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Archive Report: Allied Forces

Compiled from official National Archive and Service sources, contemporary press reports, personal logbooks, diaries and correspondence, reference books, other sources, and interviews.
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418
418 Squadron Mosquito FB.VI PZ198 Sq/Ldr. Kenneth Arthur Boomer DFC

Operation: Ranger

Date: 22nd October 1944 (Sunday)

Unit: No. 418 (City of Edmonton) Squadron RCAF (motto: iyautailili - 'Defend even unto death')

Type: Mosquito FB VI

Serial: PZ198

Code: TH-?

Base: RAF Hunsdon, Hertfordshire

Location: Brunthal area, Germany

Pilot: Sq/Ldr. Kenneth Arthur Boomer DFC. C/1220 RCAF Age 28. Killed

Nav: Fl/Lt. Noel James Gibbons DFC and bar. J/12273 RCAF Are 29. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Weather for the day was described as fog until 08:00 hrs slowly improving, visibility becoming moderate by 12:00 hrs. Cloudy all day with a slight drizzle at 22:00 hrs.

Taking off from the advanced landing ground at St. Dizier (A-64) at 14:40 hrs on a daylight 'Ranger' patrol in the Munich area, They were accompanied by Fl/Lt. E.A Johnson with his navigator W/O. K.W Pace in another Mosquito. Strict radio silence was observed. Sq/Ldr. destroyed one enemy aircraft and damaged another on the ground whilst Fl.Lt. Johnson observed a carefully cancullaged aircraft but was not able to get into position to attack.

Fl.Lt. Johnson lost contact with Sq/Ldr. Boomer but heard him on the radio at 16:30 hrs. Nothing further heard from him and they were posted as missing.

Fl/Lt. Johnson attacked and destroyed a train at 17:00 hrs, then went on to attack a factory at Schomberg at 17:25hrs. before landing at base at 19:16 hrs.

Burial details:

Initially buried on the 23rd October 1944 in the Brunthal Cemetery - reinterred after war end.

Sq/Ldr. Kenneth Arthur Boomer DFC. Choloy War Cemetery. Grave 1.G.10. Born on the 20th August 1916 in Ottawa. Enlisted in the RCAF on 09th October 1939. Son of Frank Daniel Boomer (died 1974, age 90) and Nettie Alice Booker (née Moshe - died 24th September 1962, age 78) of 45 Belmont Avenue, Ottawa, Canada. Husband of Lorna Jean Boomer (née Merriam) of of 524 Golden Avenue Westboro, Ontario, Canada, Married on 02nd June 1942 in Ottawa.

US Army Air Medal:

On the 26th of Septenber, 1942, Squadron Leader Boomer voluntarily flow with the United States Army combat pilots, accompanying heavy bombers in making a hazardous five hundred mile over-water flight in order to press hone an attack on the enemy at Kiska Island, Alaska. Although the mission of protecting the bombing planes from anti-airboraft fire and en-eny fighters was completed, the fighters returned to strafe all enemy installations with remarkable success. All planes returned safely to their base.

DFC Citation:

This Officer is in command of a fighter squadron on detached operations in Alaska. Inspired by his unflagging zeal and devotion to duty his Squadron has maintained a consistently high standard of eff-Icienoy under difficult and trying conditions. He has displayed great qualities of courage and determination in seeking out the enemy and his flying skill has been responsible for the excellent work done by his Squadron on coastal patrol duties in action against the enemy. He was the first R.C.A.F. Pilot to make direct contact with the enemy and in so doing gave an exceptionally good account of himself. His services on fighter operations have been invaluable.

Fl/Lt. Noel James Gibbons. DFC. Choloy War Cemetery. Grave 1.G.9. Born on the 19th November 1920 in Grand Prairie, Albert. Enlisted on the 02nd October 1941 in Vancouver. Son of George and Constance Ellen Gibbons (née Dickinson), of 2355 Marine Drive, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.


DFC Citation 14th March 1944:

Fl/Lt. Gibbons has completed many sorties, penetrating deeply into Germany and enemy occupied territory. On each occasion his skillful navigation has enabled his pilot (1) reach and patrol the target area, often in very adverse weather, while his excellent commentaries when patrolling heavily defended Fl/Lt. Gibbons was responsible for navigating a section of aircraft through adverse weather and over difficult terrain to a target in the Munich area. At Bad Aibling he participated in the destruction of two enemy aircraft on the ground and damaged two others. As squadron navigation leader this officer has done much to maintain a high standard of navigation

(1) The pilot he had previously served with, James Robert Feir Johnson J/14873 RCAF. Born in Omemee, Ontario on the 26th September 1916. Educated in Omemee and Lindsay Collegiate. Enlisted in Toronto on the 11th February 1941. DFC. DSO. AFC. Survived the war passed away on Monday, 19th May 11997, age 81.

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to the National Archives Kew. AIR-27-1821-19/20, AIR-27-1821-19/20, Paradie RCAF Archives, Canadian Government WW2 Service files.

Other pages that may interest you:

Pages regarding Mosquito losses

Pages detailing RCAF losses

Other sources as quoted below:

KTY 07-08-2024

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Acknowledgements
Sources used by us in compiling Archive Reports include: Bill Chorley - 'Bomber Command Losses Vols. 1-9, plus ongoing revisions', Dr. Theo E.W. Boiten and Mr. Roderick J. Mackenzie - 'Nightfighter War Diaries Vols. 1 and 2', Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt - 'Bomber Command War Diaries', Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Tom Kracker - Kracker Luftwaffe Archives, Michel Beckers, Major Fred Paradie (RCAF) and MWO François Dutil (RCAF) - Paradie Archive (on this site), Jean Schadskaje, Major Jack O'Connor USAF (Retd.), Robert Gretzyngier, Wojtek Matusiak, Waldemar Wójcik and Józef Zieliński - 'Ku Czci Połeglyçh Lotnikow 1939-1945', Archiwum - Polish Air Force Archive (on this site), Anna Krzystek, Tadeusz Krzystek - 'Polskie Siły Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii', Franek Grabowski, Norman L.R. Franks 'Fighter Command Losses', Stan D. Bishop, John A. Hey MBE, Gerrie Franken and Maco Cillessen - Losses of the US 8th and 9th Air Forces, Vols 1-6, Dr. Theo E.W. Boiton - Nachtjagd Combat Archives, Vols 1-13. Aircrew Remembered Databases and our own archives. We are grateful for the support and encouragement of CWGC, UK Imperial War Museum, Australian War Memorial, Australian National Archives, New Zealand National Archives, UK National Archives and Fold3 and countless dedicated friends and researchers across the world.
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