This Day In History

Summary of Events for  No. 439 (CAN) Squadron 

as compiled by  C20089 F/L M. Harrison  in the  439 Squadron Operations Record Book Form 540

for

14 February 1945

B-78 Holland

Not a cloud in the sky early this morning so that the first show of the day was scrambled from a standing patrol and not only pranged a locomotive but also two jet jobs, ME-262's. F/L Lyal Shaver our "B" Flight Commander got one and F/O Hugh Fraser also got one in which gives him a total of three destroyed all told and the Squadron has a total of nine in its war bag and one damaged - a JU88 by F/O Johnny Stitt, 

• three FW190's & one ME109 by F/O R.H. Laurence, 

• two FW190's and one ME262 by F/O F/O A.H. Fraser, 

• one ME 262 by F/L Lyal Shaver and 

• one damaged  FW190 by P/O W.A. Gray.

The weather was consistently good all day except for a bit of cumulus in the afternoon and at times a high thin stratus. Nine operations were carried out today which is a record by us so far, although they were four plane efforts, making 35 sorties. F/O Mickey Harrison got back from England with a new Typhoon and F/L Chuck Jackson went to England to pick one up. J.37846 F/L Johnny Carr finished his tour today having 96 sorties, 111:25 operational hours, and a total of 512:40 flying hours.

Three new aircraft were added to the Squadron, making a total of 18 with 13 serviceable. The late evening was disturbed by the rumble of heavy artillery and a terrific explosion which must have been caused by a V-2.

 

Detail of Work Carried Out by  No. 439 RCAF Squadron 

as recorded by J20602 F/O R.H. Laurence, J29881 F/O W.G. Davis,  and C20089 F/L M. Harrison in the  439 Squadron Operations Record Book Form 541

