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22-1-45
346 Sqn (FF) (Elvington – Halifax III)
Thirteen aircraft are detailed to attack GELSENKIRCHEN all were successful. The aircraft attacked between 22.30 hours and 22.38 hours, from a height of 14500 feet to 20200 feet. The target indicators were dropped on time and were well supplied. Most of the crews bombed on Red target indicators and a few on the glow of markers. The glow of fires could be seen on the clouds. There was a moderate to intense heavy Flak. Slight Fighter activity. BOMB LOAD. 13 x 2000HC 143 x CP. 14. WEATHER. Smalll amount of cloud over England. 10/10ths. at target, tops 3/5000 feet..= Conditions on the return, similar.

BOMBER COMMAND
22 January 1945
1 Halifax flew an R.C.M. sortie.
________________________________________
22/23 January 1945
DUISBURG
286 Lancasters and 16 Mosquitoes of 1, 3 and 8 Groups. 2 Lancasters lost.

This raid was intended for the benzol plant in the Bruckhausen district of Duisburg. This target was identified visually by moonlight and much damage was inflicted on it. Further bombing also hit the nearby Thyssen steelworks, either by misidentification or by a simple spread of the bombing. Duisburg’s local report assumed that the steelworks were the primary target and stated that 500 high-explosive bombs fell on the Thyssen premises. 163 houses around the target areas were destroyed and 289 seriously damaged. 152 people were killed; 115 of these were foreign workers or prisoners of war.

GELSENKIRCHEN
152 aircraft – 107 Halifaxes, 29 Lancasters, 16 Mosquitoes – of 4, 5 and 8 Groups. No aircraft lost.

This was a small area-bombing raid. The Bomber Command report states that ‘moderate’ damage was caused to residential and industrial areas. No further details are available.

Minor Operations: 48 Mosquitoes to Hannover and 6 to Dortmund, 50 R.C.M. sorties, 40 Mosquito patrols. No aircraft lost.

Total effort for the night: 598 sorties, 2 aircraft (0.3 percent) lost. 2nd TAF
At 1020 Spitfires of 421 Squadron undertook an armed reconnaissance over the Münster- Rheine-Enschede area, the pilots reporting the presence of 25 German fighters to the east of Rheine. They had met the 'Langnasen-Doras' of L./JG 26, 24 of which had just taken off to hunt for fighter-bombers. In short order three of them were shot down with all the pilots being killed, the Canadians making four claims by Flt Lts E.S.Smith, G.E.Stephenson, M.J.Gordon and Flg Off E.W.Evans. The Luftwaffe pilots were able to make only one claim in return, Obgefr Helmut Stange shooting down the Spitfire flown by Wt Off C.D.Beck. A few minutes later a further Fw 190 was claimed in the same area by Flt Lt T.H.Hoare.

Out flying escort to 143 Wing's bomb-carrying Typhoons, 168 Squadron's pilots swept over the Dorsten-Dulmen area where locomotives and trucks were strafed. A lone Bf 109 was then spotted and this was claimed shot down by Flt Lt E.H.C.Vernon-Jarvis. However, one of the unit's aircraft failed to return, Flg Off W.G.Huddart last being seen to the north-east of Haltern. The Canadian units also lost three Typhoons, one to engine failure and two to Flak. The commanding officer of 439 Squadron, Sqn Ldr R.G. 'Bing Crosby, evaded capture and returned, but 438 Squadron's Flg Off F.R.F.Skelly was killed. Crosby's aircraft had blown up from a direct hit, but he was thrown clear with a dislocated right shoulder. He finally managed to get his parachute open at 1,000 feet, landing in woodland where he lay wrapped in his 'chute and in great pain while German troops passed close by, searching for him. He was badly shaken next day when the same area was bombed again, but as he was only four miles from Allied lines, he nevertheless made his way past sentries and patrols to reach the lines of the 43rd Division. Removed to hospital, he would be awarded a DFC in March. His place at the head of 439 Squadron was taken by Sqn Ldr J.H.Beatty.

A further claim was made by 56 Squadron during a sweep over the Oldenburg area around midday. Here four Fw 190s were seen initially, and then ten more which were involved in combat with P-51s over Neede. Joining the fracas, Flg Off W.R.MacLaren claimed one shot down; four trains were also claimed strafed by this unit during the day.
More airfield strafing took place, Sqn Ldr Art Sager of 443 Squadron claiming damage to a twin-engined aircraft on one strip, whilst at another west of Dulmen, 80 Squadron claimed damage to three gliders.
During the early evening Flt Lt 'Sailor' Parker and his radar operator, Wt Off Godfrey, of 219 Squadron intercepted approximately five Ju 87s, two of which they were able to shoot down.

USAAF
GERMANY: One hundred sixty-seven 1st Air Division B-17s attack a synthetic- oil plant at Sterkrade and 30 B-17s attack several targets of opportunity. Five B-17s are lost.

During the morning, as large components of the German Army withdraw into Germany from Belgium, 304 9th Bombardment Division bombers attack road and rail targets in eastern Belgium and western Germany. The 387th and 394th Medium Bombardment groups, in 49 B-26s, destroy the bridge spanning the Our River at Dasburg, thus creating a traffic jam on the east bank amounting at the outset to an estimated 1,500 German Army vehicles. These vehicles are attacked through the remainder of the day by air-controlled U.S. Army artillery and IX and XIX TAC fighters and fighter-bombers, which destroy at least half of the trapped vehicles.

During the morning, pilots of the Ninth Air Force’s 362d Fighter Group locate an estimated 1,500 German Army vehicles bogged down in an immense traffic jam near Prum. Here, as at Dasburg, IX and XIX TAC fighters and fighter-bombers destroy at least half of the vehicles during the course of continuous attacks.

Six IX TAC and seven XIX TAC fighters are lost during ground-attack missions at Dasburg and Prum.

ITALY: The Fifteenth Air Force is grounded by bad weather; Twelfth Air Force B-25s attack five bridges; and XXII TAC P-47s attack dumps and rail targets throughout northern Italy.

During the night of January 22–23, XXII TAC A-20s attack several airdromes as well as roads and river crossings at more than 50 locations in the Po River valley.

23-1-45
403 Sqn RCAF (B.56 Evere – Spitfire XVI)
The weather was very kind to us today and we managed to do quite a bit of flying all very uneventful shows outside of the first one this afternoon when the kites ran into quite a hit of flak over Stadkuzl area wounding P/O. Chuck Shannon slightly in the rear and and in the arm, he did manage to get his kite back to base and landed O.K. Tough luck Chuck, guess you won’t be able to sit down for a while eh?

2nd TAF
The 23rd proved to be another day when 2nd TAF would become involved in heavy fighting with the Jagdwaffe, claims exceeding those made on 14th. However, on this occasion the Eighth Air Force was not involved, and Ninth Air Force claims totalled just a single Bf 109 in the Düsseldorf area.

First off at 0835 were the Tempests of 274 Squadron, followed five minutes later by eight Spitfire XIVs of 41 Squadron, and then at 0845 by more Tempests of 80 Squadron, all heading for the Münster area. Behind them at 0915 came Spitfire IXs of 411 Squadron.

On the other side of the lines I./JG 26 at Fürstenau and III./JG 54 at Varrelbusch launched Dora-9s at around 0900, the former to cover Bf 109s of JG 27 to the München-Gladbach area, while the latter were to patrol over Münster-Handorf airfield. The JG 26 aircraft were operating at fairly low altitude, and were spotted by the 41 Squadron pilots who dived to engage in the Spitfire XIV's first serious combat. Sqn Ldr Douglas Benham claimed one Fw 190D shot down, then pulled away sharply, causing a second which had got on his tail and gained hits on his starboard wing, to spin in and crash. Flg Off F.M.Hegarty claimed a third Dora-9 shot down, while three more were claimed damaged by other pilots. However, Flt Lt M..A.L.Balasse, a Belgian pilot, failed to return and is believed to have been shot down by a pilot of III./JG 54, as this unit was operating nearby. I./JG 26 did indeed lose three aircraft and Lt Xavier Ellenreider was severely wounded in the head, although he managed to bale out.

Meanwhile the Tempests of 274 Squadron had strafed five locomotives and 25 trucks, and were becoming low on fuel when some 20 German fighters were seen in the Gutersloh area, 1,000 feet above the British fighters, which were flying at 5,000 feet. The RAF pilots climbed at once to attack, Flt Lt L.A.Wood, who was leading, claiming an Fw 190 shot down, while Flt Lt G. 'Acehole' Mann claimed a Bf 109 and a probable. Flg Off C.G.Scriven's aircraft was hit in one aileron, and he spun out, recovered, and then shot down a Focke-Wulf from which the pilot baled out. Two more pilots each claimed an Fw 190 damaged.

At 0920 Flt Lt R.G.Smith of 80 Squadron had seen a lone Bf 109 flying at 'zero' feet five miles south of Lengerick, and this he at once shot down. It seems likely that this was an aircraft of IV./JG 27, shot down in precisely this area, although reportedly by a P-51.

Five minutes later an Fw 190 was spotted seven miles north-west of Herford and was shot down, the pilot baling out. In another three minutes two more Fw 190s were seen five miles east of Bohmte, one being claimed destroyed and one probable, while a further Bf 109 was also claimed ten miles south-west of Gutersloh by Flt Sgt L.B.Crook, who was also credited with one of the Focke-Wulfs. The other, and the probable, were claimed by Flt Lt A.Seager.

The opponents of the two Tempest units were undoubtedly from III/JG 54 and other Gruppen of JG 27. The former unit, led by Oblt Dortenmann, had become split up when Tempests were first seen, Lt Crump and Ofw Ludwig Goos finding themselves alone against eight to ten British fighters in the Warendorf-Gutersloh area. Crump escaped in a violent and uncontrolled dive, but Goos was shot down and killed.

Meanwhile the rest of the formation encountered 41 Squadron's Spitfires, Fw Hegener claiming one of these shot down (probably Balasse). However, during these combats Uffz Hermann Rathje was shot down but he baled out, as did Fw Arnfield Kohller. Ofw Johann Spickers was killed, and Lt Rolf Sundermeyer, whose aircraft had been damaged, then ran out of fuel and crash-landed near Delmenhorst. Rathje also claimed a Spitfire shot down at 0930, the same time as Hegener recorded his claim, so they may well have double-claimed on the same aircraft.

To complete these early morning engagements, 411 Squadron then appeared on the scene in the Lingen-Münster area, Flt Lt R.M.Cook also claiming an Fw 190 shot down. During this period 2nd TAF claims for eight Fw 190s had been matched by an actual loss of seven of these aircraft.

