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5-3-45
415 Sqn RCAF (East Moor – Halifax III)
Weather - Cloudy, but fair.

15 aircraft detailed for operation today. Flying training program in session, including fighter affiliation, and air to air firing. Crews are anxious to make this a record month, and were disappointed at the two day lull.

ADDENDUM – Halifax III NA204 6U-J. F/L WR Mitchell RCAF POW, F/O RC Barteaux RCAF POW, F/S AE Ridley POW, F/O RD Loveridge POW, P/O FT Mudry RCAF POW, P/O WD Mosey RCAF POW, F/S WB Gill RCAF POW, P/O JT Gendron RCAF POW. T/o 1645 East Moor.

BOMBER COMMAND
5 March 1945
GELSENKIRCHEN
170 Lancasters of 3 Group carried out a G-H attack on the Consolidation benzol plant. No results were seen. 1 Lancaster lost.
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5/6 March 1945
CHEMNITZ
760 aircraft – 498 Lancasters, 256 Halifaxes, 6 Mosquitoes – to continue Operation Thunderclap. The operation started badly when 9 aircraft of 6 Group crashed near their bases soon after taking off in icy conditions. 426 Squadron, at Linton-on-Ouse, lost 3 out of their 14 Halifaxes taking part in the raid in this way, with only 1 man surviving. 1 of the Halifaxes crashed in York, killing some civilians. 22 further aircraft were lost in the main operation – 14 Lancasters and 8 Halifaxes.

The city of Karl-Marx-Stadt was unable to supply any local details but it is known that the centre and the south of the city suffered severe fire damage. Several important factories were situated in the fire area and the Siegmar factory, which made tank engines, was destroyed.

BÖHLEN
248 Lancasters and 10 Mosquitoes of 5 Group attacked the synthetic-oil refinery. The target area was covered by cloud but some damage was caused to the refinery. 4 Lancasters lost.

Minor Operations: 75 Mosquitoes to Berlin, 15 to Gelsenkirchen and 36 in small numbers to 6 other targets, 52 R.C.M. sorties, 27 Mosquito patrols. 5 aircraft lost – 2 Mosquito bombers from the Berlin raid, 1 Mosquito lost from a small raid to Hallendorf, 2 R.C.M. aircraft (1 Halifax and 1 Stirling, of which the latter was believed to have been shot down over France by an American artillery unit).

Total effort for the night: 1,223 sorties, 31 aircraft (2.5 percent) lost and 10 more crashed in England. 2nd TAF
On the previous day 274 Squadron had been joined by the Free French pilot, Flt Lt Pierre Clostermann, who during the previous summer had flown Spitfires with 602 Squadron. On this, his first full day with his new unit, he took off at 1640 to undertake a cannon test near Hengelo. He returned to report that he had seen four Bf 109s in cloud, and diving on these, had managed to shoot one down, which he saw burning on the ground. The loss of a single Bf 109K was reported by III./JG 27; Uffz Max Ritzi of 9. Staffel was shot down over Barrel, north of Neuss, reportedly by AA fire. In the murky conditions prevailing he may well actually have been Clostermann's victim. Clostermann, recorded the squadron ORB, was "...a little worried lest this action should be considered irregular, and vindicated his matters by putting his cannons u/s as 'only two of them had fired."

With 257 Squadron disbanding on this day, some of its aircraft were transferred to 183 Squadron, to strengthen the latter's stock of Typhoons fitted with four-bladed propellers, since it was now relinquishing its RP role in favour of dive-bombing; most of the Squadron's remaining pilots were posted to 263 Squadron.

USAAF
GERMANY: More than 300 1st and 3d Air division B-17s dispatched against a synthetic-oil plant at Ruhland are thwarted by bad weather, but 233 attack the city of Chemnitz, 34 attack a chemical plant at Plauen, and nine attack a chemical plant at Fulda. Also, 120 2d Air Division B-24s attack a synthetic-oil plant at Hamburg, as planned.

Five hundred sixty-five 9th Air Division bombers attack marshalling yards at six locations, a communications center, an ordnance depot, and targets of opportunity.

ITALY: The entire Fifteenth Air Force and Twelfth Air Force B-25s are grounded by bad weather, and only a few XXII TAC P-47 missions get airborne against bridges in the Po River valley.

During the night of March 5–6, XXII TAC A-20s and A-26s attack targets of opportunity in the Po River valley.

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
77 Sqn (Full Sutton) flies its first OM in the Halifax VI
228 Sqn (Pembroke Dock) flies its first OM in the Sunderland V
257 Sqn Disbanded
318 Sqn (Forli) flies its last OM in the Spitfire VB
627 Sqn (Woodhall Spa) flies its first OM in the Mosquito BXVI

6-3-45
105 Sqn (Bourn – Mosquito B.IX)
During the day and night the squadron flow 32 sorties, and the target attacked WESSEL in all cases. Six aircraft, 3 primaries and 3 reserves, led three formations of non musical Mosquitoes for an afternoon attack. All the primaries ooped and the formations were satisfactory. Cloud was 10/10ths in the target area, and as our troops were in the vicinity sky marking was considered too dangerous, and so the two "Oboe" squadrons were given the task of bombing the concentration of German armour known to be in the area. The attack lasted all through the evening with the exception of a break of about 30 minutes. (It has been suggested that this was to let the Germans come out of their funk-holes, stretch themselves and perform the necessities of nature. Whether or not this was Command's reason for the break, no doubt the Germans took full advantage of it.)

22/26 aircraft attacked successfully with loads of 4 x 500 M.C's or "cookies"." Warrant Officer Riordan made an early return owing to petrol trouble from the starboard engine. S/Ldr. Burrell had a truly eventful evening. He made an early return owing to the port engine being U/S due to severe icing. Later he took off again in another aircraft attacked his objective and was returning to base without navigational aids, when he was attacked by one of our own night fighters. At the time of the attack he was actually in touch with the ground station, and had just given them his approximate position of crossing the English coast. The night fighter pilot demonstrated that his aim was as good as his aircraft recco was bad. The crew were compelled to abandon aircraft, the port engine being on fire, S/Ldr. Burrell sustained shrapnel injuries in the leg, but F/O. McCulloch had only superficial injuries due to his jump.

BOMBER COMMAND
6 March 1945
SALZBERGEN
119 Lancasters of 3 Group carried out a G-H attack through cloud on the Wintershall oil refinery. 1 Lancaster lost.

WESEL
48 Mosquitoes of 8 Group attacked Wesel, which was believed to contain many German troops and vehicles. The target had been cloud-covered for several days. Oboe Mosquitoes provided the marking. 1 aircraft lost.
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6/7 March 1945
SASSNITZ
191 Lancasters and 7 Mosquitoes of 5 Group attacked this small port on the island of Rügen, in the Baltic. Considerable damage was caused to the northern part of the town and 3 ships were sunk in the harbour. 1 Lancaster lost.

WESEL
87 Lancasters of 3 Group and 51 Mosquitoes of 8 Group continued the attack on Wesel with two separate raids. No aircraft lost.

Minor Operations: 42 Mosquitoes to Berlin, 2 R.C.M. sorties, 5 Mosquito patrols, 15 Lancasters minelaying off Sassnitz. No aircraft lost. 2nd TAF
74 Squadron now commenced re-equipment with Spitfire XVIs, but far away in Cornwall 485 Squadron reported that the Tempests with which it was supposed to be re-equipping had been taken away, and that the unit retained only a single Typhoon. However, a few more of these would arrive during the month. 349 Squadron was to experience similar problems, undertaking some test flights with Typhoons and Tempests, but receiving no re-equipment. At this time the unit welcomed as commanding officer Sqn Ldr 'Cheval' Lallemand, the former Typhoon pilot and commanding officer of 609 Squadron.

USAAF
GERMANY: The IX and XIX TACs are grounded by bad weather, but more than 260 9th Air Division A-26s and B-26s attack marshalling yards at three locations, a storage depot, and targets of opportunity; and the XXIX TAC covers the first U.S. Army ground forces to reach the Rhine River (an element of the U.S. First Army, near Cologne).

ITALY: The entire Fifteenth Air Force is grounded by bad weather, but Twelfth Air Force B-25s attack targets in Brenner Pass and bridges at six locations.

During the night of March 6–7, XXII TAC A-20s and A-26s attack targets in the Brenner Pass area, a river crossing, and two bridges.

BASE CHANGES
304 Sqn (Wellington XIV) moves to St. Eval

7-3-45
419 Sqn RCAF (Middleton St. George – Lancaster X)
15 aircraft were detailed to attack DESSAU with take-off set at 16.30 hours. All aircraft got away on time. 7/10th to 10/10th cloud we encountered over the target. Bombing heights were from HCC to 17,000 feet, and bombing seem well concentrated. Flak defences were comparatively light, but one aircraft failed to return from this operation piloted to 027395 F/O B.T. MacNeill on his 4th sortie.

ADDENDUM – Lancaster X KB797 VR-K. Crew: F/O BT MacNeill RCAF KIA, Sgt RT Wilson RCAF KIA, F/O WE Short RCAF KIA, Sgt EV Beach RCAF KIA, F/S HO Cole RCAF POW, Sgt DC Jamieson RCAF POW, Sgt RL Mitchell RCAF KIA. T/o 1657 Middleton St. George.

BOMBER COMMAND
7/8 March 1945
DESSAU
526 Lancasters and 5 Mosquitoes of 1, 3, 6 and 8 Groups. 18 Lancasters lost, 3.4 percent of the force.

This was another devastating raid on a new target in Eastern Germany with the usual town centre, residential, industrial and railway areas all being hit. Few further details are available.

HEMMINGSTEDT
256 Halifaxes and 25 Lancasters of 4, 6 and 8 Groups attempted to attack the Deutsche Erdoel refinery at Hemmingstedt, near Heide, but the bombing fell 2 to 3 miles from the target. 4 Halifaxes and 1 Lancaster lost.

HARBURG
234 Lancasters and 7 Mosquitoes of 5 Group carried out an accurate attack on the oil refinery. 14 Lancasters lost. 189 Squadron, from Fulbeck, lost 4 of its 16 Lancasters on the raid.

Brunswig’s local report (pp. 362 and 456) states that a rubber factory was seriously damaged as well as the oil targets. 422 people were killed, including 44 who died in the rubber factory’s air-raid shelter. There were 99 fires, 37 of them classified as large.

Minor Operations: 80 Mosquitoes to Berlin, 10 to Frankfurt, 9 to Münster and 5 to Hannover, 56 R.C.M. sorties, 43 Mosquito patrols, 15 Halifaxes and 5 Lancasters minelaying off Eckernförde and Flensburg. 4 aircraft were lost – 2 Halifaxes and 1 Fortress of 100 Group and 1 Mosquito from the Berlin raid.

Total effort for the night: 1,276 sorties, 41 aircraft (3.2 percent) lost. 2nd TAF
Eight 3 Squadron Tempests took off for the Rheine area at 1400, as did others of 56 Squadron, followed half an hour later by 80, 274 and 486 Squadrons, all led by Sqn Ldr Evan Mackie, this Wing formation heading for the Nienberg- Hanover-Hamm area. Over Rheine, 3 and 56 Squadrons had encountered 12 Luftwaffe fighters, which although identified as Bf 109s and Fw 190s, were actually the Dora-9s of III/JG 26, the only Gruppe operating on this date. Passing nearby at this moment, the other units spotted the German aircraft as well and joined in, four victories being claimed without loss. These victories were not easily won. Flg Off Vassiliades of 3 Squadron latched onto a Focke-Wulf; after ten minutes of hard combat Vassiliades baled out, following cannon strikes in the cockpit area. Another was claimed by Mackie in a long, tight turning fight which left him dripping with sweat, and one by Flt Lt Joe Payton of 56 Squadron, who having avoided two Fw 190s 'on his tail, shot down his victim with a 30 degree deflection shot in a climbing turn. Flg Off V.L.Turner of this unit, who identified his victim as a Bf 109, despatched it following a dive fom 12,000 feet and a low-level chase. III./JG 26 did indeed lose four aircraft during this engagement, two of the pilots being killed and two wounded.

Departing Volkel shortly after the Tempests, 245 Squadron's Typhoons found a train to attack near Soest but in doing so lost one of its flight commanders, Flt Lt H.T. 'Moose' Mossip, RCAF; he had been an inveterate train-buster on his earlier tour with 1 Squadron. He fell victim to an ever-present hazard for ground-attack pilots - high tension cables - one of which his aircraft struck during his attack, losing its starboard wing and inevitably spinning into the ground.
During the day news came of General Patton's US Third Army's drive towards Koblenz, and the crossing of the Rhine at Remagen by units of General Hodges' US First Army.

Meanwhile, the RCAF squadrons of 39 (Reconnaissance) Wing moved to join 127 Wing at B.90, Petit Brogel, while 41 and 137 Squadrons departed to attend the two APCs at Warmwell. Next day the other reconnaissance Wing, 35, moved to B.89, Mill.

USAAF
GERMANY: Eighty-six 1st Air Division B-17s attack two synthetic-oil plants at Dortmund; 211 1st Air Division B-17s attack marshalling yards at three locations (secondaries); 80 2d Air Division B-24s attack a water viaduct at Schildesche; 144 2d Air Division B-24s attack a marshalling yard at Soest; 173 3d Air Division B-17s attack two synthetic-oil plants at Datteln; 77 3d Air Division B-17s attack a synthetic-oil plant at Castrop; and 71 3d Air Division B-17s attack marshalling yards at two locations (secondaries). One of 274 VIII Fighter Command escorts and scouts is lost.

Except for the XXIX TAC, the Ninth Air Force is grounded by bad weather.

The U.S. First Army captures Cologne. Also, and of far greater strategic importance, elements of the U.S. First Army capture the Ludendorff rail bridge, which spans the Rhine River at Remagen. Immediately, as U.S. ground forces rush to protect the bridge and expand the bridgehead, the GAF mounts a steady stream of missions against the span itself—and IX TAC launches a virtually impermeable aerial umbrella to defend the bridge.

ITALY: The Fifteenth Air Force is grounded by bad weather; Twelfth Air Force B-25s attack rail and other communications targets; and XXII TAC P-47s attack dumps and communications targets in the Po River valley.

During the night of March 7–8, XXII TAC A-20s and A-26s attack Po River crossings at six locations, light sources, road traffic, and signs of movement in the Po River valley.

BASE CHANGES
18 Sqn (Boston IV) moves to Forli
41 Sqn (Spitfire XIV) moves to Warmwell
55 Sqn (Boston IV/V) moves to Forli
114 Sqn (Boston IV/V) moves to Forli
247 Sqn (Typhoon IB) moves to B.86 Helmond
400 Sqn RCAF (Spitfire XI) moves to B.90 Petit-Brogel
414 Sqn RCAF (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to B.90 Petit-Brogel
430 Sqn RCAF (Spitfire XIV) moves to B.90 Petit-Brogel

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

8-3-45
462 Sqn RAAF (Foulsham – Halifax III)
EIGHT aircraft were required for operations on this night, but THREE NR.239 "D”/462 (Captain - F/L H.B. HANCOCK), M.308 "S”/462 (Captain - F/O. P.S. SHERRON) and HA.147 “G"/462 (Captain - F/O. N.E. MARCRAFT) were non-starters due to unserviceability of aircraft. Unfortunately ONE aircraft MZ.370 “L”/462 (Captain - F/L H.E. JAMES) failed to return from this operation.

