No.462 (B) Squadron Royal Australian Air Force in WW2

A Brief History Part 2 - European Theatre of Operations

August 1944 to May 1945

Introduction.

462 Squadron was an Article XV squadron of the Empire Air Training Scheme formed by 205 Group RAF as the first Halifax Mk.II heavy bomber unit in the Middle East. On 7th September 1942 No.205 Group RAF issued Instruction No.17 dated 02Sep42 that directed all elements of Nos 10/227 and 76/462 Heavy Bomber Squadrons to immediately amalgamate and form No.462 (B) Squadron RAAF at RAF Station Fayid, Egypt. For the remainder of the month several more raids were mounted, all against Tobruk harbour and surrounds to try and diminish the Axis build up in Libya. The rest of the year saw the Squadron divide its missions between the Libyan Campaign and the ill-fated campaign in Crete.

The early months of 1943 saw the Squadron bombing Axis forces firstly from Benina LG near Benghazi, Libya then from Gardabia Main in North Western Libya where the Squadron was based until the Tunisian Campaign ended in May 1943. The Squadron then moved to the primitive Hosc Raui Landing Ground located south of Benghazi where it remained for several months conducting raids mainly against targets in Sicily and southern Italy. At the end of September the Squadron was placed on warning of a move to Italy but the order was rescinded and the Squadron moved instead to Terria LG also close to Benghazi. From Terria they were tasked to conduct raids against German targets in Greece, Crete, Rhodes and other islands in the Dodecanese. In December 1943 its operations included conducting attacks on Greek ports and bays including Salamis Island, Piraeus, Salonika, and Suda.

The close of 1943 saw the RAF agreed to a request from RAAF Overseas Headquarters in London to disband 462Sqn and renumber it as an RAF Squadron, although the disbanding and renumbering was not put into effect for some months. In the meantime the Squadron was moved to El Adem aerodrome in Libya to conduct raids over Greece and it wasn’t until 1^st March 1944 that the Squadron was relocated to Italy as No.614 (B) Sqn RAF and 462Sqn was officially disbanded in the Middle East.

Reformation

In late July 1944 RAAF No.466 (B) Squadron was part of 4 Group RAF Bomber Command operating from RAF Station Driffield in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. RAFHQ decreed that a nucleus of trained and experienced personnel from the squadron would be used to form the basis of a new squadron. Accordingly, 462 Squadron was reformed as a 4 Group Heavy Bomber squadron on 14 August 1944 at RAF Station Driffield equipped with MK.III Halifax bombers. The squadron’s tenure with 4 Group was a relatively brief five month tour of duty which involved bombing various industrial targets in Germany and, simultaneously, assisting Allied forces fighting their way across France, Belgium and Holland. In all the Squadron participated in 39 separate attacks in support of ground forces. During their time with 4 Group the squadron flew a total of 570 operational flights for the loss of six aircraft and twenty two aircrew.

In November 1944 RAFHQ earmarked the squadron for transfer to 100 Group, a specialist formation tasked with disrupting the German air defence system through the employment of diversionary raids and various electronic warfare countermeasures. On 21 December 1944 the squadron was withdrawn from operations and prepared for a move to RAF Station Foulsham, Norfolk which occurred on 29 December. To enable the Squadron to perform its new role, upgraded aircraft and aircrew training commenced as soon as the squadron arrived at Foulsham and continued throughout the remainder of the War. The squadron employed two main functions to protect Main Force aircraft: (1) Windows Spoof raids which entailed a group of aircraft flying abreast and releasing vast quantities of Window along the approach route, attempting to deceive the early warning Freya (or Giant Wurzburg) radar operators into believing they were the Main Force raid; and, (2) Jamming support by flying close cover in and around the Main Force and shielding them using Airborne Cigar (ABC) to jam night fighter radios, Piperack to jam night fighter radars and, Carpet to jam Giant Wurzburg ground controlled radars. The first of the new breed operations was carried out on 01Jan45 when four aircraft flew a Windows Spoof raid in the Bremen area of Germany in support of the Main Force raids that night. The squadron continued in electronic warfare role until the end of hostilities and during that 18 week period the squadron flew 537 operational missions which resulted in the loss of eleven aircraft and fifty three aircrew. After the war the squadron continued flying to test radio countermeasure equipment and techniques and, to fly armed patrols over Germany. Additionally, the squadron performed a much more satisfying mission when it was tasked to fly ex-Prisoners of War back to the UK in July1945. 462 Squadron Royal Australian Air Force disbanded for the second and time on 24 September 1945 at RAF Foulsham.

