MP145

F/O Smith I.W.

F/O Cote J.A.

Details of Sortie or Flight

F/O Smith with F/O Joe Cote as number two took-off to do a weather recce in aid of the Dortmund Canal Operation that was to follow. They set course ever base climbing to 8000 feet and flew straight to Rheine, Germany, at which point the canal was quite visible. They reported "oranges sweet". Before returning they observed a vapour trail and watched it travel straight upwards and then diasppear, it appeared to come from the direction of Osnabruck, Germany and was though to be V.2. They returned to base encountering a little scattered flak but no harm done.

MN124

MN665

MP151

PD492

MN144

MN691

F/L Hogg J.E.

F/O Stitt J.H.

F/O Stelter J.

S/L Fiset K.J.

F/O Bernhart P.N.

F/O Laurence R.H.

F/O Rassenti N.H.

Details of Sortie or Flight

The Wing was presented with one of the best targets it has ever had. We were to make a low-level attack on the gates of Dortmund Canal at a point of eight miles east of Rheine, Germany. Map reference V.9210. Reports told us these gates, when broken, would release a flood of water into the part of the Canal undergoing repair. We were to be given anti-flak support from 168 squadron and 124 Wing (Rocket Typhoons with two Spitfire squadrons as fighter  cover. Two composite Squadrons were made up from the Wing, the first Squadron led by the Winco Flying (W/C Grant, DFO) and had F/L Hogg and F/O's Stitt and Stelter with it. This went in first with a second squadron led by S/L Fiset, DFC, following fifteen minutes later and taking F/O's Laurence  and Bernhart as Red 2 and Blue 4 respectively.

The first squadron in, led by the Winco, found their target and all went according to plan except that it was most disappointing to find the canal full of water and apparently functioning normally. The gates were attacked however, though it was hard to ascertain the damage done.

In the second squadron, S/L Fiset, DFC, couldn't get his wheels up, so turned the squadron over to Blue 1 (S/L Monson - 440) while Red 2 (F/O Laurence) led by Blue Flight. This squadron carried out the Operation according to plan, going down to fifty feet to drop their 1000 lb bombs (fused 7 sec. tail delay). Damage again was hard to ascertain due to the smoke in the target area, but it was thought the two houses beside the gates were damaged. There was heavy and light flak over the area, F/O Laurence receiving  a hit in the leading starboard tail plane, making a large hole. All aircraft returned safely to base.

MN345

MP145

MN348

PD554

MN124

MN547

PD492

F/O Stelter J.

F/L Lambert C.A.

F/O Roberts J.

F/L Saunders W.L.

F/O Smith I.W.

W/O Church S.A.

F/O Cote J.A.

F/O Martin J.G.

Details of Sortie or Flight

Rail busting again, this time F/O Stelter led the Squadron, the target being the rail four miles east of Oldenzaal, Holland. It was a clear day and the trip proved quite uneventful; they approached from the south, turned left along the rail and then bombed from west to east, diving from 7000 to 2000 feet in a good dive (70 degrees). All bombs fell very close, though the boys only claimed only one hit. After forming up they set course for base; the return trip was pleasantly broken when F/O Johnny Stelter discovered a locomotive with steam up just south of Croenle, Holland. he led the Squadron down and burst it wide open with four streams of 20mm cannon, the boys behind him gave it a squirt for good measure and then reformed and returned to base, unharmed.

MN482

MN124

JR500

MN547

MN581

MN691

MP145

F/O Laurence R.H.

F/O Davis W.G.

F/O Stitt J.H.

F/O MacDonald R.N.

F/O Fraser J.G.

F/O McBride A.C.

F/O Rassenti N.H.

F/O Carr J.

Details of Sortie or Flight

F/O Laurence took the lead this time (the first occasion of his career) to bomb the railway running south from Nordhorn, Germany. The eight pilots took-off with 500 lb bombs (.025 tail delay) slung under each wing and made good track taking them south of Groneau, Germany; at this point they turned north thus approaching their target in parallel and from the south, and being in an ideal position to go in straight away to bomb, however the squadron was not quite in bombing formation which necessitated an orbit to the right; this time all was well and they rolled left in a nearly vertical dive going from 6500 to 1500 feet. Red 3 (F/O Stitt) scored a beautiful hit with the next three pairs of bombs being very close if not right on. The return was uneventful and all aircraft returned safely to base.