying in the River Scheldt. 1 Mosquito lost from the Homberg raid.

Screenshot (68).png (79.52 KiB) Viewed 1318 times

2

Screenshot (69)A.png (87.83 KiB) Viewed 1318 times

3

Screenshot (69)B.png (91.58 KiB) Viewed 1318 times

2nd TAF
The last day of the month was to prove another good day for the 83 Group Spitfires. It commenced early when 12 421 Squadron aircraft were scrambled at 0619, Flt Lts P.G.Johnson and R.C.Wilson both claiming Bf 109s shot down north of Bernay at 0705, Johnson adding a second damaged. The rest of the early morning period saw the loss of several aircraft however. During an escort to bombers raiding a 'Noball' Sgt E. Veiersted of 332 Squadron suffered an engine failure, baling out into the Channel from where he was safely picked up by a Walrus amphibian, his second such rescue during the month. Two of 3 Naval Fighter Wing's Seafire IIIs were damaged by Flak whilst spotting for naval gunfire.

Canadian Spitfire pilots were off again when 442 Squadron aircraft began a patrol over Caen at 1015. Forty-five minutes later, Fw 190s were encountered east of Villers-Bocage, three being claimed shot down without loss. Meanwhile ADGB Spitfires were also in the area; at 1055 Wg Cdr Don Kingaby with Flg Off Stockburn of 501 Squadron claimed one of two Bf 109s shot down in flames, the pilot seen to bale out.

At midday, six 441 Squadron Spitfires commenced an armed reconnaissance, whilst six more set off on a front line patrol. The first flight encountered ten Bf 109s over the Argentan area, Sqn Ldr Danny Browne claiming one of these shot down, whilst the second sextet met 12 Bf 109s, claiming three and one damaged. One of the former was claimed by Wg Cdr 'Johnnie' Johnson as his 33rd victory, while Flt Lt A.Johnstone claimed one and one damaged, and Flt Lt G.E.Mott the third victory. Flg Off J.W.Fleming was shot down near Flers, becoming a prisoner; he fell to Lt Friedrich Krakowitzer, commander of 7./JG 51, a Staffel which had been detached from the Eastern Front to operate with II./JG 1.

At 1410 Spitfires from 401 Squadron commenced an armed reconnaissance over the Argentan-Falaise area, at least 12 Focke-Wulfs and Messerschmitts being spotted north of Caen. One Bf 109 was claimed by Flt Lt R.M.Stayner, but the rest escaped into cloud; one Spitfire was hit by Flak and crash-landed near Mormal.

125 Wing Spitfires were up during the mid-afternoon period, when at around 1500 Sous Lt Pierre Clostermann of 602 Squadron claimed a Bf 109 probably destroyed near Vire, while a 453 Squadron aircraft was hit by Flak which blew off the cockpit canopy, wounding Flt Sgt R.G.Peters in the head; he managed to get his aircraft back to base and land successfully. At around the same time a Spitfire was claimed shot down by a pilot of III./JG 26 in the Caen-Lisieux area, but no such loss was suffered.

411 Squadron Spitfires went off to dive-bomb the Bretteville crossroads an hour or so later. Six Fw 190s attacked near Caen and bombs had to be jettisoned, Sqn Ldr G.D.Robertson then claiming one of the attackers shot down. In the same area, west of Falaise, two more Fw 190s and a Bf 109 were claimed by pilots of 442 Squadron at 1730, one of the unit's Spitfires suffering some damage. Half an hour later a 19 Squadron Mustang spun in whilst dive-bombing near Villers- Bocage, and Flg Off M.L.Cameron, RCAF, was killed.

Patrols continued all day, with four 421 Squadron Spitfires departing at 1951. At 2030 these met Bf 109s, and two were claimed, Flt Lt P.G.Johnson reporting his second victory of the day, whilst Flg Off R.C.McRoberts added another. Two more Spitfires from 403 Squadron had set off at much the same time to patrol over the western beaches and these saw 12 or so Bf 109s, all fitted with long-range tanks; one of these was claimed by Flg Off J.D.Orr.

145 Wing was providing cover for a large force of Bomber Command Lancasters and Halifaxes which were on their way to drop 1,000 tons of bombs on German armour at Villers- Bocage at this time, pilots of 341 Squadron seeing two Bf 109s south of Le Havre, both of which were claimed shot down by Capt Jacques Andrieux and Lt Girardon. However, during an evening cover patrol, a 331 Squadron Spitfire was hit by Flak and crash-landed near Tilly-sur-Seulles. Unfortunately, it hit a tree and 2/Lt P.Hattrem was killed.

The final patrol of the day was made by 411 Squadron, commencing at 2030. At about 2105 a lone Bf 109 was encountered over Thury Harcourt, and was claimed by Flt Lt Hugh Trainor, the 22nd victory of the day for the Spitfires.

The Jagdwaffe had indeed recorded the loss of 22 fighters on this date - but on the Allied side, US fighter pilots had also claimed seven destroyed with five more probables and nine damaged; all of the destroyed and probable claims made by the Americans were for Bf 109s, as were 15 of the RAF's claims; however the latter also claimed seven Fw 190s, only two of which were recorded as being lost on this date.

The 30 June also saw the suspension of Operation 'Epsom, which had now stalled following the withdrawal of 11th Armoured Division from a dominant hill feature known as Hill 112, following German counter-attacks there. Carpiquet airfield had also not quite been reached on the east flank of the advance, but a fairly substantial salient had been driven into the area to the immediate west of Caen, which would be capable of subsequent expansion.

USAAF
BELGIUM: Twenty-four 1st Bombardment Division B-17s attack Le Culot Airdrome, and 11 1st Bombardment Division B-17s unable to locate their assigned target in France attack Coxyde/Furnes Airdrome.

ENGLAND: An Eighth Air Force Air-Sea Rescue Squadron P-47 pilot downs a V-1 rocket.

FRANCE: Thirty-nine 1st Bombardment Division B-17s attack Montdidier Airdromes, and 61 3d Bombardment Division B-24s attack Conches and Evreux/Fauville airdromes. GH radar is employed in all the attacks.

A total of 305 VIII Fighter Command fighters carry out bombing and strafing attacks against bridges, several marshalling yards, and transportation targets of opportunity. One P-38 and its pilot are lost.

Although 250 IX Bomber Command B-26s and A-20s are forced to abort in the face of bad weather, more than 125 others employ blind-bombing methods to attack several road junctions and fuel dumps through heavy cloud cover. More than 600 Ninth Air Force fighters escorting the bombers subsequently attack beach defenses, bridges near Paris and Evreux, marshalling yards at Chartres and another location, and several rail lines; and IX TAC fighter-bombers based in France attack numerous communications targets directly behind the Normandy battle lines.

VIII Fighter Command and Ninth Air Force fighter and fighter-bomber pilots down seven GAF fighters and one Ju-88 between 1045 and 2125 hours.

ITALY: Twelfth Air Force B-26s are grounded by bad weather, but B-25s attack a rail bridge, a viaduct, and a tunnel; and XII TAC fighter-bombers attack gun emplacements, bridges, rail targets, and motor vehicles along the battle line.

MTO: Fifteenth Air Force heavy bombers dispatched against targets at Blechhammer, Germany, are diverted by bad weather against a variety of targets of opportunity in Hungary and Yugoslavia.

