Authors: Martin Bowman
Tags: #Bisac Code 1: HIS027140
138
KB239 6T-G, which crashed into the railway station at Rangsdorf at 02.30 hours. Flight Lieutenant B. H. Smith RCAF and Sergeant L. E. Pegg both perished. They were buried in a joint grave at the Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery. Three Mosquitoes and a Stirling of 199 Squadron in 100 Group were lost on Bomber Support. Leutnant Kurt Welter claimed two of the Mosquitoes, one south of Berlin and the other north of Aachmer and Feldwebel Reichenbach of 10./JG300 one other northwest of Wittenburg. One of Welter’s victims was a 515 Squadron FB.VI in 100 Group flown by Squadron Leader C. Best DFC and Flight Sergeant H. Dickinson (KIA). Squadron Leader J. H. McK Chisholm and Flight Lieutenant E. L. Wilde of 157 Squadron disappeared w/o trace. Reichenbach’s victim was a FB.VI of 239 Squadron flown by Flying Officer E. W. Osborne and Pilot Officer G. V. Acheson (KIA). Welter claimed another Mosquito North of Wittenberg on 18/19 September (B.XV DZ635 of 627 Squadron, which crashed at Schiffdorf in the eastern outskirts of Bremerhaven. Flight Lieutenant N. B. Rutherford AFC (31) and Pilot Officer F. H. Stanbury (27) were KIA).
139
B.XX KB267/E.
140
See
At First Sight; A Factual and anecdotal account of No.627 Squadron RAF
. Researched and compiled by Alan B. Webb. 1991.
141
Guy Penrose Gibson, born in Simla, India in 1918, joined the RAF in 1936 after leaving St. Edward’s School, Oxford. At the outbreak of war he held the rank of Flying Officer and in August 1940 he completed his first tour as a Hampden bomber pilot on 83 Squadron. He was promoted to Flight Lieutenant and won his first DFC (he was awarded a bar the following year). He was posted to instruct at an OTU before transferring to Fighter Command and a posting to 29 Squadron equipped with Beaufighters. In 99 operational sorties he claimed 4 e/a destroyed and was promoted to Squadron Leader. A bar to his DFC followed on completion of his second tour in December 1941. In March 1942 he returned to Bomber Command, was promoted Wing Commander and posted to take command of 106 Squadron. He was awarded the DSO with a bar in 1943. On 16/17 May 1943 he led 617 Squadron’s 19 Lancasters in the famous operation against the Ruhr dams. Gibson awarded the Victoria Cross for his leadership on the raid. Later sent to America as an air attaché but he begged the Air Ministry to allow him to return to operations.
142
Flying Officer H. E. Brown RCAF (29) and Flight Lieutenant H. W. Cowan (29) crashed about 600 yards northwest of the target. Both men were later buried at Rheinberg war Cemetery.
143
See
At First Sight; A Factual and anecdotal account of No.627 Squadron RAF.
Researched and compiled by Alan B. Webb. 1991.
144
On 7 October 627 Squadron had lost a Mosquito crewed by Flight Lieutenant Geoffrey Bray and Flight Lieutenant P. N. G. Herbert which FTR from a reconnaissance of Walcheren flown two hours after the other aircraft had marked the targets on the island. On 19 October another 627 Squadron Mosquito crashed during practice dive bombing at the Wainfleet range when a practice bomb exploded in the bomb bay. The pilot managed to bale out but the navigator became wedged in the escape hatch and as killed on impact.
145
Mosquito XXV KB426 was a complete write-off.
146
Two of the three formations of Mosquitoes failed to link up with their
Oboe
leaders and bombed on timed runs from the docks south of Duisburg. ‘Sky markers’ defeated the solid cloud cover and smoke seen rising to 10,000ft seemed testimony to the bombing accuracy but most of the bombs were believed to have fallen beyond the plant. The Mosquitoes returned without loss.
147
XVI MM190 of 128 Squadron. Flight Lieutenant R. C. Onley and Flying Officer G. B. Collins RAAF KIA.
148
The only Mosquito lost was a NF.XXX that was hit by a V-2 in mid air during an
Intruder
patrol!
149
Acting Squadron Leader Robert Anthony Maurice DFC RAFVR, on his 110th operation of the war, was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross. His body is buried in the Rheinberg War Cemetery with the other men who died aboard the Lancaster. Only the tail gunner escaped death, by taking to his parachute. On 21 April 1945 109 Squadron dropped the last bombs to fall on Berlin in WW2.