A/C Type & Number	Crew	Duty	Up	Down
MN144 RB324 RB281 RB510	F/L Shaver L.C. F/L Jackson J.C. F/O Fraser A.H. F/O Saunders A.W.	Armed Recce	07:30	08:50
Details of Sortie or Flight Eight aircraft were detailed for  runway standby for the day, but once again it was a beautiful day so four aircraft took off, the other four returning to the flight to bomb up. F/L Lyal Shaver led the Section on an armed recce into Germany. They flew at 7000 feet north of the Reichswald Forest, turned for Bocholt and Borken where they reported the area to the north as fit for dive-bombing, the south for armed recce. The area to the south was partially obscured by low cloud. They turned again to north of Coesfeld and spotted a passenger train headed north-west on the Coesfeld-Eschede line at A5879. The first attack by all aircraft was abortive. They circled around the town of Legden and met considerable light and medium  flak. An attack was made again by Red One and Two while the others circled. This time the engine blew steam when hit. They circled to port this time and flew over Coesfeld which was obscured by darkness and low cloud. Intensive and accurate light and medium flak was thrown up, but they got away safely. They formed up again and flew north a few minutes, east for five minutes, south a minute, then turned for base flying a course of 280 degrees. North-east of Abaus they sighted two ME-262's 4000 feet below flying at 3000 feet and in the same direction. Lyal Shaver went for one  while F/O Hugh Fraser went for the other, followed by the remaining two. Lyal shot two short bursts - the first one travelling underneath, the second making no mistake. The aircraft blew up, pieces of which hit his radiator and port wing and tail, holes being made in the radiator and port wing tip. He also made two quick bursts at the other aircraft, then ran out of ammunition. Meanwhile Hugh Fraser climbed up the tail of the other ME-262 and trained his sights on it. It dived for the deck with Fraser and the others following. Strikes were seen as it went down. It disappeared through the low cloud, through which  a few seconds later smoke began to rise. After this victory they headed towards Wesel. They sighted and reported a train travelling west towards Wesel and later another travelling north-east near Bonninghardt. They could not attack through a shortage of ammunition. They were vectored home letting down through a bank of cloud over the bomb-line. They landed at base at 08:50 hours. Claims - 1 engine and 1 passenger coach damaged, 2 Me262's destroyed. Damages - holes in radiator and port wing tip of one aircraft.
A/C Type & Number	Crew	Duty	Up	Down
SW446 RB326 PD451 RB956	F/L McBride A.C. W/O Roach R.J. F/L LeGear V.H. P/O Elsley D.C.	Dive Bombing	Aborted 08:30	Aborted 10:45 10:45 10:45
Details of Sortie or Flight The second show used 1000 lb. bombs, 11 second delay with the Stadtlohn-Cronan railway as the target. F/O Al McBride was to lead the show but his R.T. failed, so F/O Vic LeGear took over. The threesome climbed in Vic formation to Nijmegen, then headed 070 degrees at 8000 fee. The area around Stadtlohn had became obscured with low cloud so they returned towards Nijmegen. Over the Ferborg-Aalten line from echelon port they dive-bombed at 45 degrees towards Aalten cutting the line at one place with a set of bombs (A1871). They broke to starboard and headed for base via the Reichswald Forest  - no flak see. All aircraft landed safely at 10:45 hours.  Claims - 1 rail cut.
A/C Type & Number	Crew	Duty	Up	Down
SW446 PD602 RB377 MP151	F/L Carr J. F/O Bullock J.W. F/O Marlatt S.D. F/L Breck A.W.	Dive Bombing	09:30	10:40
Details of Sortie or Flight F/L Johnny Carr led off the third mission for the day against the Dorsten-Coesfeld line. The wind was blowing harder than on the previous show and clouds were moving into the tactical area, 1000 lb. bombs and 11 second delay fusing were used as usual, They took off at 09:30 hours into clear sky and flew over the bomb-line at 9000 feet. They found the target covered with 8/10ths cloud but there was a big enough break for them to get a 50 degree dive in. Not enough allowance was made for the wind so no hits were made - but it is an ill wind that blows no good, and so the village of St. Beken alongside the rail line took  a pasting with three pairs of bombs dropping in the centre.  A little light  & small arms fire was returned. the aircraft climbed to 9000 feet, headed due west to the Rhine, travelled up the Rhine to Cleve and then headed for home, landing safely at 10:40 hours. claims - One village damaged.
A/C Type & Number	Crew	Duty	Up	Down
RB510 RB281 RB324 RB324	S/L Beatty J.H. W/O Horrocks L.J. F/O Anderson W. F/O Hallford F.M.	Dive Bombing	10:40	11:45
Details of Sortie or Flight The fourth mission was led by S/l Beatty. four aircraft were used and 1000 lb. 11 second delay bombs were carried. Shortly after take-off, W/O Horrocks had his constant speed control go u/s. He was forced to jettison his bombs safe just east of Eindhoven but only one dropped. He made the base even with this disadvantage. The remainder of the formation climbed to 8000 feet and headed towards the Reichswald Forest. They circled the forest and headed for the Emmerich-Wesel line. No clouds hindered the operation. A 60 degree dive from echelon starboard to 3000 feet resulted in two cuts at A1649. No flak was seen. They broke to port, headed up the Rhine to the Forest again at 8000 feet. No rail activity was seen so the three aircraft returned to base, landing at 11:45 hours.  Claims - 2 rail cuts.
