No.462 (B) Squadron Royal Australian Air Force in WW2A Brief History Part 2 - European Theatre of Operations August 1944 to May 1945

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MZ402

00Aug44 Handley Page Type HP61 Halifax B Mk III bomber Serial MZ402 was the 13^th of 46 aircraft built in the Serial Range MZ390 to MZ435 manufactured under license to Contract No. ACFT/2595, requisition HA10/E11/42, by the London Aircraft Production Group (a subsidiary of the London Passenger Transport Board) in their factories at Aldenham, Chiswick and White City in Greater London. The aircraft was built in-line with Handley Pages’ well established and proven split construction and unit assembly methods. The aircraft was divided into twelve major assemblies, which allowed for more tradespeople to work on each assembly than would normally have been possible. Not only did this approach speed up production but it also made transportation and repair much easier. Components were all transported to Leavesden Aerodrome for final assembly and flight testing.

Powered by four Bristol Hercules XVI 38-litre, 14-cylinder, twin-row, supercharged, air-cooled radial engines each developing 1,650hp (1,230 kW) driving three-blade de Havilland 55/18 fully feathering wooden propellers.

Defensive armament consisted of nine .303 inch Browning machine guns; one Gimbal mounted Vickers GO in the SRS 1A Type nose; four midships guns in a Boulton Paul A Mk.VIII turret; and, four tail guns in a Boulton Paul E Mk.I turret. Max bomb load, 10,000lb (4,540 kg) in fuselage and 3,000lb (1,362 kg) in wings. The aircraft was painted in the standard RAF Night scheme of matt Dark Green and Dark Earth on the upper surfaces and Night Black on all undersurfaces.

20Aug44 Aircraft allocated to No.51 (B) Sqn at RAF Station Snaith, Yorkshire.

22Aug44 Allocation cancelled, reallocated to No.462 (B) Sqn at RAF Station Driffield, Yorkshire.

23Aug44 Allocation cancelled, reallocated to No.466 (B) Sqn at RAF Station Driffield, Yorkshire.

24Aug44 Aircraft taken on charge with 466 Sqn and issued to B Flight as HD-V

31Aug44 Aircraft made two non-operational flights in August 1944

01Sep44 1^st Operational Mission. PLTOFF A.R Thoms and crew departed Driffield at 0658hrs with five other 466 Squadron aircraft that joined a further 91 Halifaxes, 15 Mosquitos and 10 Lancasters of 4 and 8 Groups and attacked V2 rocket storage sites at Lumbres and La Pourchinte, Pas-de-Calais, France. The crew bombed their assigned target and RTB at 1011hrs.

30Sep44 Aircraft flew eleven operational missions, two non-operational flights and, made 11 x 10min pre-Ops test flights in September 1944.

06Oct44 6^th Operational Mission. PLTOFF R.B Breusch and crew departed Driffield at 1432hrs with 15 other squadron aircraft then joined with a further 240 Halifaxes, 47 Lancasters and 20 Mosquitos of 4 and 8 Groups for an attack on synthetic oil plants at Sterkrade and Scholven/Buer, Germany. The aircraft was hit by flak in the tail when egressing the target area resulting in the death of the rear gunner and damage to the aircraft.

RAFVR air gunner 1595916 Sergeant James Lugton Higgison of Glasgow, Scotland was KIA and is buried in Section E, Grave No.4771 of the Riddrie Park Cemetery in Glasgow. He is commemorated on Panel 181 on The Walls of Names at the International Bomber Command Centre at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire; and, in the RAF Books of Remembrance in St Clement Danes Church, London.

07Oct44 Aircraft assessed as Cat.A/FB and repaired by the Squadron.

09Oct44 Aircraft allocated to No.462 (B) Sqn at RAF Station Driffield, Yorkshire.

11Oct44 Aircraft taken on charge with 462 Sqn and issued to B Flight as Z5-V

While serving with 466Sqn the aircraft flew fifteen operational missions, five non-operational flights and, made 15 x 10min pre-Ops test flights.

23Oct44 1^st Operational Mission (462Sqn) RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.96

FLTLT C.W Jackson DFC and crew departed Driffield at 1646hrs as one of sixteen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 561 Lancaster, 447 Halifax and 31 Mosquitos of Nos. 1, 4, 6 and 8 Groups for a 1,055 strong bomber attack on Essen, Germany. Weapons load consisted of 1 x 2,000lb HC; 6 x AN M59 1,000lb SAP; and, 4 x 500lb GP bombs, which were dropped on the target from 19,00ft at 1941hrs then returned to base at 2157hrs.

This was the heaviest raid on Essen so far in the war and the number of aircraft dispatched was also the greatest number to any target so far; 4,538 tons of bombs were dropped and more than 90 per cent of this tonnage was high explosive (and included 509 x 4,000lb Cookies).

25Oct44 2^nd Operational Mission.RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.98

FLTLT C.W Jackson DFC and crew departed Driffield at 1226hrs as one of sixteen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 235 Halifaxes, 508 Lancasters and 12 Mosquitos of Nos.1, 4, 6 and 8 Groups for a 771 strong bomber attack on Essen, Germany. Weapons load was 7 x AN M59 1,000lb SAP; 2 x 500lb MC bombs; and 4 x 500lb GP LD37 bombs all set for 0.025sec time delay. The crew bombed the target from 19,000ft at 1543hrs and returned to base at 1745hrs.

28Oct44 3^rd Operational Mission.RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.100

FLTLT A.G Cuttriss and crew departed Driffield at 1000hrs as one of thirteen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 142 Halifaxes of No.4 Group plus 86 Lancasters and 36 Mosquitos of No.8 Group for a 277 strong bomber attack on five gun emplacements on Walcheren Island. 462Sqn was part of the force that attacked the emplacement at Oostkapelle W.19. Weapons load was 1 x 2,000lb HC, 7 x AN M59 1,000lb SAP; and, 4 x 500lb GP bombs. The crew bombed their target from 5,000ft at 1155hrs and returned to base at 1330hrs.

29Oct44 4^th Operational MissionRAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.101

FLGOFF D.G Uther and crew departed Driffield at 1022hrs as one of fifteen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 113 Halifaxes, 194 Lancasters and 36 Mosquitos of Nos. 1,3, 4 and 8 Groups for a 358 strong bomber that attacked various targets on Walcheren Island. Weapons load was 1 x 2,000lb HC bomb; 7 x AN M59 1,000lb SAP TD bombs; and, 4 x AN M58 500lb GP TD bombs all set for a three second time delay.all set for a three second time delay. The crew bombed the battery at Westkapelle from 8,700ft at 1215hrs and returned to base at 1348hrs.

30Oct44 5^th Operational MissionRAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.104

FLGOFF D.G Uther and crew departed Driffield at 1735hrs as one of thirteen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 424 Halifaxes, 435 Lancasters and 32 Mosquitos of Nos. 1, 3, 4 and 8 Groups for a 905 strong bomber attack on Cologne, Germany. Weapons load was 1 x 2,000lb HC bomb; 12 x 250lb Small Bomb Containers (each with 50 x 4lb incendiaries and 40 x 4lb X filled incendiaries). The crew bombed the target from 18,000ft at 2120hrs and returned to base at 0017hrs/31Oct.

31Oct44 Aircraft flew five operational missions, one non-operational flight and, made 5 x 10min pre-Ops test flights in October 1944.

02Nov44 6^th Operational MissionRAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.110

FLGOFF D.G Uther and crew departed Driffield at 1611hrs as one of fifteen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 386 Halifaxes, 561 Lancasters and 31 Mosquitos of Nos. 1, 3, 4 and 8 Groups for a 992 strong attack on Düsseldorf, Germany. Weapons load was 1 x 2,000lb HC bomb and 11 x Cluster Projectile 500lb No.14 Mk I (each containing 106 x 4lb incendiary bomblets). The crew bombed the target from 17,000ft at 1926hrs and returned to base at 2151hrs.

04Nov44 7^th Operational MissionRAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.111

FLGOFF D.G Uther and crew departed Driffield at 1704hrs as one of thirteen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 372 Halifaxes, 336 Lancasters and 29 Mosquitos of Nos. 1, 4, 6 and 8 Groups for a 749 strong attack on Bochum, Germany. Weapons load was 1 x 2,000lb HC bombs; 6 x 1,000lb MC bombs; and, 4 x 500lb GP bombs. The crew bombed the target from 18,000ft at 1940hrs and returned to base at 2240hrs.

06Nov44 8^th Operational MissionRAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.112

FLGOFF D.G Uther and crew departed Driffield at 1138hrs as one of fourteen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 369 Halifaxes, 324 Lancasters and 31 Mosquitos of Nos. 1, 4, 6 and 8 Groups for a 738 strong attack on Gelsenkirchen, Germany. Weapons load was 1 x 2,000lb HC bomb; 6 x AN M59 1,000lb SAP TD bombs; and, 4 x 500lb LD TD37A bombs. The crew bombed the target from 20,000ft at 1402hrs and returned to base at 1702hrs.

16Nov44 9^th Operational MissionRAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.115

SQNLDR B.J McDermott and crew departed Driffield at 1250hrs as one of sixteen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 400 Halifaxes, 78 Lancasters and 17 Mosquitos for three simultaneous attacks on three towns near the German front lines between Aachen and the Rhine River. 1,188 Bomber Command aircraft attacked the towns of Düren, Jülich and Heinsburg in order to cut communications behind the German lines. 462 Sqn was tasked to attack Jülich with another 397 Halifaxes, 17 Lancasters and 17 Mosquitos of Nos.4, 6 and 8 Groups. Weapons load was 1 x 2,000lb HC; 7 x AN M59 1,000lb SAP TD; and, 5 x 500lb GP TD bombs. The crew bombed the target from 13,500ft at 1532hrs and returned to base at 1735hrs.

Along with the RAF component, a force of 1,239 USAF heavy bombers also made raids in the same area. In total, more than 9,400 tons of high-explosive ordnance were dropped by the combined bomber forces.

21Nov44 10^th Operational MissionRAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.119

FLGOFF D.G Uther and crew departed Driffield at 1728hrs as one of fifteen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 217 Halifaxes, 18 Lancasters and 20 Mosquitos of Nos.4 and 8 Groups for a 270 strong attack on the synthetic oil refinery at Sterkrade, Germany. Weapons load was 15 x AN M58 500lb SAP bombs and 1 x 500lb GP LD37 bombs. The crew bombed the target at 2107hrs from 19,300ft then returned to Base at 0015hrs/22^ndNov.

29Nov44 11^th Operational MissionRAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.121

FLGOFF D.G Uther and crew departed Driffield at 0241hrs as one of sixteen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 253 Halifaxes, 32 Lancasters and 14 Mosquitos of Nos.1, 4 and 8 Groups for a 316 strong bomber force attack on the Essen, Germany. Weapons load was 1 x 2000lb HC; 5 x 1,000lb MC; and, 6 x 500lb GP TD bombs. The crew bombed the target from 20,200ft at 0538hrs and to base at 0815hrs.

30Nov44 12^th Operational MissionRAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.123

FLGOFF V.C Ely and crew departed Driffield at 1631hrs as one of sixteen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 406 Halifaxes, 126 Lancasters and 25 Mosquitos of Nos.1, 4, 6 and 8 Groups for a 576 strong bomber force attack on the Duisburg, Germany. Weapons load was 16 x 500lb GP bombs. The crew bombed the target from 19,000ft at 2001hrs and returned to base at 2219hrs.

30Nov44 Aircraft flew seven operational missions, two non-operational flights and, made 7 x 10min pre-Ops test flights in November 1944.

05Dec44 13^th Operational MissionRAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.127

FLTLT W.B Cookson and crew departed Driffield at 1810hrs as one of fourteen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 371 Halifaxes, 100 Lancasters and 12 Mosquitos for a 497 strong bomber force attack on railway marshalling yards at Soest, Germany. Weapons load was 1 x 2,000lb HC bomb; 3 x 1,000 MC TD bombs; and, 8 x 500lb MC TD bombs. The crew bombed the target from 21,000ft at 2135hrs and returned to base at 0015hrs/06Dec.

06Dec44 14^th Operational Mission. RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.128

FLGOFF J.N Boyd and crew departed Driffield at 1601hrs as one of fourteen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 349 Halifaxes, 72 Lancasters and 18 Mosquitos of Nos.1, 4, 6 and 8 Groups for a 453 strong bomber force area attack on Osnabrück, Germany. Weapons load was 14 x 500lb GP TD bombs and 2 x 500lb GP LD37 bombs. The crew bombed the target from 20,000ft at 1944hrs and returned to base at 2212hrs.

12Dec44 15^th Operational MissionRAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.130

FLGOFF D.G Uther and crew departed Driffield at 1623hrs as one of eleven 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 152 Halifaxes, 349 Lancasters and 28 Mosquitos of Nos.1, 4 and 8 Groups for a 540 strong bomber force attack on Essen, Germany. Weapons load was 1 x 2,000lb HC; 3 x 1,000lb MC TD bombs; and, 8 x 500lb GP TD bombs. The crew bombed the target from 19,400ft at 1939hrs and returned to base at 2250hrs.

21Dec44 462 Squadron was stood down from operations and ordered to move from No.4 Group to No.100 Group where it became a Special Duties squadron.

29Dec44 Aircraft moved from Driffield to RAF Station Foulsham, Norfolk.

31Dec44 Aircraft flew three operational missions, one non-operational flight and, made 3 x 10min pre-Ops test flights in December 1944.

02Jan45 16^th Operational Mission FLGOFF F.H James and crew departed Foulsham at 1539hrs with seven other Halifaxes for a Windows Spoof raid in the Mannheim area to support the Main Force attack on Nuremburg, Germany. The crew completed the mission and RTB at 2104hrs

07Jan45 17^th Operational Mission FLGOFF H.B Hancock and crew departed Foulsham at 1903hrs as one of seven 462Sqn Halifaxes for a Windows Spoof raid in the Ruhr area in support of the Main Force attack on Munich, Germany. In addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment, the aircraft carried 2 x 500lb GP bombs. The crew completed their mission and dropped the bombs on Stuttgart then RTB at 0223hrs/08Jan.

14Jan45 18^th Operational Mission FLGOFF H.B Hancock and crew departed Foulsham at 1617hrs as one of thirteen 462Sqn Halifaxes for a Windows Spoof raid on Mannerheim in support of the Main Force attack on synthetic oil plants in Germany. In addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment, the aircraft carried 2 x 500lb GP bombs. The crew completed their mission and dropped the bombs in the Mannerheim area then RTB at 0223hrs/15Jan.

16Jan45 19^th Operational Mission FLGOFF F.H James and crew departed Foulsham at 1830hrs as one of nine 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid in the Sylt area of Germany in support of the Main Force attack on Magdeburg, Germany. The crew completed the mission and RTB at 2239hrs

17Jan45 20^th Operational Mission FDLGOFF F.H Ridgewell and crew departed Foulsham at 1630hrs with seven other Halifaxes for a Windows Spoof raid on Bochum in support of the Main Force attacks on Germany. In addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment, the aircraft carried 2 x 500lb GP bombs. The crew completed their mission and dropped the bombs in the Bochum area then RTB at 2134hrs.

22Jan45 21^st Operational Mission FLGOFF D.G Uther and crew departed Foulsham at 1703hrs as one of eleven 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof Raid in the Ruhr area in support of the Main Force attack on Duisburg, Germany. The crew completed the mission and RTB at 2104hrs.

31Jan45 Aircraft flew six operational missions and made 6 x 10min pre-Ops test flights in January 1945.

09Feb45 22^nd Operational Mission F.H James and crew departed Foulsham at 0339hrs and completed a successful Windows Spoof Raid in the Ruhr are of Germany. Aircraft retuned to Base at 0801hrs.

11Feb45 23^rd Operational Mission. FLTLT F.H James and crew departed Foulsham at 0126hrs and completed a successful Windows Spoof Raid in the Ruhr are of Germany. On return to base at 0440hs the port undercarriage collapsed upon landing causing the aircraft to swing off the runway and crash. No injuries were reported.

12Feb45 an inspection of the aircraft determined the damage as Cat.AC/FB

13Feb45 Lorries from No.60 MU transported the aircraft to the Handley Page repair facility at Rawcliffe, Yorkshire.

23May45 Aircraft damage proved to be significant and the aircraft was reassessed as Cat.E

24Jun45 Aircraft struck off charge. While serving with 462Sqn the aircraft flew 23 operational missions, made at least four non-operational flights and, made 22 x 10min pre-Ops test flights. Additionally, while serving with 466Sqn the aircraft flew sixteen operational missions, two non-operational flights and, made 16 x 10min pre-Ops test flights. Total known flights were 39 operational missions, six non-operational flights and, 39 x 10min pre-Ops test flights.

MZ447

00Sep44 Handley Page Type HP61 Halifax B Mk III bomber Serial MZ447 was the 1^st of 49 aircraft built in the Serial Range MZ447 to MZ495 manufactured under license to Contract No. ACFT/2595, requisition HA10/E11/42, by the London Aircraft Production Group (a subsidiary of the London Passenger Transport Board) in their factories at Aldenham, Chiswick and White City in Greater London. The aircraft was built in-line with Handley Pages’ well established and proven split construction and unit assembly methods. The aircraft was divided into twelve major assemblies, which allowed for more tradespeople to work on each assembly than would normally have been possible. Not only did this approach speed up production but it also made transportation and repair much easier. Components were all transported to Leavesden Aerodrome for final assembly and flight testing.

Powered by four Bristol Hercules XVI 38-litre, 14-cylinder, twin-row, supercharged, air-cooled radial engines each developing 1,650hp (1,230 kW) driving three-blade de Havilland 55/18 fully feathering wooden propellers. Engine serials were: Port Outer SS22352/A391350; Port Inner SS30819/A460741; Starboard Inner SS30975/A460897; and, Starboard Outer SS22394/A391392

Defensive armament consisted of nine .303 inch Browning machine guns; one Gimbal mounted Vickers GO in the SRS 1A Type nose; four midships guns in a Boulton Paul A Mk.VIII turret; and, four tail guns in a Boulton Paul E Mk.I turret. Max bomb load, 10,000lb (4,540 kg) in fuselage and 3,000lb (1,362 kg) in wings. The aircraft was painted in the standard RAF Night scheme of matt Dark Green and Dark Earth on the upper surfaces and Night Black on all undersurfaces.

25Sep44 Aircraft delivered by an ATA Ferry Crew to No.44 Maintenance Unit at RAF Station Edzell in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

01Oct44 Aircraft allocated to RCAF No.429 (B) Sqn at RAF Station Leeming, Yorkshire.

01Oct44 Allocation cancelled. Re-allocated to RCAF No.434 (B) Sqn at RAF Station Croft, Yorkshire.

31Oct44 Aircraft flew eleven operational missions and made 11 x 10min pre-Ops test flight in October 1944.

30Nov44 Aircraft flew seven operational missions and made 7 x 10min pre-Ops test flight in November 1944.

22Dec44 434 Sqn equipped with Lancaster bombers during December 1944. Aircraft collected by an ATA ferry crew and flown to a RAF Maintenance Unit for servicing before reallocation

31Dec44 Aircraft flew five operational missions and made 5 x 10min pre-Ops test flight in November 1944.

10Jan45 Aircraft allocated to RAAF No.462 (B) Sqn at RAF Station Foulsham, Norfolk.

16Jan45 Aircraft delivered by an ATA Ferry Crew to No.462 Sqn. Taken on charge with A Flight as Z5-A.

28Jan45 1^st Operational Mission. FLTLT A.J Rate and crew departed Foulsham at 1703hrs as one of eight 462Sqn Halifaxes for a Windows Spoof raid in support of the Main Force attack on Mainz, Germany. In addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment, the aircraft carried 2 x 500lb GP bombs which the crew dropped before returning to Base at 2345hrs.

31Jan45 Aircraft flew one operational mission, one non-operational flight and, made 1 x 10min pre-Ops test flight in January 1945.

01Feb45 2^nd Operational Mission. FLTLT L.G Scharer and crew departed Foulsham at 1631hrs as one of thirteen 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid in support of the Main Force attack on Mannheim, Germany. In addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment, the aircraft carried 2 x 500lb GP bombs. The crew dropped window foil but could not drop the 2 x 500lb GP bombs because of an electrical problem. The crew returned to Base at 2245hrs.

02Feb45 3^rd Operational Mission. PLTOFF G.M Langworthy and crew departed Foulsham at 2057hrs as one of eight 462Sqn Halifaxes for a Windows Spoof raid in support of the Main Force attack on Mannheim, Germany. In addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment, the aircraft carried 2 x 500lb GP bombs. The crew dropped window foil and both bombs before returning to Base at 0203hrs/03Feb.

03Feb45 4^th Operational Mission. FLTLT L.G Scharer and crew departed Foulsham at 1640hrs with eight other Halifaxes for a Windows Spoof raid in support of the Main Force attack on Mainz, Germany. In addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment, the aircraft carried 4 x 500lb GP bombs. The crew dropped window foil and 4 x 500lb GP bombs then RTB at 2140hrs

04Feb45 5^th Operational Mission. FLTLT L.G Scharer and crew departed Foulsham at 1749hrs as one of ten 462Sqn Halifaxes for a Windows Spoof raid in the Ruhr area of Germany. The crew dropped window foil then RTB at 2215hrs

07Feb45 6^th Operational Mission. FSGT G.C Sharpe and crew departed Foulsham at 2145hrs as one of eleven Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid near Bonn in the Ruhr area of Germany. In addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment, the aircraft carried 2 x 500lb GP bombs and 2 x Cluster Projectile 750lb No.15 Mk I (each containing 158 x 4lb incendiary bomblets). The crew dropped window foil, bombs and incendiaries then RTB at 0153hrs/08Feb.

09Feb45 7^th Operational Mission. FSGT G.C Sharpe and crew departed Foulsham at 0332hrs as one of ten Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid near Wanne-Eickel in the Ruhr area of Germany. The crew dropped window foil then RTB at 0755hrs/10Feb

11Feb45 8^th Operational Mission. FSGT G.C Sharpe and crew departed Foulsham at 0131hrs as one of ten Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid in the Ruhr area of Germany. The crew dropped window foil then returned to Base at 0747hrs.

13Feb45 9^th Operational Mission. FLTLT A.J Rate and crew departed Foulsham at 1825hrs as one of nine 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid in support of Operation Thunderclap against Dresden, Germany. For this mission the aircraft was loaded with 4 x Incendiary Clusters 750lb No.15 Mk.1 each containing 158 x 4lb incendiary bomblets. The captain aborted the mission when the Radar Countermeasures Equipment went unserviceable. Aircraft returned to Base at 2309hrs with incendiary clusters on-board.

14Feb45 10^th Operational Mission. FLTLT D.G Uther and crew departed Foulsham at 1733hrs as one of five Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid in support of Operation Thunderclap against Dresden, Germany. The crew dropped window foil then RTB at 2130hrs.

24Feb45 11^th Operational Mission. FLTLT A.J Rate and crew departed Foulsham at 1658hrs as one of ten Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid in the Ruhr area of Germany. In addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment, the aircraft carried 1 x 500lb GP bombs and 3 x Cluster Projectile 750lb No.15 Mk I (each containing 158 x 4lb incendiary bomblets). The aircraft failed to return and was listed as MIA.

The exact fate of the aircraft was not known until mid-1945 when bomb aimer FSGT R.A Gould returned to the UK after his release from a POW Camp. Gould stated the crew had completed their mission and were heading home when they were hit by flak near the German town of Boishem, close to the Dutch border. The port wing was in flames when the captain ordered the crew to bale out at approximately 2130hrs. Gould was the only person to escape the doomed aircraft.

01Mar45 Aircraft struck off charge. While serving with 434Sqn the aircraft made an unknown 23 operational missions and 23 x 10min pre-Ops test flights. While serving with 462Sqn the aircraft made eleven operational missions, flew two non-operational flights and, made 11 x 10min pre-Ops test flights. Total accrued aircraft flight time was 221 hours and 30 minutes.