Next off at 0950 were Spitfire IXs of 401 Squadron to undertake an armed reconnaissance. They were joined by Tempests of 3 Squadron and followed by three more of these aircraft from 56 Squadron at 1005. North of Osnabrück a number of jets were seen taking off and landing at Bramsche by the Canadian pilots. Initially these were identified as Me 262s, but after a subsequent study of aircraft recognition manuals, the pilots concluded that they were Ar 234s. Broadcasting the news of this bonanza to any nearby squadrons, they dived to attack, Flg Offs D.F.Church and G.A.Hardy claiming one each shot down, while a third was shared by Flt Lt W.C. 'Bud' Connell and Plt Off M.Thomas. Damage was claimed to five more, one by the Commanding Officer, Sqn Ldr Klersy, and two by Flt Lt F.T.Murray.

Soon after, the 3 Squadron formation, led by Flt Lt Fairbanks, reported encountering Fw 190s, two of these, plus a third damaged, being claimed by Flg Off Basilios Vassiliades, one and one damaged by Flt Lt J.S.B.Wright, and one by Flg Off H.W.Longley. Their opponents have not been identified.

An Me 262 was encountered in the air by Flt Lt F.L.McLeod and Flg Off Ron Dennis of 56 Squadron, and this they claimed to have shot down between them. This is believed to have been an aircraft of 12./KG 51 in which Oblt Hans Holzwarth was killed when it crashed near Hopsten. The two Tempest pilots also strafed three trains before returning to base.

Another Me 262 was to be claimed shot down soon afterwards, when 411 Squadron despatched an armed reconnaissance over Lingen-Münster. At Rheine Flt Lt Dick Audet went down to strafe, claiming one of the jets destroyed on the ground at 1215. Five minutes later he claimed a second shot down as it attempted to land at an airfield some six miles to the north-east of Rheine. Two Bf 109s were then seen and Flg Off Gordon Harrison gave chase to these, but was not seen again and was reported missing.

Soon after midday a new series of armed reconnaissances began as Tempests of 80 Squadron and Spitfires of 421 Squadron headed east. Beyond Hamm, in the Lippstadt area, the Canadians spotted five aircraft at low level at 1310, Sqn Ldr J.D.Browne claiming one Fw 190D shot down, while Flt Lt M.J.Gordon and Flg Off E.W.Evans added a second; Flt Lt E.S.Smith suffered an engine failure as he was changing from drop tank to main tanks and he crash-landed in a field near Hamm.

Following 30 minutes later, the 80 Squadron Tempest pilots encountered Bf 109s near Bramsche, Sqn Ldr Evan Mackie claiming one shot down, while a second was credited to Flt Lt D.Price and Plt Off E.A.Lang, Flg Off R.H.Anders and Flt Lt R.J.Holland claiming a third as a probable, the latter near Achmer. At the airfield at this latter location, a Ju 188 was then claimed destroyed on the ground.

Shortly thereafter more Tempests from 486 Squadron arrived in the Minden area where two Fw 190s were claimed damaged at 1330. Yet more Tempests were about during the midday period when Flt Lt Fairbanks and Plt Off Torpy of 3 Squadron undertook a cannon test which took them to Gutersloh airfield. Here they shot down a Ju 52/3m as it was taking off, then strafing Ju 88s on the ground, claiming one probably destroyed and one damaged.

L/JG 26 and III./JG 54 were ordered off on a further operation early in the afternoon, to provide cover at Münster-Handorf airfield for 9./KG 76's Ar 234s which were to undertake a bombing attack on a concentration of Allied armour in the Julich area. A small JG 54 formation was again led by Oblt Dortenmann, taking off at 1515 to meet the JG 26 aircraft over Fürstenau.

They were then to patrol over the designated area from 1600-1630. As they approached, the bombing raid was cancelled and their flight was altered to a 'Freie Jagd' (free chase). Both units then reported encountering Spitfires and Tempests.

Their opponents included Tempests from both 56 and 486 Squadrons, these units making a number of claims after encountering ...20+109s' near Rheine. Sqn Ldr Umbers of 486 claimed a Bf 109, as did Flg Off J.H.Stafford and Wt Off A.H.Bailey jointly. Flg Off V.L. Turner of 56 Squadron also claimed one such aircraft, this unit's Flg Offs W.R.MacLaren and J.J.Payton each claiming Fw 190s. Despite the identification of three of their victims as Messerschmitts, these all seem, in fact, to have been Fw 190Ds, the type's long nose no doubt contributing to the error. One L./JG 26 aircraft was shot down, the pilot baling out, while a second was damaged, and subsequently somersaulted whilst the pilot was trying to force-land after running out of fuel. III/JG 54 meanwhile lost three aircraft, Oblt Heinz Seiffert, an ex-bomber pilot and Staffelkapitän of 11. Staffel, baled out, but was too low for his parachute to deploy and he hit the ground very hard, subsequently dying of the internal injuries he had suffered. Oblt Willi Heilmann, the 9. Staffelkapitän, crash-landed near Lingen, while Uffz Günther Lange was shot down and killed. Uffz Renatus Spitz of 10. Staffel claimed one Tempest shot down, but no 2nd TAF losses were actually incurred. Perhaps his 'victim' was Sqn Ldr Umbers who reported: "I got on the tail of a 109 and gave a very short full deflection burst which hit the E/A in the cockpit and wings. The L/R tank blew up and the E/A spun down out of control. I saw it crash and burst into flames just north of Rheine A/D. The leader of the formation was turning inside me by this time and I was unable to shake him off in two turns so I pulled the stick back, put on full top rudder and flicked out then aileroned down until I has 400 I.A.S. straightened out diving to 500 I.A.S. and then pulled up again to about 10,000 feet. I was hit in the starboard ammo containers which jammed my ailerons so I reformed the Squadron and returned to base."

There was one further victory logged during the day when Sqn Ldr L.H.Lambert, Flg Off J.B.C.Catterns and Flg Off P.B.Noble of 168 Squadron caught a Ju 188 as it was landing at Twente, claiming this shot down to bring 2nd TAF's confirmed claims for the day to 32 in the air and two on the ground. No fewer than 26 of the aerial victories had been claimed by pilots of 122 Wing, which when added to 56 trains strafed during the day made this not just the best day so far, but ultimately the Wing's best day of the war.

Undoubtedly there had been some overclaiming, and a degree of misidentification seems clearly to have occurred. Sixteen Fw 190Ds had been claimed against a Luftwaffe loss of 11 of these aircraft, while claims for Bf 109s totalled seven. Apart from the IV./JG 27 aircraft already mentioned, the Geschwader lost four more, one each by I. and II. Gruppe, and two by III.Gruppe. The ratio of claims to losses was nonetheless still quite within acceptable bounds.

Losses in achieving these results had been extremely low. No Tempests had been lost in combat, and only one Spitfire XIV and its pilot. The Spitfire IXs had lost one pilot killed, and one down to fuel shortage. Flak had brought down three more Spitfire XIVs, with one of their pilots killed, and three Typhoons, with two pilots killed.

In 3 Squadron the unit's New Zealand commanding officer, Sqn Ldr Harvey Sweetman, ended his second tour. The strong New Zealand 'flavour' of the Tempest Wing was maintained when his replacement turned out to be Sqn Ldr K.F. 'Jimmy' Thiele, DSO, DFC & Bar, who had flown two tours on bombers, and then Griffon-Spitfires with 41 Squadron.

During the hours of darkness the night fighters of 409 Squadron were again active, Flg Off M.G.Kent/Plt Off J.Simpson claiming a Ju 88 at 1914 to the west of the Scheldt Estuary, while a little over an hour later, Wg Cdr J.D.Somerville/Plt Off A.C.Hardy intercepted Ju 188 A3+DQ of KG 200, which they shot down three miles west of Diest.

USAAF
GERMANY: One hundred sixty-nine 1st and 3d Air division B-17s attack a marshalling yard at Neuss, and 12 B-17s attack a bridge at Neuss. One B-17 is lost. Among the airmen lost is Col Frank P. Hunter, the 398th Heavy Bombardment Group commander, who is killed.

Several very small formations of 9th Air Division A-26s mount low-level attacks against bridges and troop-and-vehicle concentrations at three locations. These are the first low-level attacks undertaken by USAAF bombers in northern Europe since the disastrous Ijmuiden raid of May 17, 1943.

Despite bad weather, IX and XIX TAC fighters mount nearly 600 effective sorties, mainly against the gutted German Army motor columns at Dasburg and Prum. More than 1,000 motor and horse-drawn vehicles, and some tanks and other armored vehicles, are destroyed at a cost of five IX TAC fighters. Also, XIX TAC mounts 159 effective sorties against locomotives and rail cars at Duren. At a cost of one fighter lost, the XXIX TAC airmen destroy six locomotives, 150 rail cars, 65 buildings, and a tank, as well as cutting rail lines and highways in nearly a dozen places.

ITALY: The entire Fifteenth Air Force and all Twelfth Air Force B-25s are grounded by bad weather, but XXII TAC P-47s attack gun emplacements, dumps, coastal shipping, and rail

24-1-45
442 Sqn RCAF (B.88 Heesch – Spitfire LFIXB)
The squadron was due to be first off and started the day with aircraft (eight) on readiness. At 0802 hours 12 aircraft took off led by F/L N.A. Keane DFC to the Lingen – Osnabuck - Munster area. They attaded three trains in the Munster area claiming a total of one loco and nine goods wagons damaged. During these attacks the craft of J.35215 F/O N.A. Burns was apparently hit flak as he climbed to 4,000 foot and said on the R/T that he was baling out. His aircraft was on fire, but he got out and his chute opened. He landed at Map Reference A.8577, eight miles N.W. of Munster in Germany. Consequently he has been reported as Missing on Operations. During the same trip three ME 262’s were seen but could not be engaged. Three rocket like flames and could possibly ME 163’s were seen and pinpointed. The things were climbing at about 90° angle and reached a height of 8000 feet in about 12 seconds. On the second show of the day at 1113, eight aircraft led by F/L Keane came back from the same area after an uneventful trip. F/L Lumden took the last mission up at 1357 hours which was also uneventful.

ADDENDUM – Spitfire LFIXB PV154 Y2-? Pilot F/O NA Burns RCAF POW.

2nd TAF
80 Squadron sent another armed reconnaissance over the Paderborn-Hamm-Münster- Osnabrück area at 0815. Over Rheine three Bf 109s of I./JG 77 were seen in the circuit and two of these were both shot down, one by Flt Lt R.J.Holland, the other by Flt Lt D.L.Price; both Messerschmitts blew up on crashing on the edge of the airfield, one of the Luftwaffe pilots being killed and the other wounded. These victories brought the Squadron's total to 235, 12 of which had been claimed since the start of the New Year.

3 Squadron Tempests undertook a strafing attack in the Gutersloh area, where Flg Off Vassiliades, DFM, claimed a Ju 52/3m destroyed on the ground, and two twin-engined aircraft damaged; these claims were not subsequently confirmed by 2nd TAF. Vassiliades, it may be recalled, had been a successful Mustang pilot with 19 Squadron until shot down on 18 June 1944. Having evaded capture and returned, he had been decorated, commissioned, rested, converted to Tempests, and then returned to his old Wing.