ADDENDUM – Halifax III MZ370 Z5-L. Crew: F/L FH James RAAF POW, Sgt SG Rother RAAF POW, W/O TH McFarlane RAAF POW, F/S NE Teede RAAF POW, W/O JD Fraser RAAF POW, F/S RWC Hutton RAAF POW, F/S TP Ledwith RAAF POW, W/O HS Colman RAAF POW. T/o 1801 Foulsham

BOMBER COMMAND
8/9 March 1945
HAMBURG
312 aircraft – 241 Halifaxes, 62 Lancasters, 9 Mosquitoes – of 4, 6 and 8 Groups. 1 Halifax lost.

The purpose of this raid was to hit the shipyards which were now assembling the new Type XXI U-boats, whose parts were prefabricated in many parts of inland Germany. Thanks to the Schnorkel breathing tube and a new type of battery-driven electric engine, the Type XXI could cruise under water for long periods and was capable of bursts of high speed. Its development in numbers would have posed great problems for Allied convoy defence if the war had lasted longer.

The Hamburg area was found to be cloud-covered and the bombing was not expected to be accurate enough to cause much damage to the shipyards. Brunswig (pp. 362–3 and 456) mentions only a serious fire which almost destroyed the liner Robert Ley, built in Hamburg before the war as a cruise liner for the Strength Through Joy movement, and gives statistics of 118 people killed, 172 wounded, 54 fires (38 of them large ones).

KASSEL
262 Lancasters and 14 Mosquitoes of 1 and 8 Groups carried out the first large raid on Kassel since October 1943; it was also the last large R.A.F. raid on this target. 1 Mosquito lost.

This target was also covered by cloud. The only local report available is a short one which says that many fires were started in the western parts of Kassel. No casualties or other details are given.

Minor Operations: 39 Mosquitoes to Berlin, 33 to Hannover, 7 to Hagen and 5 each to Bremen and Osnabrück, 50 R.C.M. sorties, 36 Mosquito patrols, 23 Halifaxes and 14 Lancasters minelaying in the Rivers Elbe and Weser, 5 aircraft on Resistance operations. 1 R.C.M. Halifax lost. The 5 Stirlings of 161 Squadron, which were carrying supplies to Resistance units at unrecorded destinations, but probably in Denmark and Norway, were the last Resistance operations flights of the war.

Total effort for the night: 805 sorties, 3 aircraft (0.4 percent) lost. USAAF
AUSTRIA: Fifteenth Air Force heavy bombers attack a steel works at Kapfenburg.

GERMANY: Three hundred thirty-seven 1st Air Division B-17s attack synthetic-oil plants at four locations; 109 1st Air Division B-17s attack a marshalling yard at Essen (target of opportunity); 257 2d Air Division B-24s attack marshalling yards at three locations; 272 3d Air Division B-17s attack three synthetic-oil plants at two locations; 122 3d Air Division B-17s attack a chemical plant; 77 3d Air Division B-17s attack marshalling yards at two locations (secondaries); and 33 heavy bombers attack various targets of opportunity.

Nearly all Ninth Air Force fighters and fighter-bombers are grounded by bad weather, but 328 9th Air Division bombers attack two marshalling yards, communications centers at seven locations, an overpass, and a military transport depot.

The XXIX TAC operational headquarters displaces forward from Maastricht to Monchen-Gladbach.

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

ITALY: Fifteenth Air Force heavy bombers attack a marshalling yard at Verona; Twelfth Air Force B-25s attack a marshalling yard, a bridge, and two rail fills; and XXII TAC P-47s attack supply dumps, a munitions factory, an industrial complex, and lines of communication.

During the night of March 8–9, XXII TAC A-20s and A-26s attack river crossings in the Po River valley.

YUGOSLAVIA: Fifteenth Air Force heavy bombers attack a locomotive depot at Maribor.

BASE CHANGES
268 Sqn (Mustang IA/II) moves to B.89 Mill

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
65 Sqn (Peterhead) flies its last OM in the Mustang III

9-3-45
90 Sqn (Tuddenham – Lancaster I/III)
14 aircraft detailed for operations against Dattein. 1 aircraft failed to return. Remaining 13 attacked primary between 1356 and 1357 hrs from 20,000 to 21,000 ft. dropping 13 x 4000HC,50 x 500 AN, 98 x 500 MC, 13 x 500 GPLD, 1 x 250 skymarker blue puff. Weather was 10/10 cloud. All crew report formation excellent, smoke puffs and bombing concentrated. Smoke was seen coming through the cloud. Flak was moderate, but very acccurate over the target. No fighter activity was reported.

ADDENDUM – Lancaster I PA254 WP-A. Crew: F/L BJ Aldhous MID KIA, Sgt S Power KIA, P/O CD Palmer KIA, F/O JC Paton RAAF KIA, P/O C Foy KIA, F/S A Smee KIA, Sgt R South KIA, Sgt AFC Smith SAFE. T/o 1037 Tuddenham carrying two navigators for a G-H raid on Emscher Lippe benzol works. Brought down by flak. Six are buried in Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, but F/L Aldhous rests in Venray War Cemetery. 2nd TAF
More moves occurred on this date, the Polish 308 and 317 Squadrons going to B.77, Gilze-Rijen, where re-equipment with Mark XVI Spitfires soon began. In 145 Wing there were more changes amongst the French units, 329 Squadron now returning to Turnhouse in Scotland, not to rejoin 2nd TAF before the end of the war. This unit's place was now taken by 341 Squadron, returning for a further tour at the front.

Having commenced operations from its new base at B.90, 414 Squadron despatched two Spitfire IXS on a TacR over the Münster area where some 20 Fw 190s reportedly attacked the pair at 4,500 feet. Flt Lt R.J.Cutting was able to claim one of these destroyed and fired another, seeing it catch fire but then losing sight of it thereafter; he was credited with this as damaged. He may have been engaged with aircraft of IV./JG 26 which recorded an incident in the afternoon when Lt Peter Crump was leading four Fw 190Ds in a hunt for artillery spotters in the Wesel-Krefeld area, reportedly encountering four Spitfires, one of which was claimed probably shot down.

Two Typhoon squadron commanders were lost during the day. 609's Sqn Ldr E.R.A.Roberts fell to ground fire whilst attacking barges at Over Flakke, but survived as a PoW. 193's Sqn Ldr 'Rastus' Erasmus was, however, killed; he was seen to dive into the ground shortly after dropping his bombs in a low-level attack on a bridge at Raalte, but the cause remains obscure. Debris damage was a possible culprit.
During the evening an aircraft of the 2nd TAF's most unlikely operational unit went missing. A Swordfish of 119 Squadron, which had operated anti-submarine detachments from Belgian bases since the previous October and which had been based at B.83, Knocke since 21 February 1945, disappeared with its two crew on a patrol off Walcheren. ASR searches during the night and the following day were unsuccessful.

USAAF
AUSTRIA: Fifteenth Air Force heavy bombers attack five marshalling yards at four locations and bridges along the Austro-Yugoslav border.

ETO: The Ninth Air Force’s 370th Fighter Group flies its first operational missions following transitioning from P-38s to P-47s.

GERMANY: Three hundred eighteen 1st Air Division B-17s attack a munitions plant and a marshalling yard at Kassel; 277 2d Air Division B-24s attack marshalling yards at three locations; 372 3d Air Division B-17s attack two marshalling yards at Frankfurt am Main; and 38 3d Air Division B-17s attack a chemical plant at Frankfurt am Main. Seven heavy bombers are lost.

More than 600 9th Air Division bombers attack marshalling yards at six locations, a munitions plant, vehicle depots, storage depots, and targets of opportunity. In a rare show of force, GAF fighters attack three bomber formations over Wiesbaden and Niederhausen, and three B-26s are lost.

Ninth Air Force fighter pilots down 11 GAF fighters over Germany between 1157 and 1700 hours.

Elements of the U.S. First Army capture Bonn.

ITALY: Twelfth Air Force B-25s attack bridges at six locations, a bridge approach, and a marshalling yard; and XXII TAC P-47s attack supply dumps, parked airplanes, bridges, road and rail traffic, and buildings.

During the night of March 9–10, XXII TAC A-20s and A-26s attack communications targets in the Po River valley.

BASE CHANGES
2 Sqn (Spitfire FRXIV) moves to B.89 Mill
4 Sqn (Spitfire PRXI) moves to B.89 Mill
302 Sqn (Spitfire LFXVI) moves to B.77 Gilze-Rijen
308 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to B.77 Gilze-Rijen
317 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to B.77 Gilze-Rijen
329 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to Turnhouse
341 Sqn (Non-Op) moves to B.85 Schijndel

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
77 Sqn (Full Sutton) flies its last OM in the Halifax III
154 Sqn (Hunsdon) flies its first OM in the Mustang IV

10-3-45
401 Sqn RCAF (B.88 Heesch – Spitfire LFIXB)
The weather turned for the worse again to-day and 401 probably would have remained grounded all day if a call had’nt come through from G.C.C. saying the Hun was active in the OSNABRUCK area. S/L Klersy, the O.C. led 12 a/c off at 16.02 and the Squadrons vectored around to where the "Jerries" were supposed to be, but no contact was made due to weather conditions. The Squadron landed at 17.35 with a Nil report.

BOMBER COMMAND
10 March 1945
SCHOLVEN/BUER
155 Lancasters of 3 Group carried out a G-H attack on the oil refinery. Photographs taken later showed this to have been a very accurate and effective raid. No aircraft lost.
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10/11 March 1945
MINOR OPERATIONS
60 Mosquitoes to Berlin, 4 each to Gotha, Jena and Weimar, 35 R.C.M. sorties, 10 Mosquito
patrols. No aircraft lost. 2nd TAF
A Mosquito intruder was lost either in the last hour of the 9th or early on the 10th, soon followed by a second; a third would fail to return late in the following evening. A nightfighter of 409 Squadron also went missing, its demise being tracked by an American Mobile Early Warning unit:

"Random 39 (the Mosquito) was taken over by Nuthouse (the US MEW unit) at 2125 hours, east of Remagen. At 2145 hours an unidentified plot appeared F.8585 (about 20 miles east of Bonn) travelling 260 degrees, 6,000 feet, approx. 220 mph. Random 39 was reduced to 6,000 feet and told he was just crossing the front line. He made contact at 21/2 miles but lost it twice, regaining it each time with ground help. R/T traffic was thus almost continuous. At 2203 hours, when on 210 degrees at 4,500 feet, he lost contact a third time, asked for help and was given 260 degrees. He acknowledged this. Immediately after he was told to continue to 330 degrees, this was not acknowledged. At the same moment the blip, having continued on to 210 degrees, came up for one sweep rather brighter and longer on the tube, and then it disappeared at F.3424. As the tracing had been unbroken and the target continued plain, there can be no doubt that the fighter, whatever the reason, suddenly lost height. Nothing more was seen or heard of it."

Bad weather curtailed operations throughout the day and for the next two days.

USAAF
GERMANY: One hundred twenty-seven 1st Air Division B-17s attack rail centers at two locations; 293 1st Air Division B-17s attack marshalling yards at three locations; 129 2d Air Division B-24s attack a marshalling yard; 229 2d Air Division B-24s attack rail viaducts at two locations; 373 3d Air Division B-17s attack three marshalling yards at Dortmund; 138 3d Air Division B-17s attack a marshalling yard at Soest; and 43 heavy bombers attack several targets of opportunity. Two of 644 VIII Fighter Command escorts and scouts are lost.

Three hundred eighty-three 9th Air Division bombers attack two city areas, a communications center, marshalling yards at five locations, and targets of opportunity, all around Koblenz.

ITALY: One hundred ninety-one Fifteenth Air Force heavy bombers attack a key rail bridge near Verona.

Despite intense antiaircraft fire, 48 B-25s of the Twelfth Air Force’s 310th Medium Bombardment Group successfully attack a rail bridge at Ora to cut a vital German supply line. This bombing mission cuts the last rail link between Germany and Italy by way of Brenner Pass. Four of the B-25s are shot down in flames by the thick flak, and ten others are barely able to return to the group’s base in Corsica. Twelfth Air Force B-25s also attack two other bridges and a rail fill. Also, XXII TAC P-47s attack bridges, ammunition dumps, and road traffic in the Po River valley.

During the night of March 10–11, XXII TAC A-20s and A-26s attack Ghedi and Pavia airdromes, and crossings and road junctions in the Po River valley.

NORTH SEA: 1stLt Arthur C. Cundy, a 353d Fighter Group P-51 pilot who achieved ace status on March 2, is killed when he ditches in the North Sea on return from the day’s mission.

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
74 Sqn (B.85 Schijndel) flies its first OM in the Spitfire XVIE

11-3-45
431 Sqn RCAF (Croft – Lancaster X)
25 aircraft detailed for a daylight, raid on Essen. They ware airborne at 1150 hours. W/Cdr. R.F. Davenport (C.190) and crew in aircraft "A" KB 853, failed to return. The remainder of the crews were down at 1825 hours.

ADDENDUM – Lancaster X KB853 SE-A. Crew: W/C RF Davenport RCAF KIA, Sgt AC Pettifor RCAF KIA, F/O DKJ Hector RCAF KIA, F/O W Rink RCAF KIA, WO2 CW Fraser RCAF KIA, P/O HG Bishop DFC RCAF KIA, F/S CR Lecky RCAF KIA. T/o 1142 Croft. Crashed in target area. All rest in Reichswald Forest War Cemetery.

BOMBER COMMAND
11 March 1945
ESSEN
1,079 aircraft – 750 Lancasters, 293 Halifaxes, 36 Mosquitoes – of all bomber groups. This was the largest number of aircraft sent to a target so far in the war. 3 Lancasters lost.

4,661 tons of bombs were dropped on Oboe-directed sky-markers through complete cloud cover. The attack was accurate and this great blow virtually paralysed Essen until the American troops entered the city some time later. Essen’s recording system produced no proper reports but 897 people are said to have been killed.

This was the last R.A.F. raid on Essen, which had been attacked so many times, though often in the early years of the war with such disappointing and costly results. Most of the city was now in ruins. 7,000 people had died in air raids. The pre-war population of 648,000 had fallen to 310,000 by the end of April 1945; the rest had left for quieter places in Germany.
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11/12 March 1945
MINOR OPERATIONS
90 Mosquitoes to Berlin and 6 each to Brunswick, Hannover and Magdeburg, 4 Mosquito patrols, 22 Lancasters minelaying in the Kattegat and off Oslo. No aircraft lost. 2nd TAF
A quiet day was marked for 486 Squadron by the arrival from 83 GSU of Flt Lt W.E.Schrader, DFC, an experienced Spitfire pilot who had been flying in Italy, and who would soon become one of the most successful Tempest pilots in 2nd TAF.

Meanwhile 119 Squadron's continuing ASR effort for its missing crew had an unexpected outcome. The Squadron's Anson was airborne in the afternoon for an air test and search but the crew sighted - not the hoped-for dinghy - but the conning tower of a 'Biber' - a one-man German midget submarine. Unarmed, the Anson pilot could only make several dummy attacks, hoping to panic the intrepid submariner. There was no visible effect but then another Biber was sighted and this time, on the third swoop, the crew was rewarded with the view of "one large rump disappearing over the side of the U-boat." On their return the same figure was seen struggling into a dinghy whilst the U-boat rolled on its side and disappeared beneath the waves. Two Swordfish were scrambled (if that is the right word!) to hunt down the first submarine and indeed one was located and apparently sunk.

