April 10/11, 1944


    24 Lancasters from 408 and 426 Squadrons were ordered on an attack of the rail yards at Laon. The crews were over the target at between 10,000 and 12,000 feet, releasing 276,000 lbs of high explosives. According to reports, the rail yards were not seriously damaged.

    F/Lt H. McIver from 408 Squadron returned early as the stbd inner lost oil and u/s. They landed safely at base on 3 engines.
     

    While the Lancasters went to Laon, 122 Halifaxes from 419, 420, 424, 425, 427, 428, 429, 431, 432, 433, and 434 Squadrons were ordered on an attack of the rail yards at Ghent. The crews were over the target at between 12,000 and 15,000 feet, releasing 1,373,000 lbs of high explosives. According to reports, the rail yards were damaged but some bombing fell into the town with civilian casualties.

    F/Sgt J. Keegan from 420 Squadron had Air Commodore A. Ross along as the second pilot.

    W/O2 C. Coathup from 427 Squadron had the stbd outer u/s on return. They landed at Horham safely on 3 engines due to a fuel shortage.
    W/Cdr C. Burgess RCAF and crew, flying Halifax III  LV-883 coded ZL-M, was hit by flak outbound near the coast. The port aileron was shot off and the port outer was damaged and u/s. The rear turret was also damaged with holes through out the fuselage. They were hit twice more by flak without any serious damage. The crew returned to England where the crew bailed out and the Halifax crashed near Ipswich. 

      Sgt R. Calloway RAF
      F/O D. Ferguson RCAF
      F/O J. Karloff RCAF
      Sgt I. McCubbrey RCAF
      P/O K. Tobin RCAF
      F/O F. O’Callaghan RCAF
    The pilot was slightly injured.

    P/O H. Pattinson from 428 Squadron returned early as the port outer was u/s. They landed safely at base on 3 engines.
    P/O S. Side returned early as the port inner was u/s. They landed safely at base on 3 engines.

    W/O2 D. Maddock from 432 Squadron returned early as the hydraulics were u/s.
    F/O W. Lekis landed at Wombleton on return.

    P/O P. Escaravage from 434 Squadron had the stbd outer go u/s outbound. They bombed and returned safely to base on 3 engines.
     P/O F. Tandy was hit by flak, not serious.

     


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