August 25/26, 1944



    182 Halifaxes from 408, 415, 420, 424, 425, 426, 427, 429, 431, 432, 433 and 434 Squadrons were ordered to attack a number of coastal gun batteries at Brest. The crews were over the aiming points at between 9,000 and 13,000 feet, releasing 1,470,000 lbs of high explosives. According to reports, bombing was accurate.

    F/O J. Faulder, P/O D. Snider, F/O A. Quinlan, F/Lt H. Reeves, P/O R. Harlow, W/Cdr R. McLernon, F/O H. Minhinnick, P/O J. Harpwood, F/O W. Shields, F/O H. Jones, P/O R. Smith, F/O R. Johnson, F/O T. Barber, F/O J. Brown, and F/Lt H. Chekaluck from 408 Squadron landed at Westcott on return due to poor weather at base.

    P/O R. Stevens, F/Sgt W. Lane, P/O R. Gingrich, and F/O C. Gue from 415 Squadron returned without bombing on the master bombers orders.

    F/Lt E. Heimpel from 420 Squadron was hit by flak, not serious. They landed at Boscombe Down on return due to poor weather at base.
    F/O W. English landed at Hurn on return due to poor weather at base.
    F/Lt T. Ainslie, F/O W. Fenton, F/O G. Jones, F/O A. Caine, F/Lt A. Plummer, F/O W. Campbell, W/Cdr G. McKenna, F/O G. Heron, F/O R. Gallen, F/Lt H. Damgaard, W/O2 W. McAdam, F/O F. Beairsto, F/O E. Aldred, and F/O F. Bird landed at Boscombe Down due to poor weather at base

    F/O J. Dundas from 424 Squadron returned early as the stbd outer was u/s. They landed safely at Stanton Harcourt on 3 engines.
    F/Lt A. Fentiman returned early as the stbd outer was u/s. They landed safely at base on 3 engines.
    F/O D. Brown, P/O D. Chance, P/O F. Pearson, F/O G. Craig, and P/O R. Burns landed at Stanton Harcourt on return due to poor weather at base.
    F/O J. Partridge, F/O M. Tidy, and F/O R. Earl landed at Welford on return due to poor weather at base.
    F/O W. Bonar did not bomb as the load hung up, they landed at Stanton Harcourt on return due to poor weather at base.
    F/O E. Debow landed at  Enstone on return due to poor weather at base..
    F/Lt N. Loudoun returned without bombing on the master bomber's orders. While in the circuit at Stanton Harcourt, the port inner caught fire. They overshot the runway and the Halifax was severely damaged. The crew was unhurt.

    P/O J. Y. Cote from 425 Squadron blew a tire on landing at Colerne.

    P/O T. Fredrickson from 426 Squadron had the stbd inner u/s outbound at the English coast. They bombed and returned safely to Downham Market on 3 engines.
    P/O C. McKinstry, P/O A. Bainard, P/O C. Hamilton, P/O H. Thompson, F/O J. Lowe, F/Lt R. Cowans, P/O W. Webster, F/O H. Hicken, F/O H. Elder, F/O J. Sheridan, W/Cdr C. Burgess, F/O P. Labelle, and F/O R. Stone landed at Wittering on return due to poor weather at base. 
    P/O L. Matton landed at Colerne on return due to poor weather at base.
    F/O S. Seaman landed at East Kirkby on return due to poor weather at base.

    F/Lt A. Sherlock and F/O H. Ruffell from 427 Squadron returned without bombing on the master bomber’s orders.

    F/O M. Sloski from 429 Squadron had the stbd inner u/s outbound. They bombed and landed safely on 3 engines at Market Harborough.
    F/O C. Gray, F/O J. Prentice, and F/Lt G. Bennett landed at Husbands Bosworth on return due to poor weather at base.
    F/O R. Kingsland, S/Ldr R. Bolduc, F/O J. Wade, F/Lt A. Childs, P/O G. Clarke, F/Lt L. Van Kleeck, S/Ldr G. Arbuckle, F/Sgt G. Hay, F/O M. Lanin, F/O J. Barlow, F/O J. Wood, and F/Lt H. Brawn landed at  Market Harborough on return due to poor weather at base.