USAAF
AUSTRIA: Twelfth Air Force B-25s attack a bridge at Drauberg.

GERMANY: Four hundred six 1st Air Division B-17s attack a U-boat yard at Bremen; 344 2d Air Division B-24s attack a U-boat yard at Kiel; and 469 3d Air Division B-17s attack an oil refinery at Hamburg. One B-17 and four of 766 VIII Fighter Command escorts and scouts are lost.

9th Air Division bombers mount 696 effective sorties against four airfields, two munitions plants, three communications centers, three city areas, and targets of opportunity.

ITALY: The Fifteenth Air Force is grounded by bad weather; Twelfth Air Force B-25s attack bridges and rail fills at three locations; and XXII TAC P-47s attack dumps and rail lines in the Po River valley.

During the night of March 11–12, XXII TAC A-20s and A-26s attack road and rail traffic, Po River crossings, and a sugar refinery.

NETHERLANDS: The Ninth Air Force’s 373d Fighter Group and 363d Tactical Reconnaissance Group displace to Advance Landing Ground Y-55, at Venlo.

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
74 Sqn (B.85 Schijndel) flies its last OM in the Spitfire IXE
311 Sqn (Tain) flies its first OM in the Liberator VI
427 Sqn RCAF (Leeming) flies its first OM in the Lancaster I
502 Sqn (Stornoway) flies its last OM in the Halifax II

12-3-45
433 Sqn RCAF (Skipton-on-Swale – Lancaster I)
Operations were called and 14 A/C were detailed to attack Dortmund, again in Happy Valley. J316536 F/L A. Strelchuk was taken off the Battle Order leaving 13 crews. All took off successfully at approximately 1230 hours. Crews reported 10/10ths stratus cloud to 6000 feet with good visibility above. Bombing was done on blue and green smoke puffs with instrument check. The Master Bomber was in attendance giving directions. Several crews mentioned a large patch of black smoke over the target, rising to 6000 feet. Flak was moderate barrage with some predicted. During the afternoon 4 crews were briefed to garden in the Kattegat area. All took off successfully at approximately 1745 hours. There was 3/10ths broken cloud, low stratus, over the garden with fair visibility above. Flak was encountered to a somewhat severe degree also opposition from enemy A/C. From all these operations one A/C failed to return, "E", piloted by J39529 F/O J.P. Farrell. One of our most promising crews and their loss will be keenly felt. The remainder of our A/C returned safely to Base.

ADDENDUM – Lancaster I NG233 BM-E. Crew: F/O JP Farrell RCAF KIA, Sgt T Orr KIA, F/S JH Wilson RCAF KIA, F/O AV Plante RCAF KIA, P/O GA Kennedy RCAF KIA, F/S DW Hodge RCAF KIA, F/S TC Pierson RCAF KIA. T/o 1746 Skipton-on-Swale. Shot down by Hptm Eduard Schröder (23rd victory) into the sea 5-20 km ENE of As-Hoved at 2127. On 30 May 1945 the body of F/O Plante washed in by the tide and he is buried in Horsens West Church Cemetery. The others are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. This was one of three aircraft Hptm Schröder shot down that night.

BOMBER COMMAND
12 March 1945
DORTMUND
1,108 aircraft – 748 Lancasters, 292 Halifaxes, 68 Mosquitoes. This was another new record to a single target, a record which would stand to the end of the war. 2 Lancasters lost.

Another record tonnage of bombs – 4,851 – was dropped through cloud on to this unfortunate city. The only details available from Dortmund state that the attack fell mainly in the centre and south of the city. A British team which investigated the effects of bombing in Dortmund after the war says that, ‘The final raid … stopped production so effectively that it would have been many months before any substantial recovery could have occurred.’
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12/13 March 1945
MINOR OPERATIONS
81 Mosquitoes to Berlin and 3 each to Halle, Magdeburg and Stendal, 2 R.C.M. sorties, 16 Lancasters and 3 Halifaxes minelaying in the Kattegat. 3 Lancaster minelayers lost. 2nd TAF
In the early hours of 13th Flt Lt J.W.Welford/Flg Off R.H.Phillips of 604 Squadron intercepted a Ju 88 over the Dunkirk area, claiming this probably destroyed at 0210 over the North Sea.

Around midday a formation of Mitchells from 98, 180 and 226 Squadrons, accompanied by Bostons from 137 Wing, set off to bomb Lenghrich marshalling yards, escorted by Spitfires from 74 and 340 Squadrons, led by Wg Cdr Sampson, the 145 Wing Leader. East of Wesel Bf 109s of 14./JG 27 attacked, Fw Otto Kienle shooting down one of the 180 Squadron Mitchells, while Uffz Sepperl shot down Capt Olivier Massart of 340 Squadron, who managed to force-land and became a prisoner.

Wg Cdr Sampson claimed one of the Messerschmitts shot down, Flt Sgt M.de Reynal adding a claim for a probable, while three more were claimed damaged, one of them by Massart. On this occasion however, JG 27 seem to have got away without loss. Following this engagement the pilots of 145 Wing complained fairly bitterly that the Mark XVI Spitfire did not seem to have the performance of the well-loved Mark IX, particularly being some 10-15 mph slower.

The 2 Group mediums were out again a little after 1600, being escorted over Rheine by eight Spitfire XIVs of 130 Squadron, while ten more of these fighters with others from 350 Squadron swept over the area. Here nine Fw 190s were encountered, Flt Lt Harry Walmsley, Flt Lt Ian Ponsford and Flt Sgt Phillip Clay of 130 Squadron each claiming one shot down, Ponsford adding a second damaged. Sqn Ldr Frank Woolley of 350 Squadron had also claimed one such aircraft in the same area, but at 1425 whilst leading a sweep. JG 26 lost three Fw 190Ds during the afternoon, one an aircraft of II. Gruppe, definitely shot down by Spitfires, and one more each from III. and IV. Gruppe. One II. Gruppe pilot claimed a Spitfire in the Dortmund area at this time, and there are reports that a pilot baled out, injured, but confirmation of this has not been found.

At around the same time Spitfire XIVS of 402 Squadron were on a sweep over the Münster-Bielefeld-Hamm-Dorsten area when a jet aircraft was seen near Münster. Flg Off H.C.Nicholson gave chase, pursuing it to the Dortmund area where he claimed to have shot it down. He identified it as an Me 262, and indeed I./KG 51 did lose two such aircraft to fighters in the Xanten area during the day but, after study of the camera-gun film the 2nd TAF authorities decided that his victory was in fact an Ar 234, and it was with such an aircraft that he was credited.

USAAF
AUSTRIA: Seven hundred ninety Fifteenth Air Force B-17s and B-24s attack an oil refinery at Vienna, and marshalling yards at Graz, Wiener-Neustadt, and Zeltweg; and 98 Fifteenth Air Force P-38s bomb a rail bridge at Knittelfeld.

ENGLAND: The unit designation of the 492d Heavy Bombardment Group’s 857th Heavy Bombardment Squadron is transferred to the Eighth Air Force’s new 1st Scouting Force, but personnel and equipment are retained by the 492d Group.

GERMANY: Two hundred eighteen 1st Air Division B-17s, 220 2d Air Division B-24s, and 223 3d Air Division B-17s attack a marshalling yard at Swinemunde, and 653 Eighth Air Force heavy bombers attack marshalling yards at seven other locations. One B-17 and four of 734 VIII Fighter Command fighters are lost.

9th Air Division bombers attack a munitions plant, city areas, marshalling yards at eight locations, and targets of opportunity.

ITALY: Twelfth Air Force B-25s attack rail bridges and fills in Brenner Pass, in northeastern Italy, and on both sides of the Italian-Yugoslav border; and XXII TAC P-47s cut rail lines at 36 locations in northern Italy and Brenner Pass.

During the night of March 12–13, XXII TAC A-20s and A-26s attack dumps, crossings, and signs of movement in and around the Po River valley.

YUGOSLAVIA: XXII TAC P-47s attack a munitions plant near Zagreb.

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
125 Sqn (Coltishall) flies its last OM in the Mosquito NFXVII
517 Sqn (Brawdry) flies its first OM in the Halifax III

Dear Reader,
Yesterday's 2nd TAF entry should have been todays, so todays is yesterdays. My bad.

13-3-45
23 Sqn (Little Snoring – Mosquito FBVI)
A maximum effort is called for tonight and ten crews are being detailed subject to any alterations, this was soon altered and eventually operations were carried out by seven crews. These operations were of a different than usual, and only F/L.HOLLIERS and W/O. BROWN were really Intruding, as three crews were dropping Incendiaries, two on T.I's and one on the ‘DRIP PLOT’.

It is with deep regret that we have to record that loss of LT. LIGNON and F/O.CALLAS flying in Mosquito Z failed to return from their mission to HANDORF/MUNSTER. A message was received from them a4 2050 hours by Mosquito G, F/L.THOMAS and F/S. HALLIDAY, saying they were going to drop their T.I's and they actually saw the T.I's burning, but since then nothing further has been seen or heard.

ADDENDUM – Mosquito FBVI PZ436 YP-Z. Crew: Lt E Lignon FFAF KIA, F/O M Callas KIA. T/o 1858 Little Snoring. F/O Callas is buried in the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery and it is assumed Lt Lignon is buried in France.

BOMBER COMMAND
13 March 1945
WUPPERTAL/BARMEN
354 aircraft – 310 Halifaxes, 24 Lancasters, 20 Mosquitoes – of 4, 6 and 8 Groups. No aircraft lost.
This attack also took place over a cloud-covered target and the bombs fell slightly east of the area intended, covering the eastern half of the Barmen district and extending into Schwelm. Much property damage was caused and 562 people were killed. No other details are available.
Bomber Command had now dispatched 2,541 sorties by daylight to Ruhr targets in a 3-day period. Approximately 10,650 tons of bombs had been dropped through cloud with sufficient accuracy to cripple 2 cities and 1 town. The bomber losses were only 5 aircraft, a casualty rate of 0.2 percent. These results show the great power now wielded by Bomber Command, its technical efficiency and the weakness of the German defences.

RAILWAY VIADUCTS
38 Lancasters of 5 Group to bomb the Arnsberg and Bielefeld viaducts encountered bad weather. 1 aircraft bombed at Arnsberg and 2 further aircraft bombed alternative targets. No aircraft lost.
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13/14 March 1945
BENZOL PLANTS
195 Lancasters and 32 Mosquitoes of 1 and 8 Groups attacked plants at Herne and Gelsenkirchen. The Gelsenkirchen attack was successful but not the Herne raid. 1 Lancaster lost from the Gelsenkirchen raid.
Minor Operations: 50 Mosquitoes to Berlin, 26 to Bremen and 6 to Erfurt, 58 R.C.M. sorties, 37 Mosquito patrols. 1 Mosquito from the Berlin raid crashed in Belgium and 1 Halifax R.C.M. aircraft in France. 2nd TAF
During the last patrol of the day, Flt Lt L.H.Watt of 401 Squadron spotted an Me 262 west of Wesel which he claimed shot down, its crash apparently being observed by a large number of ground troops.

That night the Commanding Officer of 21 Squadron, Wg Cdr V.R.Oats, took off for an intruder sortie at 2205 but failed to return; his place was taken by Wg Cdr P.A.Kleboe, DSO, DFC, AFC, who was posted in from 464 Squadron.

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

GERMANY: More than 450 9th Air Division bombers attack two airdromes, rail sidings, three marshalling yards, and targets of opportunity.

Ninth Air Force fighter pilots down 15 GAF fighters over Germany between 1245 and 1725 hours. Capt Joseph E. Miller, Jr., a P-38 pilot with the 474th Fighter Group’s 429th Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status when he downs an FW-190 near Honnef at 1245 hours. (Miller’s first four victories were scored in mid-1943, when he was flying with the 14th Fighter Group in the MTO.) Maj Lowell K. Brueland, the commanding officer of the 354th Fighter Group’s 355th Fighter Squadron, attains his final World War II tally of 12.5 confirmed victories when he downs a Bf-109 over Germany at 1725 hours.

Five hundred sixty-nine Fifteenth Air Force B-17s and B-24s attack a marshalling yard at Regensburg.

The XII TAC headquarters displaces from France to Germany.

ITALY: Twelfth Air Force B-25s attack rail bridges and fills at five locations, and XXII TAC P-47s attack flak emplacements, ammunition dumps, supply dumps, and rail lines throughout northern Italy.

During the night of March 13–14, XXII TAC A-20s and A-26s attack crossing points in the Po River valley.

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
40 Sqn (Foggia Main) flies its last OM in the Wellington X
611 Sqn (Hunsdon) flies its last OM in the Spitfire IX

14-3-45
424 Sqn RCAF (Skipton-on-Swale – Lancaster I)
12 Squadron a/c took off early this evening to bomb ZWEIBRÜCKEN. All returned safely with the exception of that piloted by CAN.J50555 P/O McINROY which crash landed at Dishforth with slight injury to the Bomb Aimer and Wireless Operator.

BOMBER COMMAND
14 March 1945
BENZOL PLANTS
169 Lancasters of 3 Group carried out G-H attacks through cloud on plants at Datteln and Hattingen (near Bochum). Both attacks appeared to be accurate but no results were seen. 1 Lancaster lost from the Hattingen raid.

RAILWAY VIADUCTS
32 Lancasters and 1 Mosquito of 5 Group, with 4 Oboe Mosquitoes of 8 Group, to attack the Bielefeld and Arnsberg viaducts. 28 Lancasters dropped Tallboy bombs and the 617 Squadron Lancaster of Squadron Leader C. C. Calder dropped the first 22,000-lb bomb, named the Grand Slam, at Bielefeld. The Arnsberg viaduct, 9 Squadron’s target, was later found to be undamaged but more than 100 yards of the Bielefeld viaduct collapsed through the ‘earthquake effect’ of the Grand Slam and Tallboys of 617 Squadron. No aircraft lost.
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14/15 March 1945
LÜTZKENDORF
244 Lancasters and 11 Mosquitoes of 5 Group attacked the Wintershall synthetic-oil refinery at this distant target. Photographic reconnaissance showed that ‘moderate damage’ was caused. 18 Lancasters were lost, 7.4 percent of the Lancaster force.

ZWEIBRÜCKEN
230 aircraft – 121 Lancasters, 98 Halifaxes, 11 Mosquitoes – of 6 and 8 Groups. No aircraft lost.
This attack was directed on to the town area to block the passage through it of German troops and stores to the nearby front line. The raid took place in good visibility and was very effective. The local report shows that every public building and inn and 80 percent of the houses in the town were destroyed or damaged. Most of the civilian population had been evacuated; those remaining took shelter in 2 large caves in the north and south of the town or in the normal basement shelters of their houses. The people in the caves all survived but 192 bodies had been removed from the basement shelters by the time the local report was prepared on 20 May 1945. It must be assumed that some German troops were also killed by the bombing.

HOMBERG
161 aircraft – 127 Halifaxes, 23 Lancasters, 11 Mosquitoes – of 4 and 8 Groups on the same task as the Zweibrücken raid. No local report is available but it is believed that this attack was equally successful. 2 Halifaxes lost.

Minor Operations: 75 Mosquitoes to Berlin and 6 each to Bremen and Brunswick, 52 R.C.M. sorties, 27 Mosquito patrols. 100 Group lost 2 Mosquitoes and 1 Fortress.

The last Stirling operation of Bomber Command was flown on this night when Stirling L J 516, from 199 Squadron at North Creake, flew a Mandrel screen operation; Squadron Leader J. J. M. Button, the Australian pilot, and his crew landed safely.