BASE CHANGE
222 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXE) moves to Coolham
312 Sqn (spitfire LFIXB) moves to Tangmere
349 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to Coolham
485 Sqn RNZAF (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to Coolham

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
64 Sqn (Harrowbeer) flies its last OM in the Spitfire VB
68 Sqn (Castle Camps) flies its last OM in the Beaufighter VIF

[warshipbuilder]

1-7-44
420 Sqn RCAF (Tholthorpe –Halifax III)
18 aircraft were required to attack Blennais(FR) all aircraft were bombed up and took off, attacking primary in full strength. 17 aircraft returned to home base and 1 aircraft was forced to land at RCAF Station Linton with 2 engines useless. This aircraft crashed on landing injuring both Pilot and F/E. The defences were negligible, no details of bombing due to 10/10th, cloud.

BOMBER COMMAND
FLYING-BOMB SITES
307 Halifaxes of 4 and 6 Groups with 15 Mosquitoes and 6 Lancasters of the Pathfinders attacked 2 launching sites and a stores site. All targets were completely or almost completely cloud-covered; bombing was on Oboe markers and no results could be seen. 1 Halifax of 4 Group was lost from the raid on the St-Martin-l’Hortier site.

2 Mosquitoes carried out uneventful Ranger patrols to airfields in Northern Holland.

________________________________________

1/2 July 1944
Minor Operations
6 Mosquitoes to Scholven/Buer and 4 to Homberg – both targets were oil plants – 6 Lancasters minelaying off Horn’s Reef, 2 Mosquitoes on flying-bomb patrols. No aircraft lost.

Screenshot (67987).png (95.03 KiB) Viewed 1302 times

2

Screenshot (67988).png (107.31 KiB) Viewed 1302 times

2nd TAF

During the early hours of the new month Flg Off R.Barbour/Flg Off G.Paine of 264 Squadron shot down a Ju 188 of IX. Fliegerkorps over the Seine Bay, one of 66 aircraft involved in such activities during the night.

The day proved to be a relatively quiet one in the air. During an early armed reconnaissance, a Spitfire of 602 Squadron was hit by Flak whilst attacking MT in the Argentan area and failed to return. Flt Lt H.J.Cleary was subsequently learned to have died of his wounds on 8th.

Another armed reconnaissance, begun at 1315 by Spitfires of 411 Squadron, met 12 Bf 109s over the Carentan area, where Flt Lt Trainor claimed one probably shot down and two more were claimed damaged. The unit returned unscathed, although a pilot of III/JG 3 claimed one Spitfire shot down at this time. Somewhat later, 132 Squadron on a similar sortie, attacked MT, but whilst doing so the unit's Spitfires were 'bounced' by some 13 Fw 190s, 20-30 miles south-east of Caen. Sqn Ldr Page and Flt Sgt W.G.Thom shared in claiming one Focke-Wulf destroyed, whilst two more were again claimed damaged, this unit also escaping without loss.

Finally at about 1630 Flt Lt Cull of 401 Squadron claimed damage to a Bf 109 in the same general area, although on this occasion one of the unit's Spitfires was hit by Flak, crash-landing in enemy territory south of Carentan. The pilot, Flg Off G.D.Billing, was seen running from the area, and evaded capture.

On this date 266 Squadron, which in common with the rest of 146 Wing had been operating Typhoon bombers, temporarily ceased operations, departing Needs Oar Point for a rocket projectile course at Eastchurch, while the rest of the Wing moved to its new base at Hurn.

USAAF
ENGLAND: The IX Air Defense Command is activated under the command of BriGen William L. Richardson to oversee air defense of areas behind friendly lines in France. (This new headquarters will displace to France by the end of the month.)

FRANCE: Of 323 2d and 3d Bombardment division heavy bombers dispatched against V-weapons sites, all but nine 486th Heavy Bombardment Group B-24s respond to a recall order based on bad-weather reports. The nine 486th Group B-24s attack the target with fewer than 20 tons of bombs. One B-24 is lost.

Of 531 VIII Fighter Command fighters dispatched, 206 complete missions escorting the heavy bombers or attacking rail and road targets. Three fighters and two pilots are lost against claims of eight GAF fighters downed between 1940 and 2040 hours, mostly in the St.-Quentin area.

Twenty IX Fighter Command fighter-bombers attack tactical ground targets around Vire.

The IX TAC’s 100th Fighter Wing headquarters displaces from England to Criqueville, inside the Normandy beachhead, to oversee operations of several fighter groups engaged in close air-support operations for the U.S. First Army. Also, the IX TAC’s 405th Fighter Group moves into Advance Landing Ground A-8, at Picauville.

ITALY: Twelfth Air Force B-25s, B-26s, and A-20s attack docks, fuel dumps, rail bridges, and viaducts in north-central Italy; P-47s attack road and rail bridges directly servicing the battle area and gun emplacements.

57th Fighter Group P-47 pilots down six Bf-109s near Reggio Emilia Airdrome.

BASE CHANGES
86 Sqn (Liberator IIIA/V) moves to Tain
108 Sqn (Beaufighter VIF/Mosquito NFXVIII) moves to Hal Far
198 Sqn (Typhoon IB) moves to B.5 Le Fresne-Camilly and then to B.10 Plumetot
229 Sqn (Spitfire IX) moves to Coltishall
241 Sqn (Spitfire VIII) moves to Fermio
253 Sqn (Spitfire VC) moves to Canne
329 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to Selsey
340 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to Selsey
341 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to Selsey
400 Sqn RCAF (Spitfire XI) moves to B.8 Sommervieu
404 Sqn RCAF (Beaufighter TFX) moves to Strubby
524 Sqn (Wellington XIII) moves to Docking
609 Sqn (Typhoon IB) moves to B.10 Plumetot

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
73 Sqn (Foggia Main) flies its first OM on the Spitfire VB
74 Sqn (Lympne) flies its first OM in the Spitfire LFIXE
208 Sqn (Orvieto) flies its first OM in the Spitfire VIII

[warshipbuilder]

2-7-44
156 Sqn (Upwood – Lancaster I/III)
16 aircraft detailed for operations for a daylight raid on OISEMONT NEUVILLE AU BOIS O/WORKS, All proceeded and returned. W/O P. E. Clarke DFM crashed on Base runway on landing, slight injuries sustained by two of his crew. 6 aircraft detailed for the night's operations which were later cancelled. No non operational flights.

BOMBER COMMAND
FLYING-BOMB SITES
374 Lancasters and 10 Mosquitoes of 1, 3 and 8 Groups attacked 3 sites. Cloud affected all of the raids but good concentrations of bombs were believed to have been dropped at all targets. No aircraft lost.

4 Mosquitoes on uneventful Ranger patrols.

2nd TAF
2 July was to be another excellent day for the Spitfires - and again, a day of light casualties. It began at 0550 when 411 Squadron took off on patrol. Four Fw 190s of II./JG 26 were seen south- west of Caen, and one flown by Uffz Gerhard Kraft was shot down at 0630 by Flt Lt E.G.Lapp, the pilot being killed, while Wt Off J.S.Jeffrey was shot down by Fhr Waldemar Busch, a pilot of II./JG 26. He baled out, evaded capture, and was back during the following month. A second of the unit's Spitfires was hit by Flak over Mezidon and was damaged.

Spitfires of 412 Squadron took off at 1130 to escort 122 Wing Mustangs over the Lisieux area. At about 1215 at least ten German fighters were engaged, and in moments four Fw 190s had been claimed shot down, with five more claimed damaged. Two of the victories were credited to Flg Off Don Laubman who was to achieve a position of some prominence within 2nd TAF during the coming weeks. However, Flg Off H.W.Bowker was last seen diving into cloud with a Focke-Wulf on his tail and was not seen again; he had in fact been killed - the only 2nd TAF pilot to lose his life on this date.