The day also saw the loss of three Typhoons and a Spitfire to Flak, while Flt Lt Dick Audet of 411 Squadron claimed damage to an Me 262 over Münster during the morning. A further Typhoon was lost when 193 Squadron returned to Deurne critically short of fuel after a lengthy operation with 1,000 lb bombs. All landed safely with the exception of Wt Off A.G.Randall who ran out of fuel on short finals, coaxing his aircraft over some houses by use of the cylinder priming pump, to crash land on the perimeter by 'R&I' - Repair and Inspection. The latter Inspection revealed the Typhoon was beyond the former!

USAAF
ENGLAND: The Eighth Air Force is grounded by bad weather.

GERMANY: Despite poor weather conditions, 25 9th Air Division bombers attack three communications centers, and Ninth Air Force fighters mount 312 effective sorties, mainly against the remains of the German Army motor vehicles trapped at Dasburg and Prum. At a cost of three fighters lost, IX TAC fighters and fighter-bombers destroy 12 tanks, 30 other armored vehicles, 359 motor vehicles, and 47 gun emplacements.

ITALY: The entire Fifteenth Air Force and virtually the entire Twelfth Air Force are grounded by bad weather.

During the night of January 24–25, XXII TAC A-20s attack road and rail targets.

26-1-45
610 Sqn (Y.32 Ophoven – Spitfire XIV)
News received late last night of a rush move from Y.32 to B.78 of the Wing. "A" Party moved off with spare pilots and kits.

Squadron aircraft took off on an Armed Recce of Munster Area at 8000ft and the “deck) strafed 4 barges, locomotive and MET, with following results, 5 MET, 1 Locomotive and 4 Barges severely damaged. Weather fair but deteriorating.

F/O Wilson failed to return from this show, he having been twice hit by flak was last heard calling for emergency homing.

ADDENDUM – Spitfire XIV RB167 DW-M. Pilot:F/O WH Wilson safe but injured.

BOMBER COMMAND
8 Mosquitoes bombed the Castrop-Rauxel synthetic-oil refinery without loss. USAAF
ENGLAND: The Eighth Air Force is grounded by bad weather.

The Eighth Air Force’s air-sea rescue squadron—known officially as 65th Fighter Wing Detachment B—is redesignated the 5th Emergency Rescue Squadron.

GERMANY: Twenty-six 9th Air Division B-26s attack rail traffic around Euskirchen.

ITALY: The entire Fifteenth Air Force and the entire Twelfth Air Force are grounded by bad weather.

27-1-45
401 Sqn RCAF (B.88 Heesch – LFIXB)
Operations were again halted by a heavy dawn to dusk fog. The Wing and the Sqdn. were released at 17.50 hrs.

For the better part of the day, the pilots received lectures or tried tests in aircraft recognition. Others went to G.C.C. for a looksee. F/O A.H. Sawyer (CAN. J.24812) reported into the Squadron from No. 74 Squadron to-day on posting

BOMBER COMMAND
27 January 1945
1 Lightning of 100 Group flew on a signals-investigations patrol.
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27/28 January 1945
12 Mosquitoes to Berlin; 8 bombed this target and 3 bombed alternative targets. No aircraft lost. 2nd TAF
The Griffon Spitfire units were on the move again on 27th, 130, 350 and 610 Squadrons all making for B.78, Eindhoven, while 41 Squadron flew to B.80, Volkel, to operate alongside the 122 Wing Tempests. No sooner had 130 Squadron reached its new airfield than it departed for 17 APC for two weeks' instruction in gunnery and bombing. With 126 Wing, Wg Cdr Dal Russel ended his third operational tour of the war, handing over the Wing Leader job to G.W.Northcott.

There had been other command changes during the month. In 145 Wing Bill Crawford- Compton had completed his tour as Wing Leader, being replaced by Wg Cdr R.W.F. "Sammy" Sampson, promoted from commanding 127 Squadron.

USAAF
BELGIUM: The Ninth Air Force’s 370th Fighter Group displaces to Advance Landing Ground Y-29, at Asche.

ENGLAND: The Eighth Air Force is grounded by bad weather.

ETO: The 9th Air Division and the XIX TAC are grounded by bad weather.

ITALY: The entire Fifteenth Air Force is grounded by bad weather, and all Twelfth Air Force B-25s dispatched on missions must abort in the face of bad weather. XXII TAC P-47s attack communications targets and destroy an oil plant.

BASE CHANGES
41 Sqn (Spitfire XIV) moves to B.80 Volkel
130 Sqn (Spitfire XIV) moves to B.78 Eindhoven
307 Sqn (Mosquito NF30) moves to Castle Camps
350 Sqn (Spitfire XIV) moves to B.78 Eindhoven
610 Sqn (Spitfire XIV) moves to B.78 Eindhoven

28-1-45
405 Sqn RCAF (Gransden Lodge – Lancaster III)
OPERATIONS:- “STUTTGART” 11 Aircraft Detailed (One Missing) (Night Attack)
10 Aircraft successful, dropping 151 x 500 MC and 4 x 500 ARE 64, between 2329:36 and 2342 hours from 10,000 to 18,500 feet. Weather, 6 to 10/10 thin low strata clouds, tops 5 to 15,000 feet with visibility fair to good. The attack appeared to open late, possibly due to head winds being 40 knots stronger than forecast. Some aircraft arriving on time report that no marking at 2328:05 hours but fires were visible below cloud. First marking was seen at 2350 hours. Two red T.I.s (unreadable) followed by red/yellow flares at 2330:30 and Green/Red flare at 2351 hours. There we never a good concentration of marking and bombing appeared to be very scattered. Most crews thought that Newhaven attack would have been better. None of our aircraft dropped markers. One of our aircraft bombed on (unreadable). Three bombed Green/Red flares. Two bombed a Green T.I. Three bombed centre of fires seen and one bombed centre of all bomb bursts seen. Defences, slight to moderate heavy flak bursting from 17,000 to 20,000 feet. No searchlights. Two JU.88’s seen. Aircraft 405/H attacked and ME.410 and hits seen and claimed as damaged. One of our aircraft is missing. Remainder landed at base.

ADDENDUM – Lancaster III PB650 LQ-U. Crew: F/O FH Cummer RCAF KIA, Sgt W McCabrey KIA, F/S ER Savage RCAF KIA, F/O WB Turner RCAF KIA, F/S GS Smith RCAF KIA, F/S J McC Crae RCAF KIA, F/S DA MCDougall RCAF POW. Those who lost their lives lie in Dürnbach War Cemetery. F/O Cummer was from Seattle, Washington.

BOMBER COMMAND
COLOGNE/GREMBERG
153 Lancasters of 3 Group attacked the railway yards in conditions of good visibility. Some of the bombing fell on the target but some overshot. 3 Lancasters were lost and 1 crashed in France.
________________________________________
28/29 January 1945
STUTTGART AREA
602 aircraft – 316 Halifaxes, 258 Lancasters, 28 Mosquitoes – of 1, 4, 6 and 8 Groups. 11 aircraft – 6 Lancasters, 4 Halifaxes, 1 Mosquito – lost.

This raid was split into 2 parts, with a 3-hour interval. The first force – of 226 aircraft – was directed against the important railway yards at Kornwestheim, a town to the north of Stuttgart, and the second was against the north-western Stuttgart suburb of Zuffenhausen, where the target is believed to have been the Hirth aeroengine factory. The target area was mostly cloud-covered for both raids and the bombing, on sky-markers, was scattered.

There are some interesting local reports. Bombs fell in many parts of Stuttgart’s northern and western suburbs. The important Bosch works, in the suburb of Feuerbach, was hit. The attack on Kornwestheim was the worst suffered by that town during the war; the Kornwestheim local report shows that the local people felt they had been bombed by mistake and that the main target was in Stuttgart. 14 high-explosive bombs fell in the industrial area of the town and in the railway yards. Fires burned for up to 12 hours. 123 people were killed in Stuttgart and 41 in Kornwestheim. A large number of bombs fell outside Stuttgart, particularly in the east around a decoy fire site which was also firing dummy target-indicator rockets into the air. The village of Weilimdorf, situated not far away, complained bitterly about its damage and casualties!

Our local expert, Heinz Bardua, also tells the story of the newly promoted Flak Leutnant at his battery position at Vaihingen, situated just south of the decoy fire site. With bombs falling all around his position, the Leutnant thought that the raid was directed against the Flak positions. He ignored regulations about conservation of ammunition and shot his entire stock at the radar echoes of the attacking bombers. 2 Lancasters and a Halifax crashed in the immediate vicinity, much to the relief of the officer, who had feared a court martial because of his prodigious use of ammunition.

This was the last large R.A.F. raid on Stuttgart. Herr Bardua says that the city had endured 53 major raids, most of them by the R.A.F., during which 32,549 blocks of flats or houses were destroyed (67.8 percent of the total). After the war, 4.9 million cubic metres of rubble had to be cleared. 4,562 people died in the air raids, among them 770 prisoners of war or foreign workers. Stuttgart’s experience was not as severe as other German cities. Its location, spread out in a series of deep valleys, had consistently frustrated the Pathfinders and the shelters dug into the sides of the surrounding hills had saved many lives.

Minor Operations: 67 Mosquitoes to Berlin and 8 to Mainz (a ‘spoof’ raid for the Stuttgart attacks), 51 R.C.M. sorties, 36 Mosquito patrols, 6 Lancasters of 1 Group minelaying in the Kattegat. 1 Mosquito of 100 Group crashed in France.

Total effort for the night: 770 sorties, 12 aircraft (1.6 percent) lost. 2nd TAF
The Griffon Spitfire units were on the move again on 27th, 130, 350 and 610 Squadrons all making for B.78, Eindhoven, while 41 Squadron flew to B.80, Volkel, to operate alongside the 122 Wing Tempests. No sooner had 130 Squadron reached its new airfield than it departed for 17 APC for two weeks' instruction in gunnery and bombing. With 126 Wing, Wg Cdr Dal Russel ended his third operational tour of the war, handing over the Wing Leader job to G.W.Northcott.

There had been other command changes during the month. In 145 Wing Bill Crawford- Compton had completed his tour as Wing Leader, being replaced by Wg Cdr R.W.F. "Sammy" Sampson, promoted from commanding 127 Squadron.

USAAF
GERMANY: Three hundred forty-two 1st Air Division B-17s attack two marshalling yards at Cologne; 41 1st Air Division B-17s attack several secondary targets and targets of opportunity; 115 2d Air Division B-24s attack a synthetic-oil plant at Kaiserstuhl; 58 2d Air Division B-24s attack a synthetic-oil plant at Gneisenau; 25 2d Air Division B-24s attack several targets of opportunity; 169 3d Air Division B-17s attack a marshalling yard at Hohenbudberg; 90 3d Air Division B-17s attack two bridges at Duisburg; and 15 3d Air Division B-17s attack several targets of opportunity. Seven B-24s and three B-17s are lost.