Total effort for the night: 812 sorties, 23 aircraft (2.8 percent) lost. 2nd TAF
2 Group mediums attacked Dorsten marshalling yards during the morning of 15th, one 180 Squadron bomber being shot down by Flak. During the return flight two Me 262s were seen, but they did not attempt to attack.

At 1100 Sqn Ldr Mackie led a sweep over the Rheine-Dummer See-Münster area by his own 80 Squadron, joined by 56 and 486 Squadrons. During this operation an Ar 234 was seen and was claimed damaged by Flg Off E.A.Lang after he had pursued it for about 20 minutes.

USAAF
AUSTRIA: Fifteenth Air Force heavy bombers attack marshalling yards at Graz, Knittelfeld, and Wiener-Neustadt.

CZECHOSLOVAKIA: Fifteenth Air Force heavy bombers attack a marshalling yard.

FRANCE: The Ninth Air Force’s 367th Fighter Group displaces to Advance Landing Ground A-94, at Conflans.

GERMANY: Three hundred ninety 1st Air Division B-17s attack an industrial plant, two bridges, and a rail center; 267 2d Air Division B-24s attack marshalling yards at three locations; 404 3d Air Division B-17s attack a munitions factory, two oil refineries, two industrial plants, and a marshalling yard; and 143 heavy bombers attack secondary targets and targets of opportunity. Three B-17s and one of 605 VIII Fighter Command escorts and scouts are lost.

More than 350 9th Air Division bombers attack three airdromes, a rail junction, four rail bridges, five defended towns, and targets of opportunity.

Among numerous Ninth Air Force fighter missions, when 36th Fighter Group P-47 pilots locate more than 50 GAF bombers and escorts preparing to take off from Lippe Airdrome to attack the Remagen bridges, they destroy 23 Ju-87s and a Bf-109 during the course of on-the-deck bomb, rocket, and strafing attacks. Minutes later, 12 404th Fighter Group P-47s destroy 21 of the remaining Ju-87s and Bf-109s. Two 404th Fighter Group P-47s are lost following a midair collision. Thereafter, GAF attacks against the Ludendorff bridge and several new engineer bridges at Remagen (amounting to 372 sorties between March 7 and March 14) drop off precipitously.

Eighth and Ninth air force fighter pilots down 26 GAF aircraft over Germany between 1330 and 1630 hours. Capt Donald S. Bryan, a P-51 ace with the 352d Fighter Group’s 328th Fighter Squadron, brings his final personal tally to 13.333 confirmed victories when he downs an Ar-234 twin- engine jet bomber near Remagen at about 1545 hours; and LtCol Paul P. Douglas, Jr., the commanding officer of the 368th Fighter Group, achieves ace status when he downs three FW-190s near Frankfurt am Main at 1545 hours.

HUNGARY: Fifteenth Air Force heavy bombers attack oil refineries at two locations and a marshalling yard.

325th Fighter Group P-51 pilots down 20 FW-190s in a running fight near Lake Balaton between 1315 and 1410 hours. One of the P-51 pilots, 1stLt Gordon H. McDaniel, a member of the 318th Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status and brings his final personal tally to six confirmed victories when he downs five FW-190s near Budapest at about 1315 hours; and Capt Harry A. Parker, another member of the 318th Fighter Squadron, brings his final personal tally to 13 confirmed victories when he downs two FW-190s over Bicske, Hungary, between 1330 and 1345 hours.

ITALY: Twelfth Air Force B-25s attack bridges at four locations, and XXII TAC P-47s attack road and rail traffic and dumps.

During the night of March 14–15, XXII TAC A-20s and A-26s attack fills and crossings in the Po River valley.

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

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
141 Sqn (West Raynham) flies its last OM in the Mosquito FBVI
199 Sqn (North Creake) flies its last OM in the Stirling III

15-3-45
405 Sqn RCAF (Skipton-on-Swale – Lancaster III)
OPERATIONS ‘MISBURG’ 16 Aircraft Detailed (2 Missing) (Night Attack)
14 Aircraft successful. Clear with slight ground haze and good visibility. Marking was well concentrated around Aiming Point. First Red T.I. seen on ground at 2109 hours. Thereafter many Red and Green T.I.s were seen up to 2114 hours. 11 aircraft were able to identify the target visually in the light of Illuminating flares. Six aircraft bombed blind, three on GPI and three by H2S. All others bombed on Red T.I.s or mixed Red/Green T.I.s on ground in accordance with Master Bomber’s instruction. Bombing was seen to be well concentrated among the T.I.s One large explosion of Reddish colour with billowing smoke was seen at 2113:30 hours. A second explosion described as terrible was seen at 2116 hours. This was of Orange Reed colour with great clouds of black smoke rising to 10 to 12,000 feet. The explosion lit up the cockpits of aircraft at 15,000 feet. All aircraft reported the latter explosion well nine of fourteen of the Squadron reported the former one. The raid appeared very successful. Defences, moderate to heavy flak, reported at 15 to 18,000 foot. Several searchlights acting independently surrounding the target area. Nil fighters. Two of our aircraft are missing. Fourteen aircraft returned safely to base.

ADDENDUM – Lancaster III NE119 LQ-P. Crew: F/O LN Laing MiD RCAF KIA, Sgt R Morris KIA, F/O IW Bonter RCAF POW, F/O DG Smith KIA, F/O RM Hyde RCAF POW, F/S FJ Marsh RCAF KIA, F/S JR Crisp RCAF POW. T/o 1759 Gransden Lodge. Crashed 2125 at Bad Grund. Those who died are believed to have been murdered after successfully baling out. They are buried in Hannover War Cemetery.

Lancaster III PB516 LQ-T. Crew: F/L FE Parkhursst RCAF KIA, Sgt L Dovaton KIA, F/O HE Wort RCAF KIA, P/O RB Jones RCAF KIA, F/O CA Boulton RCAF KIA, P/O DI Galbraith RCAF KIA, P/O FJ Miller RCAF KIA, F/S DA Holliday RCAF KIA. T/o 1749 Gransden Lodge. All are buried in the Hannover War Cemetery.

BOMBER COMMAND
15 March 1945
BENZOL PLANTS
188 aircraft – 150 Halifaxes, 24 Mosquitoes, 14 Lancasters – of 4, 6 and 8 Groups attacked plants at Bottrop and Castrop-Rauxel. Both raids were believed to have been successful. 1 Halifax of 4 Group lost from the Bottrop raid.

Arnsberg
16 Lancasters of 9 and 617 Squadrons attacked the viaduct. Two aircraft of 617 Squadron each carried a Grand Slam; the 14 aircraft of 9 Squadron carried Tallboys. The viaduct was not cut. No aircraft lost.
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15/16 March 1945
HAGEN
267 aircraft – 134 Lancasters, 122 Halifaxes, 11 Mosquitoes – of 4, 6 and 8 Groups. 6 Lancasters and 4 Halifaxes lost.

This area attack took place in clear visibility and caused severe damage; the local report estimated that the bomber force was 800 aircraft strong! The main attack fell in the centre and eastern districts. There were 1,439 fires, of which 124 were classified as large. 493 Germans and 12 foreigners were killed. 30,000–35,000 people were bombed out.

MISBURG
257 Lancasters and 8 Mosquitoes of 1 and 8 Groups attacked the Deurag refinery at Misburg, on the outskirts of Hannover. Visibility was good and some fires were started but the main weight of the raid fell south of the target. 4 Lancasters lost.

Minor Operations: 54 Mosquitoes to Berlin, 27 to Erfurt, 16 to Mannheim and 5 each to Jena and Weimar, 53 R.C.M. sorties, 37 Mosquito patrols. 1 R.C.M. Fortress lost.

Total effort for the night: 729 sorties, 14 aircraft (1.9 percent) lost. 2nd TAF
2 Group mediums attacked Dorsten marshalling yards during the morning of 15th, one 180 Squadron bomber being shot down by Flak. During the return flight two Me 262s were seen, but they did not attempt to attack.

At 1100 Sqn Ldr Mackie led a sweep over the Rheine-Dummer See-Münster area by his own 80 Squadron, joined by 56 and 486 Squadrons. During this operation an Ar 234 was seen and was claimed damaged by Flg Off F.A.Lang after he had pursued it for about 20 minutes.

USAAF
AUSTRIA: More than 470 Fifteenth Air Force B-24s attack three oil refineries in or near Vienna, a bridge at Klagenfurt, and marshalling yards at six locations.

GERMANY: Two hundred seventy-six 1st Air Division B-17s and 308 2d Air Division B-24s attack a German Army headquarters at Zossen, near Berlin; 145 1st Air Division B-17s and 467 3d Air Division B-17s attack a marshalling yard at Oranienburg; and 78 heavy bombers attack various targets of opportunity. Nine heavy bombers and four of 755 VIII Fighter Command escorts and scouts are lost.

Supporting the U.S. Seventh Army’s Operation UNDERTONE (a ground attack aimed at breaking through the southern West Wall), the 9th Air Division mounts all 11 of its bomber groups against flak concentrations, two marshalling yards, two communications centers, and targets of opportunity.

Capt Ray S. Wetmore, a P-51 ace with the 359th Fighter Group’s 370th Fighter Squadron, brings his final personal tally to 21.25 confirmed victories when he downs an Me-163 rocket fighter over Wittenberg at 1500 hours.

In the Fifteenth Air Force’s deepest penetration into Germany of the war, 109 5th Heavy Bombardment Wing B-17s attack the synthetic-oil plant at Ruhland. Also, on the same mission, 103 5th Heavy Bombardment Wing B-17s attack a refinery at Kolin, Czechoslovakia (secondary).

The Ninth Air Force’s 365th Fighter Group displaces to Advance Landing Ground Y-46, at Aachen.

ITALY: Twelfth Air Force B-25s attack rail fills and bridges at six locations; and XXII TAC P-47s attack rail targets throughout northern Italy as well as several ammunition and supply dumps.

During the night of March 15–16, XXII TAC A-20s and A-26s attack bridges and targets of opportunity in the Po River valley.

BASE CHANGES
68 Sqn (Mosquito NF30) moves to Church Fenton
418 Sqn RCAF (Mosquito FBVI) moves to B.71 Coxyde

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
308 Sqn (B.77 Gilze-Rijen) flies its last OM in the Spitfire LFIXB
341 Sqn (B.85 Schijndel) flies its first OM in the Spitfire XVI
429 Sqn RCAF (Leeming) flies its last OM in the Halifax III

17-3-45
BOMBER COMMAND
17 March 1945
BENZOL PLANTS
167 Lancasters of 3 Group carried out G-H attacks through cloud on plants at Dortmund and Hüls. Both raids appeared to be accurate. No aircraft lost.
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17/18 March 1945
MINOR OPERATIONS
66 Lancasters and 29 Halifaxes from training units on a sweep over Northern France to draw up German fighters, 39 Mosquitoes to Nuremberg, 38 to Berlin and 2 each to Mannheim and Stuttgart, 6 R.C.M. sorties, 15 Mosquito patrols. 1 Intruder Mosquito of 100 Group lost.

USAAF
GERMANY: One hundred fifty-two 1st Air Division B-17s attack a synthetic-oil plant at Bohlen; 127 1st Air Division B-17s attack a synthetic-oil plant and a power station at Molbis; 71 1st Air Division B-17s attack an optics factory at Jena (secondary); 51 1st Air Division B-17s attack a marshalling yard at Erfurt; 146 2d Air Division B-24s attack a tank factory at Hannover; 170 2d Air Division B-24s attack a marshalling yard at Munster; 214 3d Air Division B-17s attack a synthetic-oil plant at Ruhland; 138 3d Air Division B-17s attack a synthetic-oil plant at Bitterfeld (secondary); 125 3d Air Division B-17s attack a munitions plant at Plauen; (target of last resort); and 81 heavy bombers attack various targets of opportunity. Five B-17s and two of 677 VIII Fighter Command escorts and scouts are lost.

9th Air Division bombers mount more than 650 effective sorties against marshalling yards, two communications centers, three city areas, an ordnance depot, and targets of opportunity.

The Ninth Air Force’s 354th Fighter Group begins operating out of Y-64 Airfield, the former GAF Ober Olm Airdrome at Mainz. This is the first deployment of a USAAF tactical unit in Germany.

ITALY: Fifteenth Air Force heavy bombers are grounded by bad weather; Twelfth Air Force B-25s attack rail bridges and fills at eight locations; and XXII TAC P-47s hampered by bad weather mount a limited number of missions against dumps, rail targets, and bridges in the Po River valley.

During the night of March 17–18, XXII TAC A-20s and A-26s attack crossing points in the Po River valley.

YUGOSLAVIA: Nearly 100 Fifteenth Air Force P-38 dive-bombers attack bridges and marshalling yards.

18-3-45
420 Sqn RCAF (Tholthorpe – Halifax III)

A small training was carried on during the day. Operations called for fourteen aircraft to attack WITTEN. F/O <unreadable> was forced to land at Marston Moor on three engines. F/O Keeper and crew failed to return from this operation. All aircraft were safely airborne, the first one taking off at 0900 hours. Thirteen aircraft attacked the primary.

ADDENDUM – F/O GJ Keeper RCAF POW, P/O AV Padgham RCAF POW, F/O RG Reid RCAF POW, F/O DM Armstrong RCAF KIA, Sgt AF Domke RCAF POW, F/S FH Butler RCAF POW, F/O WG Bridgeman RCAF POW. Aircraft abandoned SE of MArmen. F/O Armstrong is buried in Rheinbrg War Cemetery.

BOMBER COMMAND
18 March 1945
BENZOL PLANTS
100 Lancasters of 3 Group carried out G-H attacks on plants at Hattingen and Langendreer. Both raids appeared to be accurate. No aircraft lost.
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18/19 March 1945
WITTEN
324 aircraft – 259 Halifaxes, 45 Lancasters, 20 Mosquitoes – of 4, 6 and 8 Groups. 8 aircraft – 6 Halifaxes, 1 Lancaster, 1 Mosquito – lost.

This was a successful area raid carried out in good visibility. 1,081 tons of bombs were dropped, destroying 129 acres, 62 percent of the built-up area (according to the post-war British Bombing Survey Unit). The only German report states that the Ruhrstahl steelworks and the Mannesmann tube factory were severely damaged.

HANAU
277 Lancasters and 8 Mosquitoes of 1 and 8 Groups. 1 Lancaster lost.

This was another accurate area raid. The local report states that 50 industrial buildings and 2,240 houses were destroyed. The Altstadt was completely devastated and, says the report, all of the town’s churches, hospitals, schools and historic buildings were badly hit. Approximately 2,000 people were killed, of whom 1,150 were regular residents of Hanau; the remaining dead were presumably evacuees or refugees from bombed cities.

SUPPORT AND MINOR OPERATIONS
70 aircraft on a sweep over France, 30 Mosquitoes to Berlin, 24 to Kassel and 18 to Nuremberg, 40 R.C.M. sorties, 53 Mosquito patrols. No aircraft lost.

Total effort for the night: 844 sorties, 9 aircraft (1.1 percent) lost. 2nd TAF
Yet another squadron commander was lost on 18th when Sqn Ldr C.E.Maitland, DFC, of 2 Squadron failed to return from a PR sortie over the Emmerich-Elta area, believed shot down by Flak.