RAAF Pilot 423892 Flight Lieutenant Allan John Rate (24) born 22 April 1920, the son of Mr George William and Mrs Alice May Rate of Hurlstone Park in Sydney, New South Wales was KIA and initially buried in the Breyell Communal Cemetery in Germany. On 21 October 1947 he was reinterred in Plot XXVI, Row A, Grave 7 of the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery in Kleve, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. He is commemorated on Panel 230 on The Walls of Names at the International Bomber Command Centre at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire. He is also commemorated on Panel 109 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT. He is also honoured on the Roll of Honour in Hurlstone Park, Sydney.

Allan Rate: Reichswald Forest War Cemetery

RAAF bomb aimer/special duties operator 415429 Flying Officer Desmond Noel Kehoe (22) born 26 December 1922 in Mogumber, the son of Daniel O’Connell Kehoe and Mary Margret Kehoe of North Perth, Western Australia was KIA. He was initially buried in the Breyell Communal Cemetery in Germany. On 21 October 1947 he was reinterred in Plot XXVI, Row A, Grave 5 of the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery in Kleve, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. He is commemorated on Panel 192 on The Walls of Names at the International Bomber Command Centre at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire. He is also commemorated on Panel 109 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT; and, on the Cenotaph Undercroft, State War Memorial in Kings Park, WA.

FLGOFF Des Kehoe 4^th from left, back row

RAAF bomb aimer 434431 Pilot Officer Victor Joseph Trunk (24) born 21 October 1920 in Branxton New South Wales the son of Frank and Elizabeth Margaret Trunk, of Branxton. Victor was KIA and initially buried in the Breyell Communal Cemetery in Germany. On 21 October 1947 he was reinterred in Plot XXVI, Row A, Grave 8 of the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery in Kleve, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. He is commemorated on Panel 109 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT; and, on Panel 256 on The Walls of Names at the International Bomber Command Centre at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire. He is also honoured on the Armidale Teachers College Memorial and the Lismore Shire Honour Roll in New South Wales, Australia.

Temporary Cross on Grave 8 of the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery

Armidale Teachers College Memorial - Lismore Shire Honour Roll

RAFVR air gunner 1812795 Sergeant James Holloway (20) born 1925, the son of Mr James Richard and Beatrice Alice Holloway of Clapham, London was KIA and initially buried in the Breyell Communal Cemetery in Germany. On 21 October 1947 he was reinterred in Plot XXVI, Row A, Joint Grave 3-4 of the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery in Kleve, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. He is commemorated on Panel 183 on The Walls of Names at the International Bomber Command Centre at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAFVR air gunner 1717816 Sergeant Malcom John Husband (19) born 1926, the son of John and Mabel Husband of Frinton-on-Sea, Essex was KIA and initially buried in the Breyell Communal Cemetery in Germany. On 21 October 1947 he was reinterred in Plot XXVI, Row A, Joint Grave 3-4 of the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery in Kleve, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. He is commemorated on Panel 187 on The Walls of Names at the International Bomber Command Centre at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAFVR bomb aimer 1469853 Sergeant Edwin Joseph Maslin (21) born 1924, Manor Park, London was KIA and initially buried in the Breyell Communal Cemetery in Germany. On 21 October 1947 he was reinterred in Plot XXVI, Row A, Joint Grave 9 of the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery in Kleve, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. He is commemorated on Panel 205 on The Walls of Names at the International Bomber Command Centre at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAFVR flight engineer 1895058 Sergeant Stewart John Alfred Pegram (21) born 11 October 1924 at Brockhill Park Cottage, Saltwood, Hythe, Kent the son of Mr. Alfred Pegram and Mrs. Jane Duncan Pegram (nee Stewart) of Broxbourne, Hertfordshire. Stewart was KIA and initially buried in the Breyell Communal Cemetery in Germany. On 21 October 1947 he was reinterred in Plot XXVI, Row A, Grave 6 of the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery in Kleve, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. He is commemorated on Panel 224 on The Walls of Names at the International Bomber Command Centre at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAFVR bomb aimer 1801500 Flight Sergeant Reginald Albert Gould born (21) 24 June 1923 in Forest Hill, London the son of Mr Albert Gould, husband of Jeanne Winifred Gould of Bromley Kent. Reginald baled out of the stricken bomber but was captured soon after landing. He was sent for interrogation to a Luftwaffe Dulag then sent to POW camp Stalag VII-A Moosburg in southern Bavaria. He was liberated in May 1945 by troops from the US 3rd Army and returned to the UK.

MZ448

00Sep44 Handley Page Type HP61 Halifax B Mk III bomber Serial MZ448 was the 2^nd of 49 aircraft built in the Serial Range MZ447 to MZ495 manufactured under license to Contract No. ACFT/2595, requisition HA10/E11/42, by the London Aircraft Production Group (a subsidiary of the London Passenger Transport Board) in their factories at Aldenham, Chiswick and White City in Greater London. The aircraft was built in-line with Handley Pages’ well established and proven split construction and unit assembly methods. The aircraft was divided into twelve major assemblies, which allowed for more tradespeople to work on each assembly than would normally have been possible. Not only did this approach speed up production but it also made transportation and repair much easier. Components were all transported to Leavesden Aerodrome for final assembly and flight testing.

Powered by four Bristol Hercules XVI 38-litre, 14-cylinder, twin-row, supercharged, air-cooled radial engines each developing 1,650hp (1,230 kW) driving three-blade de Havilland 55/18 fully feathering wooden propellers. Engine serials were: Port Outer SS15439/A382469; Port Inner SS30989/A460911; Starboard Inner SS30987/A460909; and, Starboard Outer SS22282/A391280.

Defensive armament consisted of nine .303 inch Browning machine guns; one Gimbal mounted Vickers GO in the SRS 1A Type nose; four midships guns in a Boulton Paul A Mk.VIII turret; and, four tail guns in a Bouulton Paul E Mk.I turret. Max bomb load, 10,000lb (4,540 kg) in fuselage and 3,000lb (1,362 kg) in wings. The aircraft was painted in the standard RAF Night scheme of matt Dark Green and Dark Earth on the upper surfaces and Night Black on all undersurfaces.

27Sep44 Aircraft delivered by an ATA Ferry Crew to RAAF No.462 (B) Sqn at RAF Station Driffield, Yorkshire where it was taken on charge and issued to C Flight as Z5-W.

30Sep44 Aircraft made two non-operational flights in September 1944.

06Oct44 1^st Operational Mission.RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.82

WOFF J.E Byrom and crew departed Driffield at 1412hrs as one of seventeen 462Sqn squadron aircraft that joined a further 239 Halifaxes, 46 Lancasters and 20 Mosquitos of 4 and 8 Groups for a 320 strong attack on synthetic oil plants at Sterkrade and Scholven/Buer, Germany. Weapons load was 16 x 500lb GP bombs all set with .025sec time delay, which were dropped on the Sterkrade plant from 16,500ft then RTB at 1937hrs. The aircraft sustained Cat.A flak damage to the astrodome and nose section during the bomb run to the target.

07Oct44 2^nd Operational Mission.RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.84

WOFF J.E Byrom and crew departed Driffield at 1132hrs as one of twelve 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 239 Halifaxes, 90 Lancasters and 10 Mosquitos of Nos 3, 4 and 8 Groups for a 351 strong attack on the small German town of Kleve. This mission was to assist the Army defend the vulnerable Allied right flank near Nijmegen after the failure of Operation Market Garden. Weapons load consisted of 9 x AN M 59 1,000lb SAP TD bombs and 2 x 500lb GP LD 37A bombs, which were dropped on the target from 13,500ft at 1401hrs. On the return journey Base was closed due to thick fog and the aircraft was diverted to RAF Bungay, Suffolk arriving at 1535hrs.

09Oct44 3^rd Operational Mission.RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.86

FLGOFF R.R Hickey and crew departed Driffield at 1725hrs as one of nine 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 239 Halifaxes, 90 Lancasters and 10 Mosquitos of Nos 1, 4, 6 and 8 Groups for a 435 strong bomber attack on Bochum, Germany. Weapons load was 7 x AN M59 1,000lb SAP TD bombs and 6 x 500lb LD 37A bombs. The crew bombed their target at 2031hrs from 19,300ft before returning to Base at 2255hrs.

14Oct44 On 13 October, Sir Arthur Harris received the directive for Operation Hurricane: 'In order to demonstrate to the enemy in Germany generally the overwhelming superiority of the Allied Air Forces in this theatre. The intention is to apply within the shortest practical period the maximum effort of the Royal Air Force Bomber Command and the VIII United States Bomber Command against objectives in the densely populated Ruhr.' The city selected for the operation was Duisburg in the North Rhine-Westphalia district of Germany.

4^th Operational Mission.RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.88

FLGOFF R.W Sanderson and crew departed Driffield at 0631hrs as one of fourteen 462Sqn aircraft that took part in Operation Hurricane. The Squadron joined a further 519 Lancasters, 463 Halifaxes and 20 Mosquitos of Nos 1, 3, 4, 6 and 8 Groups to make a1,013 strong area attack on Duisburg. Weapons load was 7 x 1,000lb MC bombs, 2 x 500lb GPTD bombs and 4 x 500lb GPLD37A bombs. The crew bombed the target at 0907hrs from 18,000ft before returning to Base at 1127hrs. Overall, the attacking force dropped 3,574 tons of High Explosives and 820 tons of Incendiaries on Duisburg.

15Oct44 5^th Operational Mission.RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.88

FLGOFF R.W Sanderson and crew departed Driffield at 0031hrs as one of thirteen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 498 Lancaster, 456 Halifax and 39 Mosquitos for a second attack on Duisburg by 1,005 bombers as part of Operation Hurricane. Weapons load was 7 x 1,000lb MC bombs, 2 x 500lb GPTD bombs and 4 x 500lb GPLD37A bombs. The crew bombed the target at 0325hrs from 20,000ft before returning to Base at 0559hrss. This second attack saw 4,040tons of High Explosives and 500 tons of Incendiaries dropped on Duisburg.

15Oct44 6^th Operational Mission.RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.91

PLTOFF A.W Lane and crew departed Driffield at 1728hrs as one of nine 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 257 Halifaxes, 241 Lancasters and eight Mosquitos for a 506 strong bomber attack on Wilhelmshaven, Germany. Weapons load was 1 x 2000lb HC bomb and 11 x Cluster Projectile 500lb No.14 Mk.1 (each with 106 x 4lb incendiary bomblets). The crew bombed their target at 2031hrs from 19,300ft before returning to Base at 2255hrs.

21Oct44 7^th Operational Mission.RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.94

PLTOFF N.E Marchant and crew departed Driffield at 1624hrs as one of seven 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 242 Halifaxes and 21 Lancasters for a 263 strong bomber attack on Hannover, Germany. Weapons load was 1 x 2000lb HC bomb and 11 x Cluster Projectile 500lb No.14 Mk.1 (each with 106 x 4lb incendiary bomblets). All aircraft were recalled at 1735hrs because of severe weather conditions in the UK east coast. All ordnance was jettisoned into the North Sea and all aircraft recovered to their home Bases.

23Oct44 8^th Operational Mission.RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.96

FLGOFF R.W Sanderson and crew departed Driffield at 1645hrs as one of sixteen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 561 Lancaster, 447 Halifax and 31 Mosquitos of Nos. 1, 4, 6 and 8 Groups for a 1,055 strong bomber attack on Essen, Germany. Weapons load consisted of 1 x 2,000lb HC; 6 x AN M59 1,000lb SAP; 1 x 500lb GPLD 37A; and, 3 x 500lb MCTD bombs, which were dropped on the target from 19,00ft at 1942hrs. Aircraft and crew returned to base at 2209hrs.

This was the heaviest raid on Essen so far in the war and the number of aircraft dispatched was also the greatest number to any target so far; 4,538 tons of bombs were dropped and more than 90 per cent of this tonnage was high explosive (and included 509 x 4,000lb Cookies).

25Oct44 9^th Operational Mission.RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.98

FLGOFF R.W Sanderson and crew departed Driffield at 1247hrs as one of sixteen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 235 Halifaxes, 508 Lancasters and 12 Mosquitos of Nos.1, 4, 6 and 8 Groups for a 771 strong bomber attack on Essen, Germany. Weapons load was 7 x AN M59 1,000lb SAP TD; 4 x 500lb GPLD37B bombs; and, 2 x 500lb MCTD bombs, all set for 0.025sec time delay. The crew bombed the target from 19,000ft at 1543hrs and returned to base at 1746hrs.

28Oct44 10^th Operational Mission.RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.100

FLGOFF R.W Sanderson and crew departed Driffield at 1012hrs as one of thirteen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 142 Halifaxes of No.4 Group plus 86 Lancasters and 36 Mosquitos of No.8 Group for a 277 strong bomber attack on five gun emplacements on Walcheren Island. 462Sqn was part of the force that attacked the emplacement at Oostkapelle W.19. Weapons load was 1 x 2,000lb HC, 7 x AN M59 1,000lb SAP TD bombs; and, 4 x 500lb GPTD bombs. The crew bombed their target from 3,500ft at 1146hrs then returned to base at 1306hrs.

29Oct44 11^th Operational Mission.RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.101

FLGOFF R.W Sanderson and crew departed Driffield at 1016hrs as one of fifteen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 113 Halifaxes, 194 Lancasters and 36 Mosquitos of Nos. 1,3, 4 and 8 Groups for a 358 strong bomber force that attacked various targets on Walcheren Island. Weapons load was 1 x 2,000lb HC bomb; 7 x AN M59 1,000lb SAP TD bombs; and, 4 x AN M58 500lb GP TD bombs all set for a three second time delay. The crew bombed the battery at Westkapelle from 9,000ft at 1216hrs and returned to base at 1325hrs.

30Oct44 12^th Operational Mission.RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.104

FLGOFF R.W Sanderson and crew departed Driffield at 1738hrs as one of thirteen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 425 Halifaxes, 435 Lancasters and 32 Mosquitos of Nos. 1, 3, 4 and 8 Groups for a 905 strong bomber attack on Cologne, Germany. Weapons load was 1 x 2,000lb HC, and 12 x Small Bomb Carriers (each with 30 x 4lb and 60 x 4lb X filled incendiaries). The crew bombed their target from 19,000ft at 2129hrs then returned to base at 2340hrs.

31Oct44 Aircraft flew 12 operational missions, three non-operational flights and, made 12 x 10min pre-Ops test flights in October 1944.

02Nov44 13^th Operational Mission.RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.110

FLGOFF R.W Sanderson and crew departed Driffield at 1559hrs as one of fifteen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 385 Halifaxes, 561 Lancasters and 31 Mosquitos of Nos. 1, 3, 4 and 8 Groups for a 992 strong bomber attack on Düsseldorf, Germany. Weapons load was 1 x 2,000lb HC bomb and 11 x 500lb Cluster Projectile No.14 Mk.1 (each Cluster holding 106 x 4lb incendiary bomblets). The crew bombed the target at 1930hrs from 18,500ft then returned to Base at 2137hrs.

06Nov44 14^th Operational Mission.RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.112

FLGFOFF R.W Sanderson and crew departed Driffield at 1131hrs as one of fourteen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 369 Halifaxes, 324 Lancasters and 31 Mosquitos of Nos. 1, 4, 6 and 8 Groups for a 738 strong attack on Gelsenkirchen, Germany. Weapons load was 1 x 2,000lb HC bomb; 6 x AN M59 1,000lb SAP TD bombs; and, 4 x 500lb LD TD37A bombs. The crew bombed the target from 20,000ft at 1402hrs then returned to Base at 1650hrs.

16Nov44 15^th Operational Mission.RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.115

FLGOFF R.W Sanderson and crew departed Driffield at 1237hrs as one of sixteen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 400 Halifaxes, 78 Lancasters and 17 Mosquitos for three simultaneous attacks on three towns near the German front lines between Aachen and the Rhine River. 1,188 Bomber Command aircraft attacked the towns of Düren, Jülich and Heinsburg in order to cut communications behind the German lines. 462 Sqn was tasked to attack Jülich with another 397 Halifaxes, 17 Lancasters and 17 Mosquitos of Nos.4, 6 and 8 Groups. Weapons load was 1 x 2,000lb HC; 7 x AN M59 1,000lb SAP TD; and, 5 x 500lb GP TD bombs. The crew bombed the target from 12,500ft at 1536hrs and returned to base at 1757hrs.

Along with the RAF component, a force of 1,239 USAF heavy bombers also made raids in the same area. In total, more than 9,400 tons of high-explosive ordnance were dropped by the combined bomber forces.

18Nov44 16^th Operational Mission.RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.116

FLGOFF R.W Sanderson and crew departed Driffield at 1213hrs as one of fifteen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 352 Halifaxes, 94 Lancasters and 18 Mosquitos of Nos.4, 6 and 8 Groups for a 479 strong attack on Münster, Germany. Weapons load was 16 x 500lb MC TD bombs. The crew bombed the target from 18,500ft at 1507hrs and returned to base at 1743hrs.

21Nov44 17^th Operational Mission.RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.119

FLGOFF R.W Sanderson and crew departed Driffield at 1710hrs as one of fifteen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 217 Halifaxes, 18 Lancasters and 20 Mosquitos of Nos.4 and 8 Groups for a 270 strong attack on the synthetic oil refinery at Sterkrade, Germany. Weapons load was 15 x AN M58 500lb SAP bombs and 4 x 500lb GP LD37 bombs. The crew bombed the target from 19,000ft at 2106hrs and returned to Base at 2327hrs.

29Nov44 18^th Operational Mission.RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.121

FLGOFF F.H James and crew departed Driffield at 0257hrs as one of sixteen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 253 Halifaxes, 32 Lancasters and 14 Mosquitos of Nos.1, 4 and 8 Groups for a 316 strong bomber force attack on the Essen, Germany. Weapons load was 1 x 2000lb HC; 1 x 1,000lb MC; and, 10 x Cluster Projectile 500lb No.14 Mk.1 (each containing 106 x 4lb incendiary bomblets). The crew bombed the target at 0538hrs from 21,000ft then returned to base at 0856hrs.

30Nov44 Aircraft flew six operational missions, five non-operational flights and, made 6 x 10min pre-Ops test flights in Nov 1944.

02Dec44 19^th Operational Mission.RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.124

FLGOFF F.H James and crew departed Driffield at 1740hrs as one of seventeen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 379 Halifaxes, 87 Lancasters and 23 Mosquitos of Nos.1, 4, 6 and 8 Groups for a 504 strong attack on the industrial complex in the German town of Hagen, North Rhine-Westphalia. Weapons load was 1 x 2000lb HC bomb and 11 x Cluster Projectile 500lb No.14 Mk 1 (each containing 106 x 4lb incendiary bomblets). The crew bombed the target from 19,000ft at 2107hrs and to Base at 0109hrs/03Dec.

05Dec44 20^th Operational Mission.RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.127

FLGOFF R.W Sanderson and crew departed Driffield at 1800hrs as one of fourteen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 371 Halifaxes, 100 Lancasters and 12 Mosquitos Nos.1, 4, 6 and 8 Groups for a 497 strong bomber force attack on railway marshalling yards at Soest, Germany. Weapons load was 1 x 2,000lb HC bomb; 3 x 1,000 MC TD bombs; and, 8 x 500lb MC TD bombs. The crew bombed the target from 21,000ft at 2123hrs and returned to base at 0014hrs/06Dec.

06Dec44 21^st Operational Mission.RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.128

FLGOFF R.W Sanderson and crew departed Driffield at 1556hrs as one of fourteen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 349 Halifaxes, 72 Lancasters and 18 Mosquitos Nos.1, 4, 6 and 8 Groups for a 453 strong area attack on Osnabrück, Germany. Weapons load was 14 x 500lb MCTD bombs and 2 x 500lb GP LD37B bombs. The crew bombed the target from 20,000ft at 1941hrs and returned to base at 2155hrs.

18Dec44 22^nd Operational Mission.RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.133

FLGOFF R.W Sanderson and crew departed Driffield at 0246hrs as one of sixteen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 402 Halifaxes, eight Lancasters and 24 Mosquitos of Nos.4, 6 and 8 Groups for a 523 strong area attack on Duisburg, Germany. Weapons load was 5 x 1,000lb MC TD bombs and 8 x 500lb GP TD bombs. The crew bombed the target from 19,000ft at 0625hrs and returned to base at 0941hrs.

21Dec44 462 Squadron was stood down from operations and ordered to move from No.4 Group to No.100 Group where it became a Special Duties squadron.

29Dec44 Aircraft moved from Driffield to RAF Station Foulsham, Norfolk.

31Dec44 Aircraft flew four operational missions and made four x 10min pre-Ops test flights in Dec 1944.

06Jan45 23^rd Operational Mission. FLGOFF F.H James and crew departed Foulsham at 1635hrs as one of twelve 462Sqn Halifaxes for a Windows Spoof raid in support of the Main Force attack on Hannau, Germany. The crew completed the mission and returned to Base at 2135hrs.

22Jan45 24^th Operational Mission. FLTLT E. McGindle and crew departed Foulsham at 1719hrs as one of eleven 462Sqn Halifaxes for a Windows Spoof raid in the Ruhr area in support of the Main Force attack on Duisburg, Germany. The captain aborted the mission when the Radar Countermeasures Equipment became unserviceable. Aircraft returned to Base at 2115hrs.

28Jan45 25^th Operational Mission. FLGOFF D.G Uther and crew departed Foulsham at 1721hrs as one of eight 462Sqn Halifaxes for a Windows Spoof raid in support of the Main Force attack on Mainz, Germany. In addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment, the aircraft carried 2 x 500lb GP bombs which the crew dropped, then returned to Base at 2320hrs.

31Jan45 Aircraft flew three operational missions and made three x 10min pre-Ops test flights in Jan 1945.

02Feb45 26^th Operational Mission. FLTLT F.H James and crew departed Foulsham at 2054hrs as one of eight for a Windows Spoof raid in support of the Main Force attack on Mannheim, Germany. In addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment, the aircraft carried 2 x 500lb GP bombs. The crew dropped window foil and both bombs before returning to Base at 023.5hrs/03Feb.

03Feb45 27^th Operational Mission. FLTLT F.H James and crew departed Foulsham at 1644hrs with eight other Halifaxes for a Windows Spoof raid in support of the Main Force attack on Mainz, Germany. In addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment, the aircraft carried 4 x 500lb GP bombs. The crew dropped window foil and 4 x 500lb GP bombs then returned to Base at 2135hrs

04Feb45 28^th Operational Mission. FLTLT A.G Swann and crew departed Foulsham at 1746hrs as one of ten 462Sqn Halifaxes for a Windows Spoof raid in the Ruhr area of Germany. The crew dropped window foil then RTB at 2223hrs.

07Feb45 29^th Operational Mission. FLTLT F.H James and crew departed Foulsham at 2128hrs as one of eleven Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid near Bonn in the Ruhr area of Germany. In addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment, the aircraft carried 2 x 500lb GP bombs and 2 x Cluster Projectile 750lb No.15 Mk I (each containing 158 x 4lb incendiary bomblets). The crew dropped window foil, bombs and incendiaries then returned to Base at 0152hrs/08Feb.

14Feb45 30^th Operational Mission. PLTOFF W.J Frazer and crew departed Foulsham at 1733hrs as one of five Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid in support of Operation Thunderclap against Dresden, Germany. The crew dropped window foil then returned to Base at 2130hrs.

18Feb45 31^st Operational Mission. SQNLDR C.W Jackson and crew departed Foulsham at 1750hrs as one of five Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid in the Rheine area of Germany. In addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment, the aircraft carried 4 x Cluster Projectile 750lb No.15 Mk I (each containing 158 x 4lb incendiary bomblets). The crew dropped window foil and incendiaries then returned to Base at 2109hrs.