Ninety-five 9th Air Division bombers attack bridges and an overpass at four locations and a communications center at Mayen.

ITALY: The Fifteenth Air Force is grounded by bad weather; Twelfth Air Force B-25s attack two rail bridges; and XXII TAC P-47s attack numerous communications targets throughout northern Italy.

During the night of January 28–29, XXII TAC A-20s attack numerous light sources and several pontoon bridges in the Po River valley.

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
163 Sqn (Wyton) flies its first OM in the Mosquito B.XXV

29-1-45
65 Sqn (Banff – Mustang III)
Ground crews reached BANFF at 05.00 hrs and after brekker proceeded to the a/c in anticipation of the day's show. In the afternoon the Squadron were airborne as escorts to Beaufighters of Coastal Command on anti-shipping strikes off the Norwegian coast. Before sighting the Norwegian coast a heavy, snow storm encountered. The Squadron turned about and in reforming missed the C.O. Nothing has been heard of S/Ldr. I.D.S. STRACHAN since.

ADDENDUM – Mustang III FB366 YT-? Pilot S/L IDS Strachan lost.

BOMBER COMMAND
29 January 1945
KREFELD
148 Lancasters of 3 Group attacked the Uerdingen railway yards without loss. Bombing was claimed to be accurate but a short Krefeld report states that bombs fell over a wide area. No other details are available.
________________________________________
29/30 January 1945
BERLIN
59 Mosquitoes; 50 aircraft reached and bombed the city without loss. 2nd TAF
Tempests of 274 and 486 Squadrons undertook strafing attacks on 29th, Flt Lt Woolfries from the former unit claiming one Bf 109 destroyed on Hesepe airfield, with four more damaged, while Flt Sgt A.E. 'Ben' Gunn claimed a further three damaged. III./JG 27 recorded that two of its Bf 109Ks were actually destroyed during this attack, but it seems that pilots from this Gruppe may have attempted to intercept the raiders. Obfhr Hans Lieb of 11. Staffel claimed an aircraft identified as a Typhoon over Wallenbruck at 1620, Oblt Emil Clade, a very experienced pilot of 12. Staffel, adding a second such claim two minutes later as his 25th victory. No 2nd TAF losses were in fact suffered on this date, either by Typhoon or Tempest units.

USAAF
BELGIUM: The Ninth Air Force’s 365th Fighter Group displaces to Advance Landing Ground A-78, at Florennes/Juzaine Airdrome.

ETO: Ninth Air Force fighter units are reorganized as follows: IX TAC—36th, 48th, 365th, 373d, 404th, and 474th Fighter groups; XIX TAC—354th, 362d, 367th, 368th, 405th, and 406th Fighter groups; and XXIX TAC—366th and 370th Fighter groups.

FRANCE: BriGen Glenn O. Barcus replaces BriGen Gordon P. Saville as commanding general of the XII TAC.

GERMANY: 1,001 Eighth Air Force B-17s and B-24s attack rail targets in central Germany and 93 3d Air Division B-17s attack industrial targets at Kassel. One B-24 and two of 638 VIII Fighter Command escorts and scouts are lost.

Three hundred ninety-four 9th Air Division bombers attack supply stores, defended areas, rail bridges, and communication targets throughout western Germany.

ITALY: The Fifteenth Air Force is grounded by bad weather; Twelfth Air Force B-25s are able to attack rail bridges at six locations and a railroad station; and XXII TAC P-47s attack numerous rail targets in the Po River valley.

During the night of January 29–30, XXII TAC A-20s attack scattered fuel dumps, the harbor at La Spezia, road and rail traffic around Milan, and several crossing points in the Po River valley.

YUGOSLAVIA: During the night of January 29–30, 13 Fifteenth Air Force B-24s drop supplies to Yugoslav partisans.

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
165 Sqn (Bentwaters) flies its first OM in the Mustang III
226 Sqn (B.50 Vitry-en-Artois) flies its first OM in the Mitchell III
302 Sqn (B.60 Grimberghen) flies its last OM in the Spitfire LFIXB

30-1-45
401 Sqn RCAF (B.88 – Spitfire LFIXB)
The weather continued on Herr Hitler's side to-day, duff weather preventing any operations. Snow in the afternoon turned to snow and rain in the evening.

The Wing was released at 14.00 hrs. and most of the pilots and ground crew personnel attended a stage show put on by a number of Belgian artists, which was very good.

USAAF
ENGLAND: The Eighth Air Force is grounded by bad weather.

ETO: The 9th Air Division is grounded by bad weather.

ITALY: The Fifteenth Air Force is grounded by bad weather; Twelfth Air Force B-25s attack numerous points along the Brenner Pass rail line; and XXII TAC P-47s attack factories, bridges, and dumps in and around Parma.

During the night of January 30–31, Fifteenth Air Force B-24s drop supplies to partisans in northern Italy, and XXII TAC A-20s attack rail targets in the Po River valley.

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
459 Sqn RAAF (Berka III) flies its last OM in the Baltimore IV

31-1-45
401 Sqn RCAF (B.88 – Spitfire LFIXB)
The weather seemed to have made a turn towards a milder temperature. Most of the snow has disappeared or is disappearing very rapidly. The sky is still overcast however, and so operations were curtailed for this day also.

The C.T.O. gave a talk to the pilots of all Sqdns, on modifications being made to all the Wing a/c which will be co-incident with their change of petrol. This was followed by a taIk from Capt. “BOB” Forbes on the War to date and particularly with the Russian advances.

BOMBER COMMAND
Mosquito Operations
8 Mosquitoes to the Hansa benzol plant at Dortmund and 6 Mosquitoes to Duisburg. 1 aircraft from the Dortmund raid crashed in Holland.

The weather started to improve at the beginning of February and Bomber Command commenced an almost unbroken period of operations of the most intense and concentrated nature which would continue until a halt was called to the strategic-bombing offensive in April. The first round of raids, however, was not very effective because of poor weather at the targets. USAAF
AUSTRIA: Fifteenth Air Force B-17s and B-24s mount major attacks against an oil refinery near Vienna and a marshalling yard at Graz.

ETO: The Ninth Air Force is grounded by bad weather.

GERMANY: Four hundred three Eighth Air Force B-17s and B-24s dispatched against targets in Germany are recalled because of anticipated bad weather over their bases at the scheduled time of return.

ITALY: Twelfth Air Force B-25s attack bridges at five locations and a marshalling yard; and XXII TAC P-47s attack bridges, rail lines, and road and rail traffic throughout northern Italy.

YUGOSLAVIA: Fifteenth Air Force heavy bombers attack a marshalling yard at Maribor.

BASE CHANGES
352 Sqn (Spitfire VC) moves to Vis

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
225 Sqn (Peretola) flies its last OM’s In the Spitfire VB & VC

1-2-45
433 Sqn RCAF (Skipton-on-Swale – Lancaster I)
The day began with fine weather and small amounts of cloud. Visibility was 2-4 miles, deteriorating in the afternoon and evening with scattered showers. Normal activities were carried out by crews and sections in the morning. Thirty-two of the diverted 8th U.S.A.A.F. A/C left for their home base at 1000 hours. Two remained for maintenance and repair. Operations were called at 1100 hours and seven crews were briefed to attack Ludwigshaven. This being our first operation on Lancasters, events were matched with keen interest by all personnel. All A/C took off successfully at approximately 1530 hours. Crews reported the target was apparently well pranged and left burning although covered by 8/10ths cloud. Flak was only moderate. One A/C, Lancaster "A" NG-460, piloted by J8418 S/L H.K. Stinson, DFC, crashed a few miles south of base on return. Two of the crew, J35586 F/O A.W. Bellos, Air Bomber and J90641 P/O R.J. Thompson, Rear Gunner, baled out and are safe but the remaining. members were killed. The cause is unknown at present. The loss is keenly felt by the Squadron as S/L Stinson was Flight Commander of "A" Flight. The remaining 6 A/C returned safely; "G" landing at Woodbridge, "H" at Waterbeach and "E" Rendlesham.

ADDENDUM – Lancaster I NG460 BM-A. Bombed the AP at 1928 from 17,000 feet and was hit by flak. On return the Lancaster entered turbulent weather while in cloud and control was lost.

BOMBER COMMAND
1 February 1945
MÖNCHENGLADBACH
160 Lancasters of 3 Group attacked the general town area through 8–10/10ths cloud, using G-H. The results of the raid are not known. 1 Lancaster crashed in France.

1 Halifax flew an R.C.M. sortie.
________________________________________
1/2 February 1945
LUDWIGSHAFEN
382 Lancasters and 14 Mosquitoes of 1, 6 and 8 Groups. 6 Lancasters lost.

Most of the force aimed their loads at sky-markers and the local report shows that bombs fell in many parts of Ludwigshafen, with much property damage of a mixed nature. The 900 houses destroyed or seriously damaged were the main item in the report but it also states that the railway yards were seriously damaged and one of the Rhine road bridges was hit by 2 bombs and temporarily closed to traffic. 25 people were killed and 6 injured, figures which might indicate that the population either had been evacuated or were extremely well provided with shelters.

MAINZ
340 aircraft – 293 Halifaxes, 40 Lancasters, 8 Mosquitoes – of 4, 6 and 8 Groups. No aircraft lost.

A few early crews were able to bomb target indicators seen through a gap in the clouds, but the gap soon closed and most of the raid was on sky-markers. The local report states that a few buildings were destroyed, including the Christuskirche, which burnt out, and the town hospital was damaged, but most of the bombing fell outside Mainz. 33 people were killed.

SIEGEN
271 Lancasters and 11 Mosquitoes of 5 Group. 3 Lancasters and 1 Mosquito lost.

This raid also experienced difficult marking and bombing conditions. Some damage was caused to the railway station but the local report says that the markers were either carried away from Siegen by a strong wind or that dummy markers and a decoy fire site attracted much of the bombing. Most of the raid fell in country areas outside Siegen. 128 people died.

Minor Operations: 122 Mosquitoes to Berlin, 8 to Bruckhausen benzol plant, 6 to Hannover, 4 to Nuremberg and 4 dropping dummy target indicators at both Mannheim and Stuttgart, 64 R.C.M. sorties, 47 Mosquito patrols. No aircraft lost.

Total effort for the night: 1,273 sorties, 10 aircraft (0.8 percent) lost. 2nd TAF
Ten pilots of 274 Squadron flew an afternoon armed reconnaissance to the Rheine area, where a lone Fw 190 was seen at 1715. This was claimed shot down by Flt Lt 'Jesse' Hibbert who latched onto the yellow-cowled enemy fighter and, despite being unable to jettison one of his long-range tanks, "sprayed him until there was an explosion in the rear fuselage."

