October 30/31 1944


    40 Lancasters from 419 and 428 squadrons were joined by 202 Halifaxes from 408, 415, 420, 424, 425, 426, 427, 429, 431, 432, 433, and 434 squadron on an attack on Cologne. All aircraft were over the target between 16,000 and 21,000 feet dropping 322,000 lbs of incendiaries and 1,939,000 lbs of high explosives. This attack took place through heavy cloud.

    F/Lt H. Minhinnick of 408 Squadron returned to base early as the port outer was vibrating badly and the port rudder disintegrated.
    F/O E. Wylie and crew, flying Halifax VII NP-749 coded EQ-Y, were attacked by an unidentified single engine aircraft, there was no claim or damage. They landed at Waddington on return due to poor weather at base.
    F/O L. Case and crew, flying Halifax VII NP-714 coded EQ-V, were attacked by an ME-110, there was no claim or damage, although some strikes were seen.
    P/O E. Patzer landed at Thorpe Abbots on return due to poor weather at base.
    F/O G. Frankling landed at Bury St. Edmonds on return due to poor weather at base.
    F/O J. Kellond, W/Cdr J. Easton, F/Lt A. Scheelar, P/O W. Tunis, F/O C. Pitu, P/O T. Barber,  F/O E. Finch, F/O K. Mowatt, F/O R. Armitage, P/O G. Harpwood, F/Lt K. Parkhurst, F/O W. Shields, and F/O R. Bowhay landed at Waddington on return due to poor weather at base.

    F/Lt J. Northrup of 415 Squadron landed at Bradwell Bay ,short of fuel as they could not retract the stbd main wheel and tail wheel. 
    F/Lt T. Mears returned early as they could not raise the undercarriage. They landed safely at Woodbridge.
    F/Lt C. Thompson landed at Balderton on return due to poor weather at base.
    F/O W. Mitchell and F/O W. Regimbal landed at Martlesham Heath on return due to poor weather at base.
    F/Lt H. Barnes landed at Coningsby on return due to poor weather at base. 
    F/O R. Sierolawski, F/O S. McFadden, F/O L. Deryckere, F/O J. Meagher, S/Ldr J. Hovey, F/Lt J. Little, W/Cdr F. Ball, P/O S. Mooers, F/O J. Britt, F/O H. Knobovitch, F/O J. Kerr, F/O R. Gingrich, F/O J. McQuiston, F/O O. Lindquist, and F/O D. McNeill landed at Metheringham on return due to poor weather at base.

    F/O F. How from 419 Squadron landed at West Raynham on return due to a fuel shortage.
    F/O J. Errington landed at Hardwick on return due to poor weather at base.
    P/O B. Martin landed at Woodbridge on return due to poor weather at base.
    F/Lt A. Bishop and F/O R. Cox landed at Little Snoring on return due to poor weather at base.
    W/O1 L. McDonald landed at Langham on return due to poor weather at base.
    F/O R. McVicar landed at Downham Market on return due to poor weather at base.
    F/O G. Tedford, F/Lt R. Swartz, F/O G. Begg, F/Lt A. Warner, F/O L. Bowerman, and F/O P. Griffith landed at Oulton on return due to poor weather at base.
    F/Lt J. Bell, F/O L. Blaney, W/Cdr D. Hagerman, F/O E. Bruyns, and F/O W. Osborn landed at North Creake on return due to poor weather at base.

    F/O G. Haslop of 420 Squadron returned early as the throttle linkage was broken. They overshot the landing at Carnaby and the aircraft was damaged. The crew escaped injury.
    P/O W. MacDonald RCAF and crew, flying Halifax III LW-388 coded PT-D, were attacked by an FW-190, there was no claim or damage. They landed at Manston where the u/c collapsed. The crew vacated their aircraft just before it was hit by a Lancaster damaging it more. 

      Sgt R. Sheppard RAF
      F/Sgt J. Fitzpatrick RNZAF
      F/O E. Cantell RCAF
      W/O1 C. Minary RCAF
      F/Sgt G. Wilkins RCAF
      F/Sgt W. Sherin RCAF
    There were no injuries to the crew.