20Feb45 32^nd Operational Mission. FLTLT J.E Byrom and crew departed Foulsham at 2145hrs as one of fourteen 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid on Heilbronn in support of the Main Force attack on Dortmund, Germany. In addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment, the aircraft carried 4 x 500lb GP bombs. The crew dropped window foil and bombs then returned to Base at 0413hrs.

21Feb45 33^th Operational Mission. SQNLDR C.W Jackson and crew departed Foulsham at 2010hrs as one of nine 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid in support of the Main Force attack on Koblenz, Germany. In addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment, the aircraft carried 4 x Cluster Projectile 750lb No.15 Mk I (each containing 158 x 4lb incendiary bomblets). The crew dropped window foil and incendiaries then returned to Base at 0050hrs/22Feb.

24Feb45 34^th Operational Mission. FLTLT F.H Ridgewell and crew departed Foulsham at 1701hrs as one of ten 462Sqn Halifaxes for a Windows RCM flight and Spoof raid on in support of a small (74 aircraft) diversionary sweep toward northern France. 462Sqn was specifically tasked to attack the German town of Neuss in the Ruhr area of Germany. The aircraft failed to return and was listed as MIA.

The fate of the aircraft and crew was not known until the survivors were liberated from a German POW Camp and returned to England in May 1945. The Navigator, FLGOFF W.J Mann, reported: “...the aircraft was hit by flak seven and a half minutes after bombs gone at 15,000ft. There was an immediate fire amidships. The Captain ordered –Chutes on, jump, jump! The aircraft crashed SSW of Krefeld, Germany and only four of the eight crewmen were able to exit the aircraft.

01Mar45 Aircraft was struck off charge. While serving with 462Sqn the aircraft made 34 operational missions, flew nine non-operational flights and, made 34 x 10min pre-Ops test flights. Total accrued aircraft flight time was 217 hours and 50 minutes.

RAFVR pilot 149967 Flight Lieutenant Frederick Harold Ridgeway (23) born the son of Frederick and Charlotte Ridgewell of Putney, London was KIA. He has no known grave and is commemorated on Panel 265 of the Air Forces Runnymede Memorial at Coopers Hill in Surrey, UK; and, on Panel 232 of The Walls of Names at the International Bomber Command Centre on Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAFVR air gunner 650438 Sergeant John George Lynch (25) born 7^th July 1919 the son of Edward and Harriet Lynch of Chester-Le-Street, Co. Durham. He was initially buried in the Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial in Margraten, located 10km east of Maastricht, Netherlands. On 29 April 1947 he was exhumed by a British Graves Concentration Unit and reinterred in Plot VII, Row G, Grave No.13 of the Venray (British) War Cemetery, 34km east of Eindhoven in Limburg, Netherlands.

RAFVR special duties operator 163583 Flying Officer Thomas Pawsey (23) born the son of Thomas and Mary Jane Pawsey of Prestwich, Lancashire was KIA. He has no known grave and is commemorated on Panel 267 of the Air Forces Runnymede Memorial at Coopers Hill in Surrey, UK; and, on Panel 224 of The Walls of Names at the International Bomber Command Centre on Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAFVR air gunner 644506 Sergeant George Edward Rolls (23) born 16^th July 1921 the son of George Edward and Janet Margaret Rolls; husband of Audrey Joan Rolls of Hereford. George has no known grave and is commemorated on Panel 276 of the Air Forces Runnymede Memorial at Coopers Hill in Surrey, UK; on Panel 235 of The Walls of Names at the International Bomber Command Centre on Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire; and, on The Hereford War Memorial, Herefordshire UK.

POW’s

RAAF Navigator 437274 Pilot Officer Wilhelm Julius Mann (33) born 02 May 1910 in Kapunda South Australia, son of Ernst Albert and Rachel Rose Willipa Mann; husband of Dorothy Frances Letty Mann. Wilhelm baled out of the doomed aircraft with a fractured right ulna, fractured left foot, burns to face and arms plus several cuts and abrasions. His captors took him the Krefeld Roman Catholic Sisters Hospital where he stayed for treatment from 26Feb45 to 02Mar45. He was then taken for interrogation at a Luftwaffe Dulag then sent to Stalag VI-J near Krefeld, Ruhr Valley, Germany.

Wilhelm remained at V1-J from 2March 45 to 17Apr 1945 when the camp was liberated by US 3^rd Army elements. He was then sent back to the UK and admitted to RAF Cosford Hospital in Shropshire, from there he was posted to No.11 (RAAF) Personnel Receiving and Despatch Centre in Brighton, Sussex where he remained until his repatriation back to Australia on 19August 1945. Following medical treatment he was posted to No.4 Personnel Depot in Adelaide, South Australia and remained there until he resigned from the RAAF on 21 December 1945 with the rank of Flight Lieutenant.

Wilhelm Julius Mann passed away in Hove, South Australia on 16 June 2003 aged 93 years. His name is etched upon the Granite Wall of the Australian ex-Prisoners of War Memorial in Ballarat, Victoria.

RAAF air gunner 432692 Flying Officer John Raymond Boyce (29) born 19 June 1916 son of Amy Grace Boyce of Lane Cove in Sydney, New South Wales. John baled out of the doomed aircraft with serious burns to face and arms plus several cuts and abrasions. He was captured by POW guards near Brugen (Monchengladbach) and was immediately sent to Krefeld Hospital for burns treatment where he remained being moved to Kaisers Werth Hospital near Dusseldorf on 01Mar45. His final movement was on 06Mar45 to the burns unit at the Steenwijk Hospital in the province of Overijssel, in the eastern Netherlands. On 12Apr45 he was liberated by Canadian 1^st Army troops and returned to the UK where he was admitted to RAF Wroughton Hospital near Swindon, Wiltshire.

After receiving months of medical treatment he was repatriated back to Australia, arriving Melbourne aboard the SS Athol Castle on 03Jan46. He was sent for further treatment to the RAAF 2^nd Military Rehabilitation Unit at Jervis Bay, New South Wales. Following almost three months of rehabilitation John elected to resign from the RAAF and did so on 28^th April 1946 with the rank of Flight Lieutenant.

John Raymond Boyce died from natural causes aged 87 years in the Sydney western suburb of Penrith. His final resting place is East Terrace 2 Garden 24 in the Northern Suburbs Memorial Gardens and Crematorium, NSW. His name is etched upon the Granite Wall of the Australian ex-Prisoners of War Memorial in Ballarat, Victoria.

RAFVR bomb aimer 154341 Flying Officer William Kenneth Watson (34) born 16 Nov 1909 husband of Joan Watson in Harrogate, North Yorkshire.

Returned from captivity to the UK on 10May45

RAFVR flight engineer 1592935 Sergeant Robert Greenwell Hodgson born 05Oct24 in Bedale, North Yorkshire the son of Mr Robert William Hodgson of Bedale.

Returned from captivity to the UK on 22May45

MZ461

00Oct44 Handley Page Type HP61 Halifax B Mk III bomber Serial MZ461 was the 15^th of 49 aircraft built in the Serial Range MZ447 to MZ495 manufactured under license to Contract No. ACFT/2595, requisition HA10/E11/42, by the London Aircraft Production Group (a subsidiary of the London Passenger Transport Board) in their factories at Aldenham, Chiswick and White City in Greater London. The aircraft was built in-line with Handley Pages’ well established and proven split construction and unit assembly methods. The aircraft was divided into twelve major assemblies, which allowed for more tradespeople to work on each assembly than would normally have been possible. Not only did this approach speed up production but it also made transportation and repair much easier. Components were all transported to Leavesden Aerodrome for final assembly and flight testing.

Powered by four Bristol Hercules XVI 38-litre, 14-cylinder, twin-row, supercharged, air-cooled radial engines each developing 1,650hp (1,230 kW) driving three-blade de Havilland 55/18 fully feathering wooden propellers. Engine serials were: Port Outer SS32519/A469959, Port Inner SS22876/A391874, Starboard Inner SS22922/A391920 and Starboard Outer SS32249/A462171.

Defensive armament consisted of nine .303 inch Browning machine guns; one Gimbal mounted Vickers GO in the SRS 1A Type nose; four midships guns in a Boulton Paul A Mk.VIII turret; and, four tail guns in a Boulton Paul E Mk.I turret. Max bomb load, 10,000lb (4,540 kg) in fuselage and 3,000lb (1,362 kg) in wings. The aircraft was painted in the standard RAF Night scheme of matt Dark Green and Dark Earth on the upper surfaces and Night Black on all undersurfaces.

05Oct44 Aircraft delivered by an ATA Ferry Crew to No.45 Maintenance Unit at RAF Station Kinloss.

12Oct44 Aircraft delivered by an ATA Ferry Crew to RAAF No.462 (B) Sqn at RAF Station Driffield, Yorkshire where it was taken on charge and issued to B Flight as Z5-O.

25Oct44 1^st Operational Mission.RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.98

FLGOFF D.W Lane and crew departed Driffield at 1249hrs as one of sixteen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 235 Halifaxes, 508 Lancasters and 12 Mosquitos of Nos.1, 4, 6 and 8 Groups for a 771 strong attack on Essen, Germany. Weapons load was 7 x AN M59 1,000lb SAP TD and 6 x 500lb MC TD bombs. The crew bombed the target at 1542hrs from 19,000ft then returned to Base at 1734hrs.

29Oct44 2^nd Operational Mission. RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.101

FLTLT A.G Cuttriss and crew departed Driffield at 1012hrs as one of fifteen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 113 Halifaxes, 194 Lancasters and 36 Mosquitos of Nos. 1,3, 4 and 8 Groups for a 358 strong bomber that attacked various targets on Walcheren Island. Weapons load was 1 x 2,000lb HC bomb; 7 x AN M59 1,000lb SAP TD bombs; and, 4 x AN M58 500lb GP TD bombs all set for a three second time delay. The crew bombed Westkapelle from 8,000ft at 1214hrs and returned to base at 1354hrs.

30Oct44 3^rd Operational Mission. RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.104

FLTLT A.G Cuttriss and crew departed Driffield at 1736hrs as one of thirteen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 425 Halifaxes, 435 Lancasters and 32 Mosquitos of Nos. 1, 3, 4 and 8 Groups for a 905 strong bomber attack on Cologne, Germany. Weapons load was 1 x 2,000lb HC, and 12 x Small Bomb Carriers (each with 30 x 4lb and 60 x 4lb X filled incendiaries). The crew bombed their target from 18,000ft at 2115hrs then returned to base at 2358hrs.

31Oct44 Aircraft flew three operational missions, five non-operational flights and, made 3 x 10min pre-Ops test flights in Oct 1944.

02Nov44 4^th Operational Mission. RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.110

FLTLT W.B Cookson and crew departed Driffield at 1633hrs as one of fifteen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 386 Halifaxes, 561 Lancasters and 31 Mosquitos of Nos. 1, 3, 4 and 8 Groups for a 992 strong attack on Düsseldorf, Germany. Weapons load was 1 x 2,000lb HC bomb and 11 x Cluster Projectile 500lb No.14 Mk I (each containing 106 x 4lb incendiary bomblets). The crew bombed the target from 17,000ft at 1928hrs and returned to base at 2146hrs.

04Nov44 5^th Operational Mission. RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.111

FLTLT W.B Cookson and crew departed Driffield at 1724hrs as one of thirteen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 372 Halifaxes, 336 Lancasters and 29 Mosquitos of Nos. 1, 4, 6 and 8 Groups for a 749 strong attack on Bochum, Germany. Weapons load was 1 x 2,000lb HC bombs; 5 x 1,000lb MC bombs; and, 4 x 500lb GP LD37 bombs. The crew bombed the target from 18,000ft at 1936hrs and returned to base at 2236hrs.

06Nov44 6^th Operational Mission. RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.112

FLTLT W.B Cookson and crew departed Driffield at 1140hrs as one of fourteen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 369 Halifaxes, 324 Lancasters and 31 Mosquitos of Nos. 1, 4, 6 and 8 Groups for a 738 strong attack on Gelsenkirchen, Germany. Weapons load was 1 x 2,000lb HC bomb; 6 x AN M59 1,000lb SAP TD bombs; 4 x 500lb LD TD37A bombs; and, 1 x 500lb GP LD37 bomb. The crew bombed the target from 20,000ft at 1408hrs and returned to base at 1706hrs.

16Nov44 7^th Operational Mission. RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.115

FLGOFF J.E Byrom and crew departed Driffield at 1259hrs as one of fifteen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 400 Halifaxes, 78 Lancasters and 17 Mosquitos for three simultaneous attacks on three towns near the German front lines between Aachen and the Rhine River. 1,188 Bomber Command aircraft attacked the towns of Düren, Jülich and Heinsburg in order to cut communications behind the German lines. 462 Sqn was tasked to attack Jülich with another 397 Halifaxes, 17 Lancasters and 17 Mosquitos of Nos.4, 6 and 8 Groups. Weapons load was 1 x 2,000lb HC; 6 x AN M59 1,000lb SAP TD; and, 5 x 500lb GP TD bombs. The crew bombed the target from 12,500ft at 1538hrs and returned to base at 1756hrs.

18Nov44 8^th Operational Mission. RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.116

FLTLT W.B Cookson and crew departed Driffield at 1224hrs as one of fifteen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 352 Halifaxes, 94 Lancasters and 18 Mosquitos of Nos.4, 6 and 8 Groups for a 479 strong attack on Münster, Germany. Weapons load was 16 x 500lb MC TD bombs. The crew bombed the target from 18,000ft at 1508hrs and returned to base at 1735hrs.

21Nov44 9^th Operational Mission. RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.119

FLTLT W.B Cookson and crew departed Driffield at 1725hrs as one of fifteen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 217 Halifaxes, 18 Lancasters and 20 Mosquitos of Nos.4 and 8 Groups for a 270 strong attack on the synthetic oil refinery at Sterkrade, Germany. Weapons load was 15 x AN M58 500lb SAP bombs and 4 x 500lb GP LD37 bombs. At 1955hrs the pilot aborted the mission when both inner engines and the W/T system failed. 3 x 500lb SAP bombs and 1 x 500lb GP LD bomb were jettisoned safe into the North Sea and the aircraft landed Baser at 2249hrs.

30Nov44 10^th Operational Mission. RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.123

FLTLT W.B Cookson and crew departed Driffield at 1650hrs as one of sixteen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 406 Halifaxes, 126 Lancasters and 25 Mosquitos of Nos.1, 4, 6 and 8 Groups for a 576 strong attack on Duisburg, Germany. Weapons load was 16 x 500lb GP TD bombs. The crew bombed the target from 19,300ft at 1959hrs and returned to base at 2203hrs.

30Nov44 Aircraft flew seven operational missions, one non-operational flight and, made seven x 10min pre-Ops test flights in Nov 1944.

02Dec44 11^th Operational Mission.RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.124

FLTLT W.B Cookson and crew departed Driffield at 1749hrs as one of seventeen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 379 Halifaxes, 87 Lancasters and 23 Mosquitos of Nos.1, 4, 6 and 8 Groups for a 504 strong attack on the industrial complex in the German town of Hagen, North Rhine-Westphalia. Weapons load was 1 x 2000lb HC bomb; 3 x 1,000lb MC TD; and, 8 x 500lb MC TD bombs. The crew bombed the target from 19,000ft at 1945hrs then returned to Base at 0035hrs/03Dec.

06Dec44 12^th Operational Mission.RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.128

FLGOFF V.C Ely and crew departed Driffield at 1559hrs as one of fourteen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 349 Halifaxes, 72 Lancasters and 18 Mosquitos of Nos.1, 4, 6 and 8 Groups for a 453 strong area attack on Osnabrück, Germany. Weapons load was 14 x 500lb MC TD bombs and 2 x 500lb GP LD37B bombs. The crew bombed the target from 20,000ft at 1941hrs then returned to base at 2236hrs.

12Dec44 13^th Operational Mission. RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.130

FLGOFF V.C Ely and crew departed Driffield at 1623hrs as one of eleven 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 152 Halifaxes, 349 Lancasters and 28 Mosquitos of Nos.1, 4 and 8 Groups for a 540 strong bomber force attack on Essen, Germany. Weapons load was 1 x 2,000lb HC bomb; and, 10 x 500lb GP bombs. The crew bombed the target from 19,300ft at 1937hrs and returned to base at 2220hrs.

18Dec44 14^th Operational Mission. RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.133

FLTLT W.B Cookson and crew departed Driffield at 0305hrs as one of sixteen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 402 Halifaxes, eight Lancasters and 24 Mosquitos for a 523 strong area attack on Duisburg, Germany. Weapons load was 5 x 1,000lb MC TD bombs and 8 x 500lb GP TD bombs. The crew bombed the target from 20,000ft at 0624hrs and returned to base at 0915hrs.

21Dec44 462 Squadron was stood down from operations and ordered to move from No.4 Group to No.100 Group where it became a Special Duties squadron.

29Dec44 Aircraft moved from Driffield to RAF Station Foulsham, Norfolk.

31Dec44 Aircraft flew four operational missions, two non-operational flights and, made four x 10min pre-Ops test flights in Dec 1944.

01Jan45 15^th Operational Mission. FSGT J.R Smith and crew departed Foulsham at 1700hrs with three other Halifaxes for a Windows Spoof raid in support of the Main Force attack on the Bremen area of Germany. The crew dropped window foil and returned to Base at 2214hrs.

02Jan45 16^th Operational Mission. FLTLT W.B Cookson and crew departed Foulsham at 1627hrs as one eight 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid in support of the Main Force attack on Nuremburg, Germany. The crew completed the mission and returned to Base at 2147hrs.

05Jan45 17^th Operational Mission. FLTLT C.W Jackson and crew departed Foulsham at 1640hrs as one five 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid in the Ruhr area in support of the Main Force attack on Germany. The crew completed the mission and returned to Base at 2035hrs.

06Jan455 18^th Operational Mission. FLTLT W.B Cookson and crew departed Foulsham at 1610hrs as one of twelve 462Sqn Halifaxes for a Windows Spoof raid in support of the Main Force attack on Hannau, Germany. The crew completed the mission and returned to Base at 2110hrs.

14Jan45 19^th Operational Mission. FLGOFF N.E Marchant and crew departed Foulsham at 1620hrs as one thirteen 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid on Mannerheim in support of the Main Force attack on synthetic oil plants in Germany. In addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment, the aircraft carried 2 x 500lb GP bombs. The crew completed their mission and dropped the window and bombs in the Mannerheim area then returned to Base at 0223hrs/15Jan.

16Jan45 20^th Operational Mission. FLGOFF D.G Uther and crew departed Foulsham at 1832hrs as one of nine 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid in the Sylt area of Germany in support of the Main Force attack on Magdeburg, Germany. The crew completed the mission and returned to Base at 2306hrs.

17Jan45 21^st Operational Mission. WOFF J.R Smith and crew departed Foulsham at 1631hrs as one of eight 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid on Bochum in support of the Main Force attacks on Germany. In addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment, the aircraft carried 2 x 500lb GP bombs. The crew completed their mission and dropped the bombs in the Bochum area then returned to Base at 2134hrs.

21Jan45 22^nd Operational Mission. FLTLT W.B Cookson and crew departed Foulsham at 2005hrs as one of six 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid on Bonn in support of the Main Force attacks on Germany. In addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment, the aircraft carried 2 x 500lb GP bombs. The crew completed their mission then returned to Base at 0025hrs.22Jan.

22Jan45 23^rd Operational Mission. FLTLT W.B Cookson and crew departed Foulsham at 1736hrs as one of eleven 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof Raid in the Ruhr area in support of the Main Force attack on Duisburg, Germany. The crew completed the mission and RTB at 0035hrs/23Jan.

31Jan45 Aircraft flew nine operational missions and made 9 x 10min pre-Ops test flights in Jan 1945.

01Feb45 24^th Operational Mission. FLTLT W.B Cookson and crew departed Foulsham at 1709hrs as one of thirteen 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid in support of the Main Force attack on Mannheim, Germany. In addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment, the aircraft carried 2 x 500lb GP bombs. The crew dropped window foil and bombs then returned to Base at 2155hrs.

13Feb45 25^th Operational Mission. FLGOFF V.C Ely and crew departed Foulsham at 2217hrs as one of nine 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid in support of Operation Thunderclap against Dresden, Germany. For this mission the aircraft was loaded with 4 x Incendiary Clusters 750lb No.15 Mk.1 each containing 158 x 4lb incendiary bomblets. The captain aborted the mission after 25min when the hydraulic system failed. Aircraft returned to Base at 2307hrs with bomb load on board.

14Feb45 26^th Operational Mission. FLGOFF V.C Ely and crew departed Foulsham at 1732hrs as one of five Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid in support of Operation Thunderclap against Dresden, Germany. The crew dropped window foil then returned to Base at 21326hrs.

18Feb45 27^th Operational Mission. FLGOFF P.S Sherren and crew departed Foulsham at 1755hrs as one of five Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid in the Rheine area of Germany. In addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment, the aircraft carried 4 x Cluster Projectile 750lb No.15 Mk I (each containing 158 x 4lb incendiary bomblets). The crew dropped window foil and incendiaries then RTB at 2157hrs.

20Feb45 28^th Operational Mission. WOFF J.R Smith and crew departed Foulsham at 2206hrs as one of fourteen 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid on Heilbronn in support of the Main Force attack on Dortmund, Germany. In addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment, the aircraft carried 4 x 500lb GP bombs. The crew dropped window foil and bombs then returned to Base at 0413hrs.

21Feb45 29^th Operational Mission. FLGOFF V.C Ely and crew departed Foulsham at 2012hrs as one of nine 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid in support of the Main Force attack on Koblenz, Germany. In addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment, the aircraft carried 4 x Cluster Projectile 750lb No.15 Mk I (each containing 158 x 4lb incendiary bomblets). The crew dropped window foil and incendiaries then returned to Base at 0102hrs/22Feb.

23Feb45 30^th Operational Mission. FLGOFF V.C Ely and crew departed Foulsham at 1733hrs as one of nine 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid in the Ruhr area of Germany in support of Bomber Command raids. In addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment, the aircraft carried 2 x 500lb GP bombs and 3 x Cluster Projectile 750lb No.15 Mk I (each containing 158 x 4lb incendiary bomblets). The crew dropped window foil, bombs and incendiaries then returned to Base at 2207hrs.

24Feb45 31^st Operational Mission. FLGOFF V.C Ely and crew departed Foulsham at 1705hrs as one of ten 462Sqn Halifaxes for a Windows RCM flight and Windows Spoof raid in support of a small (74 aircraft) diversionary sweep toward northern France. 462Sqn was specifically tasked to attack the German town of Neuss in the Ruhr area of Germany. In addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment, the aircraft carried 1 x 500lb GP bombs and 3 x Cluster Projectile 750lb No.15 Mk I (each containing 158 x 4lb incendiary bomblets).The aircraft failed to return and was listed as MIA.

On 22 March 1945 the fate of the aircraft and crew became known when a message from 151 Repair Unit (Aircraft) stated the remains of the aircraft was found near Krefeld (Map Reference A185020). Three unidentifiable remains were found in the wreckage but no sign of the other (5) crewmen. Aircraft was totally destroyed and classified as Cat E2.

Additional information became known later when examination of German records showed the aircraft was shot down NW of Krefeld at 1950hrs by a Bf.109 night fighter flown by Oberfeldwebel Walter Kreibaum of III./NJG11. The German report stated: “...crashed in flames by the bridge between Anrath and Viersen, with the loss of all on-board. Kreibaum himself was forced to bail out of his Bf109 shortly afterward, due to an engine fire. His Messerschmitt went down in the area between Anrath and Meersen”.

L-R Back: John Hering (WOP), Matt Ogilvie (Mid Upper AG), Geoff Robinson (Rear AG), Rod Hetherington (F/Eng)

L-R Front: Peter Milhouse (Bomb Aimer, Viv Ely (Pilot), Denis Critchley (Nav)

01Mar45 Aircraft struck off charge. While serving with 462Sqn the aircraft flew 31 operational missions, ten non-operational flights and, made 31 x 10min pre-Ops test flights. Total accrued airframe time was 176 hours 25 minutes.

