No.78 Squadron

17 aircraft detailed for operations, Target Magdeburg

January 21 1944 For this mission the JP129 (F/L R.Shard), JN972, LW226, JP126 (Sgt. Iddon),

LW324, LW300, JP118, LW331 (Sgt L.Nugent), JP117, JP120, JN919, LW319, HR932, LW234

and a unknown Halifax II were signed in for operation.

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

Handley Page Halifax BII

 JP120 EY-P

 In Combat

JP120 EY-P

F/O Hudson's Halifax II, JP120 departed at 19:48 hour.

The primary target was attacked and bombed at 23:02 hour.

As for the combat report and operational record book:

10/10ths cloud at 15.000ft. No moon, Clear visibility of 2 miles.  No searchlights prior to attack.

First indication of enemy aircraft in the vicinity was when Monica began to pip at 22.36 hour between

Braunschweig and Magdeburg, at position 52.58N/11.13E at a hight of 18.000ft.       At the same time

rear gunner Sgt. Morris observed an enemy aircraft on the starboard fine quarter silhouetted against the

lights in the clouds.      The enemy aircraft closed over to port quarter down and climbed into the attack.

The order was immediately given to turn to dive to port, and the rear gunner opened fire with a short burst

at within 600/800 yards range.   The enemy aircraft passed out of sight below own aircraft's tail and was

lost sight of in the dark part of the sky. No fighter flares were dropped at the time of the attack.

No hits were observed on enemy aircraft who did not open fire.

The primary target of Magdeburg was attack and bombed at 23:02 ours from a hight of 18.000 feet.

Identified by Red and Green TI's S/M's red green stars. Visual of river .      Bombed concentration

of green TI's in b/sight cascaded at 23:00 hour. Many fires scattered over area of town.

In Combat

JP129 EY-A

F/L Shard departed Breighton Air Base at 19:43 hour but was defeated after a 2.5 hour flight following an attack by a German fighter. The plane was seriously damaged and turned back to England.   Bombs were dropped safely.  Rear gunner killed and Mid-upper wounded in the foot. Return to Breighton at 02:20.

As for combat report:    

Damage to the JP129: both turrets put completely unserviceble,

Cannon shells exploded near the port wing and peppered the engine. Port and tail tire bust.

H2S and DR master Rear gunner killed, mid upper injured and his turret was unserviceable in airplane of F/lt. Shard due of attack of unidentified aircraft. First indication of enemy aircraft on 22:30 hour bearing 113(M) at a speed of 158 I.A.S.  on 17.000 ft at 53.05N/10.38E south of Luneburg was when the rear gunner Sgt. Birchley warned the pilot that there was an unidentified aircraft dead astern.

The rear gunner gave the instruction to corkscrew, and as the pilot commenced to corkscrew the enemy aircraft opened fire with a long burst that put the intercom unserviceable. Not knowing what was appening, the pilot continued the corkscrew. When the intercom came up again the pilot checked up on the crew, but received no reply from the rear gunner.

The Engineer F/S Erwin went down to the rear turret and found the turret on the beam.

He could not operate the dead man's lever to it being damaged.

The Mid upper Sgt. Couto was injured in the foot and his turret and the intercom put completely unserviceable.     The pilot realizing that the turrets were u/s and not knowing the conditioning of the rear gunner decided to jettison his load and return to base.

The engineer took up the position at what was left of the astro dome which has been completely destroyed.

Al that was left was a whole at the top of the aircraft.    He observed an unidentified aircraft with white lights which appeared to be at the wing tips.    The fighter appeared to be approximately 1000 yards dead astern as he closed in he switched off his lights.    JP129 went in a corkscrew for approximately 3 minutes when the fighter was at 800 yards range and enemy aircraft was lost sight of.    Ten minutes later the

engineer who had been at the astro dome position reported another aircraft which was thought to be the same that had made the two previous attack, dead astern with whit his wing tip lights on. The aircraft closed in and switched of his lights and JP129 went again in a corkscrew.

Enemy aircraft was lost sight of and not seen again.unit destroyed.

Killed was Sgt. Birchlay. 1409572

In Combat

LW234 EY-X

F/L Hurley took off at 20:02 hourfrom Breighton. After more than 3 hours, just before Lt. Haydon took over command as bomb aimer, there was another ME210 fighter that was just as difficult.  Magdeburg was attacked and bombed at 23:04 hour at 18000 ft.