Twelve aircraft from 441 Squadron were next in the air, joined by 12 of 442 Squadron at midday. 441's pilots saw eight Bf 109s and Fw 190s between 1215-1310, two Fw 190s and four Bf 109s being claimed. One of the former was accounted for by Flt Lt A.J.McDonald, who was then brought down by a combination of combat damage and Flak. Initially reported missing, he too evaded and returned on 17 August to make his claim. This engagement was probably with II./JG 53, which suffered the loss of two Bf 109s, one of them flown by Lt Otto Russ, a 26-victory 'Experte. Shortly after this, 442 Squadron came upon six Bf 109s, Flt Lt A.W.Roseland claiming one of these.

At 1410 12 Spitfires from 403 Squadron went on patrol, and during the next hour or so encountering 40 Bf 109s, claiming six shot down, one probable and five damaged. Three of the first category were claimed by Flt Lt J.D.Lindsay and two by Flt Lt M.J.Gordon, while Sqn Ldr E.P.Wood claimed the probable and two damaged; no losses were suffered. Shortly after this, 401 Squadron undertook a sweep during which 24 Fw 190s and Bf 109s were met east of Caen around 1550. Two Bf 109s were claimed by Flt Lt 'Hap' Kennedy and Flg Off Bill Klersy; Kennedy's guns jammed after he had inflicted damage on his victim, and he flew alongside, watching it crash-land.

125 Wing was the next to become engaged, 132 Squadron commencing a patrol at 1542, while seven of 602 Squadron's aircraft were scrambled south-east of Caen. The latter became engaged first, Flt Lt Ken Charney claiming one Fw 190 in the Cabourg area at 1603, while Sous Lt Clostermann also claimed one of these fighters and reported that he had damaged four more, whilst other pilots claimed damage to yet two more. Another two were claimed damaged when 132 Squadron's pilots encountered 30 fighters at 1610.

602 Squadron was back in the air in the evening, claiming damage to three more fighters plus one probably shot down, while the Wing's 453 Squadron flew a later operation during which four Spitfires met five Fw 190s over Falaise, two being claimed shot down near Argentan at 2100. During the day a single 122 Wing Mustang suffered damage from Flak, whilst around 1945 65 Squadron Mustang pilots claimed one Bf 109 destroyed, one probable and two damaged near Mezidon when nine Messerschmitts were encountered during a bombing operation, and were chased through clouds.

The Jagdwaffe made a number of claims throughout the afternoon, but the times quoted do not coincide with any of the known losses, save for the first, which has already been mentioned. Oblt Guenther Seeger of II./JG 53 claimed a Spitfire at 1516, and Lt Peter Crump of II./JG 26 another at 1558. During the evening at 1950 pilots of III./JG 27 claimed two P-51s, possibly in action with the 65 Squadron aircraft, whilst at 2050 III./JG 54 claimed another Spitfire, and Hptm Walter Matoni of II./JG 26 yet one more at 2052.

Altogether Spitfire pilots had claimed 25 destroyed, three probables and 27 damaged, the Mustang pilots of 65 Squadron adding one destroyed, one probable and two damaged. US claims on this date amounted to just two Bf 109s, with a third probable and two more damaged. II. Jagdkorps lost at least 20 fighters, and possibly 23, JG 2, JG 3, JG 26, JG 27 and JG 53 all suffering multiple losses. These losses included at least 14 Bf 109s and six Fw 190s, Allied claims including 17 of the former and ten of the latter.

On this date 35 (Recce) Wing's 268 Squadron received its first Typhoon to begin familiarising with the type.

USAAF
ENGLAND: All IX Bomber Command bombers are grounded due to bad weather over France.

FRANCE: Two hundred eighty-two Eighth Air Force B-17s and B-24s use radar to attack V-weapons sites through heavy cloud cover. One B-24 is lost.

Seven Ninth Air Force tactical fighter groups provide cover over the beachhead area and attack a German Army headquarters, fuel dumps, strongpoints, and rail lines alongside the Loire River.

IX TAC fighter pilots down two GAF fighters over France during the afternoon. One of them, LtCol Robert L. Coffey, Jr., the commanding officer of the Ninth Air Force’s 365th Fighter Group, achieves ace status when he downs a Bf-109.

The IX TAC’s 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Group moves into Advance Landing Ground A-9, at Le Molay, and the 362d Fighter Group moves into Advance Landing Ground A-12, at Lignerolles.

GERMANY: Fifteenth Air Force B-17s attack oil-industry targets at Blechhammer.

HUNGARY: Fifteenth Air Force B-24s attack marshalling yards, the airdrome, and oil-refining facilities at Budapest through intense antiaircraft fire and repeated fighter attacks; Fifteenth Air Force B-17s attack the oil facilities at Almasfuzito; and escort fighters mount sweeps over the Budapest area.

A total of 35 Bf-109s and FW-190s are downed by escort fighters of the 1st, 31st, 52d, 82d, 325th, and 332d Fighter groups—and eight additional Bf-109s are downed near Budapest by visiting P-51 pilots of the Eighth Air Force’s 4th Fighter Group, which is transiting through Italy with Eighth Air Force heavy bombers returning to England from a FRANTIC shuttle mission to the Soviet Union. 1stLt Richard C. Lampe, a P-51 pilot with the 52d Fighter Group’s 2d Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status when he downs 1.5 Bf-109s over Budapest at 1030 hours, during the target escort; 1stLt John J. Voll, a P-51 pilot with the 31st Fighter Group’s 308th Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status when he downs a Bf-109 near Budapest at 1045 hours; Col Donald J. M. Blakeslee, the commanding officer of the visiting 4th Fighter Group, brings his final personal tally for the war to 14.5 victories when he downs a Bf-109 near Budapest at 1045 hours; and 1stLt Philip E. Tovrea, a P-38 pilot with the 1st Fighter Group’s 27th Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status when he downs an FW-190 near Pecs, Hungary, at noon, during withdrawal escort. Also, 2dLt Cecil O. Dean, a P-51 ace with the 325th Fighter Group, is taken prisoner following a midair collision near Budapest; and 2dLt Ralph K. Hofer, a 15-victory P-51 ace with the 4th Fighter Group’s 334th Fighter Squadron, is shot down and killed in air-to-air combat near Mostar, Yugoslavia.

ITALY: Twelfth Air Force B-25s, B-26s, and A-20s attack several fuel dumps and German Army lines of communication north of the battle area; and XII TAC P-47s attack bridges and motor vehicles in the battle area.

YUGOSLAVIA: Fifteenth Air Force B-17s attack marshalling yards at Brod and Vinkovci.

BASE CHANGES
41 Sqn (Soitfire XII) moves to Friston
225 Sqn (Spitfire VB/VC/IX) moves to Fallonica
257 Sqn (Typhoon IB) moves to Hurn
318 Sqn (Spitfire VB/VC) moves to Fermio
501 Sqn (Spitfire VB) moves to Westhampnett
610 Sqn (Spitfire XIV) moves to Friston
1435 Sqn (Spitfire IX) moves to Grottaglie

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
56 Sqn (Newchurch) flies its first OM in the Tempest V
310 Sqn (Westhampnett) flies its last OM in the Spitfire LFIXB

[warshipbuilder]

3-7-44
401 Sqn RCAF (B.4 Beny-sur-Mer – Spitfire LFIXB)
It was still dark and cloudy when the Squadron was airborne at 05.35 hrs. to carry out an Armed Recco. Scattered MET was attacked and we scored one Flamer and four damaged. During an attack on a convoy in the Falaise area, S/L L.M. Cameron DFC was hit in the engine by flak and was forced to crash land in a field north of Falaise. He was seen to land and get away from the aircraft. The Squadron landed at 06.25 hrs.