The pressure on the German command structure was maintained when an attack was made by 329 Squadron on a villa to the north-east of Amersfoort, in use as a German Army HQ. Two direct hits and two near misses with 500-pounders were obtained.

Early in the evening Wg Cdr Peter Green and his radar operator, Flt Lt Douggie Oxby, were successful again, claiming a Ju 88 shot down.

USAAF
AUSTRIA: More than 300 Fifteenth Air Force B-17s and B-24s attack marshalling yards at Furstenfeld, Graz, and Klagenfurt, and an oil refinery at Moosbierbaum.

BELGIUM: The 352d Fighter Group, in P-51s, is returned to Eighth Air Force control following temporary duty with the Ninth Air Force since December 23, 1944. The unit remains at Advance Landing Ground A-84, at Chievres Airdrome.

ENGLAND: The unit designation of the 493d Heavy Bombardment Group’s 862d Heavy Bombardment Squadron is transferred to the Eighth Air Force’s new 3d Scouting Force, but the squadron’s aircraft and personnel are distributed to the other squadrons of the 493d Group.

ETO: The 361st Fighter Group, on loan to the XIX TAC since late December, is returned to VIII Fighter Command control. The unit moves from Advance Landing Ground A-64, at St.-Dizier/Robinson Airdrome, France, to Advance Landing Ground A-84, at Chievres Airdrome, Belgium.

FRANCE: The Ninth Air Force’s 367th Fighter Group displaces to Advance Landing Ground A-64, at St.-Dizier/Robinson Airdrome.

GERMANY: Six hundred sixteen 1st and 3d Air division B-17s attack marshalling yards at Krefeld, Ludwigshafen, and Mannheim; highway and rail bridges at Mannheim; rail bridges at Wesel; and several targets of opportunity. Two B-17s are lost.

One hundred forty-six 9th Air Division bombers attack ground defenses and bridges between the Rhine and Moselle rivers.

During the night of February 1–2, the 9th Air Division’s 410th Light Bombardment Group mounts its first effective night missions since being withdrawn from combat in early January to retrain and reequip as the Ninth Air Force’s only dedicated night-bomber unit. Of 25 A-20s dispatched at 2050 hours, 22 receive a recall message (triggered by a report of bad weather), but the remaining three continue on to the target, a communications center at Hillesheim. Bombs are dropped at 2204 hours with the aid of GEE blind-bombing equipment, but results are unobserved. All planes return safely to their base by 2350 hours.

ITALY: Nearly the entire Twelfth Air Force is grounded by bad weather. Only 12 effective fighter-bomber sorties are completed.

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
9 Sqn SAAF Disbanded
118 Sqn (Bentwaters) flies its first OM in the Mustang III
154 Sqn (Biggin Hill) flies its first OM in the Spitfire VII
424 Sqn RCAF (Skipton-on-Swale) flies its first OM in the Lancaster I
433 Sqn RCAF (Skipton-on-Swale) flies its first OM in the Lancaster I

2-2-45
408 Sqn RCAF (Linton-on-Ouse – Halifax VII)
It wasn’t until late this afternoon that we were required to furnish fourteen aircraft for operations. In true 408 style we were prepared and set for the take-off in good time. The aircraft are not expected to return until the early hours of the morning.

As was predicted our aircraft returned early this morning. The target was one of our old acquaintances, WANNE-EICKEL. All our aicraft returned safely to base except one, NP 757 "B", which crashed at NORTH-WHITAM aerodrome on the outward journey owing to the starboard inner engine catching fire. All the crew bated out and are reported safe. Weather over the target was reported as 10/10ths clouds with tops between 8 to 10000 feet. Visibility was fair and the target was identified by red T.I. markers, which disappeared quickly into cloud and were of little use for bombing, only being visible as a glow, which was intermittent. The glow of T.I.'s coincided with the "GEE" co-ordinates. Explosions were noted at 2318 and 2319 hours. It is impossible to assess the results of the bombing, but if the markers were on it should be a good attack. Ground defences consisted of light to moderate flak bursting between 16 to 22000 feet in barrage for with small amounts of predicted flak. Some fighter flares were observed but no combats were reported.

BOMBER COMMAND
2 February 1945
2 Mosquito Ranger patrols over Northern Germany without loss.
________________________________________
2/3 February 1945
WIESBADEN
495 Lancasters and 12 Mosquitoes of 1, 3, 6 and 8 Groups. 3 Lancasters crashed in France.

This was Bomber Command’s one and only large raid on Wiesbaden. There was complete cloud cover but most of the bombing hit the town. A brief local report states that 520 houses and about 30 other buildings were destroyed, and 400 houses and 50 other buildings were seriously damaged. 5 important war industries along the banks of the Rhine were untouched but the railway station was damaged. Casualties were recorded as ‘approximately 1,000 killed and 350 injured’.

WANNE-EICKEL
323 aircraft – 277 Halifaxes, 27 Lancasters, 19 Mosquitoes – of 4, 6 and 8 Groups. 4 Halifaxes lost.

This target was also cloud-covered and the attack, intended for the oil refinery, was not accurate. The local report assumed that the target was a local coal mine – Shamrock 3/4; most of the bombing fell in the open ground around the mine, although 21 houses were hit and 68 people were killed.

KARLSRUHE
250 Lancasters and 11 Mosquitoes of 5 Group. 14 Lancasters lost. 189 Squadron, from Fulbeck, lost 4 of its 19 aircraft on the raid.

Cloud cover over the target caused this raid to be a complete failure. Karlsruhe reports no casualties and only a few bombs. The report mentions ‘dive bombers’, presumably the Mosquito marker aircraft trying to establish their position. This was a lucky escape for Karlsruhe in its last major R.A.F. raid of the war.

Minor Operations: 43 Mosquitoes to Magdeburg and 20 to Mannheim, 54 R.C.M. sorties, 44 Mosquito patrols. No aircraft lost.

Total effort for the night: 1,252 sorties, 21 aircraft (1.7 percent) lost. 2nd TAF
During a Tempest operation which had begun at 0930, 3 Squadron's Flt Lt J.S.B.Wright claimed a Bf 109 shot down and two more damaged in the Soltau area, while pilots of 127 Squadron submitted a joint claim for a Ju 188 destroyed on the ground during a strafing attack on Soesterburg airfield in the early afternoon.

Out on an armed reconnaissance in the Paderborn area soon after midday, Tempest pilots of 486 Squadron spotted what they took to be a Do 217 in the landing pattern at an airfield, and this was attacked and shot down by Flg Offs R.D.Bremer and J.H.Stafford, and Plt Off C.J.Sheddan. It seems that their victim was in fact a Bf 110 night fighter of 8./NJG 1, which was brought down in just such circumstances at Störmede, an airfield to the south-west of Paderborn. The pilot, Uffz Günther Stieghan, and his radar operator both survived with injuries, while the rear gunner was unhurt.

The day saw two Tempests, two Typhoons and two Spitfires brought down by Flak, while 21 Squadron lost a Mosquito flown by the unit's Commanding Officer, Wg Cdr I.G.E.Dale. Two further Mosquito intruders also failed to return. Another Spitfire and pilot was lost - Flt Lt J.B.Gordon of 1401 Flight (which had joined 34 (Recce) Wing at B.58 on 14 January 1945), who was flying a meteorological instrument-equipped Spitfire IX, was probably a victim of bad weather conditions on the morning flight to München Gladbach.

USAAF
FRANCE: The Ninth Air Force’s 406th Fighter Group displaces to Advance Landing Ground Y-34, at Metz/Frescati Airdrome.

GERMANY: During the Eighth Air Force’s only offensive mission of the day—a sweep by the 56th Fighter Group P-47s—Maj Paul A. Conger, the commanding officer of the 63d Fighter Squadron, brings his final personal tally to 11.5 confirmed victories when he downs at FW-190 and a Bf-109 near Berlin at 1040 hours.

More than 350 9th Air Division bombers attack road and rail bridges east of the Rhine River and defended areas in the battle zones in western Germany.

ITALY: Twelfth Air Force B-25s attack bridges at seven locations, but the Fifteenth Air Force and XXII TAC are grounded by bad weather over their bases.

BASE CHANGES
65 Sqn (Mustang III) moves to Peterhead
341 Sqn (Non-Op) moves to Turnhouse
487 Sqn RNZAF (Mosquito FBVI) moves to B.87 Rosieres-en-Santerre

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
14 Sqn (Chivenor) flies its first OM in the Wellington XIV
38 Sqn (Foggia Main) flies its first OM in the Wellington XIV
157 Sqn (Swannington) flies its first OM in the Mosquito NF30
192 Sqn (Foulsham) flies its first OM in the Mosquito BXVI

4-2-45
419 Sqn RCAF (Middleton St. George – Lancaster X)
15 aircraft were required to attack Bonn. Weather at base, enroute and at the target was terrible. Wind changes again made many crews late. P.F.F. were also late. When the first crews arrived, there was no marking and boubing was done on "GEE". Markers were later dropped, but the cloud-tops were too high for effective marking. The attack was probably scattered. There was isolated predicted flak but as far as is known no fighters. One crew was lost from this attack, "M” KB787, piloted by J16953 F/L J.P. Barlow, on the 22nd sortie of his second tour. This would normally have been F/L Barlow's last operational sortie. Word was received late the following day that the WOP/AG, P/O C.T. Sutter (J90648) was safe on an advanced airfield in France. Word was later received that the aircraft had been involved in a mid-air collision and had crashed in an inaccessible part of the Ardennes. Four bodies were recovered in the immediate vicinity but no news has as yet come to hand as to the fate of the other members of the crew.

ADDENDUM – Outbound while flying in cloud Lancaster X KB787 VR-M collided with Lancaster I PA219 BM-M of 433 Sqn RCAF. Both aircraft crash S of Vielsam (Luxembourg) in the Belgian Ardennes. All now rest in Hottam War Cemetery.

BOMBER COMMAND
4/5 February 1945
BONN
238 aircraft – 202 Halifaxes, 20 Lancasters, 16 Mosquitoes – of 4, 6 and 8 Groups. 3 Lancasters lost.

This was a poor attack, with most of the bombing falling to the south of the target or over the Rhine in the Beuel area. 19 people were killed.

OSTERFELD
123 aircraft – 100 Halifaxes, 12 Mosquitoes, 11 Lancasters – of 6 and 8 Groups attacked a benzol plant but caused no fresh damage. No aircraft lost.

GELSENKIRCHEN
120 aircraft – 96 Halifaxes, 12 Lancasters, 12 Mosquitoes – of 4 and 8 Groups attacked the Nordstern synthetic-oil plant. Some minor damage was caused but most of the bombs fell south of the target. No aircraft lost.

Minor Operations: 50 Mosquitoes to Hannover, 12 to Dortmund, 4 to Magdeburg and 3 to Würzburg, 59 R.C.M. sorties, 42 Mosquito patrols, 15 Lancasters and 12 Halifaxes minelaying off Heligoland and in the River Elbe. 2 Mosquitoes lost, 1 each from the Hannover and Würzburg raids.

