March 1945 Daily Operations

March 5/6, 1945

86 Halifaxes from 408, 415, 420, 425, 426, 429, and 432 Squadrons were joined by 84 Lancasters from 419, 424, 428, 431, 433, and 434 Squadrons on an attack at Chemnitz. The crews were over the target at between 15,000 and 18,000 feet, releasing 1,064,000 lbs of high explosives. According to reports, severe damage was caused by this attack. There was severe icing over England and this was a factor in most of the crashes.

F/O K. Blyth from 408 Squadron had 2 engines u/s on return. They landed safely at Mildenhall on 2 engines.
W/O1 R. Craven was hit by flak, not serious, they landed safely at Honeybourne on return.
F/Lt H. Bracken landed at Manston on return due to poor weather at base.
W/Cdr E. Evans and crew, flying Halifax VII RG-474 coded EQ-L, were attacked by an FW-190, there was no claim or damage, although some strikes were seen. They landed at Mildenhall on return due to poor weather at base.
P/O G. Daughters, F/Lt H. Sokoloff, F/Lt E. Heaven, P/O L. Carahan, W/Cdr F. Sharp, F/O G. Gross, F/Lt R. Gall, S/Ldr W. Smith, F/Lt F. Smith, F/Lt W. Austin, F/O R. Hutcheon, and W/O1 R. Herringer landed at Mildenhall on return due to poor weather at base.

F/O L. Minkler from 415 Squadron landed at Juvincourt on return due to low fuel and poor weather at base.
P/O J. McKenzie, F/Lt A. Winmill, F/Lt A. Cruikshank, F/O D. Falconer, F/O J. Hechter, and F/Lt J. McQuiston landed at Tangmere on return due to poor weather at base.
F/O B. Cowieson, F/Lt T. Mears, F/O A. Galley, and S/Ldr J. McAllister landed at Thorney Island on return due to poor weather at base.
F/O T. Donnelly landed at Ford on return due to poor weather at base.
F/O J. McGuire landed at Lille on return.
F/Lt W. Mitchell RCAF–POW and crew, flying Halifax III NA-204 coded 6U-J, failed to return from this operation.

F/O J. McGregor from 419 Squadron landed at Stradishall on return.
F/O C. Reitlo RCAF and crew, flying Lancaster X KB-845 coded VR-L, crashed on return to base due to severe icing at Drayton Parsloe.

P/O E. Clark RCAF and crew from 420 Squadron, flying Halifax III NA-184 coded PT-W, crashed near Dishforth shortly after takeoff due to severe icing.

P/O R. Sollie RCAF and crew, flying Halifax III NA-190 coded PT-U, crashed near Hazelwood Castle shortly after takeoff due to severe icing.

F/Lt N. McHolm returned early due to severe icing and using too much fuel. They stalled 3 times due to severe icing.
P/O L. Callahan was hit by flak, astrodome shot off. They landed at Tangmere on return.
F/O R. Lepp landed at Juvincourt on return due to a fuel shortage.
F/O D. Hill landed at Juvincourt on return.
F/O J. Gillespie, F/O L. Simonson, F/Lt H. Ledingham, P/O R. Bagnell, F/O J. Howard and F/Lt R. Field landed at Tangmere on return due to poor weather at base.
P/O R. MacMillan landed at Manston on return due to poor weather at base.
P/O J. Menary RCAF and crew, flying Halifax III NR-144 coded PT-H, were heading for Juvincourt due to a fuel shortage, on let down to 1,000 feet, they clipped a pole on high ground and crashed.

F/Lt V. Glover RCAF–POW and crew, flying Halifax III NP-959 coded PT-N, failed to return from this operation.

F/Lt D. Sillers and crew from 424 Squadron, flying Lancaster I NG-400 coded QB-R, were attacked by a JU-88, they were not damaged, there were some strikes seen on the starboard wing and tail plane. They landed at Waterbeach on return.
P/O R. McInroy, F/Lt C. Walker, P/O D. Saunders, F/Lt G. MacLean, P/O W. Church, and F/O H. Cowan landed at Waterbeach on return.
F/Lt D. Ross RCAF and crew, flying Lancaster I NG-458 coded QB-H, failed to return from this operation.

F/Lt C. Lesesne from 425 Squadron was hit by flak, not serious.
F/O A. Lowe RCAF and crew, flying Halifax III MZ-454 coded KW-S, encountered severe icing after takeoff. Control was lost and the Halifax crashed at Little Ouseburn.

