This Day In History

Summary of Events for  No. 439 (CAN) Squadron 

as compiled by  C20089 F/L M. Harrison  in the  439 Squadron Operations Record Book Form 540

for

26 April  1945

B-150 Celle, Germany

The morning was cloudless with a fairly heavy ground haze and scattered heavy cumulus in the afternoon with the haze still prevailing. A new pilot arrived from 83 G.S.U. yesterday, he is R141457 WO II Hornberger, F.J. of Toronto, Canada. Five operations were effectively carried out this day and other flying consisted of three A&E tests and a Sector recce by F/L Mike Whelan to familiarize Hornberger with the area.

News was received through RAF Gloucester that J36722 F/O J.G. Fraser who force landed in north Holland on the 11th November, 1944 and was safe in friendly hands, is now back in England having arrived on the 21st of this month. 

F/L Mac McCully and F/O Jack Brock both proceeded by air to RAF Dunsfold to pick up a couple of brand new Typhoons. More inspections today rendering two kites U/S, a third necessitated minor adjustment, a fourth was a Cat AC due to flak damage and consequently transferred to Maintenance leave us with 14 serviceable aircraft.

 

Detail of Work Carried Out by  No. 439 RCAF Squadron 

as compiled by J23040 F/L V.H. LeGear, J37015 F/O A.W. Saunders, and C200589 F/L M. Harrison in the  439 Squadron Operations Record Book Form 541

