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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
12
August 1944
R.C.A.F.
Lantheuil, France
Good
weather all day which paved the way for another three
operations
(1). The tough day cost our Squadron two pilots. F/O's Dickie
Moen and Ernie
Allen. This was a very sad blow to us, as Dickie was the
Squadron Comedian and artist and an accomplice to F/O Jake
Ross in many a lively prank in the Squadron, but Jake too went
missing on the 15th of June 1944.
Ernie
Allen, a good clean living pilot, and we hope to see him again
soon, if and when the encirclement of the Jerries' Armoured
Divisions is affected. it is only a few days ago since he
ferried an aircraft from England and was able to see his wife,
LAW Allen, ZM, who is employed in the RCAF Overseas Records
Section.
Two
new replacement aircraft were received today. F/O Maurice
Laycock took a trip to England today and brought back a new
Typhoon.
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 |
| MN581
MN665
MN969
MN691
JR506
MN379
MN765
MN870
JR500 |
F/L
Burton
F/O
Smith
F/O
Laycock
F/O
Rassenti
F/L
Scharff
F/O
Burgess
F/O
Swingler
F/O
Bernhart
F/O
Laurence
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Dive-Bombing
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09:45 |
10:35 |
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Details
of Sortie or Flight
The
weather this morning gave promise to a full days work and
the first days work and the first show for our Squadron
came at 09:45 hours. 500 lb bombs with nose instantaneous
and .025 tail fusing were loaded on the aircraft and F/L Burton
led the Squadron in an attack against a group of
buildings, hardly a village, at map reference T824323.
These buildings were reputed to be the Headquarters of the
9th SS Panzer Division, which is in action in the Vasay area. The nine aircraft of the Squadron attacked
from 9000 feet in a dive from the southeast. Some accurate
heavy flak was fired at our aircraft, but none of them
were hit. The first flight selected the wrong group
of buildings as a target, and instead of striking the
target, they clobbered the buildings at U818323. One
glance at the map will show that the error is quite excusable.
The remaining five aircraft attacked the proper target and
scored six direct hits on it. All aircraft returned safely
to base at 10:35 hours to report the successful completion
of the raid.
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| A/C
Type & Number |
Crew |
Duty |
Up |
Down |
| MP152
MN379
MP136
JR500
MN796
MN691
MN581
MN869
MN969
MN665
MN765
MN407 |
W/O
Gray
F/O
Brown R.
F/O
Burgess
F/O
Johns
F/O
Smith I.
F/O
Moen
F/O
Brown J.
F/O
Hogg
F/O
Allen
F/O
Stelter
F/O
Stitt
F/O
Porritt
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Dive-Bombing
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13:55 |
14:40 |
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Details
of Sortie or Flight
From
here on in the report of operations runs one vein and one
vein only. In view of our amazing successes in the past,
on bridge-busting our Wing was handed the
easy job
of smashing three small bridges across the River Orne. The
rapid advance of the Americans south of Falaise and the
drive of the Canadians Forces south of
Bretteville sur Laize, has made it increasingly apparent
that the Hun in the Thury-Harcourt, Vassy, Flers arae is
in great danger of total encirclement. The bridges across
the Orne, over which the Hun must pass if he retreats, are
those at St Marc-d'Ouilly (T985343), Le Pont des Vers'
(U000314), and Taillebois (T979261). These three bridges
are our targets for the day. Our Squadron of 12
aircraft carried 500 lb bombs with .025 tail fusing,
on the first show against these bridges and once we were
airborne, we split up into three flights of four - one
flight per bridge. 438 and 440 Squadrons had already
carried out similar attacks, without success, on the same
targets.
As
soon as our Squadron arrived over the target area, all the
flak boys gave us a very generous reception. The aircraft
flown by F/O Ernie Allen in No. 2 position was struck in
the starboard wing and main tanks at about 5000 feet and
fell out of control . F/O Stelter, No. 3, saw Ernie's wing
being chipped by flak, then enveloped in smoke and the
aircraft turn to starboard. Ernie managed to clear the
ship and was last seen swinging safely down to earth under
a gleaming white parachute. It was presumed that Ernie
reached ground near the second target at Le Pont des
Vers, and near Segrie Fontaine, map reference 985288, and
is now in enemy territory.
At
almost the same instant, at 5000 feet over the same area
between the same bridge and the town of Athis, the
aircraft flown by F/O R.O. Moen was struck in the radiator
by light flak. Moe pulled away from his flight and headed
about due northeast losing height rapidly as he went. F/O
Brown J. who was flying as his number two, followed him
down. Moen jettisoned his hood at 1000 feet and crashed
landed near St. Pierre de Vicille (T816396). The aircraft
exploded and burned on contact with the ground. No hope is
held for
"Dickie" Moen.
The
thick summer haze was present again and difficulty was
experienced in locating the targets. Red Section led by
F/O Brown R dove on their target from the east from 7000
feet, but scored no direct hits. F/O Johns and F/O Smith
I, Blue Section, found their target covered by low
cloud and finally released their bombs safe before heading
for home. Yellow Section led by F/O Hogg, attacked their
target from 7000 feet from the east, but no direct hits
were scored. The three bridges were kept under almost constant
bombardment by aircraft from the Wing until, darkness put
an end to operations.
439
Squadron had severely damaged the bridges at St Marc d'Ouilly, and the Wing had destroyed the bridge at
Teillebois as well as finishing off the one at St Marc
d'Ouilly. Despite a large number of near misses the
bridge, Le Pont des Vers, was still standing.
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| A/C
Type & Number |
Crew |
Duty |
Up |
Down |
| MN379
MN870
MN765
MP136
MN581
MN401
MN869
MP152
MN552
MN989
JR500
MN555
MN665 |
F/L
Scharff
F/O
Bernhart
F/O
Swingler
F/O
Burgess
F/L
Burton
F/O
Smith
F/O
Hogg
F/O
Rassenti
F/O
Monson
F/O
Henderson
F/O
Johns
F/O
Laurence
F/O
Stelter
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Dive-Bombing
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15:35 |
16:10 |
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Details
of Sortie or Flight
Webmaster's Note:
(1) Although
three operations are listed in Form 541, only the first two are
described in detail, the third being regulated to a listing of
participants, tail numbers and up and down times.
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