RAAF pilot 426221 Flying Officer Vivian Clive Ely (23) born 22 July 1921in Caboolture, Queensland the son of Edward and Annie Ely (nee Durham) of Red Hill, Brisbane, Queensland; wife of Olga Margaret Ely of Ascot, Brisbane was KIA and has no known grave. He is commemorated on Panel 109 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT; on Panel 283 of the Air Forces Runnymede Memorial at Coopers Hill in Surrey, UK; and, on Panel 232 of The Walls of Names at the International Bomber Command Centre on Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire. He is also honoured on the Tewantin War Memorial on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland.

RAAF wireless operator 419001 Flying Officer John Hubert Hering (25) born 21 August 1919 the son of Edward Theodore and Julia Marie Hering, of Geelong, Victoria was KIA. He is buried in Plot 2, Row E, Grave No.11 of the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery in Kleve, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. He is commemorated on Panel 109 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT; and, on Panel 181 of The Walls of Names at the International Bomber Command Centre on Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAFVR navigator 1684278 Flight Sergeant Denis James Critchley (23) born 03 March 1921 son of Frederick Critchley; husband of Gertrude Critchley, of Gorton, Manchester was KIA and initially buried in Plot 2A, Row 3 Grave 79 of the Krefeld Bochum Cemetery. On 28 November 1946 a British Army Graves Concentration unit reinterred Sergeant Critchley in Plot 2, Row E, Grave No.14 of the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery in Kleve, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. He is commemorated, on Panel 150 of The Walls of Names at the International Bomber Command Centre on Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAFVR flight engineer 1826680 Sergeant Rodney Hetherington (20) born 13 October 1924 the son of Thomas and Doris Hetherington, of Lazenby, Cumberland was KIA and has no known grave. He is commemorated on Panel 275 of the Air Forces Runnymede Memorial at Coopers Hill in Surrey, UK; and, on Panel 181 of The Walls of Names at the International Bomber Command Centre on Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAVR bomb aimer 153804 Flying Officer Peter Millhouse (22) born 26 November 1922 son of Wilfred and Edith Lily Millhouse, of Filton, Gloucestershire was KIA and has no known grave. He is commemorated on Panel 267 of the Air Forces Runnymede Memorial at Coopers Hill in Surrey, UK; and, on Panel 212 of The Walls of Names at the International Bomber Command Centre on Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAFVR air gunner 1595990 Sergeant Matthew Ogilvie (22) born 22 June 1922 Dunscroft, Doncaster was KIA and initially buried in Plot 2A, Row 3 Grave 78 of the Krefeld Bochum Cemetery. On 28 November 1946 a British Army Graves Concentration unit reinterred Matthew in Plot 2, Row E, Grave No.15 of the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery in Kleve, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. He is commemorated, on Panel 220 of The Walls of Names at the International Bomber Command Centre on Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAFVR air gunner 1595325 Flight Sergeant Geoffrey Robinson (21) born 10 October 1923 in Leeds the son of Harry and Laura Robinson, of Barwick-In-Elmet, Yorkshire was KIA. He is buried in Plot 2, Row E, Grave No.13 of the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery in Kleve, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. He is commemorated, on Panel 234 of The Walls of Names at the International Bomber Command Centre on Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAFVR flight engineer 1896933 Sergeant George Arthur Edgar Sanday (40) born in Worcester on 16 September 1904 the son of William Thomas Croft Sanday and Emma Jane Sanday (nee Taylor); Husband of Phoebe Eileen Sanday, of Hindon, Wiltshire was KIA. George was initially buried in Plot F, Row 2, Grave 48 of the Netherlands American Cemetery Margraten located in Margraten 10km east of Maastricht. On 29 April 1947 a British Army Graves Concentration Unit reinterred the body in Plot VII, Row G, Grave No.12 of the Venray (British) War Cemetery located some 40kms east of Eindhoven, Netherlands. He is also remembered on the Hindon War Memorial in Wiltshire.

MZ467

00Oct44 Handley Page Type HP61 Halifax B Mk III bomber Serial MZ467 was the 21^st of 49 aircraft built in the Serial Range MZ447 to MZ495 manufactured under license to Contract No. ACFT/2595, requisition HA10/E11/42, by the London Aircraft Production Group (a subsidiary of the London Passenger Transport Board) in their factories at Aldenham, Chiswick and White City in Greater London. The aircraft was built in-line with Handley Pages’ well established and proven split construction and unit assembly methods. The aircraft was divided into twelve major assemblies, which allowed for more tradespeople to work on each assembly than would normally have been possible. Not only did this approach speed up production but it also made transportation and repair much easier. Components were all transported to Leavesden Aerodrome for final assembly and flight testing.

Powered by four Bristol Hercules XVI 38-litre, 14-cylinder, twin-row, supercharged, air-cooled radial engines each developing 1,650hp (1,230 kW) driving three-blade de Havilland 55/18 fully feathering wooden propellers. Engine serials were: Port Outer SS32751/MA470191; Port Inner SS32679/MA470119; Starboard Inner SS32735/MA470195; and, Starboard Outer SS32227/MA462149.

Defensive armament consisted of nine .303 inch Browning machine guns; one Gimbal mounted Vickers GO in the SRS 1A Type nose; four midships guns in a Boulton Paul A Mk.VIII turret; and, four tail guns in a Boulton Paul E Mk.I turret. Max bomb load, 10,000lb (4,540 kg) in fuselage and 3,000lb (1,362 kg) in wings. The aircraft was painted in the standard RAF Night scheme of matt Dark Green and Dark Earth on the upper surfaces and Night Black on all undersurfaces.

12Oct44 Aircraft delivered by an ATA Ferry Crew to No.462 Sqn. Taken on charge and issued to A Flight as Z5-C.

23Oct44 1^st Operational Mission.RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.96

FLGOFF D.J Robertson and crew departed Driffield at 1626hrs as one of sixteen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 447 Halifaxes, 561 Lancasters and 31 Mosquitos of Nos. 1, 4, 6 and 8 Groups for a 1,055 strong bomber attack on Essen, Germany. Weapons load was 1 x 2,000lb HC TD; 6 x AN M59 1,000lb SAP TD; and, 4 x 500lb GP TD bombs. The crew bombed the target and returned to base at 2210hrs.

Note: This was the heaviest raid on Essen so far in the war and the number of aircraft dispatched was also the greatest number to any target so far; 4,538 tons of bombs were dropped and more than 90 per cent of this tonnage was high explosive (including 509 x 4,000lb Cookies).

25Oct44 2^nd Operational Mission.RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.98

FLGOFF A.G Cuttriss and crew departed Driffield at 1239hrs as one of sixteen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 235 Halifaxes, 508 Lancasters and 12 Mosquitos of Nos.1, 4, 6 and 8 Groups a 771 strong bomber attack on Essen, Germany. Weapons load was 7 x AN M59 1,000lb SAP TD bombs; 2 x 500lb MC TD bombs; and, 4 x 500lb GPLD37B bombs all set for 0.025sec time delay. At 1255hrs the port inner engine failed so the captain aborted the mission, jettisoned the bombload and returned to base.

28Oct44 3^rd Operational Mission.RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.100

FLGOFF E.J Hourigan and crew departed Driffield at 1021hrs as one of thirteen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 142 Halifaxes of No.4 Group plus 86 Lancasters and 36 Mosquitos of No.8 Group for a 277 strong bomber attack on five gun emplacements on Walcheren Island. 462Sqn was part of the force that attacked the emplacement at Oostkapelle W.19. Weapons load was 1 x 2,000lb HC, 7 x AN M59 1,000lb SAP; and, 4 x 500lb GP bombs which were dropped on target from 4,300ft at 1201hrs. The aircraft and crew returned to base at 1332hrs.

29Oct44 4^th Operational Mission.RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.101

FLGOFF E.J Hourigan and crew departed Driffield at 1033hrs as one of fifteen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 113 Halifaxes, 194 Lancasters and 36 Mosquitos of Nos. 1,3, 4 and 8 Groups for a 358 strong bomber that attacked various targets on Walcheren Island. Weapons load was 1 x 2,000lb HC bomb; 7 x AN M59 1,000lb SAP TD bombs; and, 4 x AN M58 500lb GP TD bombs all set for a three second time delay. The crew bombed Westkapelle from 19,000ft at 1217hrs and returned to base at 1356hrs.

30Oct44 5^th Operational Mission.RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.104

FLGOFF E.J Hourigan and crew departed Driffield at 1737hrs as one of thirteen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 425 Halifaxes, 435 Lancasters and 32 Mosquitos of Nos. 1, 3, 4 and 8 Groups for a 905 strong bomber attack on Cologne, Germany. Weapons load was 1 x 2,000lb HC, and 12 x Small Bomb Carriers (each with 30 x 4lb and 60 x 4lb X filled incendiaries). The crew bombed their target from 18,000ft at 2118hrs then returned to base at 2341hrs.

31Oct44 6^th Operational Mission.RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.107

FSGT S.J Carthy and crew departed Driffield at 1812hrs as one of three 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 141 Halifaxes, 331 Lancasters and 18 Mosquitos for a 493 strong attack on Cologne, Germany. Weapons load was 1 x 2,000lb HC; 6 x AN M59 1,000lb SAP TD bombs; and, 4 x 500lb GP TD; and, 1 x 500lb GP LD37 bombs. The crew bombed their target from 18,000ft at 2118hrs then returned to base at 2304hrs.

31Oct44 Aircraft flew six operational missions, three non-operational flights and, made 6 x 10min pre-Ops test flights in Oct 1944.

02Nov44 7^th Operational Mission.RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.110

FLGOFF E.J Hourigan and crew departed Driffield at 1622hrs as one of fifteen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 386 Halifaxes, 561 Lancasters and 31 Mosquitos of Nos. 1, 3, 4 and 8 Groups for a 992 strong attack on Düsseldorf, Germany. Weapons load was 1 x 2,000lb HC bomb and 10 x Cluster Projectile 500lb No.14 Mk I (each containing 106 x 4lb incendiary bomblets). The crew bombed the target from 16,000ft at 1951hrs and returned to base at 2145hrs.

04Nov44 8^th Operational Mission.RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.111

FLGOFF E.J Hourigan and crew departed Driffield at 1731hrs as one of thirteen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 372 Halifaxes, 336 Lancasters and 29 Mosquitos of Nos. 1, 4, 6 and 8 Groups for a 749 strong attack on Bochum, Germany. Weapons load was 1 x 2,000lb HC bombs; 6 x 1,000lb MC bombs; and, 4 x 500lb GP bombs. The crew bombed the target from 16,000ft at 1938hrs and returned to base at 2231hrs.

06Nov44 9^th Operational Mission.RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.112

FLGOFF E.J Hourigan and crew departed Driffield at 1130hrs as one of fourteen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 369 Halifaxes, 324 Lancasters and 31 Mosquitos of Nos. 1, 4, 6 and 8 Groups for a 738 strong attack on Gelsenkirchen, Germany. Weapons load was 1 x 2,000lb HC bomb; 6 x AN M59 1,000lb SAP TD bombs; 4 x 500lb LD TD37A bombs; and, 1 x 500lb GP LD37A bomb.

18Nov44 10^th Operational Mission.RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.116

FSGT G.C Sharpe and crew departed Driffield at 1223hrs as one of fifteen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 352 Halifaxes, 94 Lancasters and 18 Mosquitos of Nos.4, 6 and 8 Groups for a 479 strong attack on Münster, Germany. Weapons load was 16 x 500lb GP TD bombs. The crew bombed the target from 18,000ft at 1507hrs and returned to base at 1818hrs.

29Nov44 11^th Operational Mission.RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.121

FLGOFF E.J Hourigan and crew departed Driffield at 0256hrs as one of sixteen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 253 Halifaxes, 32 Lancasters and 14 Mosquitos of Nos.1, 4 and 8 Groups for a 316 strong bomber force attack on the Essen, Germany. Weapons load was 1 x 2000lb HC and 11 x Cluster Projectile 500lb No.14 Mk.1 (each containing 106 x 4lb incendiary bomblets). The crew bombed the target from 20,000ft at 0536hrs and to base without incident at 0907hrs.

30Nov44 12^th Operational Mission.RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.123

PLTOFF A.M Lodder and crew departed Driffield at 1655hrs as one of sixteen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 406 Halifaxes, 126 Lancasters and 25 Mosquitos of Nos.1, 4, 6 and 8 Groups for a 576 strong attack on Duisburg, Germany. Weapons load was 16 x 500lb GP TD bombs. The crew bombed the target from 19,000ft at 2003hrs and to base without incident at 2235hrs.

30Nov44 Aircraft flew six operational missions, one non-operational flight and, made 6 x 10min pre-Ops test flights in Nov 1944.

05Dec44 13^th Operational Mission.RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.127

FSGT G.M Langworthy and crew departed Driffield at 1804hrs as one of fourteen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 371 Halifaxes, 100 Lancasters and 12 Mosquitos for a 497 strong bomber force attack on railway marshalling yards at Soest, Germany. Weapons load was 1 x 2,000lb HC bomb; 3 x 1,000 MC TD bombs; and, 8 x 500lb MC TD bombs. The crew bombed the target from 20,300ft at 2123hrs and returned to base at 0023hrs/06Dec.

06Dec44 14^th Operational Mission.RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.128

FSGT G.C Sharpe and crew departed Driffield at 1602hrs as one of fourteen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 349 Halifaxes, 72 Lancasters and 18 Mosquitos for a 453 strong bomber force area attack on Osnabrück, Germany. Weapons load was 14 x 500lb GP TD bombs and 2 x 500lb GP LD37 bombs. The crew bombed the target from 20,000ft at 1946hrs and returned to base at 2230hrs.

12Dec44 15^th Operational Mission.RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.130

WOFF P.F Whatling and crew departed Driffield at 1616hrs as one of eleven 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 152 Halifaxes, 349 Lancasters and 28 Mosquitos of Nos.1, 4 and 8 Groups for a 540 strong bomber force attack on Essen, Germany. Weapons load was 1 x 2,000lb HC bomb and 10 x 500lb GP TD bombs. The crew bombed the target from 19,500ft at 1928hrs and returned to base at 2158hrs.

18Dec44 16^th Operational Mission.RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.133

FLGOFF E.J Hourigan and crew departed Driffield at 0253hrs as one of sixteen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 402 Halifaxes, eight Lancasters and 24 Mosquitos for a 523 strong area attack on Duisburg, Germany. Weapons load was 5 x 1,000lb MC TD bombs and 8 x 500lb GP TD bombs. The crew bombed the target from 19,000ft at 0622hrs and returned to base at 0902hrs.

21Dec44 17^th Operational Mission.RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.135

FLGOFF E.J Hourigan and crew departed Driffield at 1512hrs as one of eleven 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 43 Halifaxes, 67 Lancasters and 15 Mosquitos of Nos. 4, 6 and 8 Groups for a 136 strong attack on the important Cologne/Nippes marshalling yards which were being used to serve the German offensive in the Ardennes. Weapons load was 1 x 2,000lb HC bomb; 3 x 1,000lb HC TD bombs; and, 5 x 500lb MC bombs. The crew bombed the target from 18,000ft at 1838hrs and returned to base at 2049hrs.

21Dec44 462 Squadron was stood down from operations and ordered to move from No.4 Group to No.100 Group where it became a Special Duties squadron.

29Dec44 PLTOFF A.M Lodder and crew flew the aircraft from Driffield to RAF Station Foulsham, Norfolk.

31Dec44 Aircraft flew four operational missions, two non-operational flights and, made four x 10min pre-Ops test flights in Dec 1944.

31Dec44 Aircraft flew five operational missions, five non-operational flights and, made 5 x 10min pre-Ops test flights in Dec 1944.

02Jan45 18^th Operational Mission. PLTOFF A.M Lodder and crew departed Foulsham at 1552hrs as one of eight 462Sqn Halifaxes for a Windows Spoof raid in the Mannheim area to support the Main Force attack on Nuremburg, Germany. The crew completed the mission and returned to Base at 2056hrs.

03Jan45 19^th Operational Mission. FLGOFF D.M Taylor and crew departed Foulsham at 1640hrs as one of four 462Sqn Halifaxes for a Windows Spoof raid in the Heligoland area to support the Main Force attacks in Germany. The crew completed the mission and returned to Base at 2047hrs.

06Jan45 20^th Operational Mission. PLTOFF A.M Lodder and crew departed Foulsham at 1621hrs as one of twelve 462Sqn Halifaxes for a Windows Spoof raid in support of the Main Force attack on Hannau, Germany. The crew completed the mission and returned to Base at 2125hrs.

07Jan45 21^st Operational Mission. FLGOFF D.J Robertson and crew departed Foulsham at 1530hrs as one of seven 462Sqn Halifaxes for a Windows Spoof raid in the Ruhr area in support of the Main Force attack on Munich, Germany. In addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment, the aircraft carried 2 x 500lb GP bombs. At 1602hrs the captain aborted the mission when the hydraulics system failed. Aircraft landed Base safely at 1637hrs.

14Jan45 22^nd Operational Mission. PLTOFF A.M Lodder and crew departed Foulsham at 1624hrs as one of twelve 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid on Mannerheim in support of the Main Force attack on synthetic oil plants in Germany. In addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment, the aircraft carried 2 x 500lb GP bombs. The crew completed their mission and dropped the bombs in the Mannerheim area then returned to Base at 2315hrs.

16Jan45 23^rd Operational Mission. FLTLT L.G Scharer and crew departed Foulsham at 1825hrs as one of nine 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid in the Sylt area of Germany in support of the Main Force attack on Magdeburg, Germany. The crew completed the mission and returned to Base at 244hrs.

17Jan45 24^th Operational Mission. D.J Robertson and crew departed Foulsham at 1635hrs as one of eight 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid on Bochum in support of the Main Force attacks on Germany. In addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment, the aircraft carried 2 x 500lb GP bombs. The crew completed their mission and dropped the bombs in the Bochum area then returned to Base at 2142hrs.

22Jan45 25^th Operational Mission. FLTLT L.G Scharer and crew departed Foulsham at 1711hrs as one of eleven 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof Raid in the Ruhr area in support of the Main Force attack on Duisburg, Germany. The crew completed the mission and RTB at 0050hrs/23Jan.

31Jan45 Aircraft flew eight operational missions, three non-operational flights and, made 8 x 10min pre-Ops test flights in Jan 1945.

01Feb45 26^th Operational Mission. FLGOFF A.M Lodder and crew departed Foulsham at 1637hrs as one of thirteen 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid in support of the Main Force attack on Mannheim, Germany. The crew dropped window foil and 2 x 500lb GP bombs then headed home. Soon after the aircraft was hit by flak in the starboard wing causing damage to fuel tank No.4, flaps, undercarriage and shredding the starboard tyre. The aircraft was diverted to RAF Little Snoring, Norfolk where it landed at 2210hrs. However, upon landing the aircraft swung off the runway because of the damaged stbd tyre and became firmly bogged.

02Feb45 A civilian repair contractor arrived at Little Snoring to extricate the bogged aircraft and make repairs to the damaged aircraft.

09Feb45 RAAF pilot 423373 FLGOFF L. Britt and crew flew a successful air test following completion of the repairs. The aircraft was then flown back to Driffield.

11Feb45 27^th Operational Mission. FLGOFF A.M Lodder and crew departed Foulsham at 0127hrs as one of eight Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid in the Ruhr area of Germany. The crew dropped window foil then returned to Base at 0455hrs.

13Feb45 28^th Operational Mission. FLGOFF V.T Bailey and crew departed Foulsham at 1830hrs as one of nine 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid in support of Operation Thunderclap against Dresden, Germany. For this mission the aircraft was loaded with 4 x Incendiary Clusters 750lb No.15 Mk.1 each containing 158 x 4lb incendiary bomblets. The crew dropped windows foil and the incendiaries then returned to Base at 0040hrs/14Feb. The aircraft landed heavily and bounced on landing and swung off the runway. The aircraft then ran over the FIDO pipeline causing significant damage to the tail wheel assembly and aft frame.

A post flight inspection determined the damage as Cat.Ac and was beyond the Unit’s repair capability. A repair crew from Handley Page was despatched to Driffield to effect the necessary repairs.

27Feb45 Aircraft repaired and returned to service.

28Feb45 Aircraft flew three operational missions, three non-operational flights and, made 3 x 10min pre-Ops test flights in Feb 1945.

02Mar45 29^th Operational Mission. FLTLT D.J Robertson and crew departed Foulsham at 1912hrs as one of seven 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid to Emden in support of Main Force attacks in Germany. For this mission the aircraft was loaded with 1 x Incendiary Cluster 500lb No.14 Mk.1 (with 104 x 4lb incendiary bomblets); 2 x Incendiary Clusters 750lb No.15 Mk.1 (each containing 158 x 4lb incendiary bomblets); and, 4 x 500lb GP bombs. The crew dropped windows foil, incendiaries and bombs then returned to Base at 2229hrs.

03Ma45 30^th Operational Mission. FLTLT D.J Robertson and crew departed Foulsham at 1936hrs as one of eight 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid to Emden-Ems Canal in support of a Main Force attack on the Dortmund-Ems Canal. For this mission the aircraft carried 6 x No.16 250lb Target Indicator Bombs. The crew dropped windows foil and bombs then returned to Base at 2359hrs.

05Mar45 31^st Operational Mission. FLGOFF N.E Marchant and crew departed Foulsham at 1724hrs as one of seven 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid in support of the Main Force attack on Mannheim, Germany. The crew dropped window foil on the inward and outward tracks. They also conducted a Windows Spoof raid dropping 4 x Incendiary Clusters 750lb No.15 Mk.1, each containing 158 x 4lb incendiary bomblets. The crew returned to Base safely at 2304hrs

09Mar45 32^nd Operational Mission. FLGOFF J.N Boyd and crew departed Foulsham at 1731hrs as one of seven 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid in support of the Main Force attack on the Ruhr, Germany. The crew dropped windows foil and bombs then returned to Base at 2255hrs.

10Mar45 33^rd Operational Mission. SQNLDR L.G Scharer and crew departed Foulsham at 1744hrs as one of four 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid in support of the Main Force raid on Munster, Germany. In addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment, the aircraft carried 4 x Incendiary Clusters 750lb No.15 Mk.1 each containing 158 x 4lb incendiary bomblets. The crew dropped windows foil and incendiaries then returned to Base at 2324hrs.

13Mar45 34^th Operational Mission. WOFF B.A Simms and crew departed Foulsham at 1745hrs as one of eleven 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid in support of the Main Force raid on Frankfurt, Germany. In addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment, the aircraft carried 2 x No.16 250lb Target Indicator Bombs; 1 x Incendiary Cluster 500lb No.14 Mk.1 (with 104 x 4lb incendiary bomblets); and, 4 x Incendiary Clusters 750lb No.15 Mk.1 each containing 158 x 4lb incendiary bomblets. The crew dropped windows foil, incendiaries and TI bombs then returned to Base at 2333hrs.

14Mar45 35^th Operational Mission. FLTLT D.M Taylor and crew departed Foulsham at 1740hrs as one of eight 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid in the Wiesbaden area to support Main Force raids on Germany. In addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment, the aircraft carried 1 x Incendiary Cluster 500lb No.14 Mk.1 (with 104 x 4lb incendiary bomblets); 2 x Incendiary Clusters 750lb No.15 Mk.1 each containing 158 x 4lb incendiary bomblets; and, 4 x 500lb GP bombs. The crew dropped windows foil, incendiaries and bombs in the target area then returned to Base at 2312hrs.