In 125 Wing 41 Squadron returned from APC, 350 Squadron taking its place at Warmwell. On return to the Continent the former unit was taken over by Sqn Ldr J.B.Shepherd, DFC & Bar, who had been a flight commander in 610 Squadron; Sqn Ldr Douglas Benham was then rested. As his flight commanders, Shepherd brought with him from the now-defunct 610, Flt Lt Tony Gaze, DFC & Bar, and Flt Lt A.W.Jolly, who had served with 41 Squadron previously during 1944. At this time 41 Squadron also received some of the first examples of the Spitfire XIV featuring a cut-down rear fuselage and a full "bubble' (or 'blister') cockpit canopy. 16 Squadron meanwhile was supplied with the first examples of another new version of the Spitfire - the Griffon-engined PR Mark XIX.

During the day Grp Capt Johnny Wells and Wg Cdr Johnny Deall led 36 Typhoons of 146 Wing in an attack on a 'CD' target, (see Vol 2 page 344) the Headquarters of General Blaskowitz's Armee Gruppe 'H. Separate formations dealt with the five components of the target, delivering 72 RPs, 48 1000-pounders, four HE 500-pounders and two 500lb incendiaries. The attacks were mainly delivered at low level with the bombs fused for 25 seconds delay. Several of the latter were seen to bounce in the courtyard and skip over the General's quarters; however, photographic reconnaissance later revealed it to have been completely destroyed-along with the church that was in use as a telephone exchange.

USAAF
GERMANY: Four hundred twenty-one 1st Air Division B-17s and 495 3d Air Division B-17s attack two rail stations, and 305 2d Air Division B-24s attack two tank factories. Also, 41 heavy bombers attack various targets of opportunity. Seven B-17s and downed by heavy flak concentrations, six B-17s are downed by Me-262s attacking en masse, and six of more than 425 VIII Fighter Command escorts and scouts are downed.

Opening what will be a five-day preparation for three U.S. field armies (Third, Seventh, and Ninth) preparing to cross the Rhine River, the 9th Air Division mounts more than 660 effective sorties against marshalling yards, a communications center, and several towns.

While escorting heavy bombers over Berlin, the pilot of a 359th Fighter Group P-51 spots Soviet Air Force tactical aircraft nearby, the first known overlapping mission in northern Europe. Unfortunately, during the day, Soviet fighters shoot down a 353d Fighter Group P-51.

Eighth and Ninth air force fighter pilots down 22 GAF aircraft over Germany between 1045 and 1700 hours. Capt Ralph L. Cox, a P-51 pilot with the 359th Fighter Group’s 369th Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status when he downs an FW-190 over Joachimsthal at 1135 hours.

ITALY: Fifteenth Air Force heavy bombers are grounded by bad weather; Twelfth Air Force B-25s attack a causeway at Mantua, two rail bridges, and a rail fill; and XXII TAC P-47s attack dumps.

During the night of March 18–19, XXII TAC A-20s and A-26s attack troop movements in the Po River valley.

MTO: Fifteenth Air Force fighters attack rail lines and airfields in Austria, Hungary, and Yugoslavia.

BASE CHANGES
41 Sqn (Spitfire XIV) moves to B.78 Eindhoven

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
308 Sqn (B.77 Gilze-Rijen) flies its first OM in the Spitfire LFXVI

19-3-45
90 Sqn (Tuddenham – Lancaster I/III)
14 aircraft were detailed for operations against the Consolidation Benzol Plant at Gelsenkirchen. 1 aircraft returned early and 1 landed at Munchen Gladbach. Remaining aircraft attacked primary between 1613 and 1616 hrs from 17,500 and19,500ft. dropping 12 x 4000 HC, 96 x 500 AN, 70 x 500 MC,1 x 250 skymarker puff red. Weather over Germany was clear. The Squadron was supposed to be in the rear of 31 Base and 198 Squadron but over the English coast this formation was lost and 90 found themselves on the lead. Two orbits were made in the Brussels and Aachen areas, to enable proper formation to be made, but the whole force followed 90 round and they were leading all the time. Bombing was concentrated in the target area which was visually recognized. There was much smoke resulting from the bombing and a large explosion occurred at 1616 hrs. Flak was moderate in the target area, but very accurate and at least 6 aircraft were hit. Flake was also reported at Dusseldorf and from the front line to the front line on return. No enemy fighters were seen or combats reported.

BOMBER COMMAND
19 March 1945
GELSENKIRCHEN
79 Lancasters of 3 Group attacked the Consolidation benzol plant. Smoke and dust from the bombing prevented observation of the results. No aircraft lost.

RAILWAYS
37 Lancasters of 5 Group attacked the viaduct at Arnsberg and the bridge at Vlotho, near Minden. The 617 Squadron attack at Arnsberg, using 6 Grand Slams, was successful and a 40-foot gap was blown in the viaduct. The 9 Squadron attack at Vlotho was not successful. No aircraft lost.
________________________________________
19/20 March 1945
Berlin
34 Mosquitoes. No losses. 2nd TAF
At 0855 12 Spitfire XIVs of 130 Squadron commenced a sweep over the Rheine-Osnabrück area, where at 0930 12 Bf 109s from L./JG 27 were spotted in the Rheine circuit. Diving to attack, Wg Cdr George Keefer, Flg Off Geoff Lord and Flt Sgt G.W.Hudson each claimed one shot down, the two latter pilots also claiming one damaged apiece; three more were claimed damaged by other pilots. Several more Messerschmitts were then seen on a nearby satellite strip and these were strafed, another three being claimed damaged, two of them by Flt Lt 'Sammy' Samouelle. It appears that the RAF pilots had actually shot down four of the German aircraft and damaged six more in the air, plus two on the ground.

At Melsbroek bombs were dropped on the airfield by a pair of Ar 234s of KG 76, one of 616 Squadron's Meteors being slightly damaged.

USAAF
AUSTRIA: Fifteenth Air Force B-17s and B-24s drop more than 2,000 tons of bombs—their highest one-day total of the war—on a variety of transportation and oil-production targets in and around Vienna.

Twelfth Air Force B-25s attack a bridge at Muhldorf.

FRANCE: The 492d Heavy Bombardment Group’s 856th and 858th Heavy Bombardment squadrons are transferred to Dijon, from which the two special-operations units will drop a total of 82 agents into Germany. Also, specially equipped Mosquitoes assigned to the 856th Heavy Bombardment Squadron are to monitor and record radio messages from the agents.

GERMANY: Unable to locate their primaries because of thick clouds, 889 1st and 3d Air division B-17s attack various secondary targets—an optics factory at Jena, the city of Plauen, and a motor-transport factory at Zwickau—and numerous targets of opportunity. Also, as planned, 125 2d Air Division B-24s attack Neuberg Airdrome, 84 2d Air Division B-24s attack Leipheim Airdrome, and 126 2d Air Division B-24s attack an armored-vehicle factory at Baumenheim. Six heavy bombers and two of 623 VIII Fighter Command escorts and scouts are lost.

9th Air Division bombers attack five rail bridges, two communications centers, and targets of opportunity.

P-47s of the XIX TAC’s 367th Fighter Group successfully bomb and strafe the headquarters of the German Command- in-Chief, West (OB West), at Ziegenburg, at very low level through mountainous terrain, a ground haze, and heavy antiaircraft fire.

Eighth and Ninth Air Force fighter pilots down 44 GAF aircraft over Germany between 0905 and 1715 hours. Maj Niven K. Cranfill, the commanding officer of the 359th Fighter Group’s 369th Fighter Squadron, in P-51s, achieves ace status when he downs an Me-262 near Leipzig at about 1415 hours; 1stLt Joe W. Waits, an F-6 pilot with the 363d Tactical Reconnaissance Group’s 162d Reconnaissance Squadron, achieves ace status when he downs a Bf-109 near Stuttgart at 1555 hours; and Maj Louis H. Norley, the commanding officer of the 4th Fighter Group’s 334th Fighter Squadron, brings his final personal tally to 10.333 confirmed victories when he downs a Bf-109 near Frankfurt am Main at 1615 hours.

Elements of the U.S. Third Army capture Koblenz.

ITALY: Twelfth Air Force B-25s attack bridges and emergency fills at eight locations in northern Italy; and XXII TAC P-47s attack lines of communication, bridges, and dumps in northern Italy and the Po River valley.

During the night of March 19–20, XXII TAC A-20s and A-26s attack targets of opportunity in the Po River valley.

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
40 Sqn (Foggia Main) flies its first OM in the Liberator VI

20-3-45
7 Sqn (Oakington – Lancaster III)
TARGET RECKLINGHAUSEN 16 a/c comprising of a Mand IMB 1PVM 3VC 6 BSM 4 Supp 8/10ths strata cu vis good. Red TI fell at 12.55, a red smoke puff burst at 1256 and at 1258 and at 13.01. Blue smoke at 1301, 1303, 1315. Marking continuous seemed faint. MF 6 mins late and markers then very faint. No results observed. Defences slight H/F at first later, stronger spasmodic barrage.15 a/c returned safely.

ADDENDUM – Lancaster III PB667 MG-Q. Crew: F/O LP Bacon RAAF KIA, Sgt H McClements KIA, F/S RR Evans, F/O GH Huttlestone KIA, W/O PA Tennant RNZAF KIA, Sgt JA Cornwall KIA, Sgt JE Taylor KIA. T/o 1031 Oakington mark the railway yards. On return came down near the Schelde estuary. All their graves in the Bergen op Zoom War Cemetery.

BOMBER COMMAND
20 March 1945
RECKLINGHAUSEN
153 aircraft – 125 Halifaxes, 16 Lancasters, 12 Mosquitoes – of 4 and 6 Groups attempted to hit the railway yards but cloud and a strong wind spoiled the Pathfinder marking and the bombing was well scattered. No aircraft lost.

RAILWAYS
99 Lancasters of 3 Group attacked the railway yards at Hamm and 14 Lancasters of 9 Squadron attacked the railway bridge at Arnsberg. Bombs were seen to explode in the target area at both targets. No aircraft lost.
________________________________________
20/21 March 1945
BÖHLEN
224 Lancasters and 11 Mosquitoes of 5 Group attacked the synthetic-oil plant. This accurate attack put the plant out of action and it was still inactive when captured by American troops several weeks later. 9 Lancasters lost.

HEMMINGSTEDT
166 Lancasters of 1, 6 and 8 Groups carried out an equally effective attack upon the oil refinery at this target. 1 Lancaster lost.

SUPPORT AND MINOR OPERATIONS
70 training aircraft on a diversionary sweep over France, 12 Lancasters in a feint raid on Halle, 38 Mosquitoes to Berlin, 27 to Bremen and 16 to Kassel, 47 R.C.M. sorties, 55 Mosquito patrols, 9 Lancasters minelaying off Heligoland. 3 aircraft lost – 1 Lancaster from the Halle raid and 1 Fortress and 1 Liberator R.C.M. aircraft.

Total effort for the night: 675 sorties, 13 aircraft (1.9 percent) lost. 2nd TAF
During a raid on Bocholt marshalling yards a 98 Squadron Mitchell was shot down by Flak, crashing near Hochwald.

A section of 276 (ASR) Squadron's Spitfires spotted a dinghy, with occupant, after a fighter had been reported ditched 12 miles north-west of The Hague, and a Walrus attempted a rescue. However, despite landing within 20 yards, rough seas prevented the Walrus crew from reaching the dinghy and when shore batteries opened up they were obliged to taxi the amphibian out to sea. Unable to take off, the RAF crew were eventually rescued by a USAAF Catalina, which subsequently destroyed the Walrus; an International Distress broadcast brought a German light naval craft out to rescue the pilot from the dinghy. The Catalina in turn was unable to take off and spent the whole night taxiing across the North Sea, before managing a take-off in the morning, after transferring the Walrus crew to a Naval launch.

USAAF
AUSTRIA: More than 760 Fifteenth Air Force B-17s and B-24s attack two oil refineries, a tank factory, and marshalling yards at five locations.

GERMANY: One hundred forty-nine 1st Air Division B-17s attack the port area at Hamburg (secondary); 114 2d Air Division B-24s attack an oil-industry target at Hemmingstedt; 13 3d Air Division B-17s attack a U-boat yard at Hamburg (primary); and 133 3d Air Division B-17s attack the port area at Hamburg (secondary). Four heavy bombers and one of 260 VIII Fighter Command escorts and scouts are lost.

More than 360 9th Air Division bombers attack a munitions plant, a marshalling yard, a town area, a rail bridge, and targets of opportunity.

ITALY: Twelfth Air Force B-25s attack four bridges on the line down from Brenner Pass and two bridges elsewhere in northeastern Italy; and XXII TAC P-47s attack fuel dumps near Mantua and communications targets in the Po River valley.

During the night of March 20–21, XXII TAC A-20s and A-26s attack crossing points in the Po River valley.

BASE CHANGES
174 Sqn (Typhoon IB) moves to B.100 Goch
272 Sqn (Beaufighter TFX) moves to Falconara

21-3-45
51 Sqn (Snaith – Halifax III)
Operations were ordered to be carried out today on RHEINE. Nineteen aircraft took part in this attack and one failed to base. All crews saw the target indicators and identified the aiming point visually, many crews reported sticks of bombs seem to straddle the marshalling yards. Smoke covered part of the yard and area to the East and South East and bombing was well concentrated. The Master Bombers instructions were clear. At 17.29 hours he directed crews to bomb the southerly yellow T.I One explosion with a red flame and black smoke was noted at 17.38-17.40 hours. Photographs were of excellent quality and show a good concentration of bombs around the aiming point.

ADDENDUM – Halifax III MZ348 MH-D. Crew: F/O JE Paradise RAAF KIA, Sgt RF Gunn KIA, P/O BF Greenwood RAAF KIA, F/S A Armstrong KIA, F/O KW Berwick RAAF POW, Sgt W Hood KIA, F/S L Hart POW. T/o 1502 Snaith. Presumed hit by flak and crashed 1630 onto farmland near Bevergern some 10 km ENE of Rheine. All landed safely by parachute but within 24 hours, the first four name had been shot. Their graves are in Reichswald Forest War Cemetery.

BOMBER COMMAND
21 March 1945
RHEINE
178 aircraft – 150 Halifaxes, 16 Lancasters, 12 Mosquitoes – of 4, 6 and 8 Groups carried out an accurate attack upon the railway yards and the surrounding town area. 1 Lancaster lost.

MÜNSTER
160 Lancasters of 3 Group attacked the railway yards and a nearby railway viaduct. 3 Lancasters lost. The only information available from Münster is that 17 people were killed.

BREMEN
133 Lancasters and 6 Mosquitoes of 1 and 8 Groups attacked the Deutsche Vacuum oil refinery. This appeared to be an accurate raid in clear weather conditions. No aircraft lost.

20 Lancasters of 617 Squadron attacked the Arbergen railway bridge just outside Bremen. 2 piers of the bridge were destroyed. 1 Lancaster lost.

Total effort of the day: 497 sorties, 5 aircraft (1.0 percent) lost.
________________________________________
21/22 March 1945
HAMBURG
151 Lancasters and 8 Mosquitoes of 5 Group. 4 Lancasters lost.

The target for this raid was the Deutsche Erdölwerke refinery. The attack was accurate; 20 storage tanks were destroyed and the plant was still out of action at the end of the war. Some bombs fell in the nearby Wilhelmsburg district, where 31 Germans were killed and at least 100 foreign workers died when their camp was hit.

BOCHUM
131 Lancasters and 12 Mosquitoes of 1 and 8 Groups carried out an accurate attack on the benzol plant. 1 Lancaster lost.

