Daily Operations

July 28/29, 1944

46 Lancasters from 408, 419, and 428 Squadron were joined by 186 Halifaxes from 408, 415, 420, 424, 425, 425, 427, 429, 431, 432, 433, and 434 Squadrons on an attack at Hamburg. The crews were over the target at between 16,000 and 22,000 feet, releasing 2,019,000 lbs of high explosives. According to reports, some bombing fell into the port area, otherwise the attack was scattered. On this attack, 6 Group suffered their highest losses. 22 crews failed to return.

F/O D. Ryan RCAF and crew, flying Lancaster II LL-687 coded EQ-M, failed to return from this operation.

P/O J. McCaffrey RCAF and crew, flying Lancaster II LL-725 coded EQ-C, failed to return from this operation.

S/Ldr G. Latimer RCAF and crew, flying Halifax VII NP-716 coded EQ-P, failed to return from this operation.

16 Crews from 415 Squadron departed base at between 22:16 and 22:49hrs, they were over the target between 01:12 and 01:18hrs; returning to base at between 03:46 and 04:25hrs.

P/O D. Andrews RCAF and crew from 415 Squadron, flying Halifax III MZ-686 coded 6U-U, had the stbd outer quit at 105 mph. They swerved off the runway, broke in half, caught fire and exploded.

P/O J. Little and crew flying Halifax III MZ-690 coded 6U-X was attacked 4 times by a single engine unidentified enemy aircraft, there was no claim or damage.
P/O F. Forbes and crew flying Halifax III NA- 582 coded 6U-D was attacked 3 times by an unidentified enemy aircraft and an FW-190, there was no claim or damage.
F/O L. Patton and crew flying Halifax III NA-583 coded 6U-F was attacked by an unidentified enemy aircraft, there was no claim or damage.
P/O O. Lindquist and crew flying Halifax III LK-766 coded 6U-V was attacked by a JU-88, some strikes were seen on the port wing. They landed at Skipton on Swale on return.
Sgt J. Kerr and crew flying Halifax III MZ-654 coded 6U-L was attacked by an unidentified enemy aircraft, there was no claim or damage.
F/O A. Stein RCAF and crew, flying Halifax III LW-595 coded 6U-Q, failed to return from this operation.

This was 415 Squadron’s first operation since moving over from Coastal Command.

F/O J. Anderson and crew from 419 Squadron flying Lancaster X KB-732 coded VR-X was attacked by an FW-190, it was claimed damaged as the engine was smoking badly, 50 miles out over the North Sea.
F/Sgt A. Weston and crew flying Lancaster X KB-750 coded VR-N was attacked twice by enemy aircraft, one was claimed destroyed.

Sixteen crews from 420 Squadron departed base at between 22:05 and 22:40hrs, they wre over the target at between 01:13 and 01:20hrs, returning to base at between 03:32 and 04:37hrs.

F/O F. Beairsto and crew from 420 Squadron flying Halifax III LW-388 coded PT-D was attacked by a JU-88, there was no claim or damage.
F/Lt R. Kalle and crew flying Halifax III NA-528 coded PT-G had the port inner u/s after the target. They were also attacked by a JU-88, there was no claim or damage. They landed safely at base on 3 engines.
F/Lt J. Zavitz RCAF and crew, flying Halifax III MZ-645 coded PT-N, failed to return from this operation.

Ten crews from 424 Squadron departed base at between 22:12 and 22:43hrs, they were over the target at between 01:10 and 01:12hrs, returning to base at between 03:44 and 04:29hrs.

W/Cdr J. Blane RCAF and crew from 424 Squadron, flying Halifax III LV-997 coded QB-E, failed to return from this operation.

Eighteen crews from 425 Squadron departed base at between 22:05 and 22:35hrs, they were over the target at between 01:13 and 01:19hrs, returning to base at between 03:55 and 04:45hrs.

F/Lt J. A. Cote and crew, flying Halifax III LW-414 coded KW-E, returned early as the port outer was u/s. They landed safely at base on 3 engines.
F/O J. Dargis and crew were hit by flak, not serious.
P/O T. Barton RCAF and crew, flying Halifax III MZ-641 coded KW-K, failed to return from this operation.

P/O V. Vincent RCAF and crew, flying Halifax III MZ-712 coded KW-S, failed to return from this operation.

F/Lt B. Hughes from 426 Squadron returned early as the oxygen system was u/s.
P/O N. Becker returned early as the oxygen system was u/s.
F/Lt M. Thompson RCAF–POW and crew, flying Halifax VII LW-202 coded OW-P, failed to return from this operation.

F/O R. Cuff

P/O P. Eagles RCAF and crew, flying Halifax VII LW-208 coded OW-U, failed to return from this operation.

Eighteen crews from 427 Squadron departed base at between 22:05 and 22:45hrs, they were over the target at between 01:11 and 01:16hrs, returning to base at between 03:45 and 04:20hrs.

