439 Tiger Squadron Operations This Day In History 18 August 1944

This Day In History

Summary of Events for No. 439 (CAN) Squadron

as recorded in the 439 Squadron Operations Record Book

for

18 August 1944

R.C.A.F. Lantheuil, France

Low scattered cloud early in the morning accompanied by a breeze. The weather improved somewhat in the morning and afternoon. Today was one of the most eventful days in the history of 439. Apparently considerable numbers of enemy vehicles were still in the Falaise pocket. So orders were given to carry out Armed Recces in the Orbec, Bernay, and Vimoutiers where the pilots had a field day shooting up scattered vehicles, organized close convoys, horsedrawn guns and carts. The enemy forces were thrown into confusion. Some Jerries were seen waving white flags, some hastily throwing Red Cross flags over trucks, others dashing helter skelter for cover, horses bolting with guns and ammo carts. F/O Jimmy Hogg stated late in the day that all you could see along the roads was a long continuous blanket of smoke.

The pilots had no respite, the airmen were on the go all the time. Due to the urgent necessity of aircr4aft for "Ops", the airmen almost did the impossible at times when they refuelled some aircraft in eight and nine minutes, prop changes in forty-five minutes, radio change less than ten minutes. They just reeked with sweat. When the day was over, the Station commander, G/C Davoud, DSO, DFC, congratulated all personnel for their part in the day's task, the S.I.O gave us the record of the Wing's operational results as well as that of the whole 83 Group, which inspired all personnel to no end. Thus another blow for victory has been effectively struck.

To dampen things somewhat, F/O Ray Brown was hit in the leg by flak and after landing in Carpiquet, was admitted to 50 MFH. F/O Maurice Laycock went out on a motorcycle ride this afternoon and failed to return.

