........
March 15/16, 1945


    43 Halifaxes from 408, 415, 420, 425, 426, and 432 Squadrons were joined by 99 Lancasters from 419, 424, 427, 428, 431, 433, and 434 Squadrons on an attack at Hagen. The crews were over the target at between 17,000 and 19,000 feet, releasing 468,000 lbs of high explosives and 818,000 lbs of incendiaries. According to reports, the weather was clear and severe damage was caused.

    F/O D. Lambroughton and crew from 419 Squadron, flying Lancaster X  KB-851 coded VR-W, were attacked twice by ME-262s, there was no claim or damage.
    F/O J. Smith was hit by flak, not serious.
    F/Sgt D. Cushman was hit by flak, the H2S blister was shot off.
    P/O C. Parrish RCAF and crew, flying Lancaster X KB-814 coded VR-N, failed to return from this operation.

      F/Sgt P. Bowman RCAF–Evd
      F/O H. Hennessey RCAF
      F/Sgt C. Ginter RCAF–Evd
      P/O C. Vickery RCAF
      F/Sgt T. Bristow RCAF–Evd
      P/O M. Bredin RCAF
    4 crew were killed and 3 evaded capture after they were shot down by a Nightfighter.

    F/Lt M. McLaughlin RCAF and crew, flying Lancaster X KB-870 coded VR-K, was shot down over allied held territory.

      F/Sgt W. Lightfoot RCAF
      F/O H. Garriock RCAF
      F/O B. Saunders RCAF
      P/O A. Sutherland RCAF
      F/O E. Carleton RCAF
      P/O J. Charbonneau RCAF
    4 crew were injured and 3 killed after being shot down by a Nightfighter.

    F/O J. Howard and crew from 420 Squadron, flying Halifax III NR-227 coded PT-V, were attacked by an unidentified single engine enemy aircraft, there was no claim or damage.

    F/O J. Mould from 424 Squadron had the port inner go u/s over base. They went to the target and bombed from 13,500 feet and returned safely on 3 engines.

    F/Lt J. Laporte RCAF and crew from 425 Squadron, flying Halifax III PN-172 coded KW-G, was hit by flak over the target, the damage was not serious. On the return flight they were attacked by an unidentified twin engined enemy aircraft. The nose was blown off, stbd inner caught fire and the fuselage. P/O J. Arcand RCAF, the flight engineer tried unsuccessfully to put the fire out. On the second pass the stbd outer was on fire and pieces started coming off the stbd wing and the crew was told to bail out.
    All of the crew parachuted safely except the flight engineer, who was found in the wreckage.
    P/O J. Patry RCAF and crew, flying Halifax III NR-172 coded KW-Y, failed to return from this operation.

      Sgt G. Odell RAF
      F/O A. Fournier RCAF
      Sgt J. Lanctot RCAF
      W/O1 J. Paiement RCAF
      F/Sgt C. Panneton RCAF
      F/Sgt J. Goupil RCAF
    2 crew were killed after being shot down over allied territory.

    F/O D. Weicker and crew from 426 Squadron, flying Halifax VII RG-456 coded OW-R, were attacked by an ME-163( flying wing), there was no claim or damage.
    P/O R. Reith and crew, flying Halifax VII NP-814 coded OW-U, were attacked by an ME-163( flying wing), there was no claim or damage.

    F/Lt W. Walker and crew from 427 Squadron, flying Lancaster I PA-271 coded ZL-W, were attacked by an ME-410, there was no claim or damage.

    F/Lt J. Craton RCAF and crew from 428 Squadron, flying Lancaster X KB-846 coded NA-I, failed to return from this operation.

      P/O G. Llewellin RCAF
      F/Lt R. Newton RCAF
      F/Lt R. Hamill RCAF
      F/O D. Graham RCAF
      F/O E. Evans RCAF
      F/O B. Gray RCAF
    2 crew were safe and 5 killed after they were attacked by a JU-88 on the return flight. The JU-88 made 9 passes on the Lancaster, setting the stbd wing on fire. The crew was then told to bail out. The JU-88 was also claimed destroyed.

    F/O P. Hurley from 431 Squadron was attacked by an FW-190, there was no claim or damage.
    F/Lt R. Haw RCAF and crew, flying Lancaster X KB-815 coded SE-K, failed to return from this operation.

      P/O A. Harris RAF
      F/Lt A. Edwards RCAF
      F/O G. Davis RCAF
      F/O J. Morin RCAF
      P/O P. Repsys RCAF
      P/O R. Horne RCAF
    All were killed.

    F/O J. Kinniburgh from 432 Squadron was hit by flak, the port aileron was damaged.
    F/O S. Bonter RCAF and crew, flying Halifax VII NP-689 coded QO-K, failed to return from this operation.

      Sgt D. Colquhoun RAF
      F/O H. Vachon RCAF–POW
      F/O A. Hinchcliffe RCAF–POW
      W/O2 E. Anderson RCAF–POW
      P/O D. Lawton RCAF
      P/O T. Scott RCAF
    4 crew were killed and 3 were POWs. P/O T. Scott RCAF, the rear gunner survived the bailout, but was murdered by the Gestapo on April 3, 1945

    F/Lt A. Strelchuk and crew from 433 Squadron, flying Lancaster I RA-511 coded BM-Q, were attacked by an ME-410, many strikes were seen and this aircraft dove vertically to the ground in flames. One minute later they were attacked again by an ME-410, it was claimed damaged.

    F/O J. Wagman and crew from 434 Squadron, flying Lancaster I PA-226 coded WL-X, were attacked by an unidentified enemy aircraft, some strikes were seen but there was no claim or damage.
    F/O J. Stewart RCAF and crew, flying Lancaster X KB-835 coded WL-J, failed to return from this operation.

      P/O T. Kossatz RCAF
      F/O L. Armstrong RCAF
      F/O J. Ball RCAF
      P/O J. Whitehead RCAF
      P/O W. White RCAF
      F/O J. Ayotte RCAF
    Only the rear gunner survived after being shot down by a Nightfighter.