A/C Type & Number	Crew	Duty	Up	Down
RB198 RB262 RB326 RB956	F/L Shaver L.C. F/O Saunders A.W. F/O McBride A.C. F/O Derouin A.E.	Dive Bombing	11:15	12:35
Details of Sortie or Flight Another rail interdiction mission was led by F/L Lyal Shaver using four aircraft carrying 1000 lb. 11 second delay bombs. Aircraft took off at 11:15 and climbed to 9000 feet over clouds now forming at base. They headed past Reichswald Forest for the Enschede-Cronan railway, passing over Enschede. They turned south and then east past Gronan, went into echelon starboard  at 8000 feet and dived at 45 degrees through a break in 5/10ths cloud to 4000 feet. They pulled sharply to port and found results obscured by clouds. Shaver went down to 2000 feet by himself and found a cut at V5901. A little 20 MM flak was seen. The aircraft re-formed at 9000 feet and returned to base. No activity was seen. All aircraft landed safely at 2:15 hours. Claims -  1 rail cut.
A/C Type & Number	Crew	Duty	Up	Down
RB510 PD602 RB377 MP151	F/L  Carr J. F/L Breck A.W. F/L LeGear F/O Fraser A.H.	Dive Bombing	13:15	14:25
Details of Sortie or Flight F/L Carr completed his tour by leading a four plane raid on the Coesfeld-Dorsten line. 1000 lb bombs with 11 second delay fuses were used. They took off at 13:15 hours, climbed through a break in the clouds to 10,000 feet, and headed for the Reichswald Forest. From there they turned towards Coesfeld. On the way down a goods train was spotted so Johnny eased up on the dive and went for the train instead. They broke to port up through another break in the clouds and watched for results. One set of bombs struck the train cutting the rails and destroying four trucks and damaging six.(A.5875). No flak was seen. The section headed for base at 10,000 feet, via the Reichswald Forest. No activity was seen and all aircraft landed safely at 14:25 hours.  Claims - 1rail cut, 4 TRG destroyed and 6 TRG damaged.
A/C Type & Number	Crew	Duty	Up	Down
RB198 RB956 RB262 RB324	F/O Marlatt S.D. W/O Horrocks L.J. F/O Anderson W. F/O Hallford F.M.	Dive Bombing	13:50	15:05
Details of Sortie or Flight F/O Staff Marlatt led show number seven as a rail interdiction with the Borken-Coesfeld line as target. 1000 lb. 11 second delay bombs were carried on four aircraft. They too off at 13:50 hours, climbed through breaks in the clouds to 9000 feet heading directly for the target. The rail was covered with 8/10ths cloud so it was necessary to go through a small break in line astern. A 45 degree dive was used. They went down to 3000 feet, pulling up through another hole. Two distinct cuts were seen. They returned safely to base via Wesel at 10,000 feet, landing at 15:05 hours. No flak was seen.  Claims - two rail cuts.
A/C Type & Number	Crew	Duty	Up	Down
RB510 PD951 RB326 RB377	S/L Beatty J.H. P/O Elsley D.C. F/O McBride A.C. F/O Derouin A.E.	Dive Bombing	15:20	16:25
Details of Sortie or Flight The eighth show of the day was another rail interdiction at the Dorsten-Coesfeld line. S/L Beatty led the show using four aircraft which carried 1000 lb. 11 second delay bombs. They headed for Coesfeld at 9000 feet via the Reichswald forest. Over Coesfeld they were greeted with intensive 88 MM flak. They went into echelon starboard and dived at 50 degrees on the line toward Dorsten (A5763). Intensive light flak was thrown up as they dived. They broke to starboard and gained height. No hits were seen. They returned to base at 10,000 feet by way of the forest again. No rail movement was seen. All aircraft landed safely at 16:25 hours.  No claims.
A/C Type & Number	Crew	Duty	Up	Down
RB198 PD608 RB262 RB324	F/L Shaver L.C. F/O Bullock J.W. F/L LeGear V.H. F/L Breck A.W.	Dive Bombing	16:00	17:10
Details of Sortie or Flight 1000 lb. 11 second delay bombs on four aircraft were used on the last mission of a hard day, led by F/L Lyal Shaver. The target was the Coesfeld-Burgsteinfurt railway. They took off at 16:00 hours and headed for the Reichswald Forest area at 8000 feet. from there they headed for Coesfeld keeping a good lookout for enemy aircraft reported in the Nijmegen area. Intensive light flak was thrown up near Nijmegen. Near Bocholt a lone ME-262 was sighted to starboard at 11,000 feet and proceeding in the same direction. It was going to fast to chase. The ME-262 disappeared in the distance headed towards Munster. Turning north past Coesfeld a track was sighted through a break in the 8/10ths cloud. It turned out to be the Gronan-Burgsteinfurt line.  The first two aircraft used a 45-50 degree dive, the last two a 60-65 degree dive with a small station as pinpoint. The result was several near misses and one set destroying the station and cutting the track. No flak was seen. Returning towards the bomb-line an unidentified aircraft  was sighted diving for the ground near Bocholt. Over Goch another ME-262 was sighted ducking in and out of the cloud. Chase was given but he got away. No other activity outside of artillery fire was seen and all aircraft landed safely at 17:10 hours.  Claims - 1 rail cut, 1 station destroyed.

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

the unofficial homepage of Tiger Squadron 

. .