    F/Lt F. McCarthy and crew, flying Halifax III NA-630 coded PT-N, were attacked by a FW-190, there was no claim or damage. They landed at Woodbridge on return due to poor weather at base.
    F/O J. Bonner and crew, flying Halifax III MZ-952 coded PT-I, were attacked by an ME-410, there was no claim or damage. They landed at Skellingthorpe on return due to poor weather at base.
    F/Lt J. S. Sefton, F/O A. Caine, F/O W. Shotton, F/O O. Austenson, P/O D. McLellan, F/Lt V. Motherwell, F/O E. McKeown, F/O V. Glover, and F/O J. Cox landed at Skellingthorpe on return due to poor weather at base.
    F/O H. Asher landed at Thorpe Abbot on return due to poor weather at base.
    F/O E. McCutcheon landed at Carnaby on return due to poor weather at base.
    F/O J. A. Sefton landed at Woodbridge on return due to poor weather at base.
    F/O M. Stock landed at Bradwell Bay on return due to poor weather at base.

    F/O H. Cowan and F/O G. MacLean from 424 Squadron landed at Woodbridge on return due to poor weather at base.
    F/O H. Lefebvre, F/O W. Bonar, P/O J. Lang, F/O J. King, F/Lt J. Stalberger, F/Lt W. Anderson, F/O F. Pearson, F/Lt F. Aldworth, P/O A. Mackie, F/O E. Smith, F/O M. Grant, F/O R. Burns, F/O L. Loving, and P/O C. Walker landed at Strubby on return due to poor weather at base.

    F/O G. Perrier of 425 Squadron was hit by flak over the target. Bomb doors were damaged but they landed safely at Woodbridge.
    F/O J. Seguin and F/O W. Mark landed at Carnaby on return due to poor weather at base.
    F/Lt H. Franks landed at Woodbridge on return due to poor weather at base.
    F/Lt J. Archambault landed at Oulton on return due to poor weather at base. 
    F/O J. Desmarais, F/O P. Legault, F/O C. Bouchard, P/O A. Martel, F/O A. Hutcheon, F/O J. Marcotte, F/O G. Lareau, F/O C. Dionne, F/O W. Forman, F/O J. Simard, F/Lt R. Hemphill, F/O V. Brimicombe, and F/O J. MacHale landed at Swinderby on return due to poor weather at base.

    F/Lt C. Boddington of 426 Squadron returned early as one engine went u/s and the propellor could not be feathered. They landed safely at East Moor on 3 engines.
    F/O G. Fidler was hit by flak. Holes in the fuselage, they landed safely at Bardney.
    P/O C. Selfe landed at Waddington on return due to poor weather at base.
    F/O T. Layman landed at Little Stoughton on return due to poor weather at base.
    F/O W. Anderson, F/O J. Lowe, and F/Lt A. Jones landed at East Kirkby on return due to poor weather at base.
     
    P/O W. Egan, F/Lt K. France, F/O W. Kent, P/O R. Goreham, F/O R. Jones, F/O H. Elder, F/O S. Seaman, P/O M. Fraser, F/Lt E. Garrett, P/O G. Hamilton, and P/O H. McKay landed at Bardney on return due to poor weather at base.
    F/O H. Hicken landed at Metheringham on return due to poor weather at base.
    F/O H. McLure landed at Old Buckenham on return due to poor weather at base.

    F/O L. Ayers RCAF and crew from 427 Squadron flying Halifax III MZ-903 coded ZL-Y returned early due to the stbd inner being u/s. They crash landed at Manston.  

      Sgt G. Kinnear RCAF
      F/O J. Nichol RCAF
      Sgt E. O’Keefe RCAF
      F/Sgt D. Bennett RCAF
      Sgt R. Harle RCAF
      Sgt J. Grant RCAF
    They crash landed at Manston with no injuries to the crew.

    F/O N. Roberts was hit by flak, holes were punched in the #2 fuel tank. They landed safely in Juvincourt France.
    PP/O D. Murray landed at Rivenhall on return due to poor weather at base.
    F/O H. Egli landed at Woodbridge on return due to poor weather at base.
    F/Lt A. Sherlock, F/O G. Kirby, P/O W. Wilson, F/Lt E. Sherlock, F/O J. Smart, P/O I. Thomson, F/O C. Ganley, S/Ldr R. Lawlor, F/O E. Mayo, F/Lt R. Garvin, F/O W. Britton, F/O J. Murphy, F/O R. Wagar, and F/O W. Mackeracher landed at East Kirkby on return due to poor weather at base.