Total effort for the night: 678 sorties, 5 aircraft (0.7 percent) lost. 2nd TAF
This otherwise unremarkable day saw the arrival at B.58, Melsbroek, of a detachment from 616 Squadron, newly-equipped with Gloster Meteor III jets. At this time still the only such squadron in the RAF, the unit had been operating the Mk.I Meteor against V-1s since summer 1944. The unit was commanded by a distinguished Battle of Britain pilot, Wg Cdr Andy McDowell, DFM and he also led over the detachment of four early-production Meteor IIIs.

It was hoped that the newer, higher-performance aircraft might offer an answer to the constant fighter-bomber attacks of the Me 262s of KG 51. However, these Welland-engined early Mk.IIIs were not intended to operate over hostile territory but, painted white overall, would be demonstrated to Allied units on the Continent in an effort to prevent unfortunate misidentifications.

USAAF
GERMANY: 9th Air Division bombers attack a repair depot and a road-and-rail junction.

ITALY: The Fifteenth Air Force is grounded by bad weather; Twelfth Air Force B-25s attack rail bridges at five locations and a marshalling yard; and XXII TAC P-47s attack rail facilities and at least ten bridges.

During the night of February 4–5, XXII TAC A-20s attack road targets south of Bologna and in the Po River valley.

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
70 Sqn (Cerignola) flies its first OM in the Liberator VI
456 Sqn RAAF Church Fenton) flies its last OM in the Mosquito NFXVII

5-2-45
401 Sqn RCAF (B.88 Heesch – Spitfire LFIXB)
The morning dawned murky and dull to-day, rain commenced about 08.00 and continued all morning. Although the rain stopped after lunch the weather was still unfit for flying and none of our a/c left the ground.

BOMBER COMMAND
5 February 1945
1 Halifax flew an R.C.M. sortie.
________________________________________
5/6 February 1945
MINOR OPERATIONS
63 Mosquitoes to Berlin, 7 to Magdeburg and 6 to Würzburg, 1 R.C.M. sortie. 1 Mosquito lost from the Berlin raid. USAAF
AUSTRIA: Fifteenth Air Force heavy bombers attack rail facilities at Salzburg and Villach.

ETO: All Ninth Air Force offensive operations are canceled in the face of bad weather.

GERMANY: Fifteenth Air Force heavy bombers attack an oil-storage facility at Regensburg and rail facilities at Rosenheim and Straubing.

ITALY: Twelfth Air Force B-25s attack bridges at three locations.

During the night of February 5–6, XXII TAC A-20s attack road traffic and lights in the Po River valley.

BASE CHANGES
464 Sqn RAAF (Mosquito FBVI) moves to B.87 Rosieres-en-Santerre

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
213 Sqn (Biferno) flies its first OM in the Mustang IV

6-2-45
3 Sqn (B.80 Heesch – Tempest V)
The first show led by F/LT D.C. FAIRBANKS, D.F.C. took off with four aircraft at 08.05hrs to the PADERBORN area. Near HAMM a train carrying explosives and fuel was attacked. Three attacks were made, Jerry ignored the first attack and woke up for the second and third with a large amount of flak. F/LT J.S. B. WRIGHT was shot down but he was seen to bale out successfully. P/O M.J.A. ROSE was shot up badly but managed to limp home safely. F/Lt J.M. GARLAND, D.F.C.,led four aircraft taking off at 11.55hrs to the same area. There was little activity but some locos and met were damaged. F/LT B.C. MCKENZIE led three aircraft to the RHEINE area at 12:25hrs and straffed considerable MET. The last show led by S/LDR K.F THIELE, D.S.O.,D.F.C. & two Bars took off at 15.45hrs to the ZWOLLE - LINGEN area damaging two locos. The score for the day was locos 1 - 10, trucks 1 - 13, Met 3 - 8, Barges 0 - 3.

ADDENDUM – Tempest V EJ654 JF-? Pilot F/L JSB Wight POW.

BOMBER COMMAND
RAILWAY VIADUCTS
35 aircraft of 5 Group (9 and 617 Squadrons) to attack viaducts at Bielefeld and Altenbeken were recalled because of bad weather.

2nd TAF
Flak once again played some havoc with 2nd TAF operational command structures during 6th, Sqn Ldr D.R.Crawford of 181 Squadron being shot down in flames and killed near Wietzen, while 66 Squadron's Sqn Ldr W.M.Foster was obliged to force-land in hostile territory near Gorinchen (although he returned safely). 181 Squadron was taken over by Sqn Ldr H. 'Poppa' Ambrose, DFC, who had been a flight commander in 175 Squadron.

Tempests of 3 Squadron had set off at 0805, but during their patrol two aircraft were hit. Flt Lt J.S.B.Wright was comprehensively 'shot up' by Flak while attacking a train and he was forced to bale out, while Flg Off M.J.A.Rose managed to get back despite his aircraft having been badly damaged.

Moves were also afoot, 145 Wing going to B.85 at Schijndel during the day, while the Mosquito VIs of 140 Wing moved to B.87, Rosieres-en-Santerre. While so involved, two Dakotas carrying the ground crews of the Wing's squadrons crashed, and while in one case only one member of the unit was aboard, the other was carrying 23 men of 6487 Servicing Echelon, including the adjutant, who were all killed.

Mitchells from 98 and 226 Squadrons bombed a bridge at Deventer during the day, but encountered heavy Flak. One aircraft from the former unit failed to return, while five from the latter were badly hit and damaged, two crash-landing and the other three all force-landing away from base.

USAAF
GERMANY: Of 1,383 Eighth Air Force heavy bombers dispatched to attack several oil-industry targets, 1,310 are forced by bad weather to divert against several secondary targets and nearly twenty targets of opportunity, mostly city and town areas. Five heavy bombers and four of 829 VIII Fighter Command escorts and scouts are lost.

Two hundred sixty-one 9th Air Division bombers attack a defended village, an ammunition dump, a motor-vehicle park, a communications center, and targets of opportunity.

ITALY: The Fifteenth Air Force is grounded by bad weather; Twelfth Air Force B-25s attack rail lines, a bridge, and marshalling yards; and XXII TAC P-47s attack numerous targets of opportunity.

During the night of February 6–7, XXII TAC A-20s attack lights and signs of movement throughout northern Italy.

BASE CHANGES
21 Sqn (Mosquito FBVI) moves to B.87 Rosieres-en-Santerre
74 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXE) moves to B.85 Schijndel
252 Sqn (Beaufighter TFX) moves to Aboukir
329 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to B.85 Schijndel
345 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to B.85 Schijndel

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
119 Sqn (B.83 Knocke/Le Zoute) flies its first OM in the Swordfish III

7-2-45
431 Sqn RCAF (Croft – Lancaster X)
Ops called at noon, for a night take-off, Thirteen aircraft attacked an Army Co-Operation target with successful results. All our aircraft resumed safely. The Press Relations Photographers were around the sections obtaining pictures of aircrew for their home newspapers.

ADDENDUM – Lancaster X KB818 SE-G. Lost power on two engines and later wrecked in an emergency landing at Ford airfield.

BOMBER COMMAND
7/8 February 1945
GOCH
464 aircraft – 292 Halifaxes, 156 Lancasters, 16 Mosquitoes – of 4, 6 and 8 Groups. 2 Halifaxes lost.

This raid was preparing the way for the attack of the British XXX Corps across the German frontier near the Reichswald. The Germans had included the towns of Goch and Kleve in their strong defences here. The Master Bomber ordered the Main Force to come below the cloud, the estimated base of which was only 5,000 ft, and the attack opened very accurately. The raid was stopped after 155 aircraft had bombed, because smoke was causing control of the raid to become impossible.

Considerable damage was caused in Goch but most of the inhabitants had probably left the town. Approximately 30 local people died. There were heavy casualties among Russians, Italians and Dutchmen who had been brought in as forced workers to dig the local defences; they were quartered in 2 schools, which were bombed, and more than 150 of them died. The number of German soldiers killed is not known.

KLEVE
295 Lancasters and 10 Mosquitoes of 1 and 8 Groups. 1 Lancaster lost.

285 aircraft bombed at Kleve, which was battered even more than Goch. Few details are available from local reports and casualties may not have been heavy (most of the civilian population were absent), but, after the war, Kleve claimed to be the most completely destroyed town in Germany of its size.

The British attack, led by the 15th (Scottish) Division, made a successful start a few hours later but quickly ground to a halt because of a thaw, which caused flooding on the few roads available for the advance, and also because of the ruins which blocked the way through Kleve. Lieutenant-General B. G. Horrocks, the corps commander in charge of the attack, later claimed that he had requested that Kleve should only be subjected to an incendiary raid but Bomber Command dropped 1,384 tons of high explosive on the town and no incendiaries.

DORTMUND–EMS CANAL
177 Lancasters and 11 Mosquitoes of 5 Group attacked the canal section near Ladbergen with delayed-action bombs. Later photographs showed that the banks had not been damaged; the bombs had fallen into nearby fields. 3 Lancasters were lost.

Minor Operations:
38 Mosquitoes to Magdeburg, 16 to Mainz and 41 in small numbers to 5 other targets, 63 R.C.M. sorties, 45 Mosquito patrols, 30 Lancasters and 15 Halifaxes minelaying in Kiel Bay. 4 Mosquitoes lost – 3 from 100 Group and 1 from the raid on Mainz.

Total effort for the night: 1,205 sorties, 10 aircraft (0.8 percent) lost. USAAF
AUSTRIA: Fifteenth Air Force heavy bombers attack at least six oil refineries in the Vienna area, and Zwolfaxing Airdrome.

GERMANY: Two hundred ninety-four 1st Air Division B-17s and all escorting fighters bound for Essen are recalled because of bad weather, but one B-17 attacks the target. Of all Eighth Air Force combat units, only the 364th Fighter Group gets into action, during a fighter sweep.

Although the Ninth Air Force is grounded by bad weather, 12 9th Air Division B-26s attack a rail siding at Lippe.

ITALY: Twelfth Air Force B-25s and XXII TAC P-47s attack bridges and rail lines, and XXII TAC P-47s attack several dumps and sugar refineries.

During the night of February 7–8, XXII TAC A-20s attack at least 58 targets in Brenner Pass and the Po River valley.

YUGOSLAVIA: Fifteenth Air Force heavy bombers attack a oil-storage facility at Pula and the town of Bratislava.