Minor Operations: 142 Mosquitoes in 2 attacks on Berlin (with some aircraft making 2 sorties), 3 Mosquitoes to Bremen, 26 R.C.M. sorties, 56 Mosquito patrols, 7 Mosquitoes of 5 Group minelaying in Jade Bay and the River Weser. 1 Mosquito from the Berlin raid and 1 R.C.M. Fortress lost.

Total effort for the night: 536 sorties, 7 aircraft (1.3 percent) lost. 2nd TAF
More moves now took place, notably by the Typhoon units of 121 Wing which began moving to B.100 at Goch - the first 2nd TAF airfield on German soil. At the same time 84 Group's 123 Wing was led by Wg Cdr Button to B.91, Kluis, in the Nijmegen area. Preparations were now underway for the forthcoming Rhine crossing, and during the day units from 83 and 84 Groups cut rail lines in Germany in 41 places. Five Typhoon and three Spitfire squadrons from the latter Group also attacked a camouflaged village near Zwolle which was being utilised as a depot for German paratroop forces.

2 Group was much in evidence during the day, the Mosquitoes of 140 Wing undertaking another 'set piece' attack. At the request of the Danish Resistance an attack was planned on the Gestapo and Sicherheitspolizei headquarters in Shellhaus, the former headquarters of Shell Oil Co, a five storey building in the centre of the Danish capital, Copenhagen; the raid was codenamed Operation 'Carthage. All three units of the Wing were to be represented in the attack, which was also to be accompanied by two Mosquito IVs of the Film Production Unit. Due to the range there was no question of fighter escort being provided by other 2nd TAF units, but a force of 31 Mustangs drawn from 64,126 and 234 Squadrons, was laid on by Fighter Command.

The raid was led by Grp Capt Bateson, the Wing Commanding Officer, who headed the first wave of seven aircraft. One of these was flown by the 2 Group commander, AVM Basil Embry, posing as "Wg Cdr Smith". Four of the other aircraft were 21 Squadron machines, including one flown by the commanding officer of that unit, Wg Cdr P.A.Kleboe. One of the FPU Mosquitoes made up the balance of the formation, flown by Flt Lt K.G.Greenwood, a member of 487 Squadron.

The second wave of six were all drawn from 464 Squadron, led by Wg Cdr R.W.Iredale, while the third wave of seven, headed by Wg Cdr F.H.Denton, included six 487 Squadron aircraft and the second FPU Mosquito, this one flown by a 21 Squadron pilot, Flg Off R.E.Kirkpatrick.

The Mosquitoes started taking off at 0830, all aircraft carrying 100 gallon drop tanks and two 500lb bombs. They made course over the North Sea to rendezvous with their Mustang escort, and then headed for the target at very low altitude. Unfortunately, as the first wave began its attack, Wg Cdr Kleboe's aircraft collided with a pylon and crashed in Sonder Boulevard, in the Frederiksberg area, bursting into flames. Consequently, some of the second wave crews gained the impression that this was the burning target, and added their bombs to it.

The whole attack was over in less than five minutes, and the rest of the Mosquitoes headed out to sea again, but several had been hit by Flak. Two aircraft from 464 Squadron and one from 487 Squadron came down in the sea, the two former respectively off Zeeland and near the Sanso Belt, while the latter ditched near Hveen Island. All three crews were lost however. Two more third wave Mosquitoes were also hit, one 487 Squadron machine returning on one engine, while the FPU Mark IV made it to England, force-landing at Rackheath.

The Mustangs meanwhile had sought to suppress any active Flak positions, but in the event the only guns to open fire were those on ships in the harbour, where the cruiser 'Nurnberg' happened to be present. Two of 64 Squadron's fighters were hit, Flt Lt David Drew, DFC, being shot down in the target area and killed, while a second pilot, Plt Off R.C.Hamilton, RCAF, force-landed on the west coast of Jutland, becoming a PoW.

A total of 22 bombs had struck Shellhaus, where it was estimated that between 50-150 Germans had lost their lives. 18 Resistance prisoners were able to escape, including the organisation's leader and two of the five members of the Danish Freedom Council. Nearly all Gestapo filles were destroyed, and two full filing cabinets were spirited away by Resistance workers, these containing much evidence identifying local collaborators. Thereafter the Gestapo was to be severely handicapped during the remaining weeks of the war. The Danes generously forgave the RAF the damaging effects of the attack on their own population as one of the misfortunes of war.

Next day a PR Mosquito from 34 Wing undertook a reconnaissance sortie over the area to record the damage. The unfortunate events surrounding Kleboe's crash marred an otherwise very successful operation. Apart from the two bombs in Kleboe's Mosquito, which exploded in Sonder Boulevard, two more hit a school where 86 children were killed and many others injured, while 12 hit the Frederiksberg area, and another six were jettisoned in the sea after the attack. The cost in Danish lives reached almost 140.

2 Group remained active over Germany meanwhile with 139 Wing's Mitchells returning to the Bocholt marshalling yards during the day, but here two of 180 Squadron's bombers was hit by Flak, as it dropped its bombs, and exploded; another was seen to fall in flames apparently having been damaged in the explosion. In a third aircraft the pilot, Plt Off R.M.Perkins was badly wounded, one of the air gunners, Flt Sgt J.M.Hall partially taking over the controls to bring the aircraft back for an emergency landing at B.90, Petit Brogel. For their courage, Perkins was awarded an immediate DFC and Hall, the CGM. A fourth Mitchell, seriously damaged, force-landed at B.70, Deurne. Several more aircraft were badly damaged, but managed to regain their home airfield. The Group's medium bomber units also hit 17 towns close to the Rhine. This increased tempo was maintained over the next two days in preparation for the forthcoming Rhine crossings, targeting enemy encampments and barracks.

Another German HQ received a visit from 146 Wing; this time it was that of 25 Armee. Grp Capt Wells and Wg Cdr Deall led 25 Typhoons to inflict severe damage on the HQ which was located in a hotel at Bussum, near Hilversum. It later transpired that the General had left the previous day but other officers and all the unit's documentation were still present.

USAAF
AUSTRIA: Fifteenth Air Force heavy bombers attack five marshalling yards at four locations, and a goods depot and three oil refineries in and around Vienna.

GERMANY: Three hundred sixty-four 1st Air Division B-17s, 496 2d Air Division B-24s, and 351 3d Air Division B-17s attack 11 GAF jet-fighter bases; 107 3d Air Division B-17s attack an armored-vehicle factory at Plauen; and 35 3d Air Division B-17s attack various targets of opportunity. Seven B-17s and nine of 720 VIII Fighter Command escorts and scouts are lost.

The 9th Air Division mounts 582 effective sorties against a marshalling yard and six communications centers east of the Rhine River.

Eighth and Ninth air force fighter pilots down 18 GAF aircraft over Germany between 0105 and 1500 hours. 2dLt Robert F. Graham, a P-61 radar operator with the Ninth Air Force’s 422d Night Fighter Squadron, becomes a “radar ace” when he guides the pilot of his airplane in the downing of an Do-217 near the Rhine River between 0045 and 0105 hours. 2dLt Dudley M. Amoss, a P-51 pilot with the 55th Fighter Group’s 38th Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status when he downs three FW-190s near Münster at 1055 hours. However, Amoss is himself shot down by flak and taken prisoner.

Fifteenth Air Force B-24s effectively destroy the jet-aircraft factory and airdrome at Neuberg.

Elements of the U.S. Third Army reach the Rhine River.

ITALY: Twelfth Air Force B-25s attack two marshalling yards, a rail fill, bridge approaches, and two bridges; and XXII TAC P-47s attack rail targets and dumps in the Po River valley and near the battle areas.

During the night of March 21–22, XXII TAC A-20s and A-26s attack crossing points in the Po River valley.

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

BASE CHANGES
183 Sqn (Typhoon IB) moves to B.91 Kluis
184 Sqn (Typhoon IB) moves to B.100 Goch
198 Sqn (Typhoon IB) moves to B.91 Kluis
245 Sqn (Typhoon IB) moves to B.100 Goch
332 Sqn (Spitfire LFIXB) moves to B.85 Schijndel
609 Sqn (Typhoon IB) moves to B.91 Kluis

22-3-45
428 Sqn RCAF (Middleton St. George – Lancaster X)
Operations laid on early this coming with 15 aircraft detailed for a daylight attack on HILDESHEIM. Films were taken of the take off and return. All took off but F/L HADLEY failed to return. It was reported that his aircraft had been seen leaving target area on three engines but no further word was heard. The rest reported a very outstanding prang.

ADDENDUM – Lancaster X KB777 NA-V. Crew: F/L JF Hadley RCAF KIA, Sgt RR Duke RCAF POW, F/O WJ Spence RCAF POW, F/O CA Goodier RCAF POW, F/S L MacKenzie RCAF KIA, F/O D Frame RCAF KIA, F/S JW Bellamy RCAF POW. Last seen with two P-51’s flying as cover, below 5,000 ft, with port engine on fire and propeller feathered. Subsequently, the Lancaster was abandoned. Of the three who died two rest in Rheinberg War Cemetery, while F/S MacKenzie is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.

BOMBER COMMAND
22 March 1945
HILDESHEIM
227 Lancasters and 8 Mosquitoes of 1 and 8 Groups. 4 Lancasters lost.

The target was the railway yards; these were bombed but the surrounding built-up areas also suffered severely in what was virtually an area attack. This was the only major Bomber Command raid of the war on Hildesheim and the post-war British survey found that 263 acres, 70 percent of the town, had been destroyed. The local report states that the inner town suffered the most damage. The Cathedral, most of the churches and many historic buildings were destroyed. A total of 3,302 blocks of flats (containing more than 10,000 apartments) were destroyed or seriously damaged. 1,645 people were killed.

DÜLMEN
130 aircraft – 106 Halifaxes, 12 Lancasters, 12 Mosquitoes – of 4 and 8 Groups. No aircraft lost.

This was an area attack and the town was soon burning after a concentrated raid in clear weather conditions. No other details are available.

DORSTEN
124 aircraft – 100 Halifaxes, 12 Lancasters, 12 Mosquitoes – of 6 and 8 Groups. No aircraft lost.

Dorsten was a rail and canal centre and also the location of a Luftwaffe fuel dump. All these targets were believed to have been hit but the town probably suffered as well.

BOCHOLT
100 Lancasters of 3 Group carried out a G-H attack on the town area, probably with the intention of cutting communications. The town was seen to be on fire. No aircraft lost.

RAILWAY BRIDGES
102 Lancasters of 5 Group attacked bridges at Bremen (82 aircraft) and Nienburg (20 aircraft of 617 Squadron). The bridge at Nienburg was destroyed; the bombing at the Bremen bridge appeared to be accurate but no results were seen. No aircraft lost.

Total effort for the day: 708 sorties, 4 aircraft (0.6 percent) lost.
________________________________________
22/23 March 1945
MINOR OPERATIONS
56 Mosquitoes to Berlin, 8 to Paderborn and 6 to Bochum, 39 R.C.M. sorties, 30 Mosquito patrols, 21 Lancasters and 8 Mosquitoes minelaying in Oslo Fjord. 2 Intruder Mosquitoes of 100 Group lost. 2nd TAF
The early hours of 22nd proved to be active for the 85 Group night fighters. Just before 0400 hours Flt Lt R.I.E.Britten and Flt Lt L.E.Fownes of 409 Squadron were able to claim a Bf 110 over Dhum, while at 0522 Flg Off K.Fleming/Flg Off K.L.Nagle of 488 Squadron claimed another of these night fighters in the Dortmund area. However, during these operations one Mosquito of 219 Squadron was lost.

In the afternoon Tempests from 56 and 80 Squadrons swept over Rheine and the Minden-Dummer See area from about 1530. As they approached Rheine, the pilots spotted about 12 Fw 190Ds of II./JG 26 which had been scrambled to intercept a Ninth Air Force formation of B-26 Marauder bombers. The German fighters were attacked by the RAF escorts, Flt Lt J.T.Hodges, Flt Lt G.B.Milne, Flg Off V.L. Turner and Sgt P.C.Brown of 56 Squadron, and Flt Lt R.C.Cooper and Flg Off G.A.Bush of 80 Squadron claiming one each for a total of six, while other 80 Squadron pilots claimed two more damaged. The 5. and 6. Staffel of JG 26 actually lost five Dora-9s, with four pilots killed and one wounded. One pilot from each Staffel managed to claim a Tempest shot down, both claim times at 1603, but in fact the British formation suffered no losses at all.

USAAF
AUSTRIA: Fifteenth Air Force heavy bombers attack two oil refineries and rail targets in Vienna, and marshalling yards at Graz, Klagenfurt, Wels, and Zeltweg.

Twelfth Air Force B-25s attack bridges at four locations.

CZECHOSLOVAKIA: Fifteenth Air Force heavy bombers attack an oil refinery and a marshalling yard.

GERMANY: Four hundred fifty 1st Air Division B-17s and 289 3d Air Division B-17s attack ten German Army bases and encampments; 325 2d Air Division B-24s attack three GAF airdromes; 208 3d Air Division B-17s attack two GAF airdromes; and 21 heavy bombers attack secondary targets and targets of opportunity. One B-17 and three of 632 VIII Fighter Command escorts and scouts are lost.

Seven hundred ninety-eight 9th Air Division attack communications centers, a marshalling yard, flak concentrations, and seven towns; and Ninth Air Force fighters and fighter-bombers attack rail lines.

Eighth, Ninth, and First Tactical air force fighter pilots down 22 GAF fighters over Germany between 1230 and 1340 hours. LtCol Sidney S. Woods, the executive officer of the 4th Fighter Group, in P-51s, downs five FW-190s near Eggersdorf Airdrome between 1310 and 1340 hours. (Woods had earlier downed two Japanese airplanes while flying P-38s in the South Pacific.) 1stLt Franklin Rose, Jr., a P-51 pilot with the 354th Fighter Group’s 353d Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status when he downs two FW-190s near Mannheim at 1340 hours.

One hundred thirty-six Fifteenth Air Force B-17s severely damage Germany’s largest remaining synthetic-fuel factory, at Ruhland, and several attack an aluminum works at Lauta. Three B-17s are downed by GAF jet fighters, but pilots of the 1st, 14th, 31st, and 82d Fighter groups down five GAF aircraft over Ruhland and Papa Airdrome between 1225 and 1345. Capt William J. Dillard, a veteran 31st Fighter Group P-51 pilot, achieves ace status when he downs an Me-262 near Ruhland at 1255 hours.

The Ninth Air Force’s 474th Fighter Group displaces to Advance Landing Ground Y-59, at Strassfeld.

ITALY: XXII TAC P-47s attack rail and communications targets.

During the night of March 22–23, XXII TAC A-20s and A-26s attack crossing points in the Po River valley.

BASE CHANGES
326 Sqn (Spitfire IX) moves to Colmar
327 Sqm (Spitfire VIII/IX) moves to Colmar
328 Sqn (Spitfire VIII/IX) moves to Colmar

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
59 Sqn (Ballykelly) flies its last OM in the Liberator V
206 Sqn (Leuchars) flies its last OM in the Liberator VIII

23-3-45
101 Sqn (Ludford Magna – Lancaster I/III)
24 aircraft on operations. 2 missing.