462 Sqn was reborn again in April 2005 as an Information Operations Squadron in the RAAF and is tasked to provide coordinate information operations support at the tactical level of the Air Force. The squadron supplies an Information Operations Support Team consisting of personnel from a range of squadron components.

Table 1. Summary of 462 Sqn Aircraft Losses and WW2 Sorties Flown in the ETO

462 Squadron is known to have operated at least 73 Halifax Mk.III aircraft in the European Theatre of Operations during the period Aug44 to May45. Of the 73 used 21 aircraft or 28% were lost through operational and non-operational causes. The remainder of this document details the history of the 21 aircraft lost and the men who flew them.

LL598 LL599 LL600 LL604 LL610 MZ296 MZ370

MZ400 MZ401 MZ402 MZ447 MZ448 MZ461 MZ467

MZ469 MZ479 NA240 NR284 PN427 PN429 RG432

Table 2 –462 Sqn Halifax Mk.II Aircraft Losses 1944-45 in the ETO

HX244

00Oct43 Handley Page Halifax B/GR Mk.III aircraft Serial HX244 was the 19^th of 22 aircraft manufactured in the serial range HX226-HX247 to Contract No. ACFT/1688, requisition HA4/E11/41. Built by Handley Page Co at their Cricklewood, London and Radlett, Hertfordshire facilities. 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. Each of the four major manufacturers used sub-contractors to produce specific sub-assemblies, which were then transported by road to that manufacturer’s main assembly 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 385667; port inner 382435; stbd inner 380666; and stbd outer 381915.

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 Bolton Paul A Mk.VIII turret; and, four tail guns in a Bolton 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.

00Oct43 Aircraft allocated to RAAF No.466 (B) Sqn at RAF Station Leconfield, Yorkshire.

21Oct43 Aircraft delivered by an ATA Ferry Crew to No.45 Maintenance Unit at RAF Station Kinloss.

29Oct43 Aircraft delivered by an ATA Ferry Crew to 466 Sqn where it was issued to B Flight as HD-V

11Nov43 SQNLDR A.O McCormack and FLTLT F.W Mack departed Leconfield at 0915hrs for a local test flight. As the aircraft lifted off the runway the pilot selected undercarriage up and proceeded to carry out the test flight. Unbeknownst to the crew the pilot had in fact selected the undercarriage up before the weight-on-wheels system took effect, which resulted in damage to the control sequencer. When setting up for landing the pilot could not get the undercarriage to deploy and after several more unsuccessful attempts it was decided to perform a wheels-up landing on the grass beside the runway. A text book landing ensued which caused minimal damage to the aircraft and no injury to either crewman.

A technical investigation attached no blame to the pilot and alterations were made to procedures in the flight manual. The reason for the accident was a previously unknown condition whereby the undercarriage selection system could be damaged by retracting the wheels too early after lift-off.

HX244 on the grass at RAF Leconfield 11Nov43

12Nov43 A post flight inspection assessed the aircraft damage as Cat.AC.

20Nov43 Lorries from No.60 MU transported the aircraft to the Handley Page repair facility at Rawcliffe, Yorkshire. The damage proved to be significant and a lengthy repair was carried out between Nov43 and Apr44.

25Apr44 Aircraft repairs completed and awaiting collection

27Apr44 Aircraft delivered by an ATA Ferry Crew to No.48 Maintenance Unit at RAF Station Hawarden in Flintshire, Wales.

00May44 Aircraft allocated to RAAF No.466 (B) Sqn at RAF Station Leconfield, Yorkshire.

08Jun44 Aircraft delivered by an ATA Ferry Crew to 466 Sqn now based at RAF Station Driffield, Yorkshire where it was issued to B Flight as DV-O. While serving with 466Sqn the aircraft flew 25 operational missions and made at least 31 non-operational flights.

