PD554

F/O N.H. Rassenti

P/O S. Angelini

Details of Sortie or Flight

F/O Rassenti with P/O Angelini as number two, took-off to do a weather recce over the target area. They set course and flew towards Coesfeld, Germany, then they turned around and returned via Venlo. The weather was perfect and visibility unlimited. They reported the whole area fit for operations.

MP537

MN184

PD402

MN348

PD607

PD459

MN581

F/O J.A. Cote

F/O W. Anderson

F/O J.H. Stitt

P/O W.G. Davis

F/O J. Carr

F/O L.C. Shaver

P/O J. Sweeney

P/O B.E. Bell

Details of Sortie or Flight

F/O Joe Cote leading the Squadron, set course for the railway at *****, a small town eight miles east of Geldern, Germany. They carried 1000 lb bombs (.025 tail fused). They climbed to 9000 feet and after approaching ******, had some difficulty, in the glare of the sun, to locate the ****** *******, they found it however, and went into their dive from *000 feet going from east to west  at 50 degrees. The bombing was  good the railway received direct hits at both ends of the small siding. There was considerable light flak and some 88mm over the target and it failed to have effect and all our aircraft returned safely.

MN581

MP145

PD607

MN869

PD492

MN124

MN537

F/O N.H. Rassenti

F/O L.C. Shaver

F/O J. Roberts

F/O J.G. Martin

F/O B.P. Swingler

P/O S. Angelini

F/O J.H. Stitt

F/O R.A. Hiltz

"

"

12:00

12:30

"

"

11:40

Details of Sortie or Flight

F/O Rassenti took the Squadron on what was to be a fateful trip into Germany to prang the railroad at a little village called Wickrath, map reference F.0682. They carried 500 lb bombs for the job. They flew south towards **chen to remain within the bomb-line as long as possible, and then swung north to the target. As they crossed the area E.5470 they met some very heavy flak and the first burst hit Blue four (F/OP Hiltz) almost directly and he broke off and made for our lines streaming glycol and gas - he made a successful belly landing at K.655843 about 3 miles northeast of Maeseyk, Belgium, and was picked up  and returned by a British Ack-Ack Battery.

The remaining seven aircraft continued and successfully bombed the railway, diving from 8,000 feet, southwest to northeast. The bombing was good with hits straddling the railroad and damaging the rails although no direct hit was scored. The light flak at this point was terrific, described as coming up in "sheets" from the small forest to the north of the target and gave the impression of being automatically controlled. Red Four (J/37648 Johnny Martin) was hit badly and was seen streaming glycol. Red Three (F/O Jack Roberts) stayed with him as he attempted to glide to our lines. Losing height all the time, he then appeared to think it wiser to bail out which he did at a point about ten miles northeast of Roermond, Holland, at map reference K.8696. F/O Roberts watched him bail out. His parachute streamed out but failed to open fully and he fell rapidly towards the ground landing in a clump of trees. It was very doubtful whether he survived. The remaining six aircraft returned safely to base.

MN989

F/O N.H. Rassenti

F/O L. G. Shaver

Details of Sortie or Flight

F/O Rassenti with F/O Shaver flew a weather recce over the target area east of base. They flew as far as the Rhine and found the cloud base to be 3500 feet and cloud top at 4500 feet. With 10/10ths cloud at this height over the target area, operations would be impossible. They returned to base reporting unfavourable weather.