As for combat report: first indication of enemy aircraft in the vicinity was when the mid upper Gunner Sgt. MacDonald observed tracer passing between the tail plane and the main plane of the LW234on the port side when flying on a hight of 19.000ft at 22.58 hour, in target area, bearing 190 (T) with a speed of 165 I.A.S.    

Rear gunner Sgt Gettings immediately gave the order to corkscrew, and he observed a M.E. 210 on the starboard fine quarters down at 300 yard range.  LW234 continued corkscrew and enemy araft closed into point of blank range firing all the time, damaging the port wing.  

Rear gunner returned fire at approximately 150 yards range with a short burst and as enemy aircraft broke away at port quarter up Sgt. Gettings fired a long burst which was seen to enter the under side of the M.E. which was lost sight of.

In Combat

LW324 EY-G

W/O Withers took off at 19:56 hour on LW324.   The primary target was attacked and bombed at an altitude of 19,000 feet at 23:06 hour following the intervention of an ME-110 Fighter. Seen many fires over a large area.  Arriving home at Breighton at 03:30 hour.

As for combat report: The German M.E. 110 was first observed at a hight of 19.000 feet on 22.07 hour heading 314 (M) with a speed of 176 I.A.S. by the mid upper gunner Sgt. Dalton, on the port beam up at a

range of 150 yards.    The M.E. 110 then swung over to starboard quarter and began turning into attack at

approximately 200 yards range.   

Rear gunner Sgt. Cantel Jones gave the order to corkscrew to starboard  and opened fire with a fairly long burst, and enemy aircraft dived underneath the LW324 and was lost sight of.

No hits were observed and it did not return fire.

Fighter flairs were dropped around the LW324.

In Combat

LW318 EY-R

F/S Wilson took off from Breighton airfield with his crew at 19:52 hour. The target was attacked and bombed at 23:03 hour. at an altitude of 18,000 feet, midway between the T.I. flares from the pathfinders. Before the attack, there were three more attacks by night fighters.  Arrive at Breighton at 02:15.  The target was attacked and bombed at 23.03 hour on 18.000 feet.

As for combat report: Mid Upper Gunner Sgt. Le Blanc first observed a J.U.88 on 23:00 hour, when they were flying at target area on a hight of 18.000ft heading 225 with a speed of 158 I.A.S. on the port quarter up  at a range of 400 yards.     Enemy aircraft closed over to starboard quarter and turned into attack.

Rear gunner gave the order to corkscrew to starboard and enemy aircraft moved to dead astern and  opened fire at 400 yards.Both gunners returned fire. The enemy aircraft closed in to 100 yards range and then broke away to port quarter up.  Immediately after the fighter had broken away, another J.U.88 was sighted right behind the tail and opened fire from point blank range. The Mid Upper Gunner Sgt. Le Blanc observed cannon shells passing trough the port tail of the LW318. Both gunners returned fire and enemy aircraft broke away to port quarter down.     As no. 2 broke away a third J.U.88 broke into attack from dead astern and opened fire at approximately 3/400 yards range firing all the way in. Both gunners returned fire and hits were observed on enemy aircraft.

The engineer reported from the astro dome that the third J.U. 88 was going down in flames. LW318 continued corkscrew throughout the whole combat, but was it in the tail turret, the rear gunner Sgt. Sefton age 24 was hit in the head by a shell. 

His microphone was still open, so the crew could hear his breathing in it for the rest of the trip and bled to dead before anything could be done.

In Combat

&

Lost in action

LW300 EY-H

LW300 EY-H of F/S Rees, Airborne 19.50 hour from Breighton.

Badly damaged by night fighter on 18.400 ft. at 53.10N/10.30E. Primary Target attacked and bombed at 23.04 hour on 11.500 feet. Monica U/S.     No search lights prior to attach.

As for combat report:       First indication of enemy aircraft was when he opened fire.

After corkscrew to starboard enemy aircraft was lost sight of, when he broke away to port quarter down.

Fuel tanks 2 and 4 are holed. Fixed aerial was shot away. LW300 resumed course and went to bomb the target.     Unfortunately homebound ran out of fuel due to the battle-damage and the Halifax was ditched  5310N 0130E in very rough seas, breaking into two sections. 30 miles North of Norwich U.K.

Bomb aimer F/O N.A. Marston and Mid upper Sgt D.W. McMillan, picked up by Destroyer, east of Hull.

F/S D.R.H.Rees KIA. Sgt P.Fowler KIA. F/O C.B.Watt KIA. Sgt E.Moxen KIA. Sgt M.G.Mulligan RCAF KIA.