23Aug44 Aircraft struck off charge with 466Sqn and taken on charge with RAAF No.462 (B) Sqn at RAF Station Driffield, Yorkshire. Issued to B Flight as Z5-O

25Aug44 1^st Operational Mission (with 462Sqn). RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.46

FLGOFF R.R Rickey and crew departed Driffield at 1821hrs as one of nine 462Sqn bombers that joined a further 131 Halifaxes from No.4 Group plus 16 Lancasters and five Mosquitos from No.8 Group to attack five rocket launching and storage sites near Watten, France. Weapons load consisted of 3 x 1,000lb AN M65 GP bombs, 6 x 1,000lb AN M59 SAP bombs and, 2 x 500lb MC .025sec time delay bombs. The crew bombed their assigned target area at 2033hrs from 13,000ft and returned to Base at 2159hrs.

27Aug44 2^nd Operational Mission RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.48 This historic mission was the first major daylight raid by Bomber Command to Germany since 12 August 1941.

FLGOFF R.R Rickey and crew departed Driffield at 1140hrs as one of ten 462Sqn aircraft all loaded with 16 x 500lb MC 025sec time delay bombs. The aircraft joined a further 233 Halifaxes from No.4 Group plus 13 Lancasters and 14 Mosquitos from No.8 Group to attack the Rheinpreussen synthetic-oil refinery near Homberg, Germany. The bombers were escorted by nine squadrons of Spitfires on the outward flight and seven squadrons on the withdrawal. The crew bombed their assigned target area at 1403hrs from 19,000ft at and returned to Base safely at 1555hrs.

28Aug44 Aircraft struck off charge and taken on charge with No.640 Sqn sat RAF Station Leconfield.

13Sep44 PLTOFF W.N Harper and crew were departing Leconfield for an operational mission when the A.S.I failed to register and the pilot aborted. However, the pilot throttled back but could not stop before the aircraft ran off the runway where the undercarriage collapsed. Fortunately, there was no fire and all seven crewmen safely egressed the wrecked aircraft.

00Sep44 A post flight inspection declared the aircraft a write-off and it was classified as Category E.

13Sep44 Aircraft struck off charge. While serving with 462 and 466 Squadrons the aircraft flew 27 operational missions; made at least 34 non-operational flights; and, flew 27 x 10min pre-Ops test flights.

LL598

00Aug44 Handley Page Type HP61 Halifax B/A Mk III bomber Serial LL598 was the 26th of 43 aircraft manufactured in the Serial Range LL573 to LL615 to Contract No. ACFT/637, 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 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. Each of the four major manufacturers used sub-contractors to produce specific sub-assemblies, which were then transported by road to that manufacturer’s main assembly 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. Engines fitted were: Port Outer SS20470/A389468; Port Inner SS20856/A389854; Starboard Inner SS13058/A380038; and, Starboard Outer SS27859/A430135.

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 Bolton Paul A Mk.VIII turret; and, four tail guns in a Bolton 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.

18Aug44 Aircraft delivered by an ATA Ferry Crew to No.76 (B) Sqn RAF at RAF Station Holme-on-Spalding-Moore, Yorkshire.

20Aug44 Aircraft allocated to No.462Sqn RAAF at RAF Station Driffield, Yorkshire.

22Aug44 Aircraft delivered by an ATA ferry crew to 462Sqn. Taken on charge and issued to A Flight as Z5-A

25Aug44 1^st Operational Mission (with 462Sqn). RAF Station Driffield Operations Order No.46

FSGT R.V Jubb and crew departed Driffield at 1820hrs as one of nine 462Sqn bombers that joined a further 131 Halifaxes from No.4 Group plus 16 Lancasters and five Mosquitos from No.8 Group to attack five rocket launching and storage sites near Watten, France. Weapons load consisted of 3 x 1,000lb AN M65 GP bombs; 6 x 1,000lb AN M59 SAP bombs; and, 2 x 500lb MC .025sec time delay bombs. The crew bombed their assigned target at 2032hrs from 13,000ft