    F/Lt A. Googe and crew from 428 Squadron, flying Lancaster X KB-782 coded NA-H, were attacked by an ME-109, there was no claim or damage.
    All crews landed away due to poor weather at base.
     

    F/O W. Thomas of 429 squadron had the port outer go u/s on return. They landed at Juvincourt France, on 3 engines, low on fuel.
    F/O C. Gray and crew, flying Halifax III MZ-880 coded AL-H, were attacked by an unidentified single engine aircraft, there was no claim or damage. They landed at Spilsby on return due to poor weather at base.
    P/O B. Drewery landed at Woodbridge on return due to poor weather at base.
    F/Lt D. Henrickson landed at Foulsham on return due to poor weather at base.
    S/Ldr R. Bolduc, F/O F. Biddell, F/Lt S. Mitchell, F/O J. Lakeman, F/O H. Hogarth, F/Lt G. Bennett, F/O D. Gillis, F/O C. Lee, F/O J. Prentice, F/Lt A. Milner, F/O J. Keslick, F/O M. Lanin, F/O L. Keelan, and F/Lt A. Childs landed at  Spilsby on return due to poor weather at base.

    F/O W. Saye, F/O N. Patterson, F/O C. Hemming, F/O D. McKinnon, F/Lt C. Fyfe, P/O J. Hamilton, F/Lt L. Kropf, F/O A. Bews, F/O G. McNicoll, F/O F. Eilertson, P/O A. Stedman, F/O J. Mills, F/O F. Jeffery, F/O F. Horan, F/O J. Gault, F/O S. Dean, F/O G. Barron, F/Lt J. Thompson, and F/Lt W. Miller from 432 Squadron landed at Syerston on return due to poor weather at base.

    F/O E. Smyth and P/O W. Jensen from 433 Squadron landed at Oulton on return due to poor weather at base.
    F/Lt W. Miller landed at Debach on return due to poor weather at base.
    W/Cdr F. Sharp, F/O J. Smale, F/O W. Watson, F/O J. Burch, F/O A. Heathcote, F/Lt J. Howes, F/O S. McKellar, F/O R. Simpson, F/Lt L. Allatt, F/O R. Russell, W/Cdr A. Lewington, F/O D. Guy, and F/O G. O’Grady landed at Foulsham on return due to poor weather at base.

    F/Lt J. Francis and crew from  434 Squadron, flying Halifax III MZ-421 coded WL-A, were attacked by a JU-88, there was no claim or damage. They landed at Fulbeck on return.
    W/O1 C. Ferris returned early. The stbd inner was u/s after takeoff, the crew continued but the port inner started to fail. They landed safely at Woodbridge on 3 engines.
    F/Lt G. Halcro landed at Mildenhall on return due to poor weather at base.
    W/Cdr A. Blackburn, F/O A. Kiehlbauch, F/O L. Coulter, F/O M. Harvie, F/Lt D. Boyle, F/O R. Henry, F/O J. Moffatt, F/O V. Barr, F/O I. Andres, P/O H. Hawley, P/O C. Alger, and F/Lt C. Porter landed at Fulbeck on return due to poor weather at base.
    P/O R. Telford landed at Cranwell on return due to poor weather at base.
    F/O J. Wagman, P/O J. Bagley, and P/O M. Isenberg landed at Woodbridge on return due to poor weather at base.

    As there was bad weather at the groups’ bases, crews landed at Fullbeck, Mildenhall, Woodbridge, Cromwell, Oulton, Debach, Syerston , Foulsham, Spilsby, Rivenhall, East Kirkby, Waddington, Bardney, Old Buckenham, Metheringham, Stoughton, Carnaby, Swinderby, North Creake, Downham Market, Langham, Little Snoring, Harwick, West Rayham, Coningsby, Martlesham Heath, Balderton, Thorpe Abbott, and Bury St. Edmonds.