15Mar45 36^th Operational Mission. WOFF B.A Simms and crew departed Foulsham at 1750hrs as one of eight 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid in the Munster areas to support the Main Force raid on Hagen, Germany. In addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment, the aircraft carried 4 x 250lb No.4 Mk.1 Target Indicator Bombs; 3 x Incendiary Cluster 500lb No.14 Mk.1 (with 104 x 4lb incendiary bomblets); and, 2 x Incendiary Clusters 750lb No.15 Mk.1 each containing 158 x 4lb incendiary bomblets.

The crew dropped windows foil, incendiaries and TI bombs then turned for home. Soon after setting course an enemy night fighter made a single pass that caused damage to the port fuselage, tail unit and hydraulics. After taking violent evasive action to avoid the night fighter the captain nursed the damaged aircraft back to Base, landing safely at 2322hrs.

16Mar45 Aircraft damage was assessed as Cat.A and was repaired at the Unit.

18Mar45 37^th Operational Mission. FLGOFF N.E Marchant and crew departed Foulsham at 0118hrs as one of six 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid in the Kassel area to support the Main Force raid on Witten, Germany. The crew dropped windows foil in the target area then returned to Base at 0733hrs.

20Mar45 WOFF B.A Simms and crew were tasked for a mission to Bremen but burst a tyre on take-off.

21Mar45 38^th Operational Mission. FLTLT D.J Robertson and crew departed Foulsham at 0130hrs as one of five 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid in the Bremen area to support the Main Force raids in Germany. In addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment, the aircraft carried 4 x 250lb No.4 Mk.1 Target Indicator Bombs; 3 x Incendiary Cluster 500lb No.14 Mk.1 (with 104 x 4lb incendiary bomblets); and, 2 x Incendiary Clusters 750lb No.15 Mk.1 each containing 158 x 4lb incendiary bomblets. The crew dropped windows foil, incendiaries and TI bombs then returned to Base at 0526hrs.

22Mar45 39^th Operational Mission. WOFF B.A Simms and crew departed Foulsham at 1951hrs as one of four 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid in the Ruhr area to support Main Force raids in Germany. The crew dropped windows foil in the target area then returned to Base at 0019hrs/23Mar.

31Mar45 Aircraft flew 11 operational missions, five non-operational flights and, made 11 x 10min pre-Ops test flights in Mar 1945.

02Apr45 40^th Operational Mission. FLGOFF A.M Lodder and crew departed Foulsham at 2043hrs as one of ten 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid in the Stade area of Lower Saxony, Germany. In addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment, the aircraft carried 4 x 250lb No.4 Mk.1 Target Indicator Bombs and 6 x 500lb GP TD bombs. The crew dropped windows foil and bombs then returned to Base at 0137hrs/03Apr. 80km off the English coast the port outer engine had to be shut down and feathered because of overheating.

08Apr45 41^st Operational Mission. WOFF G.C Sharpe and crew departed Foulsham at 1815hrs as one of twelve 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid in the Schonebeck area to support Main Force raids in Germany. In addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment, the aircraft carried 4 x 250lb No.4 Mk.1 Target Indicator Bombs and 9 x 4.5 inch Illumination Parachute Flares. The crew dropped windows foil, TI bombs and flares then headed for home. The aircraft was advised Foulsham was closed because of extreme weather and was diverted to RAF Lindholme, South Yorkshire, where they landed at 0250hrs/09Apr.

13Apr45 42^nd Operational Mission. WOFF B.A Simms and crew departed Foulsham at 2024hrs as one of ten 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid on Hamburg to support the Main Force raids in Germany. In addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment, the aircraft carried 9 x 4.5 inch Illumination Parachute Flares; 2 x Incendiary Cluster 500lb No.14 Mk.1 (each with 104 x 4lb incendiary bomblets); and, 1 x Incendiary Cluster 750lb No.15 Mk.1 (with 158 x 4lb incendiary bomblets). The crew dropped windows foil, incendiaries and flares then returned to Base at 0139hrs/14Apr.

14Apr45 43^rd Operational Mission. WOFF B.A Simms and crew departed Foulsham at 1832hrs as one of four 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid in the Neurippin area to support the Main Force raid on Potsdam, Germany. In addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment, the aircraft carried 9 x 4.5 inch Illumination Parachute Flares; 2 x Incendiary Cluster 500lb No.14 Mk.1 (each with 104 x 4lb incendiary bomblets); and, 1 x Incendiary Cluster 750lb No.15 Mk.1 (with 158 x 4lb incendiary bomblets).. The crew dropped windows foil, incendiaries and flares then returned to Base at 0247hrs/15Apr.

15Apr45 44^th Operational Mission. FLGOFF A.M Lodder and crew departed Foulsham at 1850hrs as one of seven 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid in the Lechfeld area to support the Main Force raids in Germany. In addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment, the aircraft carried 4 x 4.5 inch Skymarker No.1 Mk.1 Illumination Flares and, 2 x Incendiary Cluster 750lb No.15 Mk.1 (with 158 x 4lb incendiary bomblets). The crew dropped windows foil, incendiaries and flares then bombed Lechfeld aerodrome before returning to Base at 0122hrs/16Apr.

16Apr45 45^th Operational Mission. FLGOFF A.M Lodder and crew departed Foulsham at 2358hrs as one of five 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid in the Augsburg area to support the Main Force raids in Germany. The crew were specifically tasked to attack the Fighter airfield at Donnauworth, Bavaria. In addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment, the aircraft carried 5 x 75lb Flares and, 2 x Incendiary Cluster 750lb No.15 Mk.1 (each with 158 x 4lb incendiary bomblets). The aircraft failed to return and was listed as MIA.

The fate of the aircraft and crew became known when the pilot, Flying Officer A.M Lodder, was liberated from a POW camp by US Forces in early May45 and returned by air to the UK. In his debriefing Lodder stated they were attacked from below by night fighter and he immediately lost control of the aircraft and the aircraft burned around him. Soon after the aircraft exploded and Lodder and bomb aimer SGT Peter Naylor were blown out of the aircraft but the rest of the crew perished except for the rear gunner SGT Chesterton who managed to bale out before the explosion.

Years later a Luftwaffe Combat report (Abschussmeldung) compiled by Oberfeldwebel Heinrich Schmidt of I./NJG 6 on 19 April 1945 states he made two attacks upon MZ467 from behind and at the same height. He fired 200 rounds at a range of 150 metres from the four frontal MG 151/20 cannon on his Ju88 G6. The claim was Schmidt's 15th victory.

21Apr45 Aircraft struck off charge. While serving with 462Sqn the aircraft flew 45 operational missions, made at least 20 non-operational flights and, made 45 x 10min pre-Ops test flights.

MZ467 crew photo [probably] taken with 21 OTU at RAF Moreton-on-Marsh

Back Row (L/R): McGarvie, Lodder, Casterton.
Front Row (L/R): Windus, Naylor, Foster

RAAF pilot 426118 Flying Officer Allan Morris Lodder was born 24 May23 in Silkstone, Queensland the son of Reginald and Gertrude Lodder. Allan was knocked unconscious and blown out of his aircraft when it exploded. He regained consciousness and deployed his parachute before crashing to ground in a forest approximately 2km from the remains of the Halifax southeast of Wortelstetten near Augsburg. Finding no survivors he headed south for Switzerland but the pain from his injuries and burns forced him to seek assistance. He finally located a small village where the people helped treat his wounds then took him to Kloster Holzen about 25 miles north of Augsburg which was being used as a German Field Hospital. After two weeks hospitalisation he was liberated by US 3^rd Army elements and flown back by DC3 to Swindon in the UK from where he was taken by ambulance to a hospital in Cosford near Wolverhampton.

Following several weeks of physiotherapy at Loughborough College he was transferred to Mongewell Park, a beautiful mansion on the banks of the Thames River, for convalescence. Allan, and his English wife Eileen Daphne of Woking in Surrey, departed Liverpool for Australia, arriving 21Nov45 in Sydney via Las Palmos, Durban and Perth. Allan resigned his commission on 18^th April 1946 with the rank of Flying Officer.

Allan Morris Lodder lived a full and productive life before he passed away on 29 September 2010 aged 87 years. His remains were cremated and his plaque is displayed at the Cooloola Coast Crematorium in Monkland, Gympie. His name is etched upon the Granite Wall of the Australian ex-Prisoners of War Memorial in Ballarat, Victoria.

Durnbach War Cemetery, Germany

RAAF wireless air gunner 434183 Flight Sergeant Cecil Reginald Henry Foster (29) was born in Toowoomba, Queensland on 10^th August 1915 the son of Wilfred and Mabel Rose Foster (nee Brister) of Sandgate, Queensland. Foster was KIA and initially buried by local villagers in the Ehingen Civilian Cemetery located in Baden Württemberg, Bavaria. On 3^rd September 1947 his remains were exhumed by a British Graves Concentration Unit and reinterred in Plot 5, Row K, Joint Grave 7-8 of the Bad Tolz (Durnbach) British Military Cemetery located 45kms south of Munich, Germany.

Cecil Reginald Foster is commemorated on Panel 109 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT; and, on Panel 165 on The Walls of Names at the International Bomber Command Centre, Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire. He is also honoured on the Roll of Honour in Sandgate, Queensland.

RAAF special duties wireless operator 432388 Flight Sergeant Errol Dallas Tisdell (20) was born in Taree, New South Wales on 28^th October 1924 the son of Adolphus & Ethel May Tisdell of Taree, New South Wales. Tisdell was KIA and initially buried by local villagers in the Ehingen Civilian Cemetery located in Baden Württemberg, Bavaria. On 3rd September 1947 his remains were exhumed by a British Graves Concentration Unit and reinterred in Plot 5, Row K, Joint Grave 7-8 of the Bad Tolz (Durnbach) British Military Cemetery located 45kms south of Munich, Germany.

Errol Dallas Tisdell is commemorated on Panel 109 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT; and, on Panel 165 on The Walls of Names at the International Bomber Command Centre, Canwick Hill in Lincolnshire. He is also honoured on the Rolls of Honour in Taree, NSW.

RAFVR navigator 1601856 Flight Sergeant Edward Windus (24) was born on 25^th September 1920 the son of Gerald Martin Windus and Gwendoline May Windus, of Boscombe in Bournemouth, Hampshire. Windus was KIA and initially buried by local villagers in the Westendorf Civilian Cemetery located in Tirol, Bavaria. On 3rd September 1947 his remains were exhumed by a British Graves Concentration Unit and reinterred in Plot 5, Row K, Joint Grave 10-11 of the Bad Tolz (Durnbach) British Military Cemetery located 45kms south of Munich, Germany.

Edward Windus is commemorated on Panel 367 on The Walls of Names at the International Bomber Command Centre, Canwick Hill in Lincolnshire.

RAFVR mid upper air gunner 1572467 Sergeant Robert McGarvie (21) born on 2^nd October 1923 the son of Davis W. McGarvie and Annie T. McGarvie, of Ayr, Scotland. Husband of Hilda Mary McGarvie of Ayr. McGarvie was KIA and initially buried by local villagers in the Westendorf Civilian Cemetery located in Tirol, Bavaria. On 3rd September 1947 his remains were exhumed by a British Graves Concentration Unit and reinterred in Plot 5, Row K, Joint Grave 10-11 of the Bad Tolz (Durnbach) British Military Cemetery located 45kms south of Munich, Germany.

Robert McGarvie is commemorated on Panel 208 on The Walls of Names at the International Bomber Command Centre, Canwick Hill in Lincolnshire. He is also commemorated on the Ayrshire Roll of Honour.

RAFVR flight engineer 1595698 Sergeant John Edmund Arthur Gray (20) born on 8^th June 1924 the son of Frank Balmforth Gray and Annie Gray of Christchurch, Cambridgeshire. Gray was KIA and initially buried by local villagers in the Westendorf Civilian Cemetery located in Tirol, Bavaria. On 3rd September 1947 his remains were exhumed by a British Graves Concentration Unit and reinterred in Plot 5, Row K, Grave 9 of the Bad Tolz (Durnbach) British Military Cemetery located 45kms south of Munich, Germany.

John Gray is commemorated on Panel 172 on The Walls of Names at the International Bomber Command Centre, Canwick Hill in Lincolnshire. He is also commemorated on the Ayrshire Roll of Honour.

RAFVR bomb aimer 1671430 Flight Sergeant Peter Athorn Naylor born 20^th December 1922 son of Mrs Blanch Naylor of Sheffield, Yorkshire. Peter was blown out of the exploding aircraft and managed to deploy his parachute before crashing to earth. He was quickly captured and spent the rest of the war as a POW. Following his repatriation to the UK Peter began working with British Railways and later married Mary Johnson.

On 12Sep1963 Peter and Mary boarded a French Airnautic Viking aircraft at Gatwick for a 12 day holiday on the Costa Brava. Thirty miles from their Perpignan destination the aircraft encountered a violent thunderstorm and crashed into the 5,000ft Pic De La Roquette in the Pyrenees Mountains. All 36 passengers and four crew were killed in the crash. The bodies of the 36 British holiday makers were retrieved from the mountain and flown back to the UK for burial.

On 23^rd September 1963 and Peter and Mary Naylor were buried together in Section C3, Grave No.4430 of the City Road Cemetery, Sheffield.

RAFVR rear air gunner 1684825 Sergeant Ronald Eric Casterton (23) born 20^th October 1922 the son of Mr J. E. E. Casterton of Failsworth, Manchester; married to Mrs Bette Casterton. Ronald escaped from the doomed aircraft and parachuted to earth. He was captured soon after and spent the remainder of the War as a POW. He was liberated and repatriated back to the UK and returned to his wife in Manchester.

MZ467 at RAF Foulsham circa April 1945
FSGT Cecil Foster posing for the camera in the cockpit and his rear turret.

MZ469

00Oct44 Handley Page Type HP61 Halifax B Mk III bomber Serial MZ469 was the 23^rd of 49 aircraft built in the Serial Range MZ447 to MZ495 manufactured under license to Contract No. ACFT/2595, requisition HA10/E11/42, by the London Aircraft Production Group (a subsidiary of the London Passenger Transport Board) in their factories at Aldenham, Chiswick and White City in Greater London. The aircraft was built in-line with Handley Pages’ well established and proven split construction and unit assembly methods. The aircraft was divided into twelve major assemblies, which allowed for more tradespeople to work on each assembly than would normally have been possible. Not only did this approach speed up production but it also made transportation and repair much easier. Components were all transported to Leavesden Aerodrome for final assembly and flight testing.

Powered by four Bristol Hercules XVI 38-litre, 14-cylinder, twin-row, supercharged, air-cooled radial engines each developing 1,650hp (1,230 kW) driving three-blade de Havilland 55/18 fully feathering wooden propellers. Engine serials were: Port Outer SS32951/A470391; Port Inner SS32137/A462059; Starboard Inner SS22724/A391722; and, Starboard Outer SS32257/A462179.

Defensive armament consisted of nine .303 inch Browning machine guns; one Gimbal mounted Vickers GO in the SRS 1A Type nose; four midships guns in a Boulton Paul A Mk.VIII turret; and, four tail guns in a Boulton Paul E Mk.I turret. Max bomb load, 10,000lb (4,540 kg) in fuselage and 3,000lb (1,362 kg) in wings. The aircraft was painted in the standard RAF Night scheme of matt Dark Green and Dark Earth on the upper surfaces and Night Black on all undersurfaces.

16Oct44 Aircraft delivered by an ATA Ferry Crew to No.44 Maintenance Unit at RAF Station Edzell in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

00Oct44 Aircraft allocated to RAAF No.462 (B) Sqn at RAF Station Driffield, Yorkshire.

02Nov44 Aircraft delivered by an ATA Ferry Crew to 426Sqn at Driffield. Taken on charge with B Flight as Z5-N.

18Nov44 1^st Operational Mission.RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.116

FLGOFF D.L Evans departed Driffield at 1219hrs as one of fifteen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 352 Halifaxes, 94 Lancasters and 18 Mosquitos of Nos.4, 6 and 8 Groups for a 479 strong attack on Münster, Germany. Weapons load was 16 x AN M58 500lb SAP TD bombs. The crew bombed the target from 18,400ft at 1506hrs and returned to base at 1727hrs.

29Nov44 2^nd Operational Mission.RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.121

PLTOFF J.N Boyd and crew departed Driffield at 0238hrs as one of seventeen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 253 Halifaxes, 32 Lancasters and 14 Mosquitos of Nos.1, 4 and 8 Groups for a 316 strong bomber force attack on the Essen, Germany. Weapons load was 1 x 2000lb HC and 11 x Cluster Projectile 500lb No.14 Mk.1 (each containing 106 x 4lb incendiary bomblets). The crew bombed the target from 20,500ft at 0538hrs and to base without incident at 0848hrs.

30Nov44 Aircraft flew two operational missions, one non-operational flight and, made 2 x 10min pre-Ops test flights in Nov 1944.

02Dec44 3^rd Operational Mission.RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.124

PLTOFF J.N Boyd and crew departed Driffield at 1754hrs as one of seventeen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 379 Halifaxes, 87 Lancasters and 23 Mosquitos of Nos.1, 4, 6 and 8 Groups for a 504 strong attack on the industrial complex in the German town of Hagen, North Rhine-Westphalia. Weapons load was 1 x 2,000lb HC bomb; 3 x 1,000lb MC TD bombs; and, 8 x 500lb MC TD bombs. The crew bombed the target from 19,000ft at 2105hrs then returned to Base at 0111hrs/03Dec.

05Dec44 4^th Operational Mission.RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.127

FLTLT C.W Jackson and crew departed Driffield at 1801hrs as one of fourteen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 371 Halifaxes, 100 Lancasters and 12 Mosquitos for a 497 strong bomber force attack on railway marshalling yards at Soest, Germany. Weapons load was 1 x 2,000lb HC bomb; 3 x 1,000 MC TD bombs; and, 8 x 500lb MC TD bombs. The crew bombed the target from 21,000ft at 2123hrs and returned to base at 0008hrs/06Dec.

12Dec44 5^th Operational Mission.RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.130

PLTOFF J.N Boyd and crew departed Driffield at 1614hrs as one of eleven 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 152 Halifaxes, 349 Lancasters and 28 Mosquitos of Nos.1, 4 and 8 Groups for a 540 strong bomber force attack on Essen, Germany. Weapons load was 1 x 2,000lb HC; 3 x 1,000lb MC TD bombs; and, 8 x 500lb GP TD bombs. The crew bombed the target at 1935hrs from 19,000ft then returned to base at 2205hrs.

18Dec44 6^th Operational Mission.RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.133

FLGOFF D.G Uther and crew departed Driffield at 0244hrs as one of sixteen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 402 Halifaxes, eight Lancasters and 24 Mosquitos for a 523 strong area attack on Duisburg, Germany. Weapons load was 5 x 1,000lb MC TD bombs and 8 x 500lb GP TD bombs. The crew bombed the target at 0622hrs from 20,500ft then returned to base at 0917hrs.

21Dec44 7^th Operational Mission.RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.135

FLGOFF F.H James and crew departed Driffield at 1514hrs as one of eleven 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 43 Halifaxes, 67 Lancasters and 15 Mosquitos of Nos. 4, 6 and 8 Groups for a 136 strong bomber force attack on the important Cologne/Nippes marshalling yards which were being used to serve the German offensive in the Ardennes. Weapons load was 1 x 2,000lb HC bomb; 3 x 1,000lb HC TD bombs; and, 5 x 500lb MC bombs. The crew bombed the target at 1859hrs from 18,000ft then returned to base at 2115hrs.

21Dec44 462 Squadron was stood down from operations and ordered to move from No.4 Group to No.100 Group where it became a Special Duties squadron.

29Dec44 Aircraft moved from Driffield to RAF Station Foulsham, Norfolk.

31Dec44 Aircraft flew four operational missions, two non-operational flights and, made four x 10min pre-Ops test flights in Dec 1944.

31Dec44 Aircraft flew five operational missions, two non-operational flights and, made 5 x 10min pre-Ops test flights in Nov 1944.

05Jan45 8^th Operational Mission. FLGOFF H.B Hancock and crew departed Foulsham at 1634hrs as one three 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid on Heligoland in support of the Main Force attack on the Ruhr, Germany. The crew completed the mission and returned to Base at 2037hrs.

06Jan45 9^th Operational Mission. PLTOFF M.W Rohrlach and crew departed Foulsham at 1619hrs as one of twelve 462Sqn Halifaxes for a Windows Spoof raid in the Ruhr area to support the Main Force attack on Hannau, Germany. The aircraft and crew failed to return and were listed as MIA.

The fate of the crew was determined the following week when a patrol from the 7^th Para Battalion, Royal Horse Artillery located the aircraft crash site at Epine near Hargimont, Belgium. On the following day (15Jan45) the bodies of the pilot, flight engineer, mid-upper gunner and rear gunner were extricated from the wreckage and buried beside the aircraft by the 7^th Para Padre. On 05Feb45 the Abbe of Hargimont informed the RAF there was a charred corpse still in the aircraft and two bodies in a snow covered field some distance away. The body in the aircraft was that of the Special duties operator, which was extricated on the 6^th Feb and buried with the other four bodies beside the wreckage. The two bodies in the field were those of the navigator and bomb aimer and these bodies were buried in the Marche Military Cemetery. Approximately one week later the five crewmen buried beside their aircraft were exhumed and moved to the Marche Cemetery. In 1947 all crewmen were exhumed and reinterred in the Hooton War cemetery.

19Jan45 Aircraft struck off charge. While serving with 462Sqn the aircraft flew nine operational missions, made at least four non-operational flights and, made 9 x 10min pre-Ops test flights.

The initial crash investigation could not determine any definitive cause for the loss of Halifax MZ469 and was recorded as such. However, from the 1990s extensive research conducted by Belgian organizations proposed that the immediate post war findings were probably incorrect. A consensus now exists that strongly suggests MZ469 was lost as a result of a mid-air collision with Halifax NA687 (6Y-A) of 171 Sqn. Both aircraft were on the same raid and NA687 was lost almost simultaneously with MZ469, and they crashed only 5km from each other. Additionally, it is now known from the reports of other aircraft returning on the same raid that there was no flak; no searchlight activity; no reports of night fighters; and, no Luftwaffe fighter claims were made to correlate with the almost simultaneous loss of two aircraft at that time and place. All in all a compelling case to support the assertion that a mid-air collision was the reason the two aircraft were lost.

RAAF pilot 417761 Pilot Officer Mervin Walter Rohrlach (26) born 17 February 1918 the son of John Gustav Rohrlach and Anna Maria Rohrlach; husband of Golda Loreen Rohrlach, of Kimba, South Australia was KIA. He was initially buried on 15Jan45 beside the crashed aircraft together with his flight engineer, mid-upper gunner and rear gunner. Early in February 1945 the four airmen were exhumed and reburied in the Marche Military Cemetery in Belgium. In 1947 John Rohrlach was exhumed from the Marche Cemetery by the BOAR No.84 Graves Concentration Unit and on 7^th May 1947 he was reinterred in Plot VI, Row B, Grave 5 of the Hotton (British) War Cemetery located south of Liege in Luxembourg, Belgium.

Mervin Rohrlach is commemorated on Panel 109 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT; and, on Panel 235 on The Walls of Names at the International Bomber Command Centre at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire. He is also remembered on the Roll of Honour of the Kimba War Memorial on High Street, Kimba South Australia.

RAAF special duties operator 429052 Flight Sergeant Leslie Gordon Marshall Mannell (31) born 1^st December 1913 the son of Leslie Gordon Mannell and Letitia May Mannell. of Stanmore, Sydney, New South Wales; husband of Jeane Mannell, of Griffith, New South Wales, Australia. Leslie was KIA but his body was not recovered from the aircraft until 6th February following a report from the Abbe of Hargimont which informed the RAF there was a charred corpse still in the aircraft. The body in the aircraft was that of the Special duties operator, which was extricated on the 6th Feb and buried with the other four bodies beside the wreckage. Early in February 1945 the five airmen were exhumed and reburied in the Marche Military Cemetery in Belgium. In 1947 Leslie Mannell was exhumed from the Marche Cemetery by the BOAR No.84 Graves Concentration Unit and on 7th May 1947 he was reinterred in Plot VI, Row B, Joint Grave 3-4 of the Hotton (British) War Cemetery located south of Liege in Luxembourg, Belgium.