 Lost in action

JP117 EY-Y

Sgt. Mockler took off from Breighton Air Base at 20:04 hour, reached Magdeburg without serious problems and Bombardier F/O Henderson dropped their load at 23:10 hour from an altitude of 20,000 feet amidst the red/green T.I. flares from the pathfinders. Flak grenades caused several holes in the tail and bomb aimers of the aircraft.

Crashed near Helperthorpe due to altimeter damage by flak.

On return and possibly as a result of Flak damage, crashed 02:15 hour, SE of Heslerton, 12 miles WSW of Filey, Yorkshire.

All were declared fit for operations 23 January 1944.

 Returned early

JN972

P/O Constable took off at 19:47 hour. However, engine problems over the sea north of Holland forced him to turn around and return to base.

The furthest point reached was 54.15N/05.15E, bombs were dropped safely and at 23:17 hour they landed back at Breighton airfield.

JN972 was one of two No.102 Sqdn Halifaxes lost on the operation on 20 February 1944.

It was initially issued to No.78 Sqdn. Airborne 23.49 hour 19 February 1944 from Pocklington.

Shot down by Flak and night- fighter, crashing 02.40 hour on Siedeneer Moor, SE of Sulingen.

Returned early

LW226

Sgt Tait took off on LW226 at 19:57 hour. It came 100 km further than the JN972.   Due to problems with the receiver he also returned over the sea, reaching his furthest point at 54.09N/07.35E.

Back at Breighton at 00:37.

Returned early

JP126

The JP126 of F/S Rolre took of at 19:48 hour but had to return to base after two hours of flying due to a compass malfunction. Farthest point reached was at 54.30N/06.40E. The bombs were dropped safely and the return journey began.  Landing at 00:06.

January 1944

22th -- 29th

No Operations or standby for No.78 Squadron.

30th

No Operations or standby for No.78 Squadron.

five aircraft engaged on Air See Rescue search.

31th

No Operations or standby for No.78 Squadron.

February 1944

1st

 No Operations or standby for No.78 Squadon.

 January  21th 1944

 Target Magdeburg

 Airborn:

 19:48 hour, Breighton Yorkshire.

 Combat at:

 18.000ft at 22:36 hour 52.28N / 11.13E

speed: 150 I.A.S. bearing 098 (T)

 Bombing on:

 18.000ft at 23:02 hour.

 Landed:

 02:52 hour, Breighton Yorkshire.

 Crew JP120 EY-P

 F/O Hudson, H.

(Capt.)

 Sgt. Smith. J.

(2nd Pilot)

 F/O Robertson, W.J.

 (Nav.)

 P/O Uyen, William

 (B.A.)

 Sgt. Monks, H.

 (W.Op)

 Sgt. Hillas, J.

 (F.Eng.)

 P/O Lane, Jack

(M.U.)

 Sgt. Morris, J.

(R.G.)

 January 1944

21th

Tonight is Williams Seventh operation.

In total of 648 aircraft - 421 Lancasters, 224 Halifaxes, 3 Mosquitos - on the first major raid to Magdeburg.

The German controller again followed the progress of the bomber stream across the North Sea and many night fighters were in the stream before it crossed the German coast.     The controller was very slow to identify Magdeburg as the target but this didn't matter too much because most of the night fighters were able to stay in the bomber stream, a good example of the way the Tame Boar tactics were developing.

57 aircraft - 35 Halifaxes, 22 Lancasters - were lost, it is probable that three quarters of the losses were caused by German night fighters.     Some of the Main Force aircraft now had H2S, and winds which were stronger than forecast brought some of these into the target area before the Pathfinders' Zero Hour.

The crews of 27 Main Force aircraft were anxious to bomb and did so before Zero Hour. The Pathfinders blamed the fires started by this early bombing, together with some very effective German decoy markers, for their failure to concentrate the marking.

22 Lancasters and 12 Mosquitos of 5 and 8 Groups carried out a diversionary raid to Berlin; 1 Lancaster lost.

111 aircraft - 89 Stirlings, 12 Lancasters, 1O Mosquitos - carried out raids on 6 flying bomb sites in France without loss.  

8 Mosquitos to Oberhausen and 5 to Rheinhausen, 8 RCM sorties, 5 Serrate patrols, 8 Wellingtons minelaying off St Nazaire, 16 OTU sorties.

No aircraft lost.