June 28/29 1944
100 Halifaxes from 424, 426, 427, 429, 432, and 433 squadrons were ordered
on an attack of the rail yards at Metz. The crews were over the target
at between 12,000 and 15,000 feet, releasing 686,000 lbs of high explosives.
According to reports, the rail yard was accurately bombed with much damage
caused.
F/O G. Johnson RCAF
and crew from 424 squadron, flying Halifax III LV-961 coded QB-G, failed
to return from this operation.
F/Sgt T. Davies RAF
F/O E. Folliott RCAF
F/O R. Dickinson RCAF
P/O J. Patterson RCAF
P/O G. Isaac RCAF
P/O F. Joynson RCAF
All were killed.
F/O C. Brown RCAF–POW and crew, flying Halifax III LV-910 coded QB-Y,
failed to return from this operation.
Sgt H. Brown RAF–Evd
F/O H. Weller RCAF–POW
F/O V. McCreight RCAF–Evd
F/Sgt G. Johnston RCAF–POW
Sgt M. Lindsay RCAF–Evd
Sgt H. Branch RCAF–POW
3 evaded capture and 4 were POWs.
P/O D. Robertson from 426 squadron returned early as the hydraulics
were u/s.
F/O P. Buck landed at Waddington on return due to a fuel shortage.
F/Lt P. Logan RCAF–Evd and crew flying Halifax VII NP-683 coded OW-M
failed to return from this operation.
Sgt J. Docherty RAF–POW
P/O H. Birnie RCAF–Evd
P/O J. Willis RCAF–POW
P/O G. D’Arcy RCAF–Evd
P/O D. Jamieson RCAF–Evd
P/O R. Kennedy RCAF–Evd
5 crew evaded and 2 POWs after being shot down by a Nightfighter. P/O
Birnie
and P/O Jamieson
were later killed, possibly by the Gestapo in August 1944.
F/O S. Gerard RCAF–Evd and crew, flying Halifax VII LW-198 coded OW-V,
failed to return from this operation.
P/O K. Beeley RAF-Evd
F/O W. Lastuk RCAF–Evd
P/O R. Wilkie RCAF–Evd
F/Sgt D. MacInnis RCAF–Evd
P/O T. Rogers RCAF
P/O K. Sam RCAF–Evd
6 crew evaded and 1 was killed after being shot down by a Nightfighter.
F/O M. Strange from 427 squadron returned early as the port inner was
u/s. They landed safely at base on 3 engines.
F/O M. Sherman returned early as the navigation aids were u/s.
P/O S. Sovran returned early as the stbd inner was u/s. They landed
safely at base on 3 engines.
W/O2 A. King RCAF–POW and crew, flying Halifax III LV-938 coded ZL-A,
failed to return from this operation.
Sgt H. Morgan RAF–POW
F/O W. Wilson RCAF–POW
P/O W. Pookay RCAF–Evd
F/Sgt R. Mowbray RCAF–POW
F/Sgt S. Vallieres RCAF–POW
P/O D. Cotton RCAF
1 crew was killed, 1 evaded and 5 POWs after being shot down by flak.
S/Ldr M. Bryson from 429 squadron was attacked by an ME-210, there was
no claim or damage.
F/O D. McNaughton landed at Swinderby on return.
P/O M. Tracey landed at Waddington on return due to a fuel shortage.
F/O J. Weir landed at Ossington on return due to a fuel shortage.
F/O P. Agur RCAF–Evd and crew, flying Halifax III MZ-302 coded AL-E,
failed to return from this operation.
Sgt J. Warrington RAF–POW
F/O J. Kennedy RCAF–Evd
F/O D. Hay RCAF–Evd
Sgt K. Lyle RCAF–Evd
Sgt G. Dunham RCAF–POW
Sgt E. Clinton RCAF–POW
4 crew evaded and 3 were POWs.
F/O A. Craig from 432 squadron returned early as the port inner was
u/s. They landed safely at base on 3 engines.
P/O H. Britton was attacked by an ME-410, it was claimed damaged.
F/O V. Johnston was attacked by an ME-109, it was claimed damaged.
P/O W. Fernyhough RCAF
and crew, flying Halifax III MZ-591 coded QO-K, failed to return from this
operation.
P/O J. Hembry RAF
P/O J. Musser RCAF
P/O H. Kennedy RCAF
P/O P. Woolfenden RAF–POW
P/O R. McEwan RCAF
F/Lt J. Williams RCAF
6 crew were killed and 1 POW after being shot down by a Nightfighter.
F/O E. Eyjolfson from 433 squadron returned early as the port inner
was u/s. They landed safely at base on 3 engines.
F/Lt D. Brown was hit by flak, the fuselage, tail, and stbd inner were
damaged. They landed safely at Tangmere due to a fuel shortage.
P/O G. Wolstencroft landed at Waddington on return.
W/O2 H. McVeigh was attacked 3 times by enemy aircraft. The stbd fin
and rudder were shot off, stbd elevator and aileron severely damaged, and
stbd wing and flaps damaged. Due to this damage, the Halifax went into
a spin at 13,000 feet. The crew was told to bail out. At 6000 feet, W/O2
McVeigh was able to get control, but not before the bomb aimer and mid
upper gunner jumped. On return the port outer was also u/s. They landed
safely without further incident on 3 engines at Woodbridge.
Also on this night, 8 Halifaxes from 428 and 433 squadrons were ordered
on a mining operation to Brest and Lorient. The crews were over the gardens
at 15,000 feet, sowing 12@1500 and 12@1800 lb mines.
All crews returned safely to base.
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