Leslie Mannell is commemorated on Panel 109 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT; and, on Panel 204 on The Walls of Names at the International Bomber Command Centre at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire. He is also remembered on the Roll of Honour in Griffith Cenotaph Memorial Park located in Banna Avenue, Griffith, New South Wales.

RAFVR navigator 1685244 Sergeant John Scaife Sanderson (22) born 6^th January 1922 the son of Thomas Scaife Sanderson and Annie Mary Sanderson, of Tebay, Westmorland. John was KIA but his body was not recovered until early February following a report from the Abbe of Hargimont which informed the RAF of two frozen corpses in a field not far from the crash site. The bodies in the field were those of John Sanderson and Norman Scott. Both bodies were recovered and buried in the Marche Military Cemetery in Belgium. In 1947 John Sanderson was exhumed from the Marche Cemetery by the BOAR No.84 Graves Concentration Unit and on 7th May 1947 he was reinterred in Plot VI, Row B, Grave 7 of the Hotton (British) War Cemetery located south of Liege in Luxembourg, Belgium.

John Scaife Sanderson is commemorated on Panel 237 on The Walls of Names at the International Bomber Command Centre at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire; and, on the Tebay War Memorial in St James Church in Westmorland, Cumbria.

RAFVR air bomber 1399603 Flight Sergeant Norman Stanley Scott (21) born 31 July 1923 the son of William Geoffrey and Vesta Albine Scott, of Hildenborough, Kent. Norman was KIA but his body was not recovered until early February following a report from the Abbe of Hargimont which informed the RAF of two frozen corpses in a field not far from the crash site. The bodies in the field were those of Norman and John Sanderson. Both bodies were recovered and buried in the Marche Military Cemetery in Belgium. In 1947 Norman Scott was exhumed from the Marche Cemetery by the BOAR No.84 Graves Concentration Unit and on 7th May 1947 he was reinterred in Plot VI, Row B, Grave 6 of the Hotton (British) War Cemetery located south of Liege in Luxembourg, Belgium.

Norman Stanley Scott is commemorated on Panel 238 on The Walls of Names at the International Bomber Command Centre at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire; and, on the Hildenborough War Memorial on Tonbridge Road in Hildenborough, Kent. His name is inscribed with the WW2 names on the lower section of the base.

RAFVR flight engineer 1594654 Sergeant Joseph David Beardsmore (21) born 1924 the son of Joseph and Mary Edith Beardsmore of Gornal Wood, Dudley, West Midlands was KIA. He was initially buried on 15Jan45 beside the crashed aircraft together with his pilot, mid-upper gunner and pilot. Early in February 1945 the four airmen were exhumed and reburied in the Marche Military Cemetery in Belgium. In 1947 Joseph Beardmore was exhumed from the Marche Cemetery by the BOAR No.84 Graves Concentration Unit and on 7th May 1947 he was reinterred in Plot VI, Row B, Collective Grave 1-2 of the Hotton (British) War Cemetery located south of Liege in Luxembourg, Belgium. Joseph is commemorated on Panel 128 on The Walls of Names at the International Bomber Command Centre at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire; and, on the Lower Gornal War Memorial in Dudley, West Midlands.

RAFVR air gunner 1852943Sergeant Vivian Claude Topham (19) born 22 April 1925 the son of Mr C A Topham (Father), of Truro, Cornwall. Vivian was KIA and initially buried on 15Jan45 beside the crashed aircraft together with his pilot, flight engineer, and rear gunner. Early in February 1945 the four airmen were exhumed and reburied in the Marche Military Cemetery in Belgium. In 1947 Vivian was exhumed from the Marche Cemetery by the BOAR No.84 Graves Concentration Unit and on 7th May 1947 he was reinterred in Plot VI, Row B, Grave 5 of the Hotton (British) War Cemetery located south of Liege in Luxembourg, Belgium.

Vivian Claude Topham is commemorated on Panel 255 on The Walls of Names at the International Bomber Command Centre at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire; on the Truro War Memorial; and, on a memorial in the Truro city post office.

RAFVR air gunner 3050406 Sergeant Eric Gordon Baker (19) born 13 April 1925 the son of William and Florence May Baker, of Sedgley, Staffordshire was KIA. He was initially buried on 15Jan45 beside the crashed aircraft together with his flight engineer, mid-upper gunner and pilot. Early in February 1945 the four airmen were exhumed and reburied in the Marche Military Cemetery in Belgium. In 1947 Eric Baker was exhumed from the Marche Cemetery by the BOAR No.84 Graves Concentration Unit and on 7^th May 1947 he was reinterred in Plot VI, Row B, Collective Grave 3-4 of the Hotton (British) War Cemetery located south of Liege in Luxembourg, Belgium.

Eric Baker is commemorated on Panel 126 on The Walls of Names at the International Bomber Command Centre at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire; and, on the Sedgley War Memorial in Dudley, West Midlands.

RAAF wireless operator air gunner 437426 Flight Sergeant Douglas Henry Lawrence (21) born 2^nd June 1923 in Menindie, South Australia the son of Captain Albert George Lawrence of Muswellbrook NSW and Ivy Eliza Adeline Lawrence of Unley Park, South Australia. Douglas was blown out of the aircraft when it exploded and landed safely. In a post war interview Lawrence stated that while flying over Belgium the aircraft was hit, a large hole being torn in the fuselage opposite his position as wireless operator. The aircraft immediately got out of control and Lawrence put on his parachute and stood up to speak Rohrlach as the inter-communication system had been knocked out. The next thing he remembers is that he was in mid-air with his parachute open. He considers that he was blown out of the aircraft by the explosion and that the rest of the crew would have had no opportunity to bale out.

Soon after landing near the town of Jemelle in the Walloon Region of Belgium he was captured by German soldiers and transported to Dulag Luft 12 in Oberusal for interrogation, issued POW No.1250R then sent to Stalag VIIa near Moosburg, Bavaria. He remained in Stalag VIIa until 29Apr45 when the camp was liberated by Combat Command A of the US Army 14^th Division. He was returned to the UK and posted to No.11 RAAF Personnel Receiving and Dispatch Centre in Brighton, Sussex. He departed the UK on 08Aug45 aboard the SS Orion and disembarked in Sydney on 09Sep45. Douglas Lawrence discharged from the RAAF on 20Decmber 1945 with the rank of Warrant Officer. Doug was alive and well as of January 2017 aged 93 years.

MZ479

00Oct44 Handley Page Type HP61 Halifax B Mk III bomber Serial MZ479 was the 33^rd of 49 aircraft built in the Serial Range MZ447 to MZ495 manufactured under license to Contract No. ACFT/2595, requisition HA10/E11/42, by the London Aircraft Production Group (a subsidiary of the London Passenger Transport Board) in their factories at Aldenham, Chiswick and White City in Greater London. The aircraft was built in-line with Handley Pages’ well established and proven split construction and unit assembly methods. The aircraft was divided into twelve major assemblies, which allowed for more tradespeople to work on each assembly than would normally have been possible. Not only did this approach speed up production but it also made transportation and repair much easier. Components were all transported to Leavesden Aerodrome for final assembly and flight testing.

Powered by four Bristol Hercules XVI 38-litre, 14-cylinder, twin-row, supercharged, air-cooled radial engines each developing 1,650hp (1,230 kW) driving three-blade de Havilland 55/18 fully feathering wooden propellers. Engine serials were: Port Outer A426784; Port Inner A470413; Starboard Inner A470645; and, Starboard Outer A347399.

Defensive armament consisted of nine .303 inch Browning machine guns; one Gimbal mounted Vickers GO in the SRS 1A Type nose; four midships guns in a Boulton Paul A Mk.VIII turret; and, four tail guns in a Boulton Paul E Mk.I turret. Max bomb load, 10,000lb (4,540 kg) in fuselage and 3,000lb (1,362 kg) in wings. The aircraft was painted in the standard RAF Night scheme of matt Dark Green and Dark Earth on the upper surfaces and Night Black on all undersurfaces.

00Oct44 Aircraft allocated to RAAF No.462 (B) Sqn at RAF Station Driffield, Yorkshire.

30Oct44 Aircraft delivered by an ATA Ferry Crew to 426Sqn at Driffield. Taken on charge with A Flight as Z5-B.

16Nov44 1^st Operational Mission.RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.115

RAAF pilot 424925 WOFF B.A Simms and crew departed Driffield at 1306hrs as one of sixteen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 400 Halifaxes, 78 Lancasters and 17 Mosquitos for three simultaneous attacks on three towns near the German front lines between Aachen and the Rhine River. 1,188 Bomber Command aircraft attacked the towns of Düren, Jülich and Heinsburg in order to cut communications behind the German lines. 462 Sqn was tasked to attack Jülich with another 397 Halifaxes, 17 Lancasters and 17 Mosquitos of Nos.4, 6 and 8 Groups. Weapons load was 1 x 2,000lb HC; 6 x AN M59 1,000lb SAP TD; and, 5 x 500lb GP TD bombs. The crew bombed the target from 13,000ft at 1532hrs and returned to base at 1807hrs.

Along with the RAF component, a force of 1,239 USAAF heavy bombers also made raids in the same area. In total, more than 9,400 tons of high-explosive ordnance were dropped by the combined bomber forces.

18Nov44 2^nd Operational Mission.RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.116

RAAF pilot 424925 WOFF B.A Simms and crew departed Driffield at 1238hrs as one of fifteen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 352 Halifaxes, 94 Lancasters and 18 Mosquitos of Nos.4, 6 and 8 Groups for a 479 strong attack on Münster, Germany. Weapons load was 16 x 500lb MC TD bombs. The crew bombed the target from 18,000ft at 1505hrs and returned to base at 1748hrs.

21Nov44 3^rd Operational Mission.RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.119

RAAF pilot 424925 WOFF B.A Simms and crew departed Driffield at 1711hrs as one of fifteen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 217 Halifaxes, 18 Lancasters and 20 Mosquitos of Nos.4 and 8 Groups for a 270 strong attack on the synthetic oil refinery at Sterkrade, Germany. Weapons load was 15 x AN M58 500lb SAP bombs and 4 x 500lb GP LD37 bombs. The crew bombed the target from 19,000ft at 2103hrs and returned to Base at 2339hrs.

29Nov44 4^th Operational Mission. RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.121

RAAF pilot FLGOFF D.M Taylor and crew departed Driffield at 0248hrs as one of sixteen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 253 Halifaxes, 32 Lancasters and 14 Mosquitos of Nos.1, 4 and 8 Groups for a 316 strong bomber force attack on the Essen, Germany. Weapons load was 1 x 2000lb HC; 1 x 1,000lb MC; and, 10 x Cluster Projectile 500lb No.14 Mk.1 (each containing 106 x 4lb incendiary bomblets). The crew bombed the target from 21,000ft at 0538hrs and to base without incident at 0852hrs.

30Nov44 5^th Operational Mission.RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.123

PLTOFF F.M James and crew departed Driffield at 1642hrs as one of sixteen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 406 Halifaxes, 126 Lancasters and 25 Mosquitos of Nos.1, 4, 6 and 8 Groups for a 576 strong attack on Duisburg, Germany. Weapons load was 16 x 500lb GP TD bombs. The crew bombed the target from 19,000ft at 2004hrs and to base without incident at 2207hrs.

30Nov44 Aircraft flew five operational missions, two non-operational flights and. Made 5 x 10min pre-Ops test flights in November 1944.

02Dec44 6^th Operational Mission.RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.124

PLTOFF B.K Drinkwater and crew departed Driffield at 1755hrs as one of seventeen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 379 Halifaxes, 87 Lancasters and 23 Mosquitos of Nos.1, 4, 6 and 8 Groups for a 504 strong bomber force attack on the industrial complex in the German town of Hagen, North Rhine-Westphalia. Weapons load was 1 x 2000lb HC; 2 x 1,000lb MC; 4 x 500lb MC bombs; and, 3 x Cluster Projectile 500lb No.14 Mk.1 (each containing 106 x 4lb incendiary bomblets). The crew bombed the target from 19,000ft at 2101hrs then headed home. Approaching the UK coast the crew realized they would not make Base so the captain diverted to RAF Woodbridge and landed at 2353hrs. The crew remained overnight and returned to Base the following day.

05Dec44 7^th Operational Mission.RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.127

PLTOFF B.K Drinkwater and crew departed Driffield at 1755hrs as one of fourteen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 349 Halifaxes, 72 Lancasters and 18 Mosquitos for a 453 strong area attack on Osnabrück, Germany. Weapons load was 1 x 2,000lb HC bomb; 3 x 1,000 MC TD bombs; and, 8 x 500lb MC TD bombs. The crew bombed the target from 21,000ft at 2129hrs and returned to base at 0042hrs/06Dec.

06Dec44 8^th Operational Mission.RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.128

PLTOFF F.M James and crew departed Driffield at 1602hrs as one of fourteen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 349 Halifaxes, 72 Lancasters and 18 Mosquitos of Nos.1, 4, 6 and 8 Groups for a 453 strong area attack on Osnabrück, Germany. Weapons load was 14 x 500lb GP TD bombs and 2 x 500lb GP LD37 bombs. The crew bombed the target from 20,000ft at 1946hrs and returned to base at 2230hrs.

12Dec44 9^th Operational Mission.RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.130

PLTOFF B.K Drinkwater and crew departed Driffield at 1635hrs as one of eleven 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 43 Halifaxes, 67 Lancasters and 15 Mosquitos of Nos. 4, 6 and 8 Groups for a 136 strong attack on the important Cologne/Nippes marshalling yards which were being used to serve the German offensive in the Ardennes. Weapons load was 1 x 2000lb HC; 3 x 1,000lb HC; 5 x 500lb MC bombs. The crew bombed the target from 19,500ft at 1928hrs and returned to base without incident at 2158hrs.

21Dec44 10^th Operational Mission.RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.135

WOFF B.A Simms and crew departed Driffield at 1511hrs as one of eleven 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 43 Halifaxes, 67 Lancasters and 15 Mosquitos of Nos. 4, 6 and 8 Groups for a 136 strong attack on the important Cologne/Nippes marshalling yards which were being used to serve the German offensive in the Ardennes. Weapons load was 1 x 2,000lb HC bomb; 3 x 1,000lb HCTD bombs; and, 5 x 500lb MCTD bombs. The crew bombed the target from 18,000ft at 1842hrs and returned to base at 2105hrs.

31Dec44 Aircraft flew five operational missions and made 5 x 10min pre-Ops test flights in December 1944.

02Jan45 11^th Operational Mission. FSGT B.A Simms and crew departed Foulsham at 1555hrs as one of eight Halifaxes for a Windows Spoof raid in the Mannheim area to support the Main Force attack on Nuremburg, Germany. The crew completed the mission and RTB at 2101hrs

03Jan45 12^th Operational Mission. PLTOFF A.E Astill and crew departed Foulsham at 1625hrs as one of four 462Sqn Halifaxes for a Windows Spoof raid in the Heligoland area to support the Main Force attacks in Germany. The crew completed the mission and returned to Base at 2038hrs.

06Jan45 13^th Operational Mission. FSGT B.A Simms and crew departed Foulsham at 1629hrs as one of twelve 462Sqn Halifaxes for a Windows Spoof raid in support of the Main Force attack on Hannau, Germany. The crew completed the mission and returned to Base at 2138hrs.

07Jan45 14^th Operational Mission. FLGOFF V.T Bailey and crew departed Foulsham at 1437hrs as one of seven 462Sqn Halifaxes for a Windows Spoof raid in the Ruhr area in support of the Main Force attack on Munich, Germany. In addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment, the aircraft carried 2 x 500lb GP bombs. The captain aborted the mission with engine problems and returned to Base at 1607hrs.

14Jan45 15^th Operational Mission. PLTOFF B.K Drinkwater and crew departed Foulsham at 1634hrs as one of thirteen 462Sqn Halifaxes for a Windows Spoof raid on Mannerheim in support of the Main Force attack on synthetic oil plants in Germany. In addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment, the aircraft carried 2 x 500lb GP bombs. The crew completed their mission and dropped the bombs in the Mannerheim area then RTB at 2223hrs.

21Jan45 16^th Operational Mission. FLGOFF J.W O’Sullivan and crew departed Foulsham at 2005hrs as one of six 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid on Bonn in support of the Main Force attacks on Germany. In addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment, the aircraft carried 2 x 500lb GP bombs. The crew completed their mission and dropped the bombs in the Bonn area then returned to Base at 0058hrs/22Jan.

22Jan45 17^th Operational Mission. FLGOFF B.K Drinkwater and crew departed Foulsham at 1721hrs as one of eleven 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof Raid in the Ruhr area in support of the Main Force attack on Duisburg, Germany. The crew completed the mission and RTB at 0047hrs/23Jan.

28Jan45 18^th Operational Mission. FLTLT J.E Byrom and crew departed Foulsham at 1650hrs as one of eight 462Sqn Halifaxes for a Windows Spoof raid in support of the Main Force attack on Mainz, Germany. In addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment, the aircraft carried 2 x 500lb GP bombs which the crew dropped, then RTB at 2323hrs

31Jan45 Aircraft flew eight operational missions and made 8 x 10min pre-Ops test flights in January 1945.

01Feb45 19^th Operational Mission. WOFF B.A Sims and crew departed Foulsham at 1644hrs as one of thirteen 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid in support of the Main Force attack on Mannheim, Germany. In addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment, the aircraft carried 2 x 500lb GP bombs. The crew dropped window foil but could not drop the 2 x 500lb GP bombs because of an electrical problem. The crew returned to Base at 2205hrs.

02Feb45 20^th Operational Mission. WOFF B.A Sims and crew departed Foulsham at 2100hrs as one of eight 462Sqn Halifaxes for a Windows Spoof raid in support of the Main Force attack on Mannheim, Germany. In addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment, the aircraft carried 2 x 500lb GP bombs. The crew dropped window foil and both bombs before returning to Base at 0203hrs/03Feb

04Feb45 21^st Operational Mission. WOFF B.A Sims and crew departed Foulsham at 1747hrs as one of ten 462Sqn Halifaxes for a Windows Spoof raid in the Ruhr area of Germany. The crew dropped window foil then RTB at 2301hrs.

07Feb45 22^nd Operational Mission. WOFF B.A Sims and crew departed Foulsham at 2137hrs as one of eleven Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid near Bonn in the Ruhr area of Germany. In addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment, the aircraft carried 2 x 500lb GP bombs and 2 x Cluster Projectile 750lb No.15 Mk I (each containing 158 x 4lb incendiary bomblets). At 2210hrs the stbd outer engine burst into flames but could not be feathered and, inevitably, the propeller and reduction gear soon tore off the engine. Simms ordered the crew to bale out and after they had gone he decided to try and save the aircraft. By some extraordinary means Simms managed to quell the fire and make a successful belly landing at the USAAF Base at Hethel, Norfolk. None of the crew were injured.

09Feb45 Aircraft damage assessed as Cat.B/FB. Lorries from No.60 MU transported the aircraft to the Handley Page repair facility at Rawcliffe, Yorkshire. Lengthy repair was commenced but it soon became apparent the damage was much greater than original thought.

15Mar45 Repair work halted and a full damage reassessment performed.

23May46 Aircraft reassessed as Cat.E

20Jun45 Aircraft struck off charge and sold for scrap.

NA240

00Dec44 Handley Page Type HP61 Halifax B Mk III bomber Serial NA240 was the 24^th of 46 aircraft built in the Serial Range NA218 to NA263 manufactured under license to Contract No. ACFT/637C (4) c, requisition HA3/E11/40, by Rootes Securities Ltd at their facilities in Liverpool and Blythe Bridge, Staffordshire. The aircraft was built in-line with Handley Pages’ well established and proven split construction and unit assembly methods. The aircraft was divided into twelve major assemblies, which allowed more tradespeople to work on each assembly than would normally have been possible. Not only did this approach speed up production, it also made transportation and repair easier. Sub-contractors were used to produce specific sub-assemblies, which were then transported by road to that manufacturer’s main facility where the aircraft was completed and test flown.

Powered by four Bristol Hercules XVI 38-litre, 14-cylinder, twin-row, supercharged, air-cooled radial engines each developing 1,650hp (1,230 kW) driving three-blade de Havilland 55/18 fully feathering wooden propellers. Engine serials were: Port Outer AC65169/A311578; Port Inner SS4337/A269793; Starboard Inner SS2839/A379819; and, Starboard Outer AC65404/A311813.

Defensive armament consisted of nine .303 inch Browning machine guns; one Gimbal mounted Vickers GO in the SRS 1A Type nose; four midships guns in a Boulton Paul A Mk.VIII turret; and, four tail guns in a Boulton Paul E Mk.I turret. Max bomb load, 10,000lb (4,540 kg) in fuselage and 3,000lb (1,362 kg) in wings. The aircraft was painted in the standard RAF Night scheme of matt Dark Green and Dark Earth on the upper surfaces and Night Black on all undersurfaces.

22Dec44 Aircraft delivered by an ATA Ferry Crew to No.32 Maintenance Unit at RAF Station St Athans, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales. The aircraft was modified for Special Duties which entailed the fitment of radio-countermeasures (RCM) equipment such as: Airborne Cigar (ABC) a British electronic warfare device operating over three MHz frequency bands to jam night fighter R/T and W/T communications; Carpet Jammer a British device operating in the 300-600MHz range to jam Wurzburg GCI and GL radars; and, Piperack an American device designed to jam the AI radar aboard German night fighters.

00Feb45 Aircraft allocated to RAAF No.462 (SO) Sqn at RAF Station Foulsham, Norfolk.

20Feb45 Aircraft delivered by an ATA Ferry Crew to 462Sqn where it was taken on charge with B Flight as Z5-V.

13Mar45 1^st Operational Mission. First ABC/Carpet radio-countermeasures mission.

FLGOFF H.R Anderson and crew departed Foulsham at 1745hrs as one of eleven 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked to provide RCM protective cover against German night fighters for ten other 462Sqn Halifaxes on a Windows Spoof raid in support of the Main Force raid on Frankfurt, Germany. In addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment, the aircraft carried 2 x No.16 250lb Target Indicator Bombs; 1 x Incendiary Cluster 500lb No.14 Mk.1 (with 104 x 4lb incendiary bomblets); and, 4 x Incendiary Clusters 750lb No.15 Mk.1 each containing 158 x 4lb incendiary bomblets. The crew dropped windows foil, incendiaries and TI bombs then returned to Base at 2347hrs.

This was the first mission the aircraft provided ABC/Carpet radio-countermeasures protection against German night fighter aircraft for the other ten 462Sqn aircraft on the raid.

16Mar45 2^nd Operational Mission. Second ABC/Carpet radio-countermeasures mission.

FLGOFF A.D Ball and crew departed Foulsham at 1829hrs Halifaxes tasked to provide RCM protective cover against German night fighters for four other 462Sqn Halifaxes on a Windows Spoof raid on Hanau, Germany. In addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment, the aircraft carried 5 x Incendiary Cluster 500lb No.14 Mk.1 (each with 104 x 4lb incendiary bomblets). The crew dropped windows foil, and incendiaries then returned to headed for Base. As the aircraft crossed the English coast the crew became lost and were forced to divert and land at RAF Watten in Norfolk at 0200hrs.

21Mar45 3^rd Operational Mission. Third ABC/Carpet radio-countermeasures mission.

FLTLT W.B Cookson and crew departed Foulsham at 0138hrs tasked to provide RCM protective cover against German night fighters for four other 462Sqn Halifaxes on a Windows Spoof raid on Bremen, Germany. In addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment, the aircraft carried 4 x No.16 250lb Target Indicator Bombs; 2 x Incendiary Cluster 500lb No.14 Mk.1 (each with 104 x 4lb incendiary bomblets). The crew dropped windows foil, incendiaries and TI bombs then returned to Base at 0636hrs.

