December 24, 1944


    98 Halifaxes from 408, 415, 420, 425, 426, and 432 squadrons were joined by 53 Lancasters from 419, 428, 431 and 434 squadrons on an attack of the Lohausen airfield at Dusseldorf. The crews were over the target at between 14,000 and 18,000 feet, releasing 1,633,000 lbs of high explosives. According to reports, the weather was good and severe damaged was caused in a concentrated attack.

    F/O C. Pitu from 408 Squadron returned early as the stbd outer was u/s. They landed safely at base on 3 engines.
    F/O H. Sokoloff returned early as the stbd inner was u/s. The landed safely on 3 engines at Carnaby.
    F/O E. Finch, F/Lt A. Scheelar, F/Lt R. Gall, S/Ldr H. Reeves, S/Ldr D. Pettit, F/O S. Dean, and F/O R. Armitage were hit by flak, not serious. All landed at Earls Colne due to poor weather at base.
    P/O L. Case landed at Eye due to poor weather at base.
    F/O D. Wylie landed at Horsham St. Faith due to poor weather at base.
    F/O W. Tunis, F/Lt K. Parkhurst, P/O W. Stewart, and F/Lt H. Bracken landed at Earls Colne on return due to poor weather at base.
    F/O W. Dunwoodie RCAF–POW and crew, flying Halifax VII NP-781 coded EQ-U, failed to return from this operation.

      P/O W. Allan RCAF
      F/Lt W. Friker RCAF
      F/O D. Kellar RCAF
      P/O D. Tonkin RCAF
      F/Sgt J. Chiasson RCAF–POW
      P/O G. D’Amour RCAF
    5 crew were killed and 2 were POWs.

    F/O D. Falconer from 415 Squadron returned early as the hydraulic=s and electrical system were u/s. 
    F/Lt C. Thompson, F/Lt J. Northrup, F/O J. Tims, F/O D. McTaggart, F/O G. Grier, F/O J. McGuire, and F/Lt T. Mears were hit by flak, not serious. They landed at Foulsham on return due to poor weather at base.
    F/O J. Britt, F/Lt A. Winmill, F/O W. Mitchell, F/O O. Lindquist, F/O L. Belcher, F/O S. Mooers, S/Ldr W. Brown, and F/O T. Donnelly landed at Foulsham on return due to poor weather at base.

    F/Lt W. Armstrong from 419 squadron returned early as the stbd inner was u/s. The landed safely on 3 engines at Charterhall.
    F/O B. Nichols, F/Lt H. Collard, F/O F. How, F/Lt J. Barlow, F/O R. McVicar, and F/Lt J. Watts were hit by flak, not serious. They all landed at Charterhall due to poor weather at base.
    P/O R. Adam landed at Woodbridge due to poor weather at base.
    F/O P. Tulk landed at Leconfield due to poor weather at base.
    F/Lt F. Dawson, F/O N. Vatne, S/Ldr W. McKinnon, F/O G. Tedford, F/Lt A. Warner, and F/O W. Osborn landed at Charterhall due to poor weather at base.
    F/O T. Cowtan RCAF–POW and crew, flying Lancaster X KB-715 coded VR-T, failed to return from this operation.

      P/O J. Ranson RCAF–POW
      Sgt C. Thompson RCAF–POW
      F/O J. Cartier RCAF–POW
      F/O R. Hale RCAF
      Sgt G. Little RCAF–POW
      Sgt F. Hector RCAF–POW
    6 crew were POWs and one killed after being shot down by flak. F/O R. Hale was shot and killed by troops as soon are he hit the ground.

    F/O E. Watson from 420 Squadron was hit by flak, not serious. They landed at Langham on return due to poor weather at base.
    S/Ldr V. Motherwell was hit by flak, there were holes in the wings and fuselage. They landed at Langham on return due to poor weather at base. 
    F/O E. McCutcheon landed at Charterhall on return due to poor weather at base.
    F/Lt G. Jones, F/O J. Bonner, F/O W. Shotton, F/O E. McKeown, F/Lt D. Buchanan, F/O J. A. Sefton, F/Lt V. Glover, P/O R. MacMillan, F/O M. Davidson, F/O O. Austenson, F/Lt H. Ledingham, F/O H. Asher, and P/O C. Reid landed at Langham on return due to poor weather at base.

    F/O J. Sicotte, F/O J. Poirier, F/O C. Dionne, F/O A. Martel, Sgt J. Cauchy, P/O G. Chabot, and F/O E. Baillie from 425 Squadron were hit by flak, not serious.
    F/Lt J. Belanger was hit by flak, there were holes in both wings and fuselage. 
    F/O J. Simard was hit by flak, there were holes in the port wing and fuselage. They landed at Attlebridge on return due to poor weather at base.
    F/O C. Bouchard, F/O G. Perrier, F/O J. Seguin, F/Lt H. Franks, F/O J. Seguin, F/O G. Lareau, F/O V. Brimicombe, and F/Lt R. Archambault landed at Rivenhall on return due to poor weather at base.

