January 1944

20th

This night became the Sixth operation planned for William Uyen.

In Total for this operation there where 769 aircraft - 495 Lancasters, 264 Halifaxes,

10 Mosquitoes - going to Berlin.

35 aircraft - 22 Halifaxes, 13 Lancasters - lost, No 102 Squadron, from Pocklington, lost 5 of its 16 Halifaxes on this raid, 2 more crashed in England and the squadron  would lose 4 more aircraft in the next night's raid.

The bomber approach route took a wide swing to the north but, once again, the German controller managed to feed his fighters into the bomber stream early when they werecrossing the German coast and the fighters scored steadily until the force was well on the way home. The diversions were not large enough to deceive the Germans.

The Berlin area was, as so often, completely cloud-covered and what happened to the bombing is a mystery. The Pathfinder sky marking appeared to go according to plan and crews who were scanning the ground with their H2S sets believed that the attack  fell on eastern districts of Berlin.

No major navigational problems were experienced. No photographic reconnaissance was

possible until after a further 4 raids on Berlin were carried out but the various sources from which the Berlin reports are normally drawn all show a complete blank for this night.

12 Mosquitos to Düsseldorf. 4 to Kiel and 3 to Hannover, 6 RCM sorties, 5 Serrate patrols,

29 aircraft mine-laying in the Frisians and off French ports, 20 OTU sorties. No losses.

No.78 Squadron

19 aircraft detailed for operations. 16 aircraft reached the target.

January 20 1944 Today the JD129 (P/O R.Shard), JN972, LW342, LW226, JP126,

LW324, LW300, JP118, LW288, LW331, LW291, JP117, JP120, JN919, LW318,   HR932 (with Sgt. LeBlanc)  and LW324 were made ready for operation.

All the Halifax’s returned safely to Breighton during this run.

Handley Page Halifax BII

 JP120 EY-P

 Returned early

JP126

F/S Rolfe left Breighton at 16:09 hour for Berlin. Returned to base due to electrical problems, 50 miles off the coast of England at 54.12N/01.13E

Generators were overloaded, creating a fire hazard. Bombs dropped safely.

Fortunately, two hours later at 18:16 hour we returned safely to Breighton air base.

Returned early

LW318

P/O Wimberley departed Breighton Air Base at 16:32 hour, but aborted the mission as he could not climb above 14,000 feet and therefore did not arrive at the concentration point in time. Returned near Denmark at 54.12N/09.02E where the bombs were dropped.

Damaged

LW277

P/O Downs took of from Breighton Air Base at 16:26 hour . LW277 bombed the target at 17,500 feet 19:38 hour. Slight damage to nose of aircraft caused by Flak.

LW277 was initially issued to No.158 Sqdn, also served with No.78 Sqdn before joining No.102 Sqdn. Airborne 00:26 28 Jan. 1944 from Pocklington. While over Berlin at 16,000 feet, a Flak explosion detonated nearby, setting the Halifax on fire. abandoned by all but Sgt Hammond, who is buried in the city's 1939-45 War Cemetery.

Damaged

LW342

P/O Gordon-Davis left Breighton 16:05 hour for an attack on Berlin at 19:36 hour at an altitude of 18,000 feet, but returned with a port inboard engine damaged by Flak.    Landed safely with 1 engine less at Coltishall air base.

 Lost in action

LW291  EY-M

LW291 departed Breighton at 4:40 pm under F/S Moffat.

Reported missing and appears to have crashed near Grossmutz, about 40 km above Berlin.

The only survivor, flight engineer Bennett, was taken prisoner.

Departed from Breighton at 4.40pm. Cause of loss not determined. Crashed near Grossmutz, 10 km southeast of the town of Lindow, whose suburbs border the Gudelacksee to the west and the Wutzee to the east.

The dead were buried near Grossmutz on January 22, 1944. Their graves are now in the Berlin War Cemetery of 1939-45.

F/S F.R. Moffatt RCAF KIA.    Sgt N. Legg KIA.

F/O W.R. McGregor RCAF KIA.   F/O R.G. Selman RCAF KIA.    Sgt J.A. Stewart KIA. 

Sgt H.W. Rudelhoff KIA.    Sgt H.H. Bennett PoW. Sgt H.H. Bennett was interned in Camps L6/357.

In Combat

LW300 EY-H

F/S Rees departed at 16:33 hour with the LW300 from Breighton air base towards Berlin.

The primary target was attacked and bombed at 19.42 hour.

At 19.45 hour on a hight of 18.000 feet heading 165 Magnetic the LW300 was sighting a M.E.109.

Monica was switched off.

As for Combat report: Rear Gunner Sgt. Mulligan first saw a M.E.109 on the starboard quarter downat at a

pproximately 1200 yards range. Sgt. Mulligan immediately gave the order to turn to starboard when enemy aircraft came within 800 yards range.    He than fired a short burst at 600 yards range.

No hits were observed and enemy aircraft broke away to port quarter up.

Mid Upper Gunner Sgt. McMillan fired a short burst on the break away but no hits were observed  owing to enemy aircraft being lost sight of below the port wing.    

Own aircraft resumed course  and enemy aircraft was seen to attack another Halifax on own aircraft's port beam.

Fighter flares in the vicinity but not directed towards own aircraft.

Enemy aircraft did not open fire during combat.

In Combat

LW226 EY-D

F/S Tait departed at 16:25 hour with the LW300 from Breighton air base towards Berlin.Primary target was attacked and bombed at 19.51 hour.

In Combat; At 19.52 at a hight of 17.500 feet heading 140 with a speed of 175 I.A.S.

The LW226 was attacked by a J.U.8 at position 52.28N / 12.40E.

As for Combat report: The Mid upper Sgt. Graham, observed a J.U.88 on starboard beam down

at 400 yards range, and immediately gave the order to corkscrew to starboard.

January  20th 1944

 Target Berlin

 Airborn:

 16:06 hour, Breighton Yorkshire.

 Bombing on:

 18.000ft at 19:39 hour.

 Landed:

 00:02 hour, Breighton Yorkshire.

 Crew LW367 EY-L

 F/O Hudson, H.

(Capt)

 F/O Robertson, W.J.

 (Nav)

 P/O Uyen, William

 (Bomb)

 Sgt. Monks, H.

 (W/Op)

 Sgt. Hillas, J.

 (F/Eng)

 P/O Lane, Jack

 (MU)

 Sgt. Morris, J.

(RG)