F/O G. Plyley and crew, flying Halifax III LV-902 coded ZL-T, were attacked by a unidentified aircraft and an ME-109, there was no damage, but the ME-109 was set on fire and dove down in flames.
F/O G. Archer and crew flying Halifax III LV-988 coded ZL-P were attacked by an ME-210, there was no damage, but some strikes were seen.
F/O H. Gordon RCAF and crew from 427 Squadron, flying Halifax III MZ-757 coded ZL-Y, failed to return from this operation.

Seventeen crews from 428 Squadron departed base at between 22:01 and 22:41hrs, they were over the target at between 01:12 and 01:17hrs, returning to base at between 03:40 and 04:40hrs.

W/O2 W. Tynan and crew, flying Lancaster X KB-768 coded NA-E were attacked by a FW-190, there was no damage, but some strikes were seen.
P/O T. Magill RCAF and crew, flying Lancaster X KB-759 coded NA-K, failed to return from this operation.

F/O D. Depew from 429 Squadron returned early as the port outer was u/s. They landed safely at base on 3 engines.
F/O J. Lasek and crew flying Halifax III MZ-318 coded AL-C was attacked by a FW-190, there was no claim or damage.
W/O2 J. Irish and crew flying Halifax III LV-830 coded AL-Q was attacked by a ME-110, there was no claim or damage.
P/O J. Wood and crew flying Halifax III LV-964 coded AL-T was attacked by a ME-110, strikes were seen and the ME-110 dove through the cloud, the was thought to be destroyed.
P/O W. Stewart was hit by flak, there were holes through out the fuselage. P/O K. Evans RCAF, the navigator, was seriously injured, the pilot and F/Sgt K. Harper RCAF, the mid upper gunner, slightly injured. They landed at Charterhall on return.

Seventeen crews from 431 Squadron departed base at between 22:08 and 22:34hrs, they were over the target at between 01:11 and 01:18hrs, returning to base at between 03:34 and 04:05hrs.

F/O R. Holden and crew, flying Halifax III NA-550 coded SE-U, returned early as they were attacked by an enemy aircraft. The Halifax was seriously damaged and Sgt F. Clay RCAF, the rear gunner, was injured. They went into a vertical dive of about 8,000 to 10,000 feet and F/O G. Johnston RCAF, the bomb aimer,Sgt W. Niven RCAF, Mid upper gunner, and F/O A. Cameron RCAF, the navigator bailed out. The pilot was able to recover and make a safe return, landing at Strubby.

F/Lt F. Badgery and crew flying Halifax III NA-499 coded SE-W was attacked by a JU-88, there was no claim, but the port wing and fuel tank was holed.
P/O G. Baumann RCAF and crew, flying Halifax III MZ-859 coded SE-A, failed to return from this operation.

F/O J. Harris RCAF and crew, flying Halifax III MZ-597 coded SE-B, failed to return from this operation.

P/O J. Gustafson RCAF and crew, flying Halifax III LK-845 coded SE-J, failed to return from this operation.

F/O J. Collver RCAF and crew, flying Halifax III MZ-589 coded SE-H, failed to return from this operation.

P/O W. Aldred RCAF and crew, flying Halifax III LK-833 coded SE-R, failed to return from this operation.

This was the worst night for 431 Squadron as they lost 5 crews.

Seventeen crews fro 432 Squadron departed base at between 22:17 and 22:51hrs, they were over the target at between 01:12 and 01:17hrs, returning to base at between 03:37 and 04:27hrs.

P/O R. Card and crew, flying Halifax VII NP-691 coded QO-V, were attacked twice by an unidentified enemy aircraft, there was no claim or damage.
S/Ldr M. Pettit and crew flying Halifax VII NP-692 coded QO-D were attacked twice by JU-88s. On the first attack the Halifax was hit in the stbd wing and aileron. On the 2nd attack the JU-88 was hit, both engines caught fire at it dove steeply away, it was claimed destroyed.
P/O E. Clarke RCAF and crew, flying Halifax VII NP-702 coded QO-B, failed to return from this operation.

F/O J. Linklater and crew from 433 Squadron flying Halifax III HX-275 coded BM-S was attacked by an unidentified single and twin engine enemy aircraft, there was no claim or damage. One appeared to be firing rockets.
F/O J. Armstrong RCAF and crew, flying Halifax III MZ-816 coded BM-W, failed to return from this operation.

P/O J. Lees and crew from 434 Squadron flying Halifax III LK-886 coded WL-D were attacked by a FW-190, there was no claim or damage.
F/Lt D. Boyle and crew flying Halifax III MZ-749 coded WL-P were attacked by a unidentified enemy aircraft, there was no claim or damage.
F/O L. Browning and crew flying Halifax III LK-796 coded WL-S were attacked by a ME-110 and a FW-190, there was no claims or damage.
P/O F. Sawyer RCAF and crew, flying Halifax III LW-437 coded WL-X, failed to return from this operation.

F/O I. Alexander RCAF and crew, flying Halifax III LW-596 coded WL-Z, failed to return from this operation.

As well as the crews that went to Hamburg, 5 Halifaxes from 424 Squadron were ordered on a mining operation to Heligoland. The crews were over the garden at between 12,000 and 15,000 feet, sowing 20@1500 lb mines.

F/O M. Tidy returned early as they could not find the pinpoint.