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This
Day In History
Summary
of Events for No.
439 (CAN) Squadron
as
recorded in the 439 Squadron Operations Record Book
for
06
July 1944
R.C.A.F.
Lantheuil
Fairly
good weather all day. Two operations were carried out today. In
the late afternoon our aircraft moved to 121 Wing from which we
will operate as the Army is going to lay down summerfelt tracking
on our runway. Previously, the unserviceability of the runway
necessitated the cancellation of operations. F/O Smith crashed his
aircraft this afternoon. His tail wheel jammed on take-off for an
operation so that he jettisoned his bombs in the sea and returned
for a landing. The heavy cross-wind was attributable to the
damaged caused to the aircraft. Our Squadron was released from
further operations at 17:00 hrs.
Detail
of Work Carried Out by No. 439
RCAF Squadron
as
compiled by in the 439 Squadron Operations Record Book Form
541
| A/C
Type & Number |
Crew |
Duty |
Up |
Down |
|
MN555
MN581
MN352
MN574
MN356
|
S/L
Norsworthy
F/O
Burton
F/O
Stelter
F/L
Fiset
F/O
Johns
|
Dive
Bombing
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09:55
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10:20
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Details
of Sortie or Flight
We
were given a bridge near Mezidon, (map reference
U.011610) after 438 and 440 Squadrons had a go at it
earlier in the morning. The flight attacked with 1000
pounders from east to west, from 7000 ft. to 2000 ft, at
an angle of 80 degrees. F/O's Stelter and Johns both had
direct hits, the rest of the bombs were 50-60 ft. to the
north. The bridge was seen to collapse into the river
and it was totally impassable. Heavy inaccurate flak at
7000 ft. was experienced on the way out. The Squadron
returned to base, unharmed.
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| A/C
Type & Number |
Crew |
Duty |
Up |
Down |
|
MN989
MN401
MN553
MN352
MN379
JR506
MN765
JR521 |
F/L
Dadson
F/O
Porritt
F/O
Laycock
F/O
Allen
F/O
Brown R.A.
F/O
Kalen
F/O
Swingler
F/O
Hewson
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Dive Bombing &
Recce
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13:40 |
14:10 |
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Details
of Sortie or Flight
Our
aircraft were detailed to attack the railroad between
Mezidon and Leseux
?
with 500 lb bombs. The Squadron was led by F/L Dadson.
Four direct hits were seen, two in the Munger station
by F/O Brown, where one line was blown up and possibly
two, and two others at U.312567 where both lines were
taken out. All bombs fell within 15 to 20 ft. of the
target on the embankments. The Squadron bombed in two
sections, west to east and northeast to southwest from
7000 ft. to 1000 ft at an angle of 60 degrees. No flak
was seen during the operation and the Squadron
returned to base, unharmed.
Webmaster's
Notes:
(1) The Logbook of F/O GW
Hewson confirms the good bombing results mentioned here. The
flight in Typhoon M took 35 minutes.
(2) Following that mission, Geale
did a XC (aircraft exchange (??) from Lantheuil to
Fresirc-la-Campry(??) (hard to decipher) a ten minute
flight away.
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