150
Squadron Leader Ron Churcher DFC* RAFVR had completed a tour of operations with 106 Squadron at Coningsby flying Hampdens, Manchesters and Lancasters. His second tour was with 619 Squadron at Woodhall Spa and this was completed in January 1944. Soon afterwards he was posted to the Operations Staff at 5 Group HQ, Morton Hall near Swinderby. In July 1944 he had joined 627 Squadron. His last trip was to Oslo Fjord on 13 December 1944. He was awarded the DSO on 13 April 1945.
151
Wing Commander Curry dive bombed from 1,300ft and hit the Northeast corner of the buildings. Two of the other Mosquitoes dive bombed and released their 2 x 1,000 MC bombs and the two others dived from 1,300 to 1,000ft and dropped their loads of 4 x 500 pounders, some of which fell on the southern building.
152
See
At First Sight; A Factual and anecdotal account of No.627 Squadron RAF.
Researched and compiled by Alan B. Webb. 1991.
153
There was too much smoke and Mallender jettisoned his bombs. Three others returned with their bomb loads while one Mosquito bombed the North building, which was completely wrecked. The sixth and final Mosquito in the second wave attacked the North West building at 1,300ft but it was already damaged so the pilot undershot on target.
154
Peter Mallender was awarded the DFC on 1 January 1945 and promoted squadron Leader to command A Flight on 8 February 1945. It was 45 years before he learned that dear old ‘
D-Dog
’was repaired and lived to a ‘ripe old age’. Flying Officer Bob Boyden concludes. ‘The trip back to Peterhead was uneventful. Those Mosquitoes were really smooth and reliable and much credit must go to the manufacturers and, of course, our aircraft mechanics who worked hard to keep them flying. All aircraft returned to Peterhead and all had some flak damage. Mine also had a cracked landing light cover, which they said had been caused by the concussion of the bombs. The next morning we did a fly-past in front of the control tower as we headed back to base. A few officers of high rank met us and shook hands and said a few words. I received the DFC for this trip and years later, when I read the citations, I felt proud to have taken part in this once in a lifetime adventure.’ Bob Boyden was awarded the DFC on 2 March 1945 and a bar followed on 17 July 1945. See
At First Sight; A Factual and anecdotal account of No.627 Squadron RAF
. Researched and compiled by Alan B. Webb. 1991.
155
HM409
156
K for King
came to an untimely end on 2 February 1945 when, returning from a Berlin sortie it was diverted in bad weather to Rougham, an airfield operated by the USAAF and home of the 94th Bomb Group flying B 17s. The aircraft overshot the runway and collided with a civilian car; no one was hurt. The crew were Flying Officer Phillip Back and Flying Officer Derek Smith.
Chapter 5
157
A 128 Squadron Mosquito crashed on take-off, killing the crew. A record of the bombing was to be made using cameras mounted in the front and rear of the Mosquitoes to record explosions at the entrance and exit of each tunnel.
158
Twelve tunnels were blocked in the Eifel and Ardennes area, holding up German lines of communication. Six out of seven Mosquitoes of 692 Squadron bombed tunnels near Mayen, losing Flight Lieutenant George Nairn and his navigator Sergeant Danny Lunn to light flak.
159
Five Mosquitoes from the Berlin raid crashed in England and three crashed in Belgium.
160
Later Air Marshal Sir Ivor, KSB CBE DSO DFC AFC.
161
‘The story then died for 50 years until we were invited to attend the launch of Martin Bowman’s book ‘
The Men Who Flew the Mosquito
’ at Swanton Morley on 2 February 1995. Philip still had his licence so we flew in together from his home at Sisland, east of Norwich in his part-owned Cessna 172. Of course, this created considerable interest, especially as it was exactly 50 years on from our Rougham experience. After the launch, we were interviewed by Anglia Television and the
Eastern Daily Press
with the interview appearing on ‘Anglia Tonight’ that evening. This item was seen by Dick and Sybil Rayner, two occupants of the car, living at Holland-on-Sea, who got in touch with Anglia, who wanted to get us all together. I had returned home to Oxfordshire that night but Philip met them on 3 February at the ‘Flying Fortress’ pub at Rougham where Martin Bowman had first discovered details of the event during his researches. This get-together was again featured on ‘Anglia Tonight’ and the Rayners were able to give us copies of press cuttings and pictures which had been taken by the Americans.’ (On 12 March 1945 Derek Smith completed his tour of 50 ops as a navigator on Mosquitoes and he was awarded a bar to his DFC. On 14 March Philip Back and Alex ‘Sandy’ Galbraith RNZAF, Joe Northrop’s navigator, were posted to 139 Squadron. Philip Back flew his 51st op on 25 March and flew nine more before the war’s end).
