Operation: Dremmen, Germany

Date: 23rd January 1945 (Tuesday)

Unit No: 440 (City of Ottawa) Squadron, RCAF, 143 Wing, 2nd Tactical Air Force

Type: Typhoon Ib

Serial: RB325

Code: I8:X

Base: ALG B.78 Eindhoven, Netherlands

Location: Near Dremmen, Germany

Pilot: Flt Lt. Harold ‘Bugs’ Noel Byers J13485 RCAF Age 25. KiA

Above Flt Lt. Byers from his Service Record

REASON FOR LOSS

On the 23rd January 1945 eight Typhoons from the Sqn took off from B.78 at Eindhoven at 14:25 hrs on a bombing mission on Dremmen in Germany. Twelve bombs landed on a cross-roads in the centre of the town, two on the northern part and two on Schleiden.

Schleiden is some 3 km (2 ml) due east of Dremmen.

The following is the report by Plt Off. N.M. Hughes, J88308 RCAF, on then loss of Flt Lt. Byers and Typhoon lb RB325 at 15:00 hrs on the 23rd January 1945.

"I was flying Red 4 on a dive-bombing mission on the village of Dremmen, in Germany. A considerable amount of flak was encountered over the target. Red 3 (Flt Lt. H. Byers) was first in on the target. At about 6000 feet during the dive his aircraft was enveloped in black smoke. I believe his bombs were away before this happened. His aircraft came out of the dive and began to climb straight ahead. All this time his aircraft was on fire. Between 8000 and 9000 feet the tail fell off and the remainder cartwheeled into the ground behind the German lines. No parachute was seen. I completed my bombing and returned to base."

Burial details:

Above Grave marker for Flt Lt. Byers (Courtesy of Michel Beckers)

Flt Lt. Harold Noel Byers. Recovered and initially interred at the Netherlands American Cemetery at Margraten as "Unknown X-135 (Allied) Margraten" in Row 2, Grave 46. Finally laid to rest at the Nederweert War Cemetery IV.A.8 on the 20th November 1946. Inscription: "THY WILL BE DONE". Born on the 26th November 1919 in Melita, Manitoba. Son of Herbert Percy (deceased November 1933) and Mary Edna (née Irvine) Byers (later Sparrow) of Souris, Manitoba. Husband of Frances Muriel (née Stockden) Byers, of Souris, Manitoba, Canada.

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

Other sources as quoted below:

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