The weather turned wet and cloudy again and made the field U/S. It wasn't until 18.40 hrs that the ground was day enough for another Armed Recco of the DON FORT-FLES area. There was very little transport around but 3 MET were damaged. One of our aircraft was hit by flak but managed to make Base with the rest of the Squadron who landed at 1945 hrs.

Refuelling was hardly completed before we were airborne to carry out a Front line patrol. This was entirely uneventful except to see a group of Medium bombers flattening a small town south of LISIEUX. The Squadron was controlled by a new station on button “C” and they did a very good job.

BOMBER COMMAND
3/4 July 1944
MINOR OPERATIONS
6 Mosquitoes to Scholven/Buer and 4 to Homberg, 4 Stirlings minelaying off Brest, 24 aircraft on Resistance operations, 11 Mosquitoes on flying-bomb patrols. No aircraft lost.

Screenshot (67993).png (105.21 KiB) Viewed 1272 times

2

Screenshot (67994).png (105.75 KiB) Viewed 1272 times

2nd TAF
By night the Mosquito crews of 604 Squadron enjoyed some success, Flg Off R.A.Miller/Wt Off Catchpole claiming a Ju 188 north-west of Le Havre, and Wg Cdr M.Constable-Maxwell/Flt Lt Quintin a Ju 88 north of Oushard, while Wt Off T.G.C.Mackay of 488 Squadron added another Ju 188. Most of these appear to have been aircraft of IX. Fliegerkorps, which lost four of the five bombers which failed to return that night; 62 had been sent out to lay mines, 14 to bomb shipping and five against airfields in the bridgehead.

Weather greatly restricted operations during the day, but 2nd TAF was to receive its first new units since D-Day when 33, 74 and 127 Squadrons moved to 134 Wing at Tangmere to take the place of the three Czech squadrons, the latter now reverting to ADGB command. All three new units had recently returned from the Middle East and had been equipped with the latest fighter-bomber variant of the Spitfire - the LF IXE. The 'E' referred to the armament installation in each wing consisting of a 20 mm cannon and a 0.5 inch machine gun. This variant would eventually replace the Mark IXBS in other 2nd TAF Spitfire units. Initially however, the three new units would not utilise the fighter-bombing capabilities of their new Spitfires, becoming involved mainly in bomber escort duties.

With sufficient Austers now present in Normandy to spot for the warships, the Air Spotting Pool at Lee-on-Solent began disbanding, 63 Squadron being despatched to Woodvale in Northern Ireland, whilst 26 Squadron awaited the re-equipment of its elderly Spitfire VAS with Hurricane IICs.

From 146 Wing's new base at Hurn, 193 and 197 Squadrons flew over to B.15 at Ryes, to operate from there during the day. No Luftwaffe aircraft were to be met during the day, since due to the weather conditions only reconnaissance flights were made by the Germans by day on this date, the number of sorties undertaken falling to 18 compared with 324 on the previous day and 400 on 1st.

However, for those 2nd TAF aircraft which did get into the air, Flak remained omnipresent. Sqn Ldr L.M.Cameron's 401 Squadron Spitfire was hit during an armed reconnaissance as he was attacking MT. He crash-landed north of Falaise and initially managed to evade capture. He was to be caught later, but escaped again and would be back in September. Sgt K.S.F.Dossett of 65 Squadron was less fortunate, for his Mustang was brought down during an evening dive-bombing sortie, and he became a prisoner for the duration. At 1950 a 183 Squadron Typhoon was also hit, Flt Lt E.Harbutt baling out south of St Catherine's Point whilst attempting to reach England; he was picked up safely. Two more Spitfires and a Typhoon were also damaged during the day.

With nightfall the Mosquitoes were in the air again regardless of the weather, as 55 German bombers headed out to lay mines and 16 sought to attack the ships offshore. Ten of 604 Squadron's aircraft were despatched between 2200-0151, Sqn Ldr D.C.Furse/Flt Lt Downes claiming a Ju 88 15 miles north of Le Havre.

USAAF
FRANCE: Approximately 275 Ninth Air Force fighter-bombers attack tactical positions and lines of communication in the U.S. First Army battle area.

ITALY: Twelfth Air Force B-26s and A-20s attack German Army fuel dumps; Twelfth Air Force B-25s attack fuel storage facilities and various tunnels, bridges, and viaducts; and XII TAC P-47s support a new U.S. Fifth Army drive on Leghorn by attacking bridges, motor vehicles, a vehicle park, and an ammunition dump.

HUNGARY: Fifteenth Air Force heavy bombers attack a bridge at Szeged.

ROMANIA: Fifteenth Air Force B-17s and B-24s attack oil-industry targets at Giurgiu and Bucharest, repair shops at Arad, a rail bridge, and a marshalling yard.

31st and 325th Fighter group P-51 escort pilots down eight Axis fighters over Romania between 1140 and 1205 hours.

Fifty-five Eighth Air Force B-17s and 42 4th and 352d Fighter group P-51s transiting through Italy on return from their FRANTIC mission to Russia attack a marshalling yard at Arad and return to bases in Italy. One B-17 is lost.

YUGOSLAVIA: Eighty-four Fifteenth Air Force B-24s attack oil-industry targets at Belgrade.

BASE CHANGES
33 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXE) moves to Tangmere
74 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXE) moves to Tangmere
92 Sqn (Spitfire VIII) moves to Perugia
126 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to Harrowbeer
142 Sqn (Wellington X) moves to Regina
145 Sqn (Spitfire VIII) moves to Perugia
150 Sqn (Wellington III) moves to Regina
182 Sqn (Typhoon IB) moves to B.6 Coulombs
197 Sqn (Typhoon IB) moves to Hurn
310 Sqn (Non-Op) moves to Lympne
601 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to Perugia
611 Sqn (Spitfire VB) moves to Predannack

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
64 Sqn (Harrowbeer) flies its first OM in the Spitfire LFIXB
114 Sqn (Tarquinia) flies its first OM in the Boston IV

[warshipbuilder]

4-7-44
419 Sqn RCAF (Middleton St. George – Lancaster X)
Fifteen aircraft wore detailed to carry out an operation, the target being VILLENEUVE ST. GEORGE. Weather conditions were very favorable for this sortie, but there was a bright noon. Bombing was carried out from a height of 12,000 feet. A/C “N” bombed from 8500ft. During the course of the attack, the Master Bomber ordered crews to bomb from a height of 6,000 ft. Two sets of tactics were issued for this attack, the Navigators having to make up two full f1ight plans, being told which one to use just prior to take-off. Very heavy opposition was encountered, from both flak and fighters, with the result that three aircraft were missing from this Squadron.

ADDENDUM – Lancaster X KB723 VR-U. Crew: F/O CAD Steepe RCAF EVD, Sgt JPA Gauthier RCAF KIA, F/O DG Murphy RCAF EVD, F/O WJL Thomson RCAF EVD, F/O GR Hodgson RCAF KIA, Sgt BA Reaume RCAF POW, Sgt AE Roe RCAF KIA. T/o 2201 Middleton St. George. Possibly shot down by Ofw Heinrich Beitenfelder (1st victory) 5./NJG2, crashed at Fontainbleau. Those who died are buried in Clichy New Communal Cemetery.