162
See
At First Sight; A Factual and anecdotal account of No.627 Squadron RAF.
Researched and compiled by Alan B. Webb. 1991.
163
Dresden had been targeted as part of a series of particualy heavy raids on German cities in Operation
Thunderclap
with a view to causing as much destruction, confusion and mayhem as possible The other cities were Berlin, Chemnitz and Leipzig, which like Dresden, were vital communications and supply centres for the Eastern Front.
Thunderclap
had been under consideration for several months and was to be implemented only when the military situation in Germany was critical. The campaign was to have started with an American raid on Dresden on 13 February but bad weather over Europe prevented any US involvement until the 14th.
164
In addition the US 8th Air Force despatched 450 B-17s of which 316 attacked Dresden shortly after 12 noon on 14 February.
165
In the case of the 5 Group attack the outward route consisted of no less than eight legs with feints towards the Ruhr, Kassel, Magdeburg and Berlin using
Window
at the same time. To assist the night operations of Bomber Command various ‘spoof’ attacks were made by Mosquitoes on Dortmund, Magdeburg and Hanover and 344 Halifaxes attacked an oil plant at Böhlen near Leipzig at the same time as the first attack. In addition to the above the routing and. feints carried out by the Main Forces involved caused night fighter reaction to be minimal. An indication of the effectiveness of these operations was that out of over 1,000 aircraft taking part against Dresden only six were lost. Two more Lancasters crashed in France and one in England.
166
Winston Churchill later tried to distance himself from Dresden and declared that, ‘The destruction of Dresden remains a serious query against the conduct of Allied bombing.’ This was the same Winston S. Churchill who on 22 June 1941 had said. ‘We shall bomb Germany by day as well as night in ever-increasing measure, casting upon them month by month a heavier discharge of bombs and making the German people taste and gulp each month a sharper dose of the miseries they have showered upon mankind.’
167
XXV KB409 powered by Packard Merlins. More than a few crews preferred the Mosquito IV aircraft with Rolls Royce engines. They had a smoother purr than the Packards and did not cut out as the Packards did when going into a dive due to the design of the Stromberg carburettor.
168
At First Sight; A Factual and anecdotal account of No.627 Squadron RAF
. Researched and compiled by Alan B. Webb. 1991.
169
William Topper was awarded the DFC on 9 March 1945. Flight Lieutenant Garth Davies was awarded the DFC on 21 September 1945.
170
Hallows had passed through Sandhurst and took a commission in the King’s Liverpool Regiment, which he later relinquished to take up civilian flying. He joined the RAF Reserve and was called up on the outbreak of war. As a bomber pilot on 97 ‘Straits Settlements’ Squadron he was known as ‘Darkie’, not for his jet black hair and full moustache but for an episode when he got lost and invoked the R/T get-you-home service of those early days: ‘
Darkie, Darkie’
. Receiving no response, he had tried again but still no reply. Once more he had transmitted to the void: ‘
Darkie, Darkie…where are you, you little black bastard?
Hallows flew 4 trips on Manchesters before the Squadron reequipped with Lancaster Is. Flying Officer Hallows was one of the pilots who took part in the disastrous daylight raid on the U-boat engine works at Augsburg on 17 April 1942. Hallows returned safely and was one of eight officers to be awarded the DFC for his part in the raid.
171
165 Lancasters took part in the raid and nine were lost and 4 crashed in France and Holland; 7.89% of the Lancaster force. On 21/22 February also another 77 Mosquitoes in 8 Group went to Berlin. No aircraft were lost. On the following night, 73 Mosquitoes went to the ‘Big City’ without loss, although one of four Mosquitoes was lost on a raid on Erfurt. Hallows’ tenure of 627 Squadron was cut short by illness and he relinquished command on 17 March 1945. Wing Commander R. Kingsford-Smith DSO DFC RAAF, a nephew of Sir Charles Kingsford-Smith assumed command on 10 April.
172
See
At First Sight; A Factual and anecdotal account of No.627 Squadron RAF.
Researched and compiled by Alan B. Webb. 1991.
173
Some 248 Lancasters of 5 Group attacked the refinery. The target area was covered by cloud but some damage was caused to the refinery. Four Lancasters were lost. This same night 75 Mosquitoes visited Berlin, another 15 went to Gelsenkirchen and 36 attacked six other targets. Two Mosquitoes failed to return from the raid on Berlin and another was lost attacking Hallendorf.