A/C Type & Number	Crew	Duty	Up	Down
SW534 RB402 RB206 RB262 SW524 RB198 SW446 MN691	F/L LeGear V.H. F/O Brock J.S. F/O Harrison J.L. F/O Johnson D.E. F/L Gray J.O. W/O Johnson K.R. F/O Derouin A.E. F/L McCully A.B.	Dive Bombing	06:50	07:55 07:55 07:55 07:55 08:00 07:55 07:50 07:50
Details of Sortie or Flight The first show of the day took off at 06:50 hours to bomb the main railway line at Elmshorn with 1000 lb. 11 second tail-fused bombs. The visibility was cut down to five miles by a bad haze while the ceiling was limited to 5500 feet by a 500 foot thick cloud.  The rail target was easily found however. Four trains were sighted in the marshalling yard at Elmshorn while another was seen moving north-east into the town. Blue Section attacked the latter while Red went for the one that was rounding the bend coming out of the yard. Medium dives of 50 degrees were used by both sections, both breaking towards the Elbe River. Intense light and medium flak from the town made things interesting for red Section. No hits were observed on the train but it stopped in a big hurry. A pair of bombs from Blue Section struck their train amidship and destroyed four trucks and damaged three others of the twelve that formed the train. From all this 8 cuts were made. Blue Section circled and strafed the engine and left it blowing steam. Red Section found another train on the Elmshorn-Gluckstadt railway moving toward Gluckstadt. About 30 trucks were attacked. The Section started the attack from the south and immediately ran into a pocket of light flak from three flak cars attached at the rear of the train. It was necessary to concentrate on these cars  and so the locomotive escaped without damage.  Blue one and two found and strafed a tank moving south on a road at S1385. It was left smoking after one pass. A loco moving into the Elmshorn marshalling yard near the first one was stopped was attacked and left steaming. The attack must have been a surprise for there was very little flak. Blue One and Two found another loco moving south -east of Elmshorn hauling nine trucks. The loco sustained strikes. There was some light flak so only one pass was made. Two well camouflaged MET were seen moving east at S3075. An attack was made but failed to stop them.  However a small car at S3174 was left smoking. Blue 3 and 4 attacked another train consisting of 15 to 20 trucks moving west at s3556. Blue 1 & 2 covered. F/O Art Derouin went for the train and well placed cannon shells made it blow steam, smoke and debris. Blue 4 attacked the trucks and damaged two.  The Squadron had expended its ammunition by this time and returned to base landing safely at 07:55 with the exception of F/L Gray who landed at 08:00. Claims: Rails - 8 cuts, Locos - 1 destroyed, 3 damaged, TRG - 4 destroyed, 5 damaged, tanks - 1 damaged, MET - 1 damaged.
A/C Type & Number	Crew	Duty	Up	Down
RB206 RB324 EK219 RB262 SW534 SW446 SW498 RB198	F/L Marlatt S.D. W/O Kidd E.F. F/O Fraser A.H. W/O Horrocks L.J. F/L Jackson S.C. F/O McGibbon D.S. F/L Whelan M.J. F/L Cook J.H.	Dive Bombing	09:35	10:45
Details of Sortie or Flight The Molln- Lauenburg railway was the target for these eight aircraft carrying 500 lb. bombs, 11 second delay tail fused. F/L Staff Marlatt led the Squadron off at 09:35 hours. Visibility was poor in haze, but the target was bombed where the line crosses the autobahn. Using a 70 degree dive  from 7000 to 25000 feet resulted in 2 cuts and one near miss. They then proceeded north, and saw several trains in Lubeck, but received  a bit of light flak and did not attack. East of their bombing target, they found 8 oil tankers and 1 TRG; these were strafed and 7 of the tankers were left burning., and the TRG was damaged. There was no flak during the attack, and no further movement was seen. the Squadron returned to base and all aircraft landed safely at 10:45 hours. Claims: Rails - 2 cuts, Oil tankers - 7 destroyed, TRG - 1 damaged.
A/C Type & Number	Crew	Duty	Up	Down
RB206 RB456 SW534 SW498 RB402 RB198 SW446 SW443	S/L Beatty J.H. F/O Herod  H.R. F/O Kubicki W. F/O Hallford F.M. F/O Saunders A.W. F/O Johnson D.E. F/O Derouin A.E. W/O Roach R.J.	Dive Bombing	12:25	13:30
Details of Sortie or Flight The Zarrentin-Wittenberg railway was the target of an attack led by S/L Jim Beatty. Eight aircraft carrying 500 lb. bombs, 11 second delay tail fuses, took off at 12;25 hours but F/O Murray Hallford had undercarriage trouble and pancaked after a couple of circuits. Visibility was fair, slightly hazy. They crossed the Elbe at 8000 ft. and bombed in a 70 degree dive from west to east. Some of the bombs landed on a number of scattered TRG just east of Zarrentin, destroying at least two of them and causing 6 cuts. After an orbit to determine the damage, they proceeded north-west along the line at 5000 feet and spotted a train consisting of a loco and 20 TRG, including 5 flak cars. As they flew over it they received quite a bit of light flak, and when they attacked it , the flak became intense and quite accurate. Nevertheless, they pressed on, making three passes at the train leaving 5 TRG burning. The position of the train was reported to Kenway, and the Squadron set course for home. As they approached Lauenburg, F/O Art Derouin spotted a half-track vehicle on the road north of the town, and damaged it. No further movement was seen; all aircraft landed safely at 13:30 hours. Claims: Rails - 6 cuts, TRG - 7 destroyed, MET - 1 damaged.
A/C Type & Number	Crew	Duty	Up	Down
SW524 EK219 RB324 SW446 PD608 SW443 RB198 RB369	F/L Gray J.O. W/O Johnson K.R. F/O Hallford F.M. F/l Cook J.H. F/O Harrison J.L. F/O McGibbon D.S. F/L Breck A.W. W/O Horrocks L.J.	Dive Bombing	15:20	16:30
Details of Sortie or Flight This show was briefed to cut the railway line running along the northern shore of Schweriner Lake. Eight aircraft carrying 500 lb. bombs 11 second delay tail fuses took off at 12:20 hours led by F/L Tex Gray. The weather was hazy reducing visibility to about 2 miles. Passing east of the lake, they arrived at the target at 7000 feet and bombed in a 70 degree dive to 2000 feet obtaining 5 cuts at pin point T5384. There was no flak, and they formed up to do a recce of the Waren-Bruel-Krivitz area. They found one MET east of Krivitz, which was strafed and damaged. A camp of approximately 25 buildings was seen in woods at T1626. No further movement was seen, so the Squadron returned to base where all pancaked safely at 16:30 hours. Claims: rails - 5 cuts, met - 1 damaged.
A/C Type & Number	Crew	Duty	Up	Down
SW524 RB324 SW446 SW443 RB456 RB377 RB198 RB326	F/L Marlatt S.D. W/O Hornberger F.J. F/O Fraser A.H. W/O Roach R.J. F/L Jackson S.C. W/O Kidd E.F. F/O Kubicki W. F/L Whelan M.J.	Dive Bombing	18:30	19:30
Details of Sortie or Flight The last show of the day was an attack on the Hamburg-Boizenburg railway, led by F/L Staff Marlatt. Eight aircraft carrying 500 lb bombs 11 second delay tail fused took off at 18:30 hours. Visibility was poor in haze, and they bombed in a 45 degree dive from 4500 to 2000 feet, obtaining six cuts. They formed up and flew north where 4 MET were seen west of Ratzburger Lake, which were attacked and one damaged. As they approached the enemy aerodrome north of the lake they were met by intense light and medium flak, so they turned about and returned southwards. Ten mixed TRG were seen on the Ratzburg-Zarrentin line; these and a signal box were strafed; six of the TRG were damaged and strikes were seen on the signal box and Station. No further movement was seen. The Squadron returned to base where all landed safely at 19:30 hours. claims: Rails - 6 cuts, MET - 1 damaged, TRG - 6 damaged.

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