ADDENDUM – Lancaster I LL755 SR-U. Crew: F/O RR Little RCAF KIA, F/S AJ Clifton KIA, F/O JG Lee RCAF KIA, F/O WH Brooks RCAF KIA, Sgt H Woodards KIA, Sgt T Churchill KIA, Sgt PS Nelson KIA. T/o 0658 Ludford Magna. Crashed 1030 near Stöttinghausen, 3 km SE of Twistringen. All are buried in the Sage War Cemetery. F/O Little was from Lockport, New York.

Lancaster III DC245 SR-S. Crew: F/L RP Paterson RCAF POW, P/O KDSJ Ward POW, F/O M Ornstein RCAF KIA, F/O S Dillon POW, F/O WG Yeomans KIA, Sgt AW Greenhough POW, F/O WE Thoroldson RCAF KIA. T/o 0711 Ludforn Magan on its 119th operational sortie. Hit by flak and exploded crashing 1000, between Moordeich and Stuhr 7 km ESE from the centre of Delmenhorst. Those who died are now at rest in Becklingen War Cemetery.

BOMBER COMMAND
23 March 1945
RAILWAY BRIDGES
128 Lancasters of 1 and 5 Groups attacked bridges at Bremen (117 aircraft) and Bad Oeynhausen (11 aircraft). Both bridges were hit. 2 Lancasters were lost from the Bremen raid. (The Bad Oeynhausen bridge may have been the one described as ‘at Vlotho’ in a raid 4 days earlier; the two places are close to each other, both near Minden.)

WESEL
80 Lancasters of 3 Group attacked the town, which was an important troop centre behind the Rhine front in an area about to be attacked by British troops. The raid was accurate and no aircraft were lost.
________________________________________
23/24 March 1944
WESEL
195 Lancasters and 23 Mosquitoes of 5 and 8 Groups carried out the last raid on the unfortunate town of Wesel. No aircraft lost.

Wesel claims to have been the most intensively bombed town, for its size, in Germany. 97 percent of the buildings in the main town area were destroyed. The population, which had numbered nearly 25,000 on the outbreak of war, was only 1,900 in May 1945. No casualty figures or any other details of the raids are available.

SUPPORT AND MINOR OPERATIONS
78 training aircraft on a sweep across France and as far as Mannheim, 65 Mosquitoes to Berlin and 23 to Aschaffenburg, 41 R.C.M. sorties, 39 Mosquito patrols. 2 Mosquitoes lost from the Berlin raid. 2nd TAF
With nightfall, Mosquito night fighters of 219 Squadron were on patrol, Flt Lt Atkins/Flt Lt Mayo claimed an aircraft shot down at 2115 which they reported as an Fw 189.

The Rhine Crossing
21st Army Group's crossing of the Rhine, codenamed Operation 'Plunder, was to be made by British Second Army and US Ninth Army together, between Emmerich in the north, and the Xanten-Wesel area to the south. Again massive artillery support was prepared, including 17 Field Regiments, ten Medium Regiments, two Heavy Regiments, two Super-Heavy Batteries, plus AA and anti-tank guns. Sections of prefabricated bridge were ready to be winched across as soon as bridgeheads had been established on the far bank, and an ambitious airborne assault was also included, known as Operation 'Varsity.

On 23rd Typhoon squadrons from 121 Wing and Spitfires of 126 Wing attacked Flak positions beyond the range of Second Army's artillery, following which at 1530 77 Bomber Command Lancasters raided Wesel. As evening approached, medium bombers attacked other targets directly across the river between 1700-1800 hours. The artillery then opened up until 2100, when Buffalo armoured amphibious troop-carriers entered the water, reaching the east bank in four minutes. At 2235 Wesel was bombed again, this time by 212 Lancasters and Mosquitoes from 5 and 8 Groups, which unloaded 1,100 tons of explosives on the town. With daylight on 24th German forces counter-attacked and fierce fighting began.

Meanwhile at 0600 on 24th, the British 6th Airborne Division, aboard the transports and gliders of 38 and 46 Groups, began taking off. Over Brussels the formation joined another carrying the US 17th Airborne Division from bases on the Continent to complete XVIII Airborne Corps. The two formations then headed for the drop zones side-by-side, forming a massive armada of 4,000 aircraft and gliders, escorted by 1,200 fighters.

2 Group and Ninth Air Force medium bombers unloaded 550 tons of bombs on Flak sites in the area of the drop zones, but aiming was not good, and none of the batteries were seriously damaged. Typhoons then swept in to attack these at low level, but had not completed this task when the transports arrived seven minutes ahead of schedule. As a result they were met by some fairly intense Flak, and ten gliders were shot down, another 30 or so being damaged. Despite this, the landing of both the gliders and the paratroopers was very accurate on this occasion. The task set for this Corps was to seize and hold intact bridges across the River Ijssl, and then to link with Second Army, approaching from the west. Three bridges were duly captured, and by 1800 the link-up had occurred - there was no disastrous replay of 'Market Garden' this time, in what proved to be one of the most successful and well-executed airborne operations of the war.

As the engineers struggled to get the bridges across the Rhine with all speed, tanks were ferried across on rafts. 2nd Army alone was putting four full Corps into the assault - VIII, XII and XXX, plus II Canadian. Fighting was bitter on 25th, but the town of Rees had been cleared by nightfall. The first bridge was ready for use by the early hours of 26th, and more were completed that day.

A bridgehead 35 miles wide and 20 miles deep had been established. Despite 3,968 British and 2,813 US casualties, the operation could still be viewed as a strategic success. The designated task of 21st Army Group now was to drive with all speed to the River Elbe. There its units were to join the Red Army which was advancing from the east, and together begin an all-out attack on Berlin. Eisenhower had designated this capital city as the main objective, the fall of which was likely to bring the war to an immediate close.

The Ruhr, Germany's industrial heartland, was to be bypassed to the north by 21st Army Group, and to the south by US 12th Army Group. The latter was to head across central Germany, through Cologne and Frankfurt, towards Leipzig and Dresden, spearheaded by the US First and Third Armies, and by a new Fifteenth Army. The Ruhr was to be left to 'wither on the vine. Meanwhile, Canadian First Army would protect the left flank of British Second Army, and then advance into northern Holland, heading through Arnhem towards Groningen in the far north.

Thus 21st Army Group's two other armies now began a rapid advance through the area over which so much of 2nd TAF's aerial operations had so recently taken place. In quick succession Emmerich, Wesel, Bocholt, Coesfeld, Dulmen, Vreden, Hengelo, Enschede and other locations were taken. On the south of the advance US Ninth Army was into Münster by the end of the month, as the whole front swept on to the River Ems, where the airfield complex at Rheine would fall into British hands.

USAAF
AUSTRIA: Fifteenth Air Force heavy bombers attack an oil refinery at Vienna, marshalling yards at three locations, and a tank factory.

CZECHOSLOVAKIA: Fifteenth Air Force heavy bombers attack a marshalling yard.

GERMANY: As the main Allied ground assault across the Rhine begins, 1,206 Eighth Air Force B-17s and B-24s attack numerous rail targets in western and central Germany, and 38 heavy bombers attack various targets of opportunity. Seven heavy bombers are lost.

Eight hundred four 9th Air Division bombers attack several communications centers, flak concentrations, and a factory.

Ninth Air Force fighter pilots down 20 GAF aircraft over Germany between 0630 and 1445 hours. LtCol Jack T. Bradley, the commanding officer of the 354th Fighter Group’s 353d Fighter Squadron, brings his final personal tally to 15 confirmed victories when he downs a Bf-109 near Frankfurt am Main at 0700 hours; and Capt George A. Doersch, a P-51 pilot with the 359th Fighter Group’s 368th Fighter Squadron, brings his final personal tally to 10.5 confirmed victories when he shares in the downing of an Ar-96 advanced trainer near Salzwedel at 1445 hours.

Fifteenth Air Force heavy bombers attack an oil refinery at Ruhland.

ITALY: Twelfth Air Force B-25s attack eight bridges in and around the Brenner Pass, on both sides of the Austro-Italian border.

During the night of March 23–24, XXII TAC A-20s and A-26s attack crossing points, marshalling yards, bridges, and targets of opportunity in the Po River valley and across northeastern Italy.

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
59 Sqn (Ballykelly) flies its first OM in the Liberator VIII

24-3-45
150 Sqn (Hemswell – Lancaster I/III)
OPERATIONS: A daylight operation for the Squadron with the take off at mid- day calling for only ten aircraft from Squadron. Once again the target was an Oil Refinery in the Ruhr known as HARPENERWEG, just east of BOCHUM, in all comprising only an area of 200 yards square, necessitating concentrated and accurate bombing. All aircraft were successfully airborne by 13.00 hours and with excellent weather with clear skies set course on the scheduled time. The target was easily visibly identified and markers were on time. Bombing was extremely concentrated and shortly after bombing commenced, the target was completely obliterated by smoke, and the remaining bombing force was instructed by the Master Bomber to bomb the centre of the smoke as no markers could be seen. Enemy opposition from the surrounding towns and on the route was moderate though accurate, and four Squadron aircraft sustained flak damage P-Peter (F/O.Morris) on his 30th sortie failed to return, all other aircraft landed safely at Base.

ADDENDUM – Lancaster I PB853 IQ-P. Crew: F/O PH Morris KIA, F/S JC Davis KIA, F/S KA Kee RAAF KIA, F/S JH Gillies RAAF POW, F/S RL Masters RAAF KIA, F/S HH Bawden RAAF POW, F/S JN Griffin RAAF KIA. T/o Hemswell to bomb the Harbenerweg benzol plant.Crashed Witten-Herbede. All baled out safely but five had the tragic misfortune to be killed after being taken into custody. They now rest in the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery. One of the group implicated in the crime was sentenced to death, while a second received a fifteen year prison sentence.

BOMBER COMMAND
24 March 1945
The final phase of the land war opened on this day, with the amphibious crossing of the Rhine on the Wesel sector and the airborne landings among the enemy defences a few hours later. British Commandos captured Wesel in the early hours, just after the Bomber Command raid had left the defenders dead or too dazed to fight properly.

The weather remained good for further Bomber Command operations. It is interesting to observe that the Ruhr was still supplying fuel and munitions for the fighting front which was now only 15 miles away and that tactical bombing and strategic bombing were taking place almost side by side.

STERKRADE
177 aircraft – 155 Halifaxes, 16 Lancasters, 6 Mosquitoes – of 4 and 8 Groups attacked the railway yards so successfully that, according to Bomber Command, there was ‘complete destruction of a well packed marshalling yard’. No aircraft lost.

GLADBECK
175 aircraft – 153 Halifaxes, 16 Lancasters, 6 Mosquitoes – of 6 and 8 Groups attacked this town situated on the northern edge of the Ruhr and not far from the new battle area. The target was ‘devastated’. 1 Halifax lost.

BENZOL PLANTS
173 Lancasters and 12 Mosquitoes of 1, 6 and 8 Groups attacked the Harpenerweg plant at Dortmund and the Mathias Stinnes plant at Bottrop. 3 Lancasters were lost on the Dortmund raid.
Total effort for the day: 537 sorties, 4 aircraft (0.7 percent) lost.
________________________________________
24/25 March 1945
MINOR OPERATIONS
67 Mosquitoes to Berlin, 8 to Nordheim and 2 which bombed both Berlin and Magdeburg on a ‘siren tour’, 38 R.C.M. sorties, 33 Mosquito patrols. No aircraft lost. 2nd TAF
As Operation 'Plunder' began, the Luftwaffe's fighters were now operating from airfields further back from the Rhine. Following the Allied approach to the river, I. and II./JG 27 had left the Rheine area, I Gruppe moving to Stormede on 19th, and II. Gruppe to Bad Lippspringe two days later, while III Gruppe had moved to Gutersloh from Hesepe on 18th. Only IV Gruppe remained at its base at Achmer, but on 21 March this unit was disbanded. Stab and I./JG 26 were still at Fürstenau, II. Gruppe at Nordhorn, III. Gruppe at Delmenhorst and IV. Gruppe at Varrelbusch, but all were getting ready to go. The bombing of the Luftwaffe airfields which formed part of the preparations for 'Plunder, would destroy three of IV./JG 26's Dora-9s on the ground at Varrelbusch during the day.

83 Group's fighter-bombers were now ready to respond immediately to calls for assistance from the 'control cars' accompanying Second Army's units, but during the initial crossings little was seen of the opposing fighters. As Second TAF's units sought to provide all possible air support, Flak was, as so often, the main danger to pilots. It was, not surprisingly perhaps, the Typhoon Wings of this Group which took the main brunt of the punishment on this opening day. 124 Wing's Wing Leader, 'Kit' North-Lewis, crash-landed after his aircraft was hit, but he was back next day. He had been captured and held overnight, but feeling that they had no hope of escape from the advancing Allies, his German captors then gave themselves up, ensuring his release.

In this Wing 137 Squadron also suffered one loss, when Flg Off R.A.Edgley baled out and was killed. 247 Squadron was one of the units endeavouring to keep down the heads of the German Flak gunners as the Dakotas arrived overhead carrying the airborne forces. In doing so, however, the unit lost two aircraft, both pilots surviving crash-landings, one near Kleve and the other near Wesel. 121 and 143 Wings lost another four Typhoons, but only Flg Off W. Anderson of 439 Squadron failed to survive.

In 84 Group, 146 Wing's units carried out attacks on enemy headquarters at Zelham, Halle and Kreidenberg but also lost two Typhoons, one to engine failure. The other pilot, Flt Lt J.Harrison, RAAF, baled out among the gliders scattered in their landing zone; being tall and fair, (and wearing a German belt!) he was at first taken to be a German. He did, however, eventually persuade his American hosts that he was an Allied officer, was given a rifle and joined in the battle. When British armour broke through he hitched rides, arriving back with his unit on the 26th. According to the 146 Wing history, the USAAF used 1,112 para-dropping and glider-towing aircraft and lost 45 of them to Flak, whereas the RAF lost only six out of 440. The relatively low RAF losses were put down to the anti-Flak fighter- bombers and the artillery barrage.

The Tempest and Spitfire units were heavily involved in escorting the troop transports, but one 80 Squadron aircraft was brought down south-east of Helmond by Flak, the pilot carrying out a forced-landing. He was Sqn Ldr J.A.A.Gibson, DSO, DFC, a New Zealander who had been very successful during 1940 and who had just returned from a tour of operations with the RNZAF in the Solomon Islands. He had recently joined 80 Squadron as a supernumary to gain current experience. The broken shoulder he sustained led to his evacuation to the UK and put an end to any further operational flying before the war ended.

No pilot losses were suffered by the Spitfire units on this date, but three Canadian and three Polish aircraft were damaged by Flak or were written off in accidents.

From its new base in 84 Group, 274 Squadron sent out three Tempests to strafe Plantlünne airfield at 0600, but here Flt Lt R.C.Kennedy was shot down by Flak and killed when his aircraft crashed as he was trying to bale out. Flt Lt J.B.Stark also failed to return, later being reported to have lost his life.

By night the Luftwaffe was in evidence again, and at 2035 Flt Lt L.J.Leppard/Flt Lt P.J.Houghton in a Mosquito XIII of 604 Squadron intercepted a Bf 109 of III/NJG 11 which was claimed shot down in the Haltern area. There would be more successes in the early hours of the next day.

USAAF
AUSTRIA: Twelfth Air Force B-25s attack bridges at Muhlberg and Steinach.

CZECHOSLOVAKIA: Fifteenth Air Force heavy bombers attack a marshalling yard.