    S/Ldr K, France, P/O R. Fuller, F/O C. Benton, P/O A. Hutchins, and F/Lt A. Jones from 426 squadron were hit by flak, not serious.
    F/O J. Wadleigh was hit by flak, the stbd inner was u/s. They landed safely at Geat Dunmow on 3 engines.
    F/Lt J. Kirkpatrick was hit by flak, there were holes in both wings and tail plane. They landed at Great Dunmow on return due to poor weather at base.
    F/O D. Hamilton was hit by flak, not serious. They landed at Charterhall on return.
    P/O C. Selfe, F/O J. Lowe, F/Lt C. Fyfe, F/Lt I. Emerson, F/Lt J. Baillie, F/O R. Swift, F/O W. Kent, and F/O M. Casselam landed at Great Dunmow on return due to poor weather at base.

    F/O D. Walsh, F/O D. Poole, F/Lt G. Quinn, and F/O B. Miller from 428 Squadron were hit by flak, not serious. They landed at Wethersfield on return due to poor weather at base.
    F/Lt L. Kagna was hit by flak, there were holes in the stbd wing, fuselage and nose. They landed at Wethersfield on return due to poor weather at base.
    F/Lt J. Goldie was hit by flak, there were holes in the port wing. They landed at Wethersfield on return due to poor weather at base.
    F/O V. Gaskin was hit by flak, there were holes in the windscreen and fuselage. They landed at Wethersfield on return due to poor weather at base.
    F/O H. Humber was hit by flak, the stbd outer was u/s and mid upper turret holed. They landed safely at Wethersfield on 3 engines.
    F/Lt K. Ellson was hit by flak, there were holes in the windscreen, front turret and both wings.
    F/O G. Pearce was hit by flak, there were holes in the fuselage. They landed at Charterhall on return.
    F/O E. Peacock was hit by flak, there were holes in the port rudder, fuselage and wings.
    F/O E. Page, F/O N. Noel, W/O2 D. Mackie, F/O C. Pratt, and F/O K. Roulston landed at Wethersfield on return due to poor weather at base.

    P/O D. Trimble from 431 Squadron returned early as the port outer was u/s. They landed safely at Carnaby on 3 engines.
    S/Ldr H. Kay Squadron was hit by flak, there were holes in the port tail plane and stbd wing. They landed at Shipdham on return.
    F/O B. Kaplansky, P/O D. Murray, and F/Lt D. Borland was hit by flak, not serious. They landed at Winfield on return due to poor weather at base.
    F/O F. McGee, F/O G. McNeill, F/O P. Hurley, F/O J. Duggan, P/O C. Heaven, F/O S. Sorenson, F/O J. Morton, S/Ldr H. Smith, and F/O D. Hagar landed at Winfield on return due to poor weather at base.

    F/O A. Potter from 432 Squadron had the port outer go u/s outbound. They bombed a railway siding and returned safely to Coltishall on 3 engines.
    F/O G. Peaker, F/O G. Barron, F/O A. Bews, and W/Cdr J. Stephenson were hit by flak, not serious. They landed at Coltishall on return due to poor weather at base.
    S/Ldr H. Minhinnick was hit by flak, there were holes in both wings and fuselage. They landed at Coltishall on return due to poor weather at base.
    F/Lt F. Horan was hit by flak, there were holes in the windscreen, fuselage and both wings. They landed at Coltishall on return due to poor weather at base.
    F/O E. Maguire was hit by flak, there were holes in both wings and elevator. They landed at Coltishall on return due to poor weather at base.
    F/Lt L. Kropf was hit by flak, there were holes in the stbd wing, rudder, and fuselage. They landed at Coltishall on return due to poor weather at base.
    F/O G. McNicoll was hit by flak, there were holes in the windscreen, wings, and fuselage. They landed at Coltishall on return due to poor weather at base.
    F/Sgt R. Proud over ran the runway at Linton on Ouse and hit Halifax NP-714 from 408 squadron.
    F/O C. Hemming, F/O J. Mills, F/O F. Jeffery, F/Lt J. Wallace, F/O L. McGuire, and F/O F. Baxter landed at Coltishall on return due to poor weather at base.

    F/Lt T. Buttle from 434 Squadron was hit by flak, the port wing and fuel tanks were damaged. They landed at Downham Market on return due to a fuel shortage.
    F/Lt C. Porter landed at Leuchars on return.
    P/O F. Hart landed at Charterhall on return.
    F/O L. Coulter, W/Cdr A. Blackburn, and F/Lt J. Rothenbush landed at Winfield on return.