|
This
Day In History
Summary
of Events for No.
439 (CAN) Squadron
as
recorded in the 439 Squadron Operations Record Book Form
540
for
24
September 1944
R.C.A.F.
Melsbroek, Belgium
Low
cloud in the morning with scattered showers, improved a very little,
and late in the afternoon down came rain and our pilot's tent. Two
operations were squeezed in but the second was abortive due to very
inclement weather around Antwerp. J25397
F/O Vokey, the last addition to our Squadron is missing from
operations. He took-off with the Squadron at 06:35 hours for an Armed
Recce of the Breda-Gorinchem-Dordrecht area. F/O B.P. Swingler led the
section in which F/O Vokey flew when they dove onto horse-drawn
vehicles. On being attacked by flak, F/O Swingler broke sharply and
watched his No. 3 attack, when F/O Vokey was not seen, he looked
around and saw burning wreckage across the river at map reference
0450.
F/O
Swingler flew over the wreckage of which no part was recognizable. F/O
J. Carr, the No. 3 saw F/O Vokey pull up into a steep climb causing
vapour trails the entire width of the aircraft but lost sight of him
on concentrating on his own target. F/O Vokey has had only 3
operations totalling 3:00 hours, before this last trip. He was quite a
pleasant individual and we were very sorry to lose him.
In
the afternoon we packed up a 3 ton truck with all our equipment for
our move to Eindhoven, but weather gave us a setback. F/O I.W. Smith
was lucky enough to get away on leave this afternoon.
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 |
| MN352
PD492
MN765
PD465
MN896
MP177
MP145
MN969
MN989 |
F/L
Monson A.E.
F/O
Laurence R.H.
F/O
Swingler B.P.
F/O
Vokey R.W.
F/O
Hogg J.E.
F/O
Smith R.V.
F/O
Roberts J.
F/O
Laycock M.P.
F/O
Carr J. |
Dive-Bombing |
06:35 |
07:40
'
'
crashed
07:40
'
'
'
' |
Details
of Sortie or Flight
F/L
Monson was in the leading aircraft when nine of our Squadron
machines took-off to carry out an armed recce over roads and
railroads in the Breda-Gorinchem area. A number of scattered MET
(Motorized Enemy Transport) were found just north of Breda and
all aircraft attacked. When the damage inflicted on the enemy
was totalled up, the score came to four flamers and eleven
damaged. While carrying out an attack against a ground target,
F/O R.W. Vokey (J25397) apparently pressed it home too long and
failed to recover from his dive in time. Burning wreckage
(aircraft) was seen in the area, presumably that of F/O Vokey.
No flak was seen throughout the show and all other aircraft
returned unharmed to base.
|
| A/C
Type & Number |
Crew |
Duty |
Up |
Down |
| JR500
MN765
MN352
PD458
PD492
MN581
MP136
MN663
MN345 |
F/O
Johns R.A.
F/O
Cote J.A.
F/O
Stitt J.H.
W/O
Gray W.A.
F/O
Laurence R.H.
F/O
Hogg J.E.
F/O
Fraser J.G.
F/O
Rassenti N.H.
F/O
Brown J.A. |
Armed
Recce |
09:15 |
09:40 |
|
Details
of Sortie or Flight
This
show of nine aircraft was led into the air at 09:15 hours into
the teeth of a fairly heavy rainstorm and cloud down to 1200
feet. The intention of carrying out an Armed Recce over the
Breda-Gorinchem area was forgotten when the weather failed to
clear near the target area as expected and all aircraft returned
to base immediately. No difficulties experienced.
|
Copyright
©1998-2016 Michael T. Melnick. All rights reserved
the
unofficial homepage of  Tiger
Squadron
|