Operation: Bombing mission, France

Date: 30th July 1944 (Sunday)

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

Type: Typhoon Ib

Serial: MN793

Code: I8:Z

Base: ALG B.9 Lantheuil, France

Location: Near Cauvicourt, some 4½ km (3 mls) east of Bretteville-sur-Laize, France

Pilot: Fg Off. John William Lippert J27245 RCAF Age 23. KiA

Above Fg Off. John William Lippert from his Service Record

REASON FOR LOSS

Fg Off. Lippert took off as part of a flight of nine Typhoons commencing at 14:45 hrs from Advance Landing Ground (ALG) B.9 Lantheuil, on a mission to bomb tank and troop concentrations NE of Bretteville-sur-Laize in France.

The target area was covered by cloud and after overflying the target a hole in the cloud cover was found about 3¼ km (2 mls) south through which the Typhoons dived onto the target from 8000 to 1000 ft. with Fg Off. Lippert being the last aircraft in the formation.

Black smoke was seen from the target which was hit with 8 bombs. 2 bombs fell to the right of the woods, 2 into the nearby village and 4 bombs overshot the target.

No visual flak was apparent but some flak was experienced which damaged five of the Typhoons. Fg Off. Lippert was missing when the formation returned to base. It was presumed that his aircraft was hit by flak and he was posted as “Missing”.

An after mission report by Fg Off. James Stewart, flying as Blue #3, described the following:

“Arriving at target, formation dived through hole in layer of cloud. I looked back to see if Fg Off. Lippert (Blue #4) was still with me. All I could see was a large puff of smoke as if an explosion had taken place. I finished my dive then looked around on the ground but could see no sign of a wreck. No parachute was seen.”

Note: Further details for Fg Off. James Stewart have not been found other than his last recorded operational sortie was on the 28th October 1944 from which he returned safely.

An intelligence unit reported that a German pilot claimed a Typhoon aircraft shot down in this area about the same time Fg Off. Lippert was missing. However, no corroborating evidence has been found to support this claim.

An investigation carried out by No. 1 Missing Research & Enquiry Unit (MREU), on the 22nd January 1946, located the crash site of a single engine fighter near Cauvicourt, some 4½ km (3 mls) east of Bretteville-sur-Laize but could not find any definitive evidence that this was Fg Off. Lippert’s Typhoon. Enquires at Cauvicourt only yielded that this aircraft crashed towards the end of July 1944 and that the pilot was a “Young Canadian Lieutenant”.

The pilot was buried in an isolated grave next to the crashed aircraft. Records show that the remains were recovered on the 17th July 1945 and interred at the Bretteville-sur-Laize Canadian War Cemetery in Grave XXI. E.5, initially as “Unknown”.

Burial details:

Fg Off. John William Lippert.Bretteville-sur-Laize Canadian War Cemetery, Grave XXI. E.5. Inscription: ‘THANKS TO ALMIGHTY GOD FOR ALL HIS BLESSINGS AND MAY JACK'S SOUL REST IN PEACE’. Born on the 2nd July 1921 in Kitchener, Ontario. Son of Herbert Albert and Genevieve Belle (née Jones) Lippert of Kitchener, Ontario, Canada.

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

Other sources as quoted below:

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember them. - Laurence Binyon
All site material (except as noted elsewhere) is owned or managed by Aircrew Remembered and should not be used without prior permission.
© Aircrew Remembered 2012 - 2026 Last Modified: 19 July 2023, 08:49