Lancaster X KB718 VR-J. Crew: F/O LW Frame RCAF EVD, Sgt PP Barclay EVD, F/O WC Watson EVD, F/O WB Reynolds RCAF POW, Sgt D High POW, F/S J Morris RCAF EVD, F/S HB Hayes RCAF POW. T/o 2150 Middleton St. George. See above.

Lancaster X KB727 VR-H. Crew: F/O JM Stevenson RCAF EVD, Sgt F/S Vinecombe POW, F/O JE Prudham POW, F/O JS Smith POW, WO1 LF Head RCAF POW, Sgt JT Pett RCAF POW, Sgt WR Gibson RCAF POW. T/o 2151 Middleton St. George. Hit by 4./lei Flak ABT. 42 and 3 F.F.A.S. West 31, crashed 1-2 km NE of Clevelliers, at 0131.

BOMBER COMMAND
FLYING-BOMB SITES
328 aircraft – 307 Halifaxes, 15 Mosquitoes, 6 Lancasters – of 4, 6 and 8 Groups to 3 launching sites. Some cloud was present but at least 2 of the attacks were assessed as accurate. No aircraft lost.

17 Lancasters, 1 Mosquito and 1 Mustang of 617 Squadron attacked a flying-bomb store in a large cave at St-Leu-d’Esserent, north of Paris, and bombed the site accurately and without loss. (Aircraft of 5 Group, with some Pathfinders, attacked St-Leu-d’Esserent immediately after the 617 Squadron attack but Bomber Command records show the 617 Squadron operation as a day raid and the later operation as a night raid.)

4 Mosquitoes carried out uneventful Ranger patrols.

________________________________________

4/5 July 1944
ST-LEU-D’ESSERENT
231 Lancasters and 15 Mosquitoes, mostly from 5 Group but with some Pathfinder aircraft, continued the attack on the underground flying-bomb store with 1,000-lb bombs, in order to cut all communications to the store. The bombing was accurate but 13 Lancasters were lost when German fighters engaged the force.

RAILWAYS
282 Lancasters and 5 Mosquitoes of 1, 6 and 8 Groups attacked railway yards at Orléans and Villeneuve. Both targets were accurately bombed. 14 Lancasters were lost, 11 from the Villeneuve raid and 3 from Orléans.

Minor Operations: 36 Mosquitoes to Scholven/Buer, 25 R.C.M. sorties, 61 Mosquito patrols, 6 Stirlings and 5 Halifaxes minelaying off Brest and St-Nazaire, 16 aircraft on Resistance operations, 30 O.T.U. sorties. 1 Halifax R.C.M. aircraft lost.

Total effort for the night: 712 sorties, 28 aircraft (3.9 percent) lost.

Screenshot (67999).png (150.39 KiB) Viewed 1259 times

2

Screenshot (68000).png (254.84 KiB) Viewed 1259 times

3

Screenshot (68001).png (178.19 KiB) Viewed 1259 times

4

Screenshot (68002).png (97.27 KiB) Viewed 1259 times

2nd TAF

A Ju 188 was claimed at 0105 by Flt Lt C.E.Edinger/Flg Off C.L.Vaessen of 410 Squadron north- east of Ponte et Raz, whilst behind them came aircraft of 264 Squadron, Flt Lt I.H.Cosby/Flt Lt E.R.Murphy claiming another Ju 188 over the beaches.

Although the weather was still unsettled on 4th, II. Jagdkorps was to make a substantial effort during the day, 522 sorties being launched. Their achievements were not to be outstanding however, and again substantial casualties were to be inflicted, on this date particularly by the US fighters.

Around 0830 Flg Off J.W.H.Conway's Mustang I was hit by Flak whilst he was undertaking one of seven "TacRs' launched by 268 Squadron during the day. He crashed west of Nonancourt, to the west of Dreux, and was killed. All other activity of note occurred after midday, commencing when four of 414 Squadron's Mustangs were 'bounced' by 12 German fighters. The No. 3 pilot, Flg Off J.C.Younge, attacked one Fw 190 and claimed to have shot it down over La Mongeliere at 1320.

During an afternoon escort by 132 Wing to 300 Halifaxes bombing Rouen and Abbeville, Plt Off R.Emery of 66 Squadron suffered an engine failure and baled out into the Channel. After landing the Squadron launched six aircraft on an ASR patrol, soon sighting the stricken pilot about a third of the way from Le Treport to Beachy Head; however he was picked up safely by an ASR Walrus. 2/Lt N.M.Riung, on a sweep with 332 Squadron, was killed when his Spitfire collided with a P.47 and went down near Ailly.

Eighteen of 487 Squadron's Mosquito VIs operated by day, two of these being lost, reportedly to heavy Flak. At least one appears actually to have fallen to a fighter, Ofw Karlheinz Munsche of III./JG 2 claiming one such aircraft in the Bernay-Evreux area at 1400. Three minutes later Lt Karl-Heinz Kempf of III./JG 26 claimed a Spitfire (and a P-47) over L'Aigle, but no loss is recorded at this time by any RAF units. About an hour or so later, Spitfires of 340 Squadron were 'bounced' near Caen, but saw their attackers in time and turned into them, claiming four damaged without loss.

More Spitfires of 411 Squadron set off on patrol at 1800, seeing more hostile aircraft south- east of Caen. Lt Reinert of IV./JG 27 claimed a Spitfire in this area at 1812, but the Canadians suffered no losses, Flt Lt Trainor claiming two Bf 109s shot down, while Flt Lt R.K.Hayward claimed an Fw 190 and a second damaged, plus a Bf 109 damaged; other pilots made claims for two more Bf 109s damaged.

602 Squadron engaged in a somewhat harder fight with Fw 190s of II./JG 26 and III./JG 54 around 1920-45 during which three Fw 190s were claimed damaged, but two Spitfires were shot down, Flg Off J.W.Kelly and Flt Sgt L.H.Chalice both being killed. On this occasion the German pilots were excessive in their claiming, Lt Hans Prager and another pilot of the former unit each claiming a Spitfire, but III./JG 54 claiming four, including one each by Hptm Weiss and Lt Dortenmann. This was the first defeat to be suffered by 2nd TAF's Spitfire IXS in some considerable time.

At 2025 132 Wing was off again to sweep over the Chartres-Falaise area. Heavy Flak hit two of 332 Squadron's aircraft, 2nd Lt J.Helland going down to become a prisoner, while 2/Lt J.Rieland got his damaged Spitfire back to England, but was wounded. An Fw 190 and two Bf 109s were then seen below and 66 Squadron dived to attack, one of the Messerschmitts being claimed shot down and the other two aircraft were claimed damaged. II./JG 26's Lt Prager claimed another Spitfire at 2144, but none of the 132 Wing's squadrons reported any loss to fighters.

Finally at 2200 411 Squadron undertook a late patrol. A 'bogey' was reported near Falaise and a Do 217 was seen and shot down by Sqn Ldr Robertson and Flt Lt Trainor jointly.

The day's claims against the Jagdwaffe totalled five aircraft, but US fighters claimed 23 more, plus six probables and 18 damaged. On this occasion German losses totalled 39 fighters, 12 from JG 2 and seven from JG 27, six other Geschwader also losing aircraft.

Within 2nd TAF 135 Wing, having spent just five days at Coolham after leaving Selsey, began moving to Funtington, while ADGB's 80, 229 and 274 Squadrons - also recently returned from the Mediterranean area - left Gatwick for West Malling and Coltishall to continue their bomber escort duties, led by Wg Cdr E.P. Hawkeye' Wells.

