MN869

PD459

PD478

S/L R.C. Crosby

D/O A.W. Saunders

F/O J.D. Sweeney

F/O C.A. Lambert

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10:35

Details of Sortie or Flight

Four aircraft led S/L Crosby took-off with 500 lb bombs (11 sec delay fused) to cover the target area in a weather recce. They set course and crossed the Rhine north of Wesel, Germany. On the railway between Wesel and Dersten, they discovered a train and dropped their bombs on this at A.173832, going down in pairs. The bombs were close and damage the train though not close enough to claim a break in the railway. They made a strafing attack on the train and left the engine steaming badly with passengers making a hurried exit. 

After climbing up S/L Crosby resumed an easterly course, crossing the railway north of Haltern. They met a heavy barrage of heavy flak. Red Four (J/7827 F/L C.A. Lambert) received a direct hit and with his engine out, he attempted to belly land. Picking out a large field, he overshot slightly and went through a clump of trees, tearing a wing off and flipping on his back in the process at map reference A.5556. Smoke was seen emanating from the aircraft but no fire. No word on the R/T was heard and  it is not known whether he is safe or not. 

The remaining three aircraft returned to base. S/L Crosby reporting visibility poor and cloud over the Rhur, however, the northern area was suitable for operations.

RB198

RB233

PF461

MN894

PD554

W/C F.G. Grant, DFC

F/O W. Kubicki

F/L J.A. Cote

F/O L.C. Shaver

P/O B.E. Bell

F/L F.F. Sage

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Fighter Cover

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13:05

13:00

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Details of Sortie or Flight

Six aircraft, four with 500 lb bombs fused 11 sec. delay and two as fighter cover, took-off led by W.C. Grant, DFC to ***** and cut the railway running south from Gronau, Germany. They set course climbing above thick ground haze and crossed the Rhine north of Wesel. They turned north easterly towards the target area but found it entirely closed in by 10/10ths cloud. On the return trip, a thin break in cloud showed the railway at Aalton, a small town just inside the Dutch border north of Bocholt, Germany, quite visible. They quickly went down on it and scored two hits on the embankment probably damaging the rail at A173832. After an orbit they returned to base, encountering some heavy accurate flak crossing the Rhine which did minor damage to one of the aircraft.

MN691

PD608

MP145

PD461

PD554

F/L J. Carr

P/O A.E. Derouin

F/O A.C. McBride

F/O D.G. Cleghorn

F/O W. Anderson

F/O A.W. Saunders

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Fighter Cover

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15:10

15:05

15:10

15:05

15:10

Details of Sortie or Flight

F/L Carr led the section, armed with 500 lb bombs and escorted by two "clean" Typhoons as fighter cover. They took-off on an armed recce to cover the railway running north from Coesfeld. After climbing, they set course and were seen flying over 10/10ths cloud. F/L Carr held the course for 25 minutes after which they released their bombs, no break in the clouds being visible. The aircraft turned about and all returned safely to base.