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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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439 (Westmount) Squadron, RCAF
03.05.1945 439 (Westmount) Squadron, RCAF Typhoon Ib SW443 Fg Off. George F. Burden

Operation: Hamburg-Elmshorn Railway Line, Germany

Date: 3rd May 1945 (Thursday)

Unit No: 439 (Westmount) Squadron, RCAF, 143 Wing, 2nd Tactical Air Force

Type: Typhoon Ib

Serial: SW443

Code: 5V:M

Base: ALG B.150 Hustedt, Germany

Location: Near Elmshorn, Germany

Pilot: Fg Off. George Franklin Burden J88715 RCAF Age 22. MiA

Above Fg Off. Burden as a recruit from his Service Record

REASON FOR LOSS

On the 3rd May 1945 seven Typhoons from the Sqn took off from B.150 Hustedt at 08:05 hrs to bomb the Hamburg-Elmshorn railway line. They circled north of Hamburg and then headed for Elmshorn. A locomotive was spotted in the yards at Tornesch NE of Elmshorn which was then attacked. The locomotive was not hit but the eight cuts were made in the tracks just ahead of it.

Blue Section’s bombs landed just west of the yards and four more cuts were made. Some light flak opposition was met. Blue Section then strafed twice, damaging the locomotive and at least six wagons. Blue Section found another train just west of Pinneberg and in the dive encountered a hail of light flak from the train. Fg Off. Burden, flying as Blue 2, was seen to receive a direct hit and his aircraft burst into flames. His Typhoon crashed at 08:40 hrs in the vicinity of Elmshorn, approximately 24 km (15 ml) NW of Hamburg. Fg Off. Burden was not seen to bale out and in view of this information, he was classified as Missing Believed Killed in Action.

Information received from a Missing Research Investigating Unit (MREU), stated that the wreckage of this aircraft was located near Elmshorn, Germany. The report further stated that the pilot was killed and that his body was removed by the Germans for burial. The location of his grave could not be located by the investigating team.

Burial details:

Above Runnymede Memorial Panel 278 (Courtesy of Andrea Ruddick)

Fg Off. George Franklin Burden. Runnymede Memorial Panel 278. Born on the 4th April 1923 of Fredericton, New Brunswick. Son Edward Esterbrooks and Myrtle Maruerite (née Hoyt) Burden of Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada.

Researched by Ralph Snape and dedicated to this pilot and his family.

Other sources as quoted below:

RS 03.05.2023 - Initial upload

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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 Captain 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', Andrew Mielnik: Archiwum - Polish Air Force Archive (on this site), Anna Krzystek, Tadeusz Krzystek - 'Polskie Siły Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii', Franek Grabowski, Polish graves: https://niebieskaeskadra.pl/, PoW Museum Żagań, 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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