USAAF
FRANCE: Of 300 1st Bombardment Division B-17s dispatched against bridges and airfields in France, only 24 B-17s each attack primary targets at Dreux and Illiers L’Eveque airdromes, 13 attack Conches Airdrome (target of opportunity), and one attacks an unknown target of opportunity. All the other B-17s are thwarted by bad weather. One B-17 is lost.


One hundred ninety-two 2d and 3d Bombardment division B-24s, of 258 dispatched, attack Beaumont-le-Roger, Beaumont-sur-Oise, Conches, Creil, and Evreux airdromes. There are no losses.


Escort for the various heavy-bomber formations is provided by 569 VIII Fighter Command fighters, of which five are lost with their pilots. Also, 129 VIII Fighter Command P-47s attack several bridges and marshalling yards. Two fighter-bombers and their pilots are lost.


While on a bomber-escort mission against Conches Airdrome, P-47 pilots of the Eighth Air Force’s 56th Fighter Group down 19 GAF fighters and thus raise their unit’s total for confirmed victories to more than 500. Capt James R. Carter, a P-47 pilot with the 56th Fighter Group’s 61st Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status when he downs a Bf-109 near Louviers at 1820 hours; and Capt Mark L. Moseley, a P-47 pilot with the 56th Fighter Group’s 62d Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status when he downs a Bf-109 near Conches Airdrome at 1830 hours.


Although most IX Bomber Command bombers are grounded by bad weather over France, a total of 95 B-26s and A-20s using radar guidance are able to attack defended positions near Abbeville and a rail bridge at Oissel. Also, Ninth Air Force fighters and fighter-bombers mount more than 900 sorties to cover the beachhead and attack gun emplacements, troop
concentrations, marshalling yards, rail lines, highways, bridges, and a German Army command post.


IX TAC fighters down four GAF fighters over France during the afternoon.


ITALY: Twelfth Air Force bombers are grounded by bad weather, but a small numbers of fighters and fighter-bombers are able to mount attacks against gun emplacements, roads, bridges, and rail lines in the U.S. Fifth Army attack zone.


ROMANIA: Fifteenth Air Force B-24s attack a marshalling yard and rail bridge at Pitesti, and B-17s attack oil-industry targets at Brasov. Escort is provided by more than 350 fighters, which also conduct sweeps in the target areas. Ten Axis fighters and three Ju-52s are downed between 0950 and 1040 hours by 14th, 52d, and 82d Fighter group escort pilots.

BASE CHANGES
6 Sqn (Hurricane IV) moves to Foggia
127 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to Tangmere
144 Sqn (Beaufighter TFX) moves to Strubby
178 Sqn (Liberator III/VI) moves to Amendola
222 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXE) moves to Funtingdon
313 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to Lympne
316 Sqn (Mustang III) moves to West Malling
349 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to Funtingdon
417 Sqn RCAF (Spitfire VIII) moves to Perugia
485 Sqn RNZAF (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to Funtingdon

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
16 Sqn (Northolt) flies its first OM in the Spitfire PRIX
56 Sqn (Newchurch) flies its last OM in the Spitfire LFIXB
310 Sqn (Lympne) flies its first OM in the Spitfire IX
312 Sqn (Lympne) flies its last OM in the Spitfire LFIXB
350 Sqn (Westhampnett) flies its last OM in the Spitfire VB
608 Sqn (Pomigliano) flies its last OM in the Hudson V

[warshipbuilder]

5-7-44
105 Sqn (Bourn – Mosquito BIX)
18 aircraft operated against 6 targets, and 15 of the sorties were successful. This figure includes aircraft “E” of "A" flight (F/Lt. Whiffen and F/O. Williams) which failed to return from SCHOLVEN. His bombs and T.I.’s were seen to burst and from all reports he made a good attack but nothing more has been heard of the aircraft.

ADDENDUM – Mosquito BIX ML913 GB-E. Crew: F/L GK Whiffen KIA, F/O DK Williams DFC KIA. T/o 2339 Bourn. Lost without a trace. Both are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.

BOMBER COMMAND
FLYING-BOMB SITES
542 aircraft – 321 Lancasters, 201 Halifaxes, 20 Mosquitoes – of 3, 4, 6 and 8 Groups attacked 2 launching and 2 storage sites. The night was clear with a bright moon and all targets were hit. 4 Lancasters lost.

DIJON
154 Lancasters of 1 Group to the main railway area, which was heavily bombed. No aircraft lost.

Minor Operations: 35 Mosquitoes to Scholven/Buer and 10 to Düren, 9 R.C.M. sorties, 50 Mosquito patrols, 6 Halifaxes minelaying off Brest and St-Nazaire, 29 aircraft on Resistance operations, 3 O.T.U. sorties. 3 Mosquitoes were lost – 1 from the Scholven raid, 1 R.C.M. aircraft and 1 Serrate aircraft.

Total effort for the night: 838 sorties, 7 aircraft (0.8 percent) lost.

Screenshot (68010).png (191.31 KiB) Viewed 1245 times

2

Screenshot (68011).png (400.38 KiB) Viewed 1245 times

3

Screenshot (68012)A.png (119.22 KiB) Viewed 1245 times

4

Screenshot (68012)B.png (183.94 KiB) Viewed 1245 times

5

Screenshot (68013).png (132.95 KiB) Viewed 1245 times

2nd TAF

The day was to witness the strongest effort by II. Jagdkorps during the month, with 545 fighter sorties being employed in support of the Wehrmacht during the course of the day. These efforts however, were mainly against the US Army's advance, and nearly all the successes claimed by the German pilots on this date were against American-flown aircraft. Part of the reason for this was the virtuosity now being demonstrated to an increasing extent by the 2nd TAF fighters, which contributed a third of the claims made against their opponents on this date, but very few of the losses. A significant part of the credit for the effectiveness of the 2nd TAF fighters must be given to their operational control system, which was now well-established and operating in France.

The early hours had seen considerable activity also, as 2 Group's Mosquitoes ranged far and wide over France. At about 0100 a 107 Squadron aircraft was lost in the Tours area, whilst half an hour later another of this unit's aircraft went down when Flg Offs P.T.Green and B.A.Lambert were obliged to bale out near Orleans due to an engine fire. About ten minutes later a 21 Squadron crew reported damage inflicted on a Do 217 encountered in the same area, whilst at the same time north-east of Maintenon the crew of one of 69 Squadron's night reconnaissance Wellington XIIIs claimed damage to an intercepting Bf 110 night fighter. Two Mosquito VIs of 487 Squadron from a force of 18 which had been despatched, failed to return, believed to have fallen victim to intense Flak.

With daylight a Typhoon of 197 Squadron came down off the French coast in bad weather, Plt Off L.S.Clark, DFC, losing his life. A Mustang of 65 Squadron was also lost at about 1015 when Flg Off R.A.Walley was obliged to bale out after his aircraft had been hit by Flak; he came down in Allied territory near Carpiquet.

From this point onwards 2nd TAF fortunes changed. Spitfires of 126 and 127 Wings were in the air around midday, 401 and 412 Squadrons from the former unit undertaking an armed reconnaissance over the Chartres area. Four Fw 190s were seen at low level and were attacked, Flg Off R.M.Davenport of 401 and Flg Off Laubman of 412 each claiming one shot down. During the day Flt Lt 'Hap' Kennedy was promoted to command 401 Squadron, the promising Bill Klersy taking over his flight.