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
39 Sqn (Biferno) flies its first OM in the Marauder III
94 Sqn (Kalamaki/Hassani) flies its first OM in the Spitfire IX

8-2-45
405 Sqn RCAF (Gransden Lodge – Lancaster III)
OPERATIONS:- TARGET:- “POLITZ” 22 Aircraft Detailed (One Missing) (Night Attack)
Ten aircraft successful “A” dropping 40 x No. 3 G.P. “B” ditto, 6 x 250 Red T.I., 18 x 2000 MC 35 x 500 MC and 3 x 4000 MC. <Unreadable> from 2300 to 2317:17 hours from 15,500 to 16,500 feet. Weather clear to 2/10th’s thin cloud at 13,000 to 14,000 feet with good visibility. Four bombed on GEE and six on Red/Green or Red T.I.’s on Master Bomber orders. Three <unreadable> Illuminators dropped their flares and one retained flares as the target was sufficiently illuminated. All the incendiaries were brought back. The Primary Visual Marker did not drop his T.I.s as there was too much smoke to be sure of the Aiming Point, and the three <unreadable> Markers retained their Green T.I. as the ground was visible. The Visual Centerer backed up with Red and Green T.I.’s at 2317:12 hours. Aiminng Point was visually identified and the marking was seen to be accurately placed, but the smoke from the fires, some of which <much unreadable>. All crews agreed that it was a successful <unreadable>, and on the Aiming Point, several explosions were reported, one at 2316 hours on the Aiming Point. Defences, slight to moderate heavy flak. No searchlights. All aircraft returned to base.

ADDENDUM – Lancaster III ND912 LQ-X. Crew: F/O HB McIntyre RCAF KIA, F/S AES Kiff KIA, F/O LH Mahler RCAF KIA, P/O ALJ St. Pierre RCAF KIA, P/O TA Stone RCAF KIA, P/O MJ Martin RCAF KIA, F/S AM Fostey RCAF KIA. T/o 1914 Gransden Lodge. Lost without a trace. All are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.

BOMBER COMMAND
8 February 1945
IJMUIDEN
15 Lancasters of 617 Squadron dropped Tallboys on the U-boat pens without loss.

1 R.C.M. sortie was flown.
________________________________________
8/9 February 1945
PÖLITZ

475 Lancasters and 7 Mosquitoes of 1, 5 and 8 Groups. 12 Lancasters lost, 1 of them coming down in Sweden.

The attack took place in 2 waves, the first being marked and carried out entirely by the 5 Group method and the second being marked by the Pathfinders of 8 Group. The weather conditions were clear and the bombing of both waves was extremely accurate. Severe damage was caused to this important synthetic-oil plant. It produced no further oil during the war. Speer mentioned this raid, in his post-war interrogations, as being another big setback to Germany’s war effort.

WANNE-EICKEL
228 aircraft – 200 Halifaxes, 20 Mosquitoes, 8 Lancasters – of 4, 6 and 8 Groups. 2 Halifaxes crashed in France.

This raid was not a success. The local report says that the bombing was scattered, with only light damage to the oil refinery. 45 Germans and 17 foreigners were killed.

KREFELD
151 Lancasters of 3 Group attacked the Hohenbudberg railway yards but photographic reconnaissance was unable to detect any new damage. 2 Lancasters lost.

Minor Operations: 47 Mosquitoes to Berlin, 9 to Neubrandenburg (a ‘spoof’ for the Pölitz raid) and 4 to Nuremberg, 47 R.C.M. sorties, 42 Mosquito patrols, 10 Lancasters of 5 Group minelaying off Swinemünde. 1 R.C.M. Halifax lost.

Total effort for the night: 1,020 sorties, 17 aircraft (1.7 percent) lost. 2nd TAF
"Veritable' started with what XXX Corps described as "the biggest artillery barrage in history," For five hours machine guns, Bofors, tank guns, 17 pounder anti-tank guns, heavy AA guns, 25 pounders, 4.5in and 5.5in artillery, and the super-heavy guns further back, pounded the area. 500,000 rounds were fired by over 1,200 guns, raining down 11,000 tons of explosives onto the stricken defenders. Fire ceased at 0740 hours and the advance began.

In support of this 'big push, 257 Squadron undertook a day of 'Cab Rank' operations, landing at strips close to the front to refuel and re-arm between sorties. Other units of the Wing, 193,197 and 266 Squadrons, moved to B.89 at Mill in Holland, led by their Wing Leader, Wg Cdr J.C.Wells.

On an early armed reconnaissance by the Spitfire XIVs of 402 Squadron, Flt Lt K.S.Sleep spotted a Ju 88 north of Coesfeld, which he at once shot down. This aircraft had been flown by the Kommodore of NJG 2, Maj Paul Semrau, who was undertaking a daylight test flight when intercepted. This recipient of the Ritterkreuz mit Eichenlaub (posthumously), and victor of 46 nocturnal combats, was killed with his crew.

Close behind 402 Squadron had come other Spitfires from 442 Squadron which reached the Wesel area to encounter five Ju 87s. Hardly able to believe their luck, the Canadian pilots rapidly disposed of the lot, Flt Lt D.C.Gordon claiming two and sharing a third with Flt Lt J.G.Doyle, who accounted personally for a fourth; the fifth fell to Flt Lt R.B.Barker.

At 0840 nine Tempests from 274 Squadron set course for the Celle-Rheine-Minden area, followed ten minutes later by aircraft from 80 Squadron, which headed for Diepholz- Nienburg. Over Minden at 0916 the 274 Squadron pilots, who were flying at 8,000 feet, saw about 12 Bf 109s above them at 15,000 feet. As the unit headed for the enemy, six more dived from the north to attack, following which the main Messerschmitt formation turned on the Tempests and Sqn Ldr A.H.Baird's aircraft was shot down. The rest of the pilots got rather the better of their attackers, Flg Offs W.F.Mossing, W.S.J.Stark and T.R.Sutherland each claiming one Messerschmitt shot down to the north-west of Rheine, while Flt Lt Hibbert claimed one damaged. Their opponents were aircraft of III./JG 27, pilots from this unit claiming three Tempests shot down in this engagement for the loss of two of their Bf 109s.

A little later at 0950 Plt Off R.S.E.Verran, one of those in the 80 Squadron formation, spotted a lone Fw 190 flying east at 800 feet some 20 miles south-east of Bremen, and this he claimed shot down. During the day, however, 411 Squadron's Flt Lt Dick Audet was obliged to bale out when his Spitfire was hit by Flak; luckily, he landed in friendly territory, and was quickly back with the squadron.

Nonetheless, Flak again took its toll, two French-flown Spitfires of 345 Squadron, a Spitfire FR XIV of 2 Squadron, a 268 Squadron Mustang, Tempests from 3 and 486 Squadrons, and several Typhoons all being lost during the day. One of the latter, a 609 Squadron aircraft, suffered engine failure and was down to ground level when the engine picked up, enabling the pilot to climb away; unfortunately he was unable to avoid the surrounding trees entirely and was eventually obliged to bale out of his crippled aircraft into Allied territory. One of 3 Squadron's Tempests had been piloted by Flt Lt 'Judy Garland - newly posted in from 80 Squadron as a flight commander: yet another successful and experienced pilot falling victim to Flak while attacking trains. 349 Squadron was fortunate not to lose its Commanding Officer when Sqn Ldr A. Van der Velde was hit by Flak and survived a seven-minute flight back to Allied territory and a forced-landing in a petrol-soaked cockpit.

On the ground, although there had been some fierce resistance in places, by next day Kleve had been taken. At this stage the Germans broke the Roer dams in the Duren area, flooding the valley and putting a stop to any immediate advance by Ninth Army. However, by 21 February Goch too would have fallen, and on 23rd the floods would have subsided sufficiently to allow Ninth Army to begin an offensive across the river. These successes allowed 21st Army Group to close up to the Rhine itself during March.

USAAF
AUSTRIA: More than 500 Fifteenth Air Force B-17s and B-24s attack a marshalling yard at Graz and communications targets in and around Vienna.

BELGIUM: The Ninth Air Force’s 406th Fighter Group displaces to Advance Landing Ground Y-29, at Asche.

ENGLAND: One hundred fifty Eighth Air Force B-17s and 254 B-24s are recalled on their way to Germany, most before leaving England.

ETO: Ninth Air Force fighter units are reorganized as follows: IX TAC—36th, 48th, 365th, 404th, and 474th Fighter groups; XIX TAC—354th, 362d, 367th, and 368th Fighter groups; and XXIX TAC—366th, 370th, 373d, 405th, and 406th Fighter groups.

GERMANY: In the Eighth Air Force’s only offensive action of the day, 98 VIII Fighter Command P-51s based on the Continent mount a sweep against rail lines.

More than 320 9th Air Division bombers attack three defended areas, a marshalling yard, a road junction, and targets of opportunity.

ITALY: Twelfth Air Force B-25s attack bridges at three locations, and XXII TAC P-47s attack an oil dump and a rail bridge.

During the night of February 8–9, XXII TAC A-20s and A-26s (in their theater debut) attack communications targets throughout the Po River valley, and 11 Fifteenth Air Force heavy bombers drop supplies to partisan units in northern Italy.

BASE CHANGES
68 Sqn (Mosquito NFXVII/NFXIX) moves to Wittering
193 Sqn (Typhoon IB) moves to B.89 Mill
197 Sqn (Typhoon IB) moves to B.89 Mill
255 Sqn (Beaufighter VIF) moves to Rosignano
257 Sqn (Typhoon IB) moves to B.89 Mill
266 Sqn (Typhoon IB) moves to B.89 Mill
340 Sqn (Non-Op) moves to B.85 Schijndel

9-2-45
418 Sqn RCAF (Hartford Bridge – Mosquito FBVI)
WX - Good fair periods with occasional showers of hail and thunder locally.. Movement Order for Squadron has been received and it is expected we will be moving to Continent early in March 1945.
"A" Flight;-F/L Bernier (F/O Timpson) to COXYDE in Oxford, NPT's and compass swings. "B" Flight; NFT'S
OPERATIONS: F/L Miller(F/S Hooper), F/L Walker(F/O Jones), P/L Johnson(F/S Dolby), F/L Drake(P/O Gunning), P/O Hughes(F/O Halme), F/L Phillips(P/O Job), F/L Redeker(P/O Zimmer), F/L McKitrick (F/O White), F/O Moore(F/O Wilkins), F/L Loriaux(F/L Sewell), W/O Johnston(Sgt. Kelly) F/O Nicol(F/O Wicken), P/O McLeod(Sgt.Blackaby), F/L Naylor(Sgt. Battle), patrolled DUSSELDORF-MUNCHEN/GLADBACH area, straffing and bombing MET, small towns, lights and buildings, F/L Charde(Sgt. Rosenthal) have not yet returned.

ADDENDUM – Mosquito FBVI HR151 TH-F. Crew: F/L WC Charde RCAF KIA, Sgt S Rosenthal KIA.

