This Day In History

Summary of Events for  No. 439 (CAN) Squadron 

as recorded in the  439 Squadron Operations Record Book Form 540

for

26 September 1944

 B.78 Eindhoven, Holland 

Very cloudy in the morning with heavy precipitation around Brussels and enroute to Eindhoven with the jeep and the three Squadron pilot trucks. We arrived shortly after lunch and were surprised to see such a cratered airfield. Out of the three concrete runways, only one is serviceable and it had been cratered considerably before the Army repaired it.

Our dispersal is situated in a mass of craters into which it is quite simple to fall into on a dark night. The various sites have been carefully camouflaged by Jerry in a superb manner. In view of the damaged condition of most habitable buildings, arrangements are being made for 150 huts 60 x 20 feet, especially due to the oncoming cold and damp weather.

F/O J.H. Stitt was the first pilot of our Squadron to bring down the first enemy aircraft, a JU-88 and W/O (now commissioned and missing) Gray scored a damaged FW-190. Incidentally, it was the first enemy aircraft to be brought down by 143 Wing, as well as the first damaged.

F/O A.L. Henderson finally got away on leave which was a bit overdue. F/O Robert's and J.A. Brown proceeded by air to England to bring back two Typhoons.

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

MP145

MN869

MN989

JR500

MP151

MN765

MN375

F/L Burton W.D.

F/O Roberts J.

F/O Hogg J.E.

F/O Smith R.V.

F/O Johns R.A.

W/O Gray W.A.

F/O Swingler B.P.

F/O Laurence R.H.

Dive Bombing 10:00 11:15
Details of Sortie or Flight

This show was a low-level attack by eight aircraft of our Squadron against the railway line over the embankment at E.539855. This is a single track line running east into Arnhiem. The Squadron, led by F/L Burton, carried 500 lb. bombs (11 sec delay fuses) and attacked the target in pairs from the south. No flak was experienced throughout the attacks which began at 8,000 feet and went down to 50 feet in 35 and 4o degree dives. As a result of these tactics, the narrow railway line was cut by large bomb craters in three places and the remaining bombs were very close. Two burnt out trains were reported just west of the target at E.4386. All aircraft returned safely to base at 11:10 hours.

 

A/C Type & Number Crew Duty Up Down
MP151

MP145

MN869

MN691

MN989

MN352

PD492

PD458

MN379

S/L Fiset K.J.

F/O Fraser J.G.

F/O Stelter J.

F/O McBride A.C.

F/O Carr J.

F/L Monson A.E.

F/O Cote J.A.

F/O Burgess C.L.

F/O Stitt J.H.

Dive Bombing 14:40 15:45
 

Details of Sortie or Flight

S/L Fiset, DFC, was in command when nine aircraft of this Squadron carried out bombing attacks against railway embankments at6 E.2396 just northeast of Utrecht. The approach to the target was made from the north at 8,000 feet, pulling out away from the town of Utrecht itself. No flak was evident and 17 x 500 lb. bombs (11 sec delay) were released at the target. The remaining bomb hung up on the aircraft flown by F/O McBride  and was finally jettisoned out of the target area. As a result of this attack, one rail was cut by a bomb crater, and 1o other craters were in the immediate target area. All aircraft landed safely and taxied into the dispersal at 15:45 hours.

A/C Type & Number Crew Duty Up Down
MN581

MN345

JR500

MN765

MP151

MN375

MN869

MN969

F/L Burton W.D.

F/O Rassenti N.H.

F/O Johns R.A.

F/O Swingler B.P.

S/L Fiset K.J.

F/O Laurence R.H.

F/O Hogg J.E.

F/O Laycock M.P.

 

Fighter Sweep 15:55

'

'

'

16:40

'

'

'

16:20

'

'

'

18:15

'

'

'

Details of Sortie or Flight

These four aircraft of 439 and four of 438 Squadron under command of F/L Reid of 438 Squadron, were scrambled from readiness at 15:55 hours. Once airborne, the flight was unable to establish contact with the controller by R/T, and after twenty minutes orbitting base, the eight aircraft pancaked. At 16:40 hours S/L Fiset, DFC, led 4 aircraft from 439 and 4 from 440 Squadron into the air to carry out a fighter patrol over Nijmegen. The patrol proved fruitless but one pilot reported sighting a strange aircraft climbing steeply to the northeast away from Nijmegen at 7,500 feet. The aircraft was presumed to have been one of the new "Jerry" jet jobs. All aircraft landed at 18:15 hours.

A/C Type & Number Crew Duty Up Down
MN581

MP145

MN691

MN989

MN352

PD458

MN379

MN870

F/L Burton W.D.

F/O Roberts J.

F/O Rassenti N.H.

F/O Smith R.V.

F/L Monson A.E.

W/O Gray W.A.

F/O Stitt J.H.

F/O Burgess C.L.

Fighter Sweep 17:50 19:35
 

Details of Sortie or Flight

This was a fighter patrol carried out over the Nijmegen-Arnhiem area by eight aircraft of 439 Squadron, under the leadership of F/L Burton. The patrol was carried out without incident until 19:00 hours when fuel tank trouble made it necessary for F/L Burton to lead F/O Rassenti back to base.

While engaged in that task, he heard R/T signals which indicated that Blue Section led by F/L Monson had made contact with enemy aircraft near Nijmegen. F/L Burton then led his remaining three aircraft towards the embyro sky battle, the position of which was now made visible by the flak and flares being fired in the night sky over Nijmegen. Red Section was unable to make contact with the enemy and returned to base to await the arrival of Blue Section to hear the story. Here it is:

Blue Section, maintaining patrol over the area, was repeatedly attacked by Thunderbolt formations until the result that Blue Section became divided into two pairs. Just as night was becoming thick flares were seen to be dropping from aircraft at 10,000 feet over Nijmegen and the ground defenses, guns and searchlights, began to sweep the sky. F/L Monson caught a fleeting glimpse of a JU-88 and fired one short burst before losing in the blackness.

W/O Gray, spotted a FW-190 caught in the searchlights and closed in to about 400 yards  almost astern. W/O Gray opened fire saw strikes on the port wing root of the 190 just before the Jerry jettisoned his long range tank and spiraled downwards out of sight. W/O Gray scored this 190 as a "damaged".

F/O Stitt meanwhile spotted a JU-88 at 7,000 feet and closed in to a 5 degree off to port of a dead astern shot and fired a long burst. Strikes were visible on the port engine and port wing root. The aircraft burst into flame and spiraled to earth. It was seen to crash and burn by F/L Burton and F/L Monson.

/O Burgess ran short of gas near base and was forced to make a dead stick night landing. His judgement was perfect and he landed at base on the runway. All pilots were in very high spirits that night.

Copyright ©1998-2016 Michael T. Melnick. All rights reserved

the unofficial homepage of Tiger Squadron 

. .