Mustangs of 122 Wing took off on an armed reconnaissance at 1345, followed ten minutes later by Spitfires of 132 Squadron. Twenty miles north-west of Paris a single Bf 109 was seen and was claimed shot down by three of the Mustang pilots jointly. A little later 132 Squadron's top cover was 'bounced' by some 20 German fighters, but the tables were turned and Flt Lt M.Graham was able to claim one Bf 109 east of Caen.

421 Squadron was in the air next, and at 1605 Flt Lt R.C.McRoberts claimed two Messerschmitts shot down ten miles east of Bernay, whilst two more were claimed damaged. Wg Cdr 'Johnnie' Johnson led 441 Squadron on an evening patrol and armed reconnaissance over the Dreux-Chartres area. Near Alencon at 1840 a formation of 13 Fw 190s was spotted and was effectively 'bounced' by the squadron. Johnson claimed two shot down, whilst others claimed six more destroyed plus three damaged. Flg Off W.R.Chown, having shared one with Flt Lt G.E.Mott, collided with a second, cutting off the tail. His Spitfire was seen going down with most of one wing gone, and he was killed.

Finally, at 2120 pilots of 132 Squadron encountered Bf 109s north of Cabourg, one of these being claimed shot down by three pilots jointly - 2nd TAF's 15th of the day. The only claim to be made against a Spitfire during the day was submitted by Lt Alfred Gross of III./JG 54 at 1607 hours; three P-51s were claimed at various times, but these would appear to have been made against US units.

II. Jagdkorps recorded the loss of at least 37 and possibly 39 fighters on this date, whilst 16 more losses were suffered by the bomber units. Of known Jagdwaffe losses, 14 were Fw 190s and 23 were Bf 109s. To the 15 claimed by 2nd TAF fighters must be added 31 by US units, who claimed three bombers, 16 Bf 109s and 12 Fw 190s.

The units now operating from Normandy landing grounds had been discovering a new and unanticipated hazard. The grey-blue 'battledress' uniforms worn by the 2nd TAF pilots and ground crews, particularly when covered in the all-embracing dust, could look uncomfortably like the field-grey of the Wehrmacht's uniforms. With the defenders still so close, there was an understandable tendency amongst Army units to shoot first and ask questions later. Following several uncomfortable near-misses, this required action, and during 5th 442 Squadron recorded the issue to personnel of khaki battledress for the first time in an effort to alleviate this problem.

With nightfall a bright moon provided good conditions for interceptions, and while 85 Group's units were out in strength, on the other side of the line II. Jagdkorps put up no fewer than 108 sorties against raiding Allied bombers.

Nine of 604 Squadron's Mosquitoes were on patrol between 2200 and 0500 next morning, Wt Off J.E.Moore/Wt Off J.A.Hogg claiming an Me 410 shot down 15 miles south-west of Caen. From 264 Squadron Flg Off Trigg/Flt Lt G.E.Smith claimed a Ju 88, another of these bombers being intercepted by Flt Lt C.M.Ramsay/Flt Lt D.J.Donnet. This out-turned them and escaped however, but they then attacked another Ju 88 and an Me 410, claiming both shot down.

USAAF
BELGIUM: A total of 43 2d Bombardment Division B-24s attack Le Culot, Brussels/Melsbroek, and Tulemont airdromes.

FRANCE: A total of 101 2d Bombardment Division B-24s attack three V-weapons sites.

A total of 69 VIII Fighter Command P-47 fighter-bombers attack a number of bridges, towns, and communications targets in and around the Normandy battle area.

Nearly 180 IX Bomber Command B-26s and A-20s attack bridges and rail targets around Caen and four V-weapons headquarters sites. Many of the 600 Ninth Air Force fighters assigned to escort the light and medium bombers are released to conduct armed-reconnaissance sweeps against a wide variety of tactical and communications targets.

In all, VIII Fighter Command and IX TAC fighter pilots down 31 GAF aircraft over France between 0900 and 2025 hours. 1stLt Dale F. Spencer, a P-51 pilot with the 361st Fighter Group’s 376th Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status when he downs two Bf-109s near Evreux between 0900 and 0910 hours; 1stLt Robert J. Keen, a P-47 pilot with the 56th Fighter Group’s 61st Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status when he downs three Bf-109s over Evreux at 1555 hours; LtCol Francis S. Gabreski, operations officer of the 56th Fighter Group, brings his final personal tally to 28 confirmed victories when he downs a Bf-109 near Evreux at 1600 hours. (Gabreski will emerge from the war as the all-time high-scoring USAAF fighter pilot in the European Theater. He will also be credited with 6.5 victories in the Korean War.)

The IX TAC’s 363d Fighter Group, in P-51s, moves into Cherbourg/Maupertus Airdrome (dubbed Advance Landing Ground A-15).

Fifteenth Air Force B-24s attack a marshalling yard at Beziers and the docks and submarine base at Toulon; Fifteenth Air Force B-17s attack a marshalling yard at Montpellier; and 70 B-17s of the Eighth Air Force’s 3d Bombardment Division, escorted by a total of 228 VIII Fighter Command P-47s and P-51s, take part in the attack on the marshalling yard at Beziers on their way home from Russia via bases in Italy.

Six Bf-109s are downed over southern France between 1040 and 1115 hours by 52d and 325th Fighter group P-51 pilots.

ITALY: Twelfth Air Force B-25s attack a marshalling yard, a bridge, and several fuel dumps; XII TAC A-20s attack rail lines and a supply dump; and XII TAC fighter-bombers attack roads, bridges, rail lines, and tactical targets in support of the U.S. Fifth Army.

During the night of July 5–6, XII TAC A-20s attack an ammunition ship at La Spezia.

NETHERLANDS: A total of 77 1st Bombardment Division B-17s attack a factory and the Gilze-Rijen and Volkel airdromes; and 13 2d Bombardment Division B-24s attack Eindhoven Airdrome.

BASE CHANGES
23 Sqn (Mosquito FBVI) moves to Little Snoring
43 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to Piombino
72 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to Piombino
93 Sqn (Spitfire IX) moves to Piombino
111 Sqn (Spitfire IX) moves to Piombino
208 Sqn (Spitfire VB/VC/VIII) moves to Castiglione
274 Sqn (Spitfire IX) moves to West Malling
600 Sqn (Beaufighter VIF) moves to Fallonica

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
80 Sqn (West Malling) flies its first OM in the Spitfire IX
112 Sqn (Fallerium) flies its first OM in the Mustang III
312 Sqn (Lympne) flies its first OM in the Spitfire HFIX
428 Sqn RCAF (Middleton St. George) flies its last OM in the Halifax II
504 Sqn (Digby) flies its last OM in the Spitfire VB
692 Sqn (Gransden Lodge) flies its last OM in the Mosquito BIV

[warshipbuilder]

6-7-44
424 Sqn RCAF (Skipton-on-Swale – Halifax III)
Weather: Cloudy. Visibility poor improving to good. Winds-Light S.E’ly.

OPERATIONS-15 A/C wore detailed for a daylight operation against SIRA COURT. All took off, one returned early due to mechanical difficulties and another, F/O Bannihr and crew failed to return. The balance were successful. All crews report very concentrated bombing. Considered a successful effort.

TRAINING- No training carried out today as all time was taken up in preparing for operations. Operational Flying Time - 58 hrs. 40 mins. Non-Operational Flying – Nil.

ADDENDUM – Halifax III LW169 QB-L. Crew: F/O RH Bannihr RCAF KIA, Sgt LG Dawson KIA, F/O AE May RCAF KIA, F/O JH Morrison RCAF KIA, WO2 WH Tomlinson RCAF KIA, F/O RG Viau RCAF KIA, F/O SJ Queen RCAF KIA. T/o 0532 Skipton-on-Swale. Hit by flak and crashed 0805 some 2km S of St. Pol in the Pas-de-Calais where all are buried in the local cemetery.