BOMBER COMMAND
9 February 1945
1 Halifax flew an R.C.M. sortie.
________________________________________
9/10 February 1945
Minor Operations
7 Stirlings of 3 Group flew on Resistance operations but none were able to carry out their tasks (the reasons were not recorded) and 1 Stirling was lost. 1 Mosquito flew an R.C.M. sortie. 2nd TAF
Following the loss of Sqn Ldr Baird on 8th, the pilots of 274 Squadron were very pleased with the news that Flt Lt 'Foob' Fairbanks, who they referred to as "The Terror of Rheine", was to return to them from 3 Squadron with promotion to Squadron Leader.

2 Group's Mosquitoes continued to suffer regular losses during their nocturnal operations, two failing to return during the evening and a third in the early hours of the next morning. Two of the Dutch 320 Squadron's Mitchells also went down, having collided in cloud on the way to their target at Geldern: only two of the eight crew managed to bale out safely.

USAAF
AUSTRIA: Fifty-four Fifteenth Air Force heavy bombers attack an oil refinery at Moosbierbaum and marshalling yards at Graz and Bruck.

FRANCE: The Ninth Air Force’s 323d Medium Bombardment Group displaces to Advance Landing Ground A-83, at Denain/Prouvy Airdrome.

GERMANY: Two hundred thirty-three 1st Air Division B-17s attack an oil-industry target at Lutzkendorf; 147 1st Air Division B-17s attack rail viaducts at Arnsberg and Paderborn; ten 2d Air Division B-24s attack a synthetic-oil plant at Magdeburg (primary); 286 2d Air Division B-24s attack a marshalling yard at Magdeburg (secondary); 64 2d Air Division B-24s attack a rail viaduct at Bielefeld (primary); 198 3d Air Division B-17s attack a munitions plant at Weimar (secondary); 107 3d Air Division B-17s attack an oil-industry target at Dulmen (secondary); and 173 heavy bombers attack various targets of opportunity. Eight heavy bombers and five of 809 VIII Fighter Command escorts and scouts are lost.

VIII Fighter Command pilots down 22 GAF fighters over Germany between 1130 and 1350 hours. 1stLt William E. Whalen, a P-51 pilot with the Eighth Air Force’s 2d Scouting Force, achieves ace status when he downs two Bf-109s and probably downs a third near Dessau at noon; Capt George W. Gleason, a P-51 ace with the 479th Fighter Group’s 434th Fighter Squadron, brings his final personal tally to 12 confirmed victories when he downs a Bf-109 and an FW-190 near Magdeburg between 1211 and 1230 hours; and Capt James E. Duffy, Jr., a P-51 pilot with the 355th Fighter Group’s 354th Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status when he downs an FW-190 near Berlin at 1310 hours.

Capt James W. Browning, a seven- victory P-51 ace with the 357th Fighter Group’s 363d Fighter Squadron, is shot down and killed near Fulda.

Three hundred forty-seven 9th Air Division bombers attack marshalling yards, rail bridges, and communications centers.

ITALY: The Twelfth Air Force is grounded by bad weather.

During the night of February 9–10, XXII TAC A-20s and A-26s attack the dock area at La Spezia, and rail lines, light sources, and signs of movement in the Brenner Pass and Po River valley.

BASE CHANGES
237 Sqn (Spitfire IX) moves to Rosignano
268 Sqn (Mustang IA/II) moves to B.77 Gilze-Rijen

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
119 Sqn (B.83 Knocke/Le Zoute) flies its last OM in the Albacore I
154 Sqn (Biggin Hill) flies its last OM in the Spitfire VII

10-2-45
462 Sqn RAAF (Foulsham – Halifax III)
Twelve aircraft were required for operations, but the requirement was later reduced to eight. The eight aircraft were all airborne by 0145hrs, but "O"/462 (Captain F/L. D.J. ROBERTSON) returned early with HYDRAULICS U/S. The remainder completed a successful sortie, "V"/462 (Captain F/L P.H. JAMES) crashed on landing owing to the port under carriage folding up, cause as yet unknown.

BOMBER COMMAND
10 February 1945
1 Halifax flew an R.C.M. sortie.
________________________________________
10/11 February 1945
MINOR OPERATIONS
82 Mosquitoes to Hannover and 11 to Essen, 24 R.C.M. sorties, 22 Mosquito patrols. No aircraft lost. 2nd TAF
It was 3 Squadron which lost its Commanding Officer on 10th when Sqn Ldr K.F.Thiele, DSO, DFC & 2 Bars, the very notable ex-bomber pilot, was brought down by Flak whilst attacking a train east of Dörsten. He baled out and survived as a PoW (but escaped at the end of March). One of his pilots, Plt Off M.J.A.Rose, also had his Tempest hit by Flak, but managed to force-land west of Paderborn from where he made his way back to Allied lines on foot. The Squadron claimed to have damaged 11 trains during the day. Another Tempest pilot, Flt Lt J. Woolfries of 274 Squadron, was also obliged to force-land north-east of Arnhem, and like Thiele, went "into the bag". From this latter unit, Flt Lt R.B.Cole, DFC, was promoted and posted to take Thiele's place at the head of 3 Squadron. Sqn Ldr Fairbanks celebrated his promotion and return to 274 Squadron by setting off at the head of eight Tempests for the Drakenburg-Hanover-Paderborn area. Taking off at 1030, the formation had claimed two locomotives and five MET strafed when a lone jet was seen flying west at 7,000 feet. A pursuit began which lasted for 20 miles through broken cloud. Finally Fairbanks caught the aircraft which he identified as an Me 262, as it was about to land at Rheine, and shot it down with one quick burst. Subsequent research has indicated that his victim was almost certainly a reconnaissance Arado Ar 234 of 1.(F)/123, flown by Hptm Hans Felden.

In 183 Squadron the Commanding Officer, Sqn Ldr H.M.Mason, was promoted to become Wing Leader of 135 Wing, his place being taken by J.R.Cullen, DFC, from 164 Squadron. He was replacing Wg Cdr R.H.Harries, DSO, DFC & Bar, who was 'tour-expired' and posted to 84 Group HQ as Wing Commander Training; subsequently he was awarded a Bar to his DSO.

USAAF
GERMANY: Unable to locate their primary target in the Netherlands, 140 1st Air Division B-17s attack an oil plant at Dulmen.

More than 320 9th Air Division bombers attack a rail bridge, communications centers at three locations, a vehicle depot, and targets of opportunity.

ITALY: Despite bad weather, that grounds the Fifteenth Air Force and many Twelfth Air Force units, Twelfth Air Force B-25s attack two bridges, and XXII TAC P-47s attack rail lines and a motor-vehicle park.

During the night of February 10–11, XXII TAC A-20s and A-26s attack bridges in the Po River valley, light sources and signs of movement throughout northern Italy, and Germany Army frontline defenses in the Apennine mountains.

NETHERLANDS: Of 164 Eighth Air Force B-17s dispatched against the U-boat base at Ijmuiden, only nine are able to locate and attack the target.

BASE CHANGES
17 Sqn SAAF (Non-Op) moves to Gianaclis
124 Sqn (Spitfire HFIX) moves to Coltishall
252 Sqn (Beaufighter TFX) moves to Gianaclis
263 Sqn (Typhoon IB) moves to B.89 Mill

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
94 Sqn (Kalamaki/Hassani) flies its last OM’s in the Spitfire VB & VC

11-2-45
308 (Polish) Sqn (B.60 Grimberghen – Spitfire LFIXB)
The Squadron was detailed to bomb a designated target, which, however, could not be located, due to complete overcast. Bombs were dropped on the Dusseldorf region with results unobserved.

Three sections of 4 a/c dive bombed various targets in the Cleve-Wesel-Gildern-Goch area. Several bombs were dropped on an aerodrome and barracks in that region, others on a rail station at Hulsherst, four of which were seen hit the target. Other bombs caused hits on a rail line. Visibility rather poor.

One more section took off on dive bombing mission, but owing to 10/10 clouds dropped there bombs in the Appeldoorn region with unobserved results.

2nd TAF
Sqn Ldr Fairbanks celebrated his promotion and return to 274 Squadron by setting off at the head of eight Tempests for the Drakenburg-Hanover-Paderborn area. Taking off at 1030, the formation had claimed two locomotives and five MET strafed when a lone jet was seen flying west at 7,000 feet. A pursuit began which lasted for 20 miles through broken cloud. Finally Fairbanks caught the aircraft which he identified as an Me 262, as it was about to land at Rheine, and shot it down with one quick burst. Subsequent research has indicated that his victim was almost certainly a reconnaissance Arado Ar 234 of 1.(F)/123, flown by Hptm Hans Felden.

In 183 Squadron the Commanding Officer, Sqn Ldr H.M.Mason, was promoted to become Wing Leader of 135 Wing, his place being taken by J.R.Cullen, DFC, from 164 Squadron. He was replacing Wg Cdr R.H.Harries, DSO, DFC & Bar, who was 'tour-expired' and posted to 84 Group HQ as Wing Commander Training; subsequently he was awarded a Bar to his DSO.

USAAF
GERMANY: Unable to locate their primary target, 124 2d Air Division B-24s attack the oil plant at Dulmen.

Ninety-seven 9th Air Division bombers attack marshalling yards at Bingen and Modrath.

ITALY: The Fifteenth Air Force and all Twelfth Air Force B-25s are grounded by bad weather, but XXII TAC P-47s attack supply dumps, rail lines, and bridges.

During the night of February 11–12, XXII TAC A-20s and A-26s attack targets in Brenner Pass and the Po River valley.

BASE CHANGES
451 Sqn RAAF (Spitfire LFXVI) moves to Manston

12-2-45
401 Sqn RCAF (B.88 Heesch – Spitfire LFIXB)
Despite the fact that the weather looked none too good, S/L Klersy took four of the Rams up at 08.50 on a combined weather and Armed Recco They flew into the ENSCHEDE Area and returned to the Strip at 10.10 with a claim of seven Met. damaged. Other Met. were sighted but low clouds prevented attacks. Four more a/c took off at 10.00 under the leadership of F/L "Freddie" Murray and damaged 2 more Met. also in the Enschede Area.

BOMBER COMMAND
MOSQUITO OPERATIONS
72 Mosquitoes to Stuttgart, 11 to Misburg, 4 to Würzburg and 3 each ‘on H2S trials’ to Cologne, Frankfurt, Koblenz and Wiesbaden, 1 Mosquito on an R.C.M. sortie. No aircraft lost. USAAF
ETO: The Ninth Air Force is grounded by bad weather.

ITALY: The entire Fifteenth Air Force and most of the Twelfth Air Force are grounded by bad weather, but some Twelfth Air Force B-25s are able to attack a bridge and a sugar refinery, and the XXII TAC’s 57th Fighter Group, in P-47s, attacks gun emplacements, a bridge, and rail lines in the Po River valley.

During the night of February 12–13, XXII TAC A-20s and A-26s attack troop movements in the Po River valley.

BASE CHANGES
247 Sqn (Typhoon IB) moves to Warmwell

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
53 Sqn (Reykjavik) flies its last OM in the Liberator VA