P/O M. Anderson RCAF and crew, flying Halifax MZ-845 coded KW-J, was involved in a mid air collision over Linton on Ouse with Halifax VII PN-228 coded OW-A, from 426 Squadron.

P/O J. Giquere landed at Juvincourt on return due to a fuel shortage.
P/O W. Corbett, F/O R. Lafreniere, F/O G. Chabot, F/Lt J. Laporte, F/O J. Evans, and F/O J. Poirier landed at Thorney Island on return due to poor weather at base.
F/O J. Desbiens RCAF and crew, flying Halifax III PN-173 coded KW-Q, failed to return from this operation.

F/Lt I. Emerson RCAF and crew from 426 Squadron, flying Halifax VII LW-210 coded OW-Y, encountered severe icing after takeoff. The Halifax crashed at York.

F/O H. Watts RCAF and crew, flying Halifax VII NP-793 coded OW-H, encountered severe icing after takeoff and crashed at Kirbymoorside.

S/Ldr E. Garrett RCAF and crew, flying Halifax VII PN-228 coded OW-A, was involved in a mid air collision. They crashed near Nun Monkton.

F/Lt J. Craton and crew from 428 Squadron, flying Lancaster X KB-846 coded NA-I, were attacked by a JU-88, there was no damage or claim.
F/Lt C. Pratt and crew, flying Lancaster X KB-838 coded NA-O, were attacked by an ME-262, both gunners opened fire and the ME-262 was seen to catch fire and explode in mid air.
S/Ldr J. Goldie landed at Chedburgh on return due to poor weather at base.
F/Lt A. Googe and W/O2 B. Campbell landed Chedington on return due to poor weather at base.
F/O W. Mytruk RCAF and crew, flying Lancaster X KB-778 coded NA-Y, encountered severe icing on return. They were flying low on return and crashed in the Ardennes.

F/O L. Morrison from 429 Squadron landed at Ford on return due to a fuel shortage.
W/O2 K. Weld and F/Lt E. Warrington landed at Juvincourt on return due to fuel shortages.
F/Lt D. Magee and S/Ldr H. Hogarth landed at Tangmere on return due to fuel shortages.
F/O W. Thomas, P/O D. Williams, F/Lt J. Rowe, F/O R. James, F/Lt J. Creeper, F/O A. Cook, F/O H. Humphries and F/Lt R. Mitchell landed at Tarrant Rushton on return due to a fuel shortage.
F/Lt M. Sanderson RCAF and crew, flying Halifax III LV-996 coded AL-K, crashed near Kent on return due to running out of fuel.

F/Lt D. Gonyea and crew from 431 Squadron, flying Lancaster X KB-741 coded SE-C, were attacked by an unidentified enemy aircraft, there was no claim or damage, they were also hit by flak, the pilot was slightly injured.
F/O H. Granger and crew, flying Lancaster X KB-774 coded SE-D, were attacked by an HE-219 and an ME-109, there was no claim or damage.
F/O S. Reid RCAF and crew, flying Lancaster X KB-858 coded SE-G, failed to return from this operation.

P/O J. Bain and crew from 432 Squadron, flying Halifax VII RG-450 coded QO-Q, were attacked twice by unidentified twin engine enemy aircraft, there was no claim or damage. On landing at Manston they were hit by another landing Halifax damaging their rudders and elevators.
F/O G. Sherlock, P/O R. Proud, F/Lt D. Wylie, and F/Lt J. Wallace landed at Mildenhall on return.
P/O J. Daly landed at Tuddenham on return.
F/Sgt W. Gelineau landed at Manston on return.
S/Ldr E. Hayes RCAF and crew, flying Halifax VII RG-475 coded QO-L, were shot down by friendly anti-aircraft fire over England.

F/O R. Johnstone, F/O A. Heathcote, and F/Lt J. Vallance from 433 Squadron landed at Waterbeach on return.
P/O J. Kitchen RCAF and crew from 434 Squadron, flying Lancaster KB-842 coded WL-L, were hit by a Halifax that had just been shot down, the rear turret was severely damaged. The JU-88 which had shot down the Halifax now turned its attention to their Lancaster. Both gunners fired and hits were seen on the JU-88 which fell away. The Lancaster was seriously damaged, the stbd elevator, wing, stbd inner nacelle, fuel tanks, tire and hydraulics were hit.