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*
MJ *MN375* *MN796* *JR500* *MN765* *MN869* *MN960* *MN665* *MN401* *MN452*	*W/C Judd* *F/L Fiset* *F/O Smith I.* *F/O Johns* *F/O Laurence* *F/O Hogg* *F/O Smith R.* *F/O Stelter* *F/O Porritt* *F/O Rassenti*	*Straffing*	*08:55*	*10:05*
*Details of Sortie or Flight* The first show for the Squadron today was led by W/C Judd on an armed Recce (no bombs) of the same area Lisieux-Orbec-Bernay. The pilots went out in high spirits to get a crack at the 3000 MET reported pulling out of the "Falaise Gap". The target was reached without incident and the Squadron split up to search for enemy transport in the target area. The boys found a large number of MET scattered throughout the area, most of it very well camouflaged, but constant cannon attacks soon made the score for the Squadron begin to mount. As on previous missions, a large number of vehicles were marked with Red Crosses that necessitated close scrutiny that impeded our attacks. At interrogation, the net result for the Squadron on this show was two flamers, 5 smokers and 10 damaged for a total of 17 MET, made useless to the enemy. No flak was seen throughout the show and all aircraft returned safely.
*A/C Type & Number*	*Crew*	*Duty*	Up	*Down*
*MN581* *MN691* *MN352* *MN969* *PD448* *MP152* *MP136* *MP134* *MN790*	*F/O Burton* *F/O Roberts* *F/O Monson* *F/O Laycock* *F/O Scharff* *F/O Hewson⁽¹⁾* *F/O Burgess* *F/O Bernhart* *F/O Stitt*	*Straffing*	*12:50*	*13:55*
*Details of Sortie or Flight* From the first show on, all air activity was confined to the area Lisieux-Bernay-Vimoutiers with the Vimoutiers area offering the jackpot. Any pilot engaged in attacking the 3000 MET in the area, was more in danger from air collision than from enemy resistance. The congestion necessitated the maintenance of a left hand circuit. The highlight of the day was the discovery of a convoy of 300 MET packed bumper to bumper on the road just southeast of Vimoutiers. "A sight for sore eyes". A grand harvest was reaped by the Squadron. Even G/C Davoud, DFC, DSO, joined in the festivities and made some claims of his own. On his second sortie of the day F/O R.A. Brown suffered a shrapnel wound in his leg and some damage to his aircraft. Ray landed at Carpiquet and has now been invalided to hospital in England, and will be out of action for about a month. On the same show, a 20 mm armour piercing shell cut partially through the starboard inner cannon barrel of the aircraft flown by F/O Hogg and knocked the cap off a 20 mm H.E. shell without exploding it. Very few pilots saw any flak at all but it is reasonable to assume that a lot of rifle bullets must have been splitting the air. *Our claims for the day is* *Flamers - 51* *Smokers - 37* *Damaged - 56* *65 sorties (including G/C Davoud, W/C Judd)* *20 mm fired for the day - 23, 246 rounds.* *Webmaster's Notes:* (1) On his first mission of the day, F/O GW Hewson records in his log book that he scored 10 flamers, 1 smoker and 2 damaged MET. Flying Typhoon M consistently at 1200 feet, he reported that there was no flak visible.
*A/C Type & Number*	*Crew*	*Duty*	Up	*Down*
*MN177* *MN969* *MP136* *MN481* *MN869* *MN665* *MN375* *MN796* *MP152* *MN765* *J5500* *PD448*	*S/L Norsworthy* *F/O Fraser* *G/C Davoud* *F/O Porritt* *F/O Hogg* *F/O Smith R.* *F/L Fiset* *F/O Smith I.* *F/O Brown R.A.* *W/O Gray* *F/O Johns* *F/O Laurence*	*Straffing*	*15:15*	*16:05*
*Details of Sortie or Flight* *See second mission entry for details.*
*A/C Type & Number*	*Crew*	*Duty*	Up	*Down*
*MN581* *MN969* *MN665* *MN691* *PD448* *JR500* *MP136* *MP134*	*F/L Burton* *F/O* *Roberts* *F/O Stelter* *F/O Rassenti* *F/L Scharff* *F/O Hewson ⁽²⁾* *F/O Burgess* *F/O Bernhart*	*Straffing*	*17:05*	*18:25*
*Details of Sortie or Flight* *See second mission entry for details* *Webmaster's Notes:* *(2) On his second mission of the day, this time in Typhoon X , F/O GW Hewson claimed 4 flamers, 4 smokers and 4 damaged MET.*
*A/C Type & Number*	*Crew*	*Duty*	Up	*Down*
*MP177* *MN796* *MN375* *MN765* *MN401* *MN869* *MN352* *MN989*	*S/L Norsworthy* *F/O Stitt* *F/O Brown R.A.* *W/O Gray* *F/O Hogg* *F/L Fiset* *F/O Monson* *F/O Smith R.*	*Straffing*	*17:35*	*18:35*
*Details of Sortie or Flight* *See second mission entry for details.*
*A/C Type & Number*	*Crew*	*Duty*	Up	*Down*
*MN581* *MN969* *MN352* *MN401* *JR500* *PD448* *MP134* *MN796*	*F/L Burton* *F/O Fraser* *F/O Henderson* *F/O Porritt* *F/O Johns* *F/O Laurence* *F/O Bernhart* *F/O Hewson* *⁽³⁾*	*Straffing*	*19:30*	*20:50*
*Details of Sortie or Flight* *See second mission entry for details.* *Webmaster's Notes:* (3) Flying Typhoon T, in the same area but this time alone , F/O GW Hewson scored 1 flamers, 2 damaged MET and 1 TNG damaged. He also reported intense light flak .
*A/C Type & Number*	*Crew*	*Duty*	Up	*Down*
*MP136* *MN765* *MN665* *MN691*	*F/L Scharff* *F/O Stitt* *F/O Stelter* *F/O Rassenti*	*Straffing*	*19:45*	*20:55*
*Details of Sortie or Flight* *See second mission entry for details.*
*A/C Type & Number*	*Crew*	*Duty*	Up	*Down*
*MP177* *MP152* *MN352* *MN989* *MN401* *MN865*	*S/L Norsworthy* *F/O Roberts* *F/O Monson* *F/O Burgess* *W/O Gray* *F/L Fiset*	*Straffing*	*21:00*	*21:50*
*Details of Sortie or Flight* *See second mission entry for details.*

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