22Mar45 4^th Operational Mission. Fourth ABC/Carpet radio-countermeasures mission.

PLTOFF J.C Fleming and crew departed Foulsham at 0138hrs tasked to provide RCM protective cover against German night fighters for four other 462Sqn Halifaxes on a Windows Spoof raid on the Ruhr area of Germany. The crew dropped windows foil then returned to Base at 0030hrs/23Mar.

23Mar45 5^th Operational Mission. Fifth ABC/Carpet radio-countermeasures mission.

FLGOFF H.R Anderson and crew departed Foulsham tasked to provide RCM protective cover against German night fighters for four other 462Sqn Halifaxes on a Windows Spoof raid on the Ruhr area of Germany. The crew dropped windows foil then returned to Base at 0100hrs/24Mar.

27Mar45 6^th Operational Mission. Sixth ABC/Carpet radio-countermeasures mission.

PLTOFF H.E Grant and crew departed Foulsham at 1903hrs tasked to provide RCM protective cover against German night fighters for eight other 462Sqn Halifaxes on a Windows Spoof raid on Bremerhaven, Germany. In addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment, the aircraft carried 4 x No.16 250lb Target Indicator Bombs and 4 x Incendiary Clusters 750lb No.15 Mk.1 (each containing 158 x 4lb incendiary bomblets). The crew dropped windows foil, incendiaries and TI bombs then returned to Base at 0002hrs/28Mar.

30Mar45 7^th Operational Mission. Seventh ABC/Carpet radio-countermeasures mission.

PLTOFF W.H Scott and crew departed Foulsham at 1903hrs tasked to provide RCM protective cover against German night fighters for eight other 462Sqn Halifaxes on a Windows Spoof raid to Stade, Germany. In addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment, the aircraft carried 2 x No.16 250lb Target Indicator Bombs and 4 x Incendiary Clusters 750lb No.15 Mk.1 (each containing 158 x 4lb incendiary bomblets). The crew dropped windows foil, incendiaries and TI bombs then returned to Base at 2349hrs.

31Mar45 Aircraft flew seven operational missions, three non-operational flights and, made 7 x 10min pre-Ops test flights in Mar 1945.

04Apr45 8^th Operational Mission. Eighth ABC/Carpet radio-countermeasures mission.

FLGOFF W.J Frazer and crew departed Foulsham at 2012hrs as one of two 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked to provide RCM protective cover for 327 aircraft of the main force for an attack on the Rhenania oil plant near Harburg, Germany. The aircraft carried 2 x 500lb GP bombs in addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment. The crew dropped windows foil and bombs then returned to Base at 0110hrs/05Apr.

08Apr45 9^th Operational Mission. Ninth ABC/Carpet radio-countermeasures mission.

FLGOFF P.S Sherren and crew departed Foulsham at 1815hrs tasked to provide RCM protective cover for 432 aircraft of No.5 Group for an attack on the Lützkendorf mineral oil plant near Müuellen in Geiseltal Germany. The aircraft carried 2 x 500lb GP bombs in addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment. The crew dropped windows foil and bombs then headed for Base. However, they were diverted to RAF Wickenby, Lincolnshire when Foulsham closes because of low clouds and fog.

10Apr45 10^th Operational Mission. Tenth ABC/Carpet radio-countermeasures mission.

PLTOFF A.D.J Ball and crew departed Foulsham at 1910hrs as one of two 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked to provide RCM protective cover for 230 aircraft of No.5 Group for an attack on the Engelsdorf and Mockau railway yards at Leipzig, Germany. The aircraft carried 2 x 500lb GP bombs in addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment. The aircraft failed to return and was listed as MIA.

A post-war investigation by the Missing Research & Enquiry Unit determined the aircraft was hit by flak and exploded over the village of Zaasch, located some 20km north-east of Halle, Germany. All the crew were KIA except for the tail gunner (FSGT Max Hibberd) who was blown out of the aircraft and landed in a field. After hiding in a haystack until nightfall he approached a farmhouse for assistance but was handed over to the police and made a POW.

25Apr45 Aircraft struck off charge. While serving with 462Sqn the aircraft flew ten operational missions, made at least seven non-operational flights and, made 10 x 10min pre-Ops test flights.

RAAF pilot 427182 Pilot Officer Alfred Desmond John Ball (20) born 11 April 1924 in Perth Western Australia the son of Frederick Arthur and Dorothy Louise Ball, of Leederville, Western Australia. Alfred was KIA and initially buried in a collective grave at the St. Ursula Evangelische Church cemetery in Zaasch, Germany. In October 1947 he was exhumed by a British Army Graves Concentration Unit and reinterred in Plot IV, Row Z, Grave 9 of the Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery.

Desmond John Ball is commemorated on Panel 109 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT; and, on Panel 126 on The Walls of Names at the International Bomber Command Centre at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire. He is remembered on the Roll of Honour at the Cenotaph Undercroft, State War Memorial in Kings Park, WA.

RAAF navigator 426113 Flight Sergeant Neil Vernon Evans (22) born 14^th February 1923 in Barellan, Narrandera Shire New South Wales the son of George Vernon and Elizabeth Evans of Victoria Park in Perth Western Australia. Neil was KIA and initially buried in a collective grave at the St. Ursula Evangelische Church cemetery in Zaasch, Germany. In October 1947 he was exhumed by a British Army Graves Concentration Unit and reinterred in Plot IV, Row Z, Grave 8 of the Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery.

Neil Vernon Evans is commemorated on Panel 109 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT; and, on Panel 161 on The Walls of Names at the International Bomber Command Centre at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire. He is remembered on the Roll of Honour at the Cenotaph Undercroft, State War Memorial in Kings Park, WA.

RAAF bomb aimer 409532 Flying Officer Murray Frank (25) born 10^th November 1919 in Ballarat, Victoria the son of William Casper Frank and Louisa Frank, of Daylesford, Victoria, Australia. Husband of Ruth Constance Frank, of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Murray was KIA and initially buried in a collective grave at the St. Ursula Evangelische Church cemetery in Zaasch, Germany. In October 1947 he was exhumed by a British Army Graves Concentration Unit and reinterred in Plot IV, Row Z, Grave 7 of the Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery.

Murray Frank is commemorated on Panel 109 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT; and, on Panel 166 on The Walls of Names at the International Bomber Command Centre at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire. He is also remembered on the Roll of Honour in Daylesford, Victoria.

RAAF air gunner 430788 Flight Sergeant John Mickle Tait (20) born 6^th March 1925 in Ascot Vale, Victoria the son of George William and Jessie Myrtle Tait, of Moonee Ponds, Victoria, Australia. John was KIA and initially buried in a collective grave at the St. Ursula Evangelische Church cemetery in Zaasch, Germany. In October 1947 he was exhumed by a British Army Graves Concentration Unit and reinterred in Plot IV, Row Z, Grave 13 of the Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery.

John Mickle Tait is commemorated on Panel 109 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT; and, on Panel 250 on The Walls of Names at the International Bomber Command Centre at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire. He is also remembered on the Ascot Vale Roll of Honour, Melbourne, Victoria.

RAAF wireless air gunner 432346 Warrant Officer Ronald Reginald Taylor (25) born 26 December 1919 the son of John Benjamin and Ruby Taylor, of Punchbowl, New South Wales, Australia. Ronald was KIA and initially buried in a collective grave at the St. Ursula Evangelische Church cemetery in Zaasch, Germany. In October 1947 he was exhumed by a British Army Graves Concentration Unit and reinterred in Plot IV, Row Z, Grave 10 of the Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery.

Ronald Reginald Taylor is commemorated on Panel 109 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT; and, on Panel 251 on The Walls of Names at the International Bomber Command Centre at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAF flight engineer 546437 Frederick Brookes (26) born 26 February 1919. Husband of Mrs Irene Brookes of Bedw Bach. Llamharan, Glamorganshire. Frederick was KIA and initially buried in a collective grave at the St. Ursula Evangelische Church cemetery in Zaasch, Germany. In October 1947 he was exhumed by a British Army Graves Concentration Unit and reinterred in Plot IV, Row Z, Grave 11 of the Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery.

Frederick Brookes is commemorated on Panel 126 on The Walls of Names at the International Bomber Command Centre at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire; and, in the RAF Books of Remembrance in St Clement Danes Church, London.

RAFVR special duties operator 179888 (previously 1238395) Flying Officer John Heggarty (23) born 13^th August 1922 the son of John and Ellen Heggarty of Seacombe, Cheshire. John was KIA and initially buried in a collective grave at the St. Ursula Evangelische Church cemetery in Zaasch, Germany. In October 1947 he was exhumed by a British Army Graves Concentration Unit and reinterred in Plot IV, Row Z, Grave 12 of the Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery.

John Heggarty is commemorated on Panel 180 on The Walls of Names at the International Bomber Command Centre at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire; and, in the RAF Books of Remembrance in St Clement Danes Church, London. He is also remembered on the Board of Remembrance at the St Anselms College, Birkenhead.

RAAF air gunner 435342 Flight Sergeant Maxwell James Hibberd (20) born 6^th March 1925 in Wondai, Queensland the son of Max Henry and Elsie Hibberd of Brookfield, Brisbane.

Max baled out of the stricken aircraft with shrapnel wounds from the flak and sustained severe bruising to his thigh and ankle when he impacted the ground. He limped his way to a nearby haystack to avoid detection and recuperate. However, his recuperations was short lived as a German patrol found his haystack the next morning and took him to Delitzsch Aerodrome, located some 20km north of Leipzig, Germany. The following day he was marched to Colditz Castle for interrogation then marched to Stalag IV-G on the 15^th. His incarceration was very short as the camp was liberated by US Forces on 18^th April 1945 and Max was returned to No. 11 RAAF Personnel Receiving and Despatch Centre in Brighton, Sussex until his repatriation back to Australia in 29^th June 1945. He was then sent for medical treatment and recuperation to Brisbane, Queensland where he remained until he discharged from the RAAF on 18^th February 1946 with the rank of Warrant Officer.

Maxwell Hibberd passed away on 13^th March 1988 aged 63 years, his remains were cremated at the Mount Thompson Memorial Gardens and Crematorium in Holland Park, Brisbane City, Queensland, Australia

His name is etched upon the Granite Wall of the Australian ex-Prisoners of War Memorial in Ballarat, Victoria.

NR284

27Nov44 Handley Page Type HP61 Halifax B Mk III bomber Serial NR284 was the 14^th of 20 aircraft built in the Serial Range NR271 to NR290 manufactured under license to Contract No. ACFT/2553 (4) c, requisition HA15/E11/43, by English Electric Co at their Samlesbury Aerodrome facility in Lancashire. The aircraft was built in-line with Handley Pages’ well established and proven split construction and unit assembly methods. The aircraft was divided into twelve major assemblies, which allowed more tradespeople to work on each assembly than would normally have been possible. Not only did this approach speed up production, it also made transportation and repair easier. Sub-contractors were used to produce specific sub-assemblies, which were then transported by road to that manufacturer’s main facility where the aircraft was completed and test flown.

Powered by four Bristol Hercules XVI 38-litre, 14-cylinder, twin-row, supercharged, air-cooled radial engines each developing 1,650hp (1,230 kW) driving three-blade de Havilland 55/18 fully feathering wooden propellers.

Defensive armament consisted of nine .303 inch Browning machine guns; one Gimbal mounted Vickers GO in the SRS 1A Type nose; four amidships guns in a Boulton Paul A Mk.VIII turret; and, four tail guns in a Boulton Paul E Mk.I turret. Max bomb load, 10,000lb (4,540 kg) in fuselage and 3,000lb (1,362 kg) in wings. The aircraft was painted in the standard RAF Night scheme of matt Dark Green and Dark Earth on the upper surfaces and Night Black on all undersurfaces.

00Nov44 Aircraft allocated to RAAF No.462 (B) Sqn at RAF Station Driffield, Yorkshire.

01Dec44 Aircraft delivered by an ATA Ferry Crew to 462Sqn, taken on charge and issued to B Flight as Z5-Q.

18Dec44 1^st Operational Mission.RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.133

FLGOFF J.E Byrom and crew departed Driffield at 0303hrs as one of sixteen 462Sqn aircraft that joined a further 402 Halifaxes, eight Lancasters and 24 Mosquitos of Nos.4, 6 and 8 Groups for a 523 strong area attack on Duisburg, Germany. Weapons load was 5 x 1,000lb MC TD bombs and 8 x 500lb GP TD bombs. The crew bombed the target from 18,500ft at 0632hrs and returned to base at 0949hrs.

21Dec44 462 Squadron was stood down from operations and ordered to move from No.4 Group to No.100 Group where it became a Special Duties squadron.

29Dec44 Aircraft moved from Driffield to RAF Station Foulsham, Norfolk.

31Dec44 Aircraft flew one operational mission and made 1 x 10min pre-Ops test flight in December 1944.

01Jan45 2^nd Operational Mission. FLTLT C.W Jackson and crew departed Foulsham at 1701hrs with three other 462Sqn Halifaxes for a Windows Spoof raid in the Bremen area of Germany as support of the Main Force attack. The crew dropped window foil and returned to Base at 2120hrs.

04Jan45 FLGOFF H.R Anderson and rear gunner FSGT S.G Satherley flew a two hour local training flight.

05Jan45 3^rd Operational Mission. FLGOFF J.E Byrom and crew departed Foulsham at 1618hrs as one five 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid in the Ruhr area in support of the Main Force attack on Germany. The crew completed the mission and returned to Base at 2043hrs.

06Jan45 4^th Operational Mission. PLTOFF A.E Astill and crew departed Foulsham at 1627hrs as one of twelve 462Sqn Halifaxes for a Windows Spoof raid in support of the Main Force attack on Hannau, Germany. The crew completed the mission and returned to Base at 2132hrs.

07Jan45 5^th Operational Mission. FLGOFF J.E Byrom and crew departed Foulsham at 1911hrs as one of seven 462Sqn Halifaxes for a Windows Spoof raid in the Ruhr area in support of the Main Force attack on Munich, Germany. In addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment, the aircraft carried 2 x 500lb GP bombs. The crew completed their mission and dropped the bombs on Stuttgart then returned to Base at 0203hrs/08Jan.

14Jan45 6^th Operational Mission. FLTLT C.W Jackson and crew departed Foulsham at 1628hrs as one of thirteen 462Sqn Halifaxes for a Windows Spoof raid on Mannerheim in support of the Main Force attack on synthetic oil plants in Germany. In addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment, the aircraft carried 2 x 500lb GP bombs. The crew completed their mission and dropped the bombs in the Mannerheim area then returned to Base at 2206hrs.

16Jan45 7^th Operational Mission. FLTLT C.W Jackson and crew departed Foulsham at 1835hrs as one of nine 462Sqn Halifaxes for a Windows Spoof raid on Sylt in support of the Main Force attack in Germany. The crew completed the mission and returned to Base at 2233hrs.

17Jan45 8^th Operational Mission. FLGOFF N.E Marchant and crew departed Foulsham at 1627hrs as one of eight 462Sqn Halifaxes for a Windows Spoof raid on Bochum in support of the Main Force attack in Germany. At 1658hrs the pilot aborted when the port inner engine failed during the climb to height. The aircraft returned to Base but Marchant overshot the runway and bogged the aircraft causing Cat.A damage.

18Jan45 Aircraft under repair, returned for use six days later.

31Jan45 Aircraft flew seven operational missions, one training flight and, made 7 x 10min pre-Ops test flight in January 1945.

Halifax B Mk.III NR284/Z5-Q at Foulsham, c.1945.

02Feb45 FLTLT J.E Byrom and crew prepared for departure on a mission but the crew experienced a total intercom failure minutes after start up. The mission was scrubbed.

09Feb45 9^th Operational Mission. FLTLT J.H James and crew departed Foulsham at 0339hrs as one of ten 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid near Wanne-Eickel in the Ruhr area of Germany. The crew dropped window foil then RTB at 0801hrs/10Feb

11Feb45 10^th Operational Mission. FLTLT J.E Byrom and crew departed Foulsham at 0112hrs as one of eight 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid in the Ruhr area of Germany. The crew dropped window foil then returned to Base at 0512hrs.

13Feb45 11^th Operational Mission. FLTLT F.H Ridgewell and crew departed Foulsham at 1836hrs as one of nine 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid in support of Operation Thunderclap against Dresden, Germany. For this mission the aircraft was loaded with 4 x Incendiary Clusters 750lb No.15 Mk.1 each containing 158 x 4lb incendiary bomblets. The crew dropped windows foil and the incendiaries then returned to Base at 0010hrs/14Feb.

20Feb45 12^th Operational Mission. FLTLT D.M Taylor and crew departed Foulsham at 2216hrs as one of fourteen 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid on Heilbronn in support of the Main Force attack on Dortmund, Germany. In addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment, the aircraft carried 4 x 500lb GP bombs. The crew dropped window foil and bombs then returned to Base at 0505hrs/21Feb.

22Feb45 13^th Operational Mission. FLTLT F.H Ridgewell and crew departed Foulsham at 1758hrs with seven other 462Sqn Halifaxes for a Windows Spoof flight in support of the Main Force attack on Neuss in the Ruhr Valley, Germany. The crew dropped window foil then returned to Base at 2341hrs.

23Feb45 14^th Operational Mission. FLTLT J.E Byrom and crew departed Foulsham at 1734hrs as one of nine 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid in the Ruhr area of Germany in support of 297 Halifaxes, 27 Lancasters and 18 Mosquitos of Nos 4, 6 and 8 Groups for a raid on Essen, Germany. In addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment, the aircraft carried 1 x 500lb GP bomb and 3 x Cluster Projectile 750lb No.15 Mk I (each containing 158 x 4lb incendiary bomblets). The crew dropped window foil, bombs and incendiaries then returned to Base at 2208hrs.

24Feb45 15^th Operational Mission. FLTLT J.E Byrom and crew departed Foulsham at 1711hrs as one of ten 462Sqn Halifaxes for a Windows Spoof raid in support of the Main Force attack on Neuss, Germany. The crew dropped window foil on the inward and outward tracks. They also conducted a Windows Spoof raid dropping 1 x 500lb GP bomb and 3 x 750lb No.15 Mk.1 Incendiary Clusters each containing 158 4lb incendiary bomblets. The crew returned to Base at 2155hrs but this was a disastrous raid for the Squadron. Four of the ten Halifaxes dispatched were shot down, a loss rate of 40%. Sadly 31 of the 32 crew were KIA, the other was taken prisoner.

27Feb45 16^th Operational Mission. FLTLT J.E Byrom and crew departed Foulsham at 1816hrs as one of ten 462Sqn Halifaxes for a Windows Spoof raid in the Sylt area in support of the Main Force attack. The crew dropped window foil then returned to Base at 2157hrs.

28Feb45 17^th Operational Mission. FLTLT W.B Cookson and crew departed Foulsham at 2017hrs as one of seven 462Sqn Halifaxes for a Windows Spoof raid in the Freiburg area in support of the Main Force attack. The crew dropped window foil then returned to Base at 0217hrs/01Mar.

28Feb45 Aircraft flew nine operational missions and made 9 x 10min pre-Ops test flight in February 1945.

02Mar45 18^th Operational Mission. FLTLT A.G Swann and crew departed Foulsham at 1922hrs as one of seven 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid to Emden in support of Main Force attacks in Germany. For this mission the aircraft was loaded with 1 x Incendiary Cluster 500lb No.14 Mk.1 (with 104 x 4lb incendiary bomblets); 2 x Incendiary Clusters 750lb No.15 Mk.1 (each containing 158 x 4lb incendiary bomblets); and, 4 x 500lb GP bombs. The crew dropped windows foil, incendiaries and bombs then returned to Base at 2236hrs.

03Mar45 19^th Operational Mission. SQNLDR C.W Jackson and crew departed Foulsham at 1926hrs with seven other 462Sqn Halifaxes for a Windows Spoof flight in support of the Main Force attack on the Ladbergen aqueduct on the Dortmund-Ems Canal (the aqueduct was breached in 2 places and put completely out of action). The crew dropped window foil and 10 x 75lb Flare Clusters then returned to Base at 2355hrs.

05Mar45 20^th Operational Mission. FLTLT H.B Hancock and crew departed Foulsham at 1710hrs as one of seven 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid in support of the Main Force attack on Mannheim, Germany. The crew dropped window foil on the inward and outward tracks. They also conducted a Windows Spoof raid dropping 4 x Incendiary Clusters 750lb No.15 Mk.1, each containing 158 x 4lb incendiary bomblets. The crew returned to Base safely at 2302hrs

07Mar45 21^st Operational Mission. FLTLT W.B Cookson and crew departed Foulsham at 1827hrs as one six 462Sqn Halifaxes for a Windows Spoof flight in support of the Main Force attack on Rostock, Germany. The crew dropped window foil then returned to Base at 0039hrs/08Mar.

08Mar45 22^nd Operational Mission. FLTLT W.B Cookson and crew departed Foulsham at 1803hrs as one five 462Sqn Halifaxes for a Windows Spoof flight on Dortmund, Germany in support of the Main Force attack. In addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment, the aircraft carried 4 x Incendiary Clusters 750lb No.15 Mk.1, each containing 158 x 4lb incendiary bomblets which the crew dropped on target, then returned to Base at 23566hrs

09Mar45 23^rd Operational Mission. FLTLT H.B Hancock and crew departed Foulsham at 1712hrs as one of seven 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid in support of the Main Force attack on the Ruhr, Germany. The crew dropped windows foil and bombs then returned to Base at 2241hrs.

13Mar45 24^th Operational Mission. FLTLT W.B Cookson and crew departed Foulsham at 1751hrs as one of eleven 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid in support of the Main Force raid on Frankfurt, Germany. In addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment, the aircraft carried 2 x No.16 250lb Target Indicator Bombs; 1 x Incendiary Cluster 500lb No.14 Mk.1 (with 104 x 4lb incendiary bomblets); and, 4 x Incendiary Clusters 750lb No.15 Mk.1 each containing 158 x 4lb incendiary bomblets. The crew dropped windows foil, incendiaries and TI bombs then returned to Base at 2315hrs.

21Mar45 25^th Operational Mission. SQNLDR C.W Jackson and crew departed Foulsham at 0131hrs as one of five 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid in the Bremen area to support the Main Force raids in Germany. In addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment, the aircraft carried 4 x 250lb No.4 Mk.1 Target Indicator Bombs; 3 x Incendiary Cluster 500lb No.14 Mk.1 (with 104 x 4lb incendiary bomblets); and, 2 x Incendiary Clusters 750lb No.15 Mk.1 each containing 158 x 4lb incendiary bomblets. The crew dropped windows foil, incendiaries and TI bombs then returned to Base at 0610hrs.

22Mar45 26^th Operational Mission. FLGOFF N.E Marchant and crew departed Foulsham at 1953hrs as one of four 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid in the Ruhr area to support Main Force raids in Germany. The crew dropped windows foil in the target area then returned to Base at 0023hrs/23Mar.

23Mar45 27^th Operational Mission. FLGOFF V.T Bailey and crew departed Foulsham at 1948hrs as one of four 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid in the Ruhr area to support Main Force raids in Germany. The crew dropped windows foil in the target area then returned to Base at 0106hrs/24Mar.

27Mar45 28^th Operational Mission. WOFF J.R Smith and crew departed Foulsham at 1911hrs as one of nine 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid in the Bremerhaven area to support Main Force raids in Germany. In addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment, the aircraft carried 4 x 250lb No.4 Mk.1 Target Indicator Bombs; 4 x Incendiary Cluster 500lb No.14 Mk.1 (with 104 x 4lb incendiary bomblets); and, 2 x Incendiary Clusters 750lb No.15 Mk.1 each containing 158 x 4lb incendiary bomblets. The crew dropped windows foil, incendiaries and TI bombs then returned to Base at 2337hrs.