    F/O B. Mawhinney from 431 Squadron did not bomb as the bomb sight was u/s. They landed at Membury on return.
    F/O T. Shore, F/O J. Lightbown, P/O H. McVicar, F/Lt H. Smith, F/O T. Rhodes, F/O R. Harrison, S/Ldr W. Vanexan, F/Lt D. Borland, F/Sgt G. Quinlan, F/O A. Huchala, F/O M. Chisholm, F/O J. Morton, F/Lt F. Badgery, F/O R. Haw, F/Lt M. MacLeod, and F/Sgt A. Pitzek landed at Membury on return due to poor weather at base. 
    F/O R. W. Harrison RCAF and crew, flying Halifax III MZ0658 coded SE-E, returned to base, the weather was poor and they tried to go to Silloth where they ran out of fuel.

      P/O G. Little RAF
      F/O A. Phillips RCAF
      F/O J. Kwaitknowski RCAF
      P/O R. Hooker RCAF
      Sgt G. Ward RCAF
      F/Sgt J. Content RCAF
      Sgt K. Taylor RCAF
    All the crew bailed out safely.

    P/O J. Patterson, F/Sgt R. Campbell, and F/Lt G. Vann from 432 Squadron returned without bombing on the master bombers orders.
    F/Lt W. Tobias had the stbd outer u/s on return. They landed safely at base on 3 engines.

    P/O J. Major, F/Lt E. Van Slyck, F/O T. Prescott, and F/O J. Nixon from 433 squadron landed at Market Harborough on return due to poor weather at base.

    F/O J. Moffatt from 434 Squadron landed at Membury on return due to poor weather at base.
    P/O A. Spence, F/Lt W. Wright, F/Lt D. Boyle, P/O A. Gibb, P/O B. Peterson, S/Ldr B. Imrie, F/O M. Harvie, P/O J. Lees, P/O J. Stinson, W/Cdr F. Watkins, F/Lt G. McKay, F/Lt R. McCullough, P/O A. Gardner, F/O K. McGrath, and F/O G. Moore landed at Thorney Island on return due to poor weather at base.
     
     

    34 Lancasters from 419 and 428 squadrons were ordered on an attack of the Opel factory at Russelsheim. The crews were over the target at between 17,000 and 19,000 feet, releasing 132,000 lbs of high explosives and 153,000 lbs of incendiaries. According to reports, the target was hit and serious damage was caused.

    All crews from 419 Squadron landed at Boscombe Down, Desborough, Middle Wallop, Great Orton or Dunkeswell on return.
    F/O W. Milner RCAF and crew, flying Lancaster X KB-708 coded VR-E, tried to land at Boscombe down on return. They crash landed after all the engines quit due to the lack of fuel on the overshoot.

      Sgt J. Trotman RAF
      F/O P. Gariepy RCAF
      F/O I. Kirschner RCAF
      P/O H. Anderson RCAF
      Sgt L. Weston RCAF
      Sgt P. Wiens RCAF
    4 crew members were killed.

    F/O W. Witwer RCAF–POW and crew, flying Lancaster X KB-775 coded VR-Y, failed to return from this operation.

      Sgt R. Boorman RAF
      P/O H. McKay RCAF
      F/O A. Larsen RCAF
      P/O D. Barnard RCAF
      P/O V. Stear RCAF
      P/O A. Jackson RCAF
    6 crew were killed and 1 POW after a possible mid-air collision.

    F/O W. Janney and crew from 428 Squadron, flying Lancaster X KB-786 coded NA-T, was attacked by an ME-109, it was claimed damaged.
    P/O H. Walker was hit by flak, there were holes in the port wing and elevator.
    F/O A. Gilbert landed at Husbands Bosworth on return.
    P/O L. Mossman landed at Harrington on return.
    W/O2 W. Tynan landed at Desborough on return.
    F/Sgt R. Maxwell was hit by flak over the target. The stbd outer was u/s, mid upper turret damaged and holes in the fuselage. The pilot, and Sgt J. Feasby, the bomb aimer were slightly injured. Sgt P. Recabarren RAF, the Flt engineer was seriously injured and sadly, died on the way home. They landed safely at Thorney Island.
     
     

    14 Halifaxes from 433 squadron were ordered to attack Ferfay. The crews were over the target at 15,000 feet, releasing 88,000 lbs of high explosives.

    6 crews returned without bombing as there were no T.I’s.