BOMBER COMMAND
V-WEAPON SITES
551 aircraft – 314 Halifaxes, 210 Lancasters, 26 Mosquitoes, 1 Mustang – attacked 5 targets. Only 1 aircraft was lost, a 6 Group Halifax from a raid on Siracourt flying-bomb store. Four of the targets were clear of cloud and were believed to have been bombed accurately but no results were seen at the Forêt-de-Croc launching site.

On his return from leading 617 Squadron’s attack on the Mimoyecques site, Wing Commander Leonard Cheshire was ordered by the commander of 5 Group to leave the squadron and rest. Cheshire had completed 4 tours and flown 100 operations. Squadron Leaders J. C. McCarthy, K. L. Munro and D. J. Shannon, the three 617 Squadron flight commanders – all survivors of the Dams Raid – were also ordered to rest. 2 months later, Cheshire was awarded the Victoria Cross for his 4 tours and for his courage and skill in developing low-level marking. He did not fly on operations again.

________________________________________

6/7 July 1944
MINOR OPERATIONS
33 Mosquitoes to Scholven/Buer and 3 to Mézières railway junction, 6 Intruder and 16 flying-bomb patrols, 4 Stirlings minelaying off the Belgian and Dutch coasts. No aircraft lost; Mosquitoes shot down 6 flying bombs, their best success of the war.

Screenshot (68018).png (106.12 KiB) Viewed 1235 times

2

Screenshot (68019).png (124.09 KiB) Viewed 1235 times

2nd TAF
One of 29 Squadron's Mosquito NF XIIIs undertook an intruder sortie to Melun and Bretigny airfields, but during the return flight one engine was hit by Flak. Flt Lt Allison got it down on return, but as he landed it flipped over, and whilst he emerged unscathed, his radar operator, Flt Lt R.G.Stainton, was injured. Another Mosquito, a Mark VI of 464 Squadron, was also hit by Flak and crash-landed at Thorney Island on return.

The morning of 6th was to bring something of a plethora of losses to Flak and to other causes. A 257 Squadron Typhoon was hit by debris from the target which was being attacked and Flt Sgt R.R.Blair was forced to bale out near Livarot. Unfortunately his parachute failed to deploy, and he fell to his death. Between 1000-1030 two more Typhoons from 164 Squadron were lost off the coast near Cabourg. Outbound on an operation from Hurn, Sgt G.M.Fisher's aircraft suffered engine failure and was seen to crash into the sea, but that flown by Flt Sgt G.D.Fowell simply disappeared without trace whilst carrying out a search for his unfortunate comrade. Fisher's body was picked up by HMS Lightfoot and was later buried at sea.

At 1210 the three squadrons of 132 Wing took off to escort 30 Mitchells to Chartres. Whilst approaching the target area just after 1300, some 20 German fighters attacked and the Spitfire pilots responded vigorously. Sqn Ldr W.M.Foster, Commanding Officer of 66 Squadron, shot down a Bf 109 from which the pilot baled out, and then claimed damage to a Fw 190, while Flt Lt J.G.Pattinson claimed a Messerschmitt from which he also saw the pilot bale out. It is, of course, possible that he and Foster had attacked the same aircraft. However, Wt Off A.McKibben was shot down by Lt Elsner of III./JG 2. Another Bf 109 was claimed by the Wing Leader, Lt Col Berg, while Capt Nils Jorstad of 331 Squadron claimed two more, other pilots of this unit claiming another two, while 332 Squadron added one more.

About an hour after this engagement, Flt Lt J.K.Allison of 181 Squadron returned from an armed reconnaissance during which his Typhoon had been hit by Flak and he had been wounded in the leg. As he came in to land at B.6, he crashed into a group of eight 247 Squadron aircraft, fully armed and parked ready for the next operation. Three were badly damaged and caught fire immediately. As ground crew and pilots sought to limit the risk to the remaining aircraft, Flt Lt Harboard of Flying Control, aided by LAC Eason, dragged Allison from the remains of his burning Typhoon. Happily, he survived his burns, and Harboard was awarded an MBE for his action. 247 Squadron suffered damage to a fourth aircraft during the day, this being hit by Flak during a morning sortie.

Whilst undertaking an evening operation, a Spitfire of 453 Squadron was also hit by Flak, Flg Off N.K.Baker force-landing six miles north-east of Mortain. He evaded capture, and after being hidden by the French Resistance, he returned six weeks later.

What of the balance? 2nd TAF units had claimed five Bf 109s and three Fw 190s, whilst US fighter pilots had added claims for nine Bf 109s and 11 Fw 190s (plus three probables and 15 damaged). Thus total Allied fighter claims for the day amounted to 14 of each type - and II. Jagdkorps on this occasion reported the loss of 14 of each fighter type!

USAAF
FRANCE: During the morning, 689 Eighth Air Force B-17s and B-24s attack 18 V-weapons sites in the Pas-de-Calais area; nearly 500 IX Bomber Command B-26s and A-20s attack bridges and rail lines throughout France; during the afternoon, 73 Eighth Air Force B-17s and 148 B-24s attack V-weapons sites in the Pas de Calais area and bridges south of Paris; and also during the afternoon, IX Bomber Command B-26s and A-20s attack V-weapons sites, bridges, fuel dumps, and rail lines.


A total of 1,027 VIII Fighter Command fighter sorties are flown throughout the day, escorting the various heavy-bomber attacks, and strafing and bombing various ground targets. In all, five fighters and four pilots are lost.


Throughout the day, Ninth Air Force fighters and fighter-bombers escort IX Bomber Command medium and light bombers, provide beachhead cover, conduct armed-reconnaissance sweeps, and attack troop concentrations, gun emplacements, numerous rail lines, bridges, tunnels, buildings, and a supply dump.


USAAF fighter pilots down 21 GAF aircraft over France between 0615 and 2020 hours. 1stLt George E. Bostwick, a P-47 pilot with the 56th Fighter Group’s 62d Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status when he downs a Bf-109 near Beaumont at 0615 hours; and Maj Kenneth W. Gallup, the commanding officer of the 353d Fighter Group’s 350th Fighter Squadron, in P-47s, achieves ace status when he downs a Bf-109 near Limay at 0630 hours.


The IX TAC’s 404th Fighter Group moves into Advance Landing Ground A-5, at Chippelle.


GERMANY: Two hundred twenty-nine 2d Bombardment Division B-24s attack shipyards at Kiel. Three B-24s are lost.


ITALY: The Fifteenth Air Force mounts a total of 711 heavy-bomber sorties against marshalling yards at Verona, a viaduct, several oil- industry targets, oil- and fuel-storage areas, rail bridges, and the Bergamo steel works; Twelfth Air Force B-25s and B-26s attack lines of communication north of the battle area, warehouses, and German Army headquarters; XII TAC A-20s attack fuel dumps; and XII TAC fighter-bombers attack rail lines and bridges just north of the battle area.


During the night of July 6–7, XII TAC A-20s attack the harbor at La Spezia and road targets in the La Spezia area.

BASE CHANGES
40 Sqn SAAF TR (Spitfire IX) moves to Castiglione
122 Sqn (Mustang III) moves to B.12 Ellon

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
350 Sqn (Westhampnett) flies its first OM and second tour of duty in the Spitfire LFIXB
490 Sqn RNZAF (Jui) flies its last OM in the Catalina IB