GERMANY: Throughout the day—in support of Operation VARSITY, the Anglo-American airborne assault across the Rhine River—1st Air Division B-17s mount 706 effective bombing sorties and 3d Air Division B-17s mount 625 effective bombing sorties against numerous GAF airfields and bases throughout northern and northwestern Germany. Also, VIII Fighter Command fighters mount 1,297 effective sorties throughout the day. Five B-17s and nine fighters are lost.

Beginning at 1000 hours—following intensive clearing attacks by USAAF fighters, including attacks on flak concentrations and airfields—paratroopers and glider-borne forces of the British 6th and U.S. 17th Airborne divisions taking part in Operation VARSITY are dropped into landing zones around Wesel by 2,029 IX Troop Carrier Command C-47s and gliders and 839 RAF aircraft and gliders. The landings are supported by low-level supply drops conducted by 240 2d Air Division B-24s and by an attack on nearby Nordhorn Airdrome by 58 466th Heavy Bombardment Group B-24s. Fourteen B-24s are lost, mostly to small-arms fire, while dropping supplies. Thirty-nine C-47s are downed by flak, one C-47 is lost in an accident, and six C-47s are lost to unknown causes.

9th Air Division bombers mount 688 effective sorties against flak concentrations, rail bridges, communications centers, and many tactical targets in and around the Operation VARSITY battle area. Throughout the day, Ninth Air Force fighters and fighter-bombers mount 2,039 effective sorties in direct support Allied ground forces and mount attacks to block access to the battle area by German reinforcements.

Eighth, Ninth, and First Tactical air force fighter pilots down a Ju-87 and 64 GAF fighters over Germany between 0244 and 1855 hours. Capt Clyde B. East, an F-6 pilot with the 10th Photographic Reconnaissance Group’s 15th Reconnaissance Squadron, achieves ace status when he downs two Ju-87s near Eisenach at 0945 hours; LtCol John A. Storch, the commanding officer of the 357th Fighter Group’s 364th Fighter Squadron, in P-51s, brings his final personal tally to 10.5 confirmed victories when he downs a Bf-109 near Gutersloh Airdrome at 1210 hours; Capt Paul R. Hatala, a P-51 pilot with the 357th Fighter Group’s 364th Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status when he downs two Bf-109s over Gutersloh Airdrome at 1215 hours; Maj Robert W. Foy, the 357th Fighter Group operations officer, brings his final personal tally to 15 confirmed victories when he downs a Bf-109 near Gutersloh Airdrome at 1220 hours; Maj Robert A. Elder, the commanding officer of the 354th Fighter Group’s 353d Fighter Squadron, in P-51s, becomes an “ace in a day” when he downs four FW-190s and a Bf-109 near Kassel between 1530 and 1600 hours; Capt Raymond E. Hartley, Jr., a P-51 pilot with the 353d Fighter Group’s 350th Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status when he downs two FW-190s and a Bf-109 near Kassel between 1530 and 1600 hours (Hartley’s two earlier victories were scored while he was serving with the Fifteenth Air Force); and in the same engagement, LtCol Wayne K. Blickenstaff, the commanding officer of the 350th Fighter Squadron, brings his final personal tally to ten confirmed victories when he downs three FW-190s and two Bf-109s.

Two hundred seventy-one Fifteenth Air Force B-24s destroy whatever remains of the Neuberg jet-aircraft factory as well as an estimated 20 jet aircraft parked on the adjacent airdrome.

More than 150 Fifteenth Air Force B-17s attack the Daimler-Benz tank-engine factory in Berlin. This is the Fifteenth’s first mission to the German capital, a round trip exceeding 1,500 miles. On this mission, four B-17s are downed by flak near Brux, Czechoslovakia; a fifth is downed during the approach to the target when the bomber formation is attacked by 15 Me-262s; and a sixth is downed over the target by flak. While defending the bombers over the target, Col William Daniel, the 31st Fighter Group commanding officer, achieves ace status when he downs one of the Me-262s and damages another. In all, eight of the GAF jets are downed between 1220 and 1250 by 31st and 332d Fighter group P-51 pilots. Fifteenth Air Force heavy bombers also attack airdromes at Erding, Munich, and Plattling.

ITALY: Fifteenth Air Force heavy bombers attack the airfield complex at Udine; Twelfth Air Force B-25s attack bridges and bridge approaches at six locations; and XXII TAC P-47s attack rail lines throughout northern Italy.

LtGen John K. Cannon replaces Gen Ira C. Eaker as commanding general of the Army Air Forces in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations (AAFMTO), and it is announced that he will be assuming command of MAAF.

During the night of March 24–25, XXII TAC A-20s and A-26s attack road and rail targets, and crossing points in the Po River valley.

BASE CHANGES
350 Sqn (Spitfire XIV) moves to Warmwell

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
76 Sqn (Holme-on-Spalding Moor) flies its first OM in the Halifax VI
542 Sqn (Benson) flies its last OM in the Spitfire PRXIX

25-3-45
425 Sqn RCAF (Tholthorpe – Halifax III)
13 a/c were detailed Attack Munster and all took-off. All attacked primary and returned. Weather over target was clear with slight haze and good visibility. Some crews identified the target by red and green markers and reminder visually. Those who saw the red and green markers say that, they were late but, well concentrated and on the AP. The M/B was heard by the majority of crews and various instructions are followed. Bombing appeared well concentrated with some evidence of undershooting, and target was well covered with fires and smoke rising to 2,000 ft. Defences: heavy flak was moderate to intense accurate barrage from bursting between 17,000 and 21,000 ft. with evidence of some visual predicted. Heavy flak from Ruhr defences en route and three to four miles from target area on route in. No enemy aicraft were seen.

A/C N.R. 194 “J” (WO2.Lavoie) crash-landed at Riccol due to engine trouble. Nobody injured. 5 a/c landed at base, one at Croft and 7 at Dishforth.

BOMBER COMMAND
25 March 1945
The Bomber Command operations on this day were directed to towns on the main reinforcement routes into the Rhine battle area. Heavy attacks were made on the railway routes through these towns and on the surrounding built-up areas.

HANNOVER
267 Lancasters and 8 Mosquitoes of 1, 6 and 8 Groups. The bombing was observed to fall in the target area. 1 Lancaster lost.

MÜNSTER
175 aircraft – 151 Halifaxes, 14 Lancasters, 10 Mosquitoes – of 4, 6 and 8 Groups. 3 Halifaxes lost.

Few results were seen by the bombers because the target area rapidly became smoke-covered. Münster reports a large number of bombs but only 2 people dead.

OSNABRÜCK
156 aircraft – 132 Halifaxes, 14 Lancasters, 10 Mosquitoes – of 4 and 8 Groups. No aircraft lost.

Osnabrück reports extensive property damage throughout the town. 175 people were killed – 143 civilians, 22 soldiers and 10 foreign workers – and 244 people were injured.

Total effort for the day: 606 sorties, 4 aircraft (0.7 percent) lost.
________________________________________
25/26 March 1945
Minor Operations
8 Mosquitoes to Berlin and 1 Lancaster dropping leaflets over The Hague. No losses. 2nd TAF
In the small hours two claims were made by 410 Squadron crews: Sqn Ldr I.E.MacTavish/Flg Off A.M.Grant claimed a Ju 88G over Etten and then caught a Bf 110, but before they could open fire on it, they were attacked by another Messerschmitt and had to dive away. Somewhat later Flt Lt G.R.Leask/Flt Lt J.W.Roff claimed a Bf 110 near Greffelkamp.

With dawn came a number of changes for JG 26. Like IV./JG 27 a few days earlier, III./JG 26 was shocked to be ordered to disband, the unit's remaining pilots being divided up amongst the three remaining Gruppen. At the same time L.Gruppe now moved from Furstenau to Drope, while II. and IV.Gruppen departed Nordhorn and Varrelbusch respectively, both flying in to Bissel.

Tempests from both Wings were off early, aircraft from 33 and 222 Squadrons commencing a sweep over the Lippstadt-Paderborn area at 0605, followed five minutes later by a formation from 80 Squadron which headed for the Rees area. Over the former area 222 Squadron's Flt Lt H.E.Turney spotted three German aircraft below and dived on them, but found not three but seven Bf 109s, one of which he at once shot down. Flg Off G.W.Marshall claimed a second, while Turney then joined with Flt Lt W.G.Mart and Fig Off R.H.Reid to claim a third, Flt Lt R.P.Dashwood adding a fourth.

Spitfire XVIS of 127 Squadron were in the same area, Flt Lt A.T.Willis and Plt Off E.A.W.Smith claiming a Bf 109 between them at about 0640, south-west of Bocholt, while Flg Off W.R.Sheaf, one of the 80 Squadron pilots, claimed another Bf 109 north-east of Wesel.

It would appear that 222 Squadron had clashed with aircraft of II./JG 27, which reported the loss of four Bf 109Gs around this time, one of the pilots being killed and the other three reported missing; the losses included Oblt Peter Hauer, Kapitän of 5. Staffel. Lt Erwin Baumgarten claimed two Tempests over the Bocholt-Dinslaken area between 0640-0643, his fourth and fifth victories, while FhjFw Hermann Muller claimed another at 0645 in the same area as his tenth success. In practice, no Tempests were actually lost or seriously damaged. (Baumgarten's claims were initially recorded as P-478 - a frequent misidentification at this time). Whether the 80 and 127 Squadron pilots had claimed aircraft from this German unit, or had encountered lone tactical reconnaissance machines is not certain.

80 Squadron's Tempests were off again at 1215 on an armed reconnaissance over the Bocholt-Borken area, while those of 222 Squadron commenced another sweep at 1250, this time over Quackenbrück-Münster. Over Bocholt Flg Off W.H.Long of 80 Squadron was lost; his Tempest was seen to be hit by Flak and to crash in flames. 222 Squadron however, spotted 11 Fw 190Ds near Quackenbrück and at once attacked, Flt Lts G.W.Varley and G.F.Jongbloed, and Flg Off W.Donald each claiming one shot down.

They had met I./JG 26 which had been ordered off to hunt Allied fighter- bombers just after noon, the unit's 11 airborne Dora-9s being in the process of forming up north-east of Drope at 6,500 feet when the Tempests attacked. Two Dora-9s were actually lost in this quick clash, one pilot baling out, the other losing his life. Towards evening II. and IV./JG 26 commenced taking off from Bissel at 1740 for a 'Freie Jagd', putting 15 aircraft into the air. Over Bocholt the German pilots were "jumped by Allied fighters which they thought initially were Tempests. They had in fact been caught by Spitfire IXs of 412 Squadron, the pilots of which also made a misidentification of the Dora-9s, which they took to be Bf 109s! The Canadian pilots had spotted a reported 12-plus fighters five miles south of Winterswijk while patrolling between that town and Zutphen. The Germans reported that their opponents were initially below the level of the JG 26 aircraft, but climbed rapidly and engaged. Sqn Ldr M.D.Boyd claimed one which shed pieces and went down in flammes. Flt Lt D.M.Pieri added a second which crashed and burst into flames, while Flg Off V.Smith, after initial difficulty in getting rid of his drop tank, claimed a third.

Fw Gerhard Kroll, wingman to Oblt Willi Heilmann, who was leading, lost his leader and found himself up against three Allied fighters; he baled out, badly burned. Fw Gerhard Müller- Berneck crash-landed, wounded, and four other Focke-Wulfs were destroyed or damaged. During the fight Uffz Pfeiffer claimed a Spitfire shot down at 1823 south of Stadtlohn, while Lt Prager claimed a 'P-47' north-west of Bocholt (his 18th victory). No losses were suffered by 412 Squadron, however.

Despite these successes, 25 March was a hard day for 122 Wing, although as so often, Flak was the culprit rather than the Luftwaffe. 3 Squadron lost two Tempests, one of these blowing up in the air from a direct hit, which killed Flg Off Basilios Vassiliades, DFC, DFM, who had just become a flight commander. Plt Off T.H.McCulloch went down near Bocholt to become a prisoner.

486 Squadron pilots had just shot down a German balloon when they spotted eight Fi 156s on a grass strip near Grave. As they went down to strafe, Wt Off W.A.Kalka's Tempest was hit and the ailerons were jammed, causing him to bale out. Unfortunately, he fell into the River Maas three miles north-west of Grave and was drowned, despite the heroic efforts of a young Dutch girl to save him. The damaged claims to four of the Storch seemed poor compensation for the loss of this long-serving pilot.

At least six Typhoons were also lost, although in this case, while two of the pilots were captured (one later escaping), the other four all survived unharmed. Another hard loss however, was that of Sqn Ldr L.A.Moore, DFC, AFC, Commanding Officer of 402 Squadron, when his Spitfire XIV fell victim either to ground fire or ricochets while attacking a train in the Hamm- Münster area. Leslie Moore had been victor over three German aircraft, and had shared in the destruction of three more.

Nightfall once more brought out the Luftwaffe over the bridgehead area, giving 85 Group night fighters some very good opportunities. At 2050 Flg Off A.Recina/Flt Sgt R.A.W.Smith of 264 Squadron claimed a Ju 88 probably shot down near Leerdam, north of Nijmegen; they were credited with this as damaged. Twenty-three minutes later Flt Lt Ruffley/Flg Off Fazan of 219 Squadron claimed a Bf 110 shot down, adding a second of these at 2150. 264 Squadron's Sqn Ldr C.M.Ramsey, DFC, with Flt Lt D.J.Donnet, DFC, then claimed a Ju 88 north-east of Wesel at 2235, while ten minutes after this engagement, Flt Lt R.I.E.Britten, DFC/Flt Lt L.E.Fownes, DFC of 409 Squadron claimed another such aircraft near Dortmund - the fourth successful claim of the night.

USAAF
CZECHOSLOVAKIA: Fifteenth Air Force B-17s and B-24s attack Cheb Airdrome, and a tank factory and two airfields in and around Prague.

1stLt Norman C. Skogstad, a P-51 ace with the 31st Fighter Group’s 307th Fighter Squadron, brings his final personal tally to 12 confirmed victories when he downs four FW-190s near Olomouc at 1225 hours.

GERMANY: Two hundred forty-three 2d Air Division B-24s attack oil depots at three locations, but 737 1st and 3d Air divi- sion B-17s dispatched against other oil- industry targets and a tank factory are forced to abort in the face of bad weather during assembly over England. Four B-24s are lost.

Six hundred forty-one 9th Air Division bombers attack three marshalling yards, four communications centers, and flak concentrations.

Eighth, Ninth, and First Tactical air force fighter pilots down ten GAF fighters over Germany between 0700 and 1600 hours. Maj Glenn T. Eagleston, a P-51 ace and the commanding officer of the 354th Fighter Group’s 353d Fighter Squadron, brings his final personal tally for World War II to 18.5 confirmed victories and thus becomes the Ninth Air Force’s top-scoring ace of the war when he downs a Bf-109 near Neustadt at high noon.

The lead elements of the U.S. Third and Ninth armies cross the Rhine River.

ITALY: Twelfth Air Force medium-bomber missions against bridges on both sides of the Austro-Italian border are rendered ineffective by bad weather, but XXII TAC P-47s attack bridges and rail lines in the Po River valley and fuel dumps elsewhere in northern Italy.

During the night of March 25–26, XXII TAC A-20s and A-26s attack bridges at Cittadella and Verona.

FIRST AND LAST OPERATIONAL MISSIONS
76 Sqn (Holme-in-Spalding Moor) flies its last OM in the Halifax III
611 Sqn (Hunsdon) flies its first OM in the Mustang IV
640 Sqn (Leconfield) flies its last OM in the Halifax III