30Mar45 29^th Operational Mission. FLTLT D.G Uther and crew departed Foulsham at 1859hrs as one of six 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid in the Stade area to support Main Force raids in Germany. In addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment, the aircraft carried 2 x 250lb No.4 Mk.1 Target Indicator Bombs; and, 4 x Incendiary Cluster 500lb No.14 Mk.1 (with 104 x 4lb incendiary bomblets); and, 2 x Incendiary Clusters 750lb No.15 Mk.1 each containing 158 x 4lb incendiary bomblets. The crew dropped windows foil, incendiaries and TI bombs then returned to Base at 2329hrs.

31Mar45 Aircraft flew 12 operational missions and made 12 x 10min pre-Ops test flight in March 1945.

02Apr45 30^th Operational Mission. PLTOFF J.G Fleming and crew departed Foulsham at 2052hrs as one of ten462Sqn Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid in the Stade area of Lower Saxony, Germany. In addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment, the aircraft carried 4 x 250lb No.4 Mk.1 Target Indicator Bombs and 6 x 500lb GP TD bombs. The crew dropped windows foil, TIs and bombs then returned to Base at 0145hrs/03Apr.

04Apr45 31^st Operational Mission. FLTLT D.G Uther and crew departed Foulsham at 1852hrs as one of nine 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid in the Berlin area to support Main Force raids in Germany. In addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment, the aircraft carried 4 x 250lb No.4 Mk.1 Target Indicator Bombs and 2 x 500lb GP TD bombs. The crew dropped windows foil, TIs and bombs then returned to Base at 0307hrs/05Apr.

08Apr45 32^nd Operational Mission. FLTLT D.G Uther and crew departed Foulsham at 1823hrs as one of twelve 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid in the Schonebeck area to support Main Force raids in Germany. In addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment, the aircraft carried 4 x 250lb No.4 Mk.1 Target Indicator Bombs and 9 x 4.5 inch Illumination Parachute Flares. The crew dropped windows foil, TI bombs and flares then headed for home. The aircraft was advised Foulsham was closed because of extreme weather and was diverted to RAF Wickenby, Lincolnshire, where they landed at 0205hrs/09Apr.

09Apr45 33^rd Operational Mission. PLTOFF J.G Fleming and crew departed Foulsham at 1945hrs as one of six 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid in the Stade area of Lower Saxony to support Main Force raids in Germany. The crew dropped windows foil in the target area then returned to Base at 0045hrs/10Apr.

10Apr45 34^th Operational Mission. PLTOFF R.M Hines and crew departed Foulsham at 1840hrs as one eight 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid in the Plauen area of Lower Saxony to support Main Force raids in Germany. The crew dropped windows foil in the target area then returned to Base at 0242hrs/11Apr.

13Apr45 35^th Operational Mission. PLTOFF W.H Scott and crew departed Foulsham at 2029hrs as one ten 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid on Hamburg to support the Main Force raids in Germany. In addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment, the aircraft carried 6 x 4.5 inch Illumination Parachute Flares; 2 x Incendiary Cluster 500lb No.14 Mk.1 (each with 104 x 4lb incendiary bomblets); and, 1 x Incendiary Cluster 750lb No.15 Mk.1 (with 158 x 4lb incendiary bomblets). The crew dropped windows foil, incendiaries and flares then returned to Base at 0208hrs/14Apr.

17Apr45 PLTOFF J.R Smith departed Foulsham for a local solo training flight. Approximately 25min after departure the aircraft developed engine problems and Smith was forced to make an emergency landing in a field near the village of Beetley, located some 10km southwest of Foulsham. The aircraft caught fire after crash landing and was completely destroyed in the ensuing blaze. PLTOFF Smith safely egressed the aircraft and sustained some minor injuries that required hospitalisation in the Station Sick Quarters.

19Apr45 Aircraft struck off charge. While serving with 462Sqn the aircraft flew 35 Operational Missions, made at least six non-operational flights and, made 35 x 10min pre-Ops test flights.

June 1945 at RAF Foulsham, Norfolk, UK

Three 462Sqn pilots hold the B Flight Operational Sorties Board. L to R: 426982 Flying Officer Walter Henry Scott; 422040 Flying Officer William John Frazer; 427264 Flying Officer Jack Roy Smith.

RAAF pilot 427264 Pilot Officer Jack Roy Smith (29) was born 8^th June 1916 in Cue, Western Australia the son of Mr and Mrs C Smith of Perth; husband of Mabel Dorothy Smith of Boulder, Kalgoorlie, Western Australia. Jack returned to duty and completed his tour with 462Sqn. He was repatriated back to Perth, Australia in October 1945 and remained in the RAAF until he resigned his commission and demobilized of 07 January 1946 with the rank of Flying Officer.

Jack Roy Smith lived a full life before he passed away on 20^th August 2000 aged 84 years. He was cremated and his ashes interred in Wall 19 Row G at the Queensland Garden of Remembrance, Brisbane City in Queensland.

PN427

00Feb45 Handley Page Type HP61 Halifax B Mk III bomber Serial PN427 was the 5^th of 38 aircraft built in the Serial Range PN423 to PN460 manufactured under license to Contract No. ACFT/2595, requisition HA10/E11/42, by the London Aircraft Production Group (a subsidiary of the London Passenger Transport Board) in their factories at Aldenham, Chiswick and White City in Greater London. The aircraft was built in-line with Handley Pages’ well established and proven split construction and unit assembly methods. The aircraft was divided into twelve major assemblies, which allowed for more tradespeople to work on each assembly than would normally have been possible. Not only did this approach speed up production but it also made transportation and repair much easier. Components were all transported to Leavesden Aerodrome for final assembly and flight testing.

Powered by four Bristol Hercules XVI 38-litre, 14-cylinder, twin-row, supercharged, air-cooled radial engines each developing 1,650hp (1,230 kW) driving three-blade de Havilland 55/18 fully feathering wooden propellers.

Defensive armament consisted of nine .303 inch Browning machine guns; one Gimbal mounted Vickers GO in the SRS 1A Type nose; four midships guns in a Boulton Paul A Mk.VIII turret; and, four tail guns in a Boulton Paul E Mk.I turret. Max bomb load, 10,000lb (4,540 kg) in fuselage and 3,000lb (1,362 kg) in wings. The aircraft was painted in the standard RAF Night scheme of matt Dark Green and Dark Earth on the upper surfaces and Night Black on all undersurfaces.

10Feb45 Aircraft delivered by an ATA Ferry Crew to No.32 Maintenance Unit at RAF Station St Athans, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales. The aircraft was modified for Special Duties which entailed the fitment of radio-countermeasures (RCM) equipment such as: Airborne Cigar (ABC) a British electronic warfare device operating over three MHz frequency bands to jam night fighter R/T and W/T communications; Carpet Jammer a British device operating in the 300-600MHz range to jam Wurzburg GCI and Gun Layer radars; and, Piperack an American device designed to jam the Air Intercept radar aboard German night fighters.

00Mar45 Aircraft allocated to RAAF No.462 (SO) Sqn at RAF Station Foulsham, Norfolk.

25Mar45 Aircraft delivered by an ATA Ferry Crew to 462Sqn. Taken on charge and issued to A Flight as Z5-A.

13Apr45 1^st Operational Mission. ABC/Carpet radio-countermeasures mission.

PLTOFF H.E Grant and crew departed Foulsham at 2057hrs as one of two 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked to provide radio-countermeasures protection for 500 Lancasters and 12 Mosquitos of Nos 1, 3 and 8 Groups for an attack on Potsdam, Germany. The aircraft carried 4 x 500lb GP bombs in addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment. The crew dropped windows foil and bombs then returned to Base at 0203hrs/14Apr.

14Apr45 2^nd Operational Mission. ABC/Carpet radio-countermeasures mission.

FLGOFF H.R Anderson and crew departed Foulsham at 1835hrs as one of four 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked to provide radio-countermeasures protection for 377 Lancasters and 105 Halifaxes of Nos 3, 6 and 8 Groups for an attack on U-boat yards in Kiel Harbour, Germany. The aircraft carried 2 x 500lb GP bombs in addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment.

At a predetermined location the aircraft parted company with the main force and headed for their second target. They soon ran into heavy localised flak but escaped without apparent damage however, a short time later the port inner engine died so it was shut down and the airscrew feathered. The pilot decided to press on and bomb their assigned target area but just after releasing the bombs the port outer engine failed and was also shut down and feathered. By the time the aircraft reached the German border some 300 miles later it was down to 3,000ft and the crew realised they would not be able reach the UK and were left with two options – bale out or ditch in the Channel.

The navigator then stated he thought there was a USAAF temporary fighter strip near Liege, Belgium where they could possibly land. The navigator then got a fix to determine their position and plotted a course to follow. Arriving over the airfield, situated six miles from Liege, they saw a crashed Liberator in the middle of the strip with a bulldozer pushing it off. Aborting his landing the pilot circled the strip until they saw there was enough room to land and set up for a second approach. The aircraft touched down at an angle and bounced before crashing into something on the strip. The impact tore off the port wing and one engine and broke the aircraft fuselage in two, all the crew safely egressed the aircraft.

29Apr45 Aircraft struck off charge. While serving with 462Sqn the aircraft flew two operational missions and one non-operational flight and, made 2 x 10min pre-Ops test flights

PN429

00Feb45 Handley Page Type HP61 Halifax B Mk III bomber Serial PN429 was the 7^th of 38 aircraft built in the Serial Range PN423 to PN460 manufactured under license to Contract No. ACFT/2595, requisition HA10/E11/42, by the London Aircraft Production Group (a subsidiary of the London Passenger Transport Board) in their factories at Aldenham, Chiswick and White City in Greater London. The aircraft was built in-line with Handley Pages’ well established and proven split construction and unit assembly methods. The aircraft was divided into twelve major assemblies, which allowed for more tradespeople to work on each assembly than would normally have been possible. Not only did this approach speed up production but it also made transportation and repair much easier. Components were all transported to Leavesden Aerodrome for final assembly and flight testing.

Powered by four Bristol Hercules XVI 38-litre, 14-cylinder, twin-row, supercharged, air-cooled radial engines each developing 1,650hp (1,230 kW) driving three-blade de Havilland 55/18 fully feathering wooden propellers. Engine Serial numbers were: Port Outer SS4125/A269581; Port Inner SS19954/A388952; Starboard Inner SS13396/A380376; and, Starboard Outer SS35063/A472503.

Defensive armament consisted of nine .303 inch Browning machine guns; one Gimbal mounted Vickers GO in the SRS 1A Type nose; four midships guns in a Boulton Paul A Mk.VIII turret; and, four tail guns in a Boulton Paul E Mk.I turret. Max bomb load, 10,000lb (4,540 kg) in fuselage and 3,000lb (1,362 kg) in wings. The aircraft was painted in the standard RAF Night scheme of matt Dark Green and Dark Earth on the upper surfaces and Night Black on all undersurfaces.

00Feb45 Aircraft allocated to RAAF No.462 (SO) Sqn at RAF Station Foulsham, Norfolk.

10Feb45 Aircraft delivered by an ATA Ferry Crew to 462Sqn. Taken on charge and issued to A Flight as Z5-E.

20Feb45 1^st Operational Mission. FLTLT J.S Tootal and crew departed Foulsham at 2211hrs as one of three 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid on Heilbronn in support of the 514 Lancasters and 14 Mosquitos of Nos. 1, 3, 6 and 8 Groups for a 514 strong Main Force attack on Dortmund, Germany. The crew dropped window foil and 4 x 500lb GP bombs then returned to Base at 0431hrs/21Feb.

21Feb45 2^nd Operational Mission. FLTLT D.M Taylor and crew departed Foulsham at 1729hrs as one of twelve 462Sqn Halifaxes for a Windows Spoof raid in support of the Main Force attack on the Koblenz area, Germany. The aircraft carried 30 x 4.5 inch Illumination Parachute Flares in addition to the radio countermeasures equipment. Approximately 40 min after departure the port outer engine failed so the Captain aborted the mission and returned to Base at 1850hrs.

23Feb45 3^rd Operational Mission. FLTLT D.M Taylor and crew departed Foulsham at 1733hrs as one of nine 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid in the Ruhr area of Germany in support of 297 Halifaxes, 27 Lancasters and 18 Mosquitos of Nos 4, 6 and 8 Groups for a raid on Essen, Germany. In addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment, the aircraft carried 2 x 500lb GP bombs and 3 x Cluster Projectile 750lb No.15 Mk I (each containing 158 x 4lb incendiary bomblets). The crew dropped window foil, bombs and incendiaries then returned to Base at 2154hrs.

24Feb45 4^th Operational Mission. FLTLT J.S Tootal and crew and crew departed Foulsham at 1703hrs as one of ten Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid in the Ruhr area of Germany. In addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment, the aircraft carried 1 x 500lb GP bombs and 3 x Cluster Projectile 750lb No.15 Mk I (each containing 158 x 4lb incendiary bomblets). The aircraft failed to return and was listed as MIA, along with three other 462Sqn aircraft.

Post War investigations could not determine the exact cause of the loss but examination of German night fighter claims showed that three Halifaxes were shot down on the night in question. As 462Sqn was the only Halifax unit flying over the Continent on the night it is safe to assume it was in fact shot down.

01Mar45 Aircraft struck off charge. While serving with 462Sqn the aircraft flew four operational missions made one non-operational flight and, flew 4 x 10min pre-Ops test flights.

RAFVR pilot 116056 Flight Lieutenant John Stuart Tootal (26) born 17^th May 1918 the son of Ernest Albert and Edina Camille Tootal, of Sevenoaks and later of Lexden, Colchester, Essex. Husband of Geraldine Winifred Tootal. John was KIA and initially buried in Section F8, Row 11, Grave 438 of the München Gladbach (now Mönchengladbach) Town Cemetery. On 15 August 1946 John was exhumed by a British Graves Concentration Unit and reinterred in Plot III, Row J, Grave 8 of the Rheinberg War Cemetery in Nordrhein-Westfalen, approximately 85kms to the north of Koln, Germany.

John Tootal is commemorated on Panel 255 on The Walls of Names at the International Bomber Command Centre at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire; and, in the RAF Books of Remembrance in St Clement Danes Church, London.

RAFVR flight engineer 1837005 Sergeant Trevor Ephraim David (20) born 4^th May 1924 the son of Thomas Ephraim David, and of Beatrice Alice David, of Tidenham Chase, Gloucestershire. Trevor was KIA and initially buried in Section F8, Row 11, Grave 444 of the München Gladbach (now Mönchengladbach) Town Cemetery. On 15 August 1946 Trevor was exhumed by a British Graves Concentration Unit and reinterred in Plot III, Row J, Collective Grave 10-15 of the Rheinberg War Cemetery in Nordrhein-Westfalen, approximately 85kms to the north of Koln, Germany.

Trevor Ephraim David is commemorated on Panel 153 on The Walls of Names at the International Bomber Command Centre at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire; and, in the RAF Books of Remembrance in St Clement Danes Church, London.

RAFVR special duties operator 1458627 Flight Sergeant Geoffrey Harrison-Broadley (21) of York born 3^rd June 1924 the son of John and Doris Harrison-Broadley; husband of Jean Harrison-Broadley, of York. Geoffrey was KIA and initially buried in Section F8, Row 11, Grave 443 of the München Gladbach (now Mönchengladbach) Town Cemetery. On 15 August 1946 Trevor was exhumed by a British Graves Concentration Unit and reinterred in Plot III, Row J, Collective Grave 10-15 of the Rheinberg War Cemetery in Nordrhein-Westfalen, approximately 85kms to the north of Koln, Germany.

Geoffrey Harrison-Broadley is commemorated on Panel 178 on The Walls of Names at the International Bomber Command Centre at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire; and, in the RAF Books of Remembrance in St Clement Danes Church, London.

RAAF bomb aimer 427542 Warrant Officer Ernest Ronald William Oliver (27) of Armadale. Western Australia born 21 January 1918 the son of Ernest Henry and Myrtle Jean Oliver; husband of Evelyn Oliver, of Armadale, Western Australia. Ernest was KIA and initially buried in Section F8, Row 11, Grave 437 of the München Gladbach (now Mönchengladbach) Town Cemetery. On 15 August 1946 Trevor was exhumed by a British Graves Concentration Unit and reinterred in Plot III, Row J, Collective Grave 10-15 of the Rheinberg War Cemetery in Nordrhein-Westfalen, approximately 85kms to the north of Koln, Germany.

Ernest Ronald William Oliver is commemorated on Panel 109 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT; and, on Panel 220 on The Walls of Names at the International Bomber Command Centre at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire. He is also remembered on the Roll of Honour in Perth Western Australia.

RAAF navigator 13488 Flight Sergeant William Francis Duncan (24) of Ormond, born 17 December 1920 the son of William David Alexander and Mary Ada Florence Duncan, of Ormond, Victoria, Australia. William was KIA and initially buried in Section F8, Row 11, Grave 441 of the München Gladbach (now Mönchengladbach) Town Cemetery. On 15 August 1946 Trevor was exhumed by a British Graves Concentration Unit and reinterred in Plot III, Row J, Grave 9 of the Rheinberg War Cemetery in Nordrhein-Westfalen, approximately 85kms to the north of Koln, Germany.

William Francis Duncan is commemorated on Panel 109 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT; and, on Panel 158 on The Walls of Names at the International Bomber Command Centre at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAAF wireless operator 425647 Flight Sergeant Norman Joseph Hall (24) of Woolloongabba, Brisbane born 22 January 1921 the son of Percy Leonard and Hilda Hall, of Woolloongabba, Queensland. Australia. Norman was KIA and initially buried in Section F8, Row 11, Grave 439 of the München Gladbach (now Mönchengladbach) Town Cemetery. On 15 August 1946 Trevor was exhumed by a British Graves Concentration Unit and reinterred in Plot III, Row J, Collective Grave 10-15 of the Rheinberg War Cemetery in Nordrhein-Westfalen, approximately 85kms to the north of Koln, Germany.

Norman Joseph Hall is commemorated on Panel 109 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT; and, on Panel 175 on The Walls of Names at the International Bomber Command Centre at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

RAAF air gunner 442286 Flight Sergeant Murray Arthur Smith (19) of Kensington born 9^th March 1925 the son of Hector Arthur and Gertrude Elsie Smith, of Kensington, South Australia. Murray was KIA and initially buried in Section F8, Row 11, Grave 440 of the München Gladbach (now Mönchengladbach) Town Cemetery. On 15 August 1946 Trevor was exhumed by a British Graves Concentration Unit and reinterred in Plot III, Row J, Collective Grave 10-15 of the Rheinberg War Cemetery in Nordrhein-Westfalen, approximately 85kms to the north of Koln, Germany.

Murray Arthur Smith is commemorated on Panel 109 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT; and, on Panel 244 on The Walls of Names at the International Bomber Command Centre at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire. He is also remembered on the Norwood War Memorial in Adelaide

RAAF air gunner 432936 Flight Sergeant Patrick John Paul Carlon (21) of Croydon, Sydney was born on 17March 1923 the son of Ambrose and May Genevieve Carlon of Croydon in Sydney, New South Wales. Patrick was KIA and initially buried in Section F8, Row 11, Grave 442 of the München Gladbach (now Mönchengladbach) Town Cemetery. On 15 August 1946 Trevor was exhumed by a British Graves Concentration Unit and reinterred in Plot III, Row J, Collective Grave 10-15 of the Rheinberg War Cemetery in Nordrhein-Westfalen, approximately 85kms to the north of Koln, Germany.

Patrick John Paul Carlon is commemorated on Panel 109 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT; and, on Panel 141 on The Walls of Names at the International Bomber Command Centre at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire. He is also remembered on the Roll of Honour in Goulburn, New South Wales; and, on the family plot in the Kenmore Roman Catholic Cemetery. Goulburn.

RG432

00Jan45 Handley Page Type HP61 Halifax B Mk III bomber Serial RG432 was the 20^th of 46 aircraft built in the Serial Range RG535 to RG390 manufactured under license to Contract No. ACFT/3362, requisition HA5/E11/43, by English Electric Co at their Samlesbury Aerodrome facility in Lancashire. The aircraft was built in-line with Handley Pages’ well established and proven split construction and unit assembly methods. The aircraft was divided into twelve major assemblies, which allowed for more tradespeople to work on each assembly than would normally have been possible. Not only did this approach speed up production but it also made transportation and repair much easier. Components were all transported to Leavesden Aerodrome for final assembly and flight testing.

Powered by four Bristol Hercules XVI 38-litre, 14-cylinder, twin-row, supercharged, air-cooled radial engines each developing 1,650hp (1,230 kW) driving three-blade de Havilland 55/18 fully feathering wooden propellers.

Defensive armament consisted of nine .303 inch Browning machine guns; one Gimbal mounted Vickers GO in the SRS 1A Type nose; four midships guns in a Boulton Paul A Mk.VIII turret; and, four tail guns in a Boulton Paul E Mk.I turret. Max bomb load, 10,000lb (4,540 kg) in fuselage and 3,000lb (1,362 kg) in wings. The aircraft was painted in the standard RAF Night scheme of matt Dark Green and Dark Earth on the upper surfaces and Night Black on all undersurfaces.

12Jan45 Aircraft delivered by an ATA Ferry Crew to No.44 MU at RAF Station Edzell, Aberdeenshire. The aircraft was modified for Special Duties which entailed the fitment of radio-countermeasures (RCM) equipment such as: Airborne Cigar (ABC) a British electronic warfare device operating over three MHz frequency bands to jam night fighter R/T and W/T communications; Carpet Jammer a British device operating in the 300-600MHz range to jam Wurzburg GCI and Gun Layer radars; and, Piperack an American device designed to jam the Air Intercept radar aboard German night fighters.

00Feb45 Aircraft allocated to RAAF No.462 (B) Squadron at RAF Station Foulsham, Norfolk.

00Mar45 Aircraft delivered by an ATA Ferry Crew to 462Sqn. Taken on charge and issued to A Flight as Z5-A.

RG432 at RAF Foulsham upon delivery to 462Sqn in March 1945

02Apr45 1^st Operational Mission. FLGOFF N.S Sullivan and crew departed Foulsham at 2032hrs as one of ten 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked for a Windows Spoof raid in the Stade area of Lower Saxony, Germany. In addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment, the aircraft carried 4 x 250lb No.4 Mk.1 Target Indicator Bombs and 4 x 500lb GP TD bombs. The crew dropped windows foil, TI’s and bombs then returned to Base at 0210hrs/03Apr.

04Apr45 2^nd Operational Mission. ABC/Carpet radio-countermeasures mission.

FLGOFF J.W O’Sullivan and crew departed Foulsham at 1900hrs as one of two 462Sqn Halifaxes tasked to provide radio-countermeasures protection for 277 Halifaxes, 36 Lancasters and 14 Mosquitos of Nos 4, 6 and 8 Groups for an attack on the Rhenania oil plant, Harburg, Germany. The aircraft carried 2 x 500lb GP bombs in addition to the normal load of windows and jamming equipment.

At approximately 2040hrs the port inner failed and had to be shut down and feathered so the captain aborted the mission and returned to Base. The aircraft touched down at 2233hrs but the pilot had landed too far down the runaway and overshot causing the undercarriage to collapse when the aircraft departed the paved surface. No injuries were recorded.

05Ap45 Aircraft damage was assessed as Cat.B which was beyond the Unit’s repair capability.

09Apr45 A Handley Page team arrived to commence repairs and after a few days discovered the damage was much worse than initially thought.

13Jun45 When the full extent of the damage was determined the aircraft was reclassified as Cat.E.

07Jul45 Aircraft struck off charge. While serving with 462Sqn the aircraft flew two operational missions made one non-operational flight and, flew 2 x 10min pre-Ops test flights.

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PMcG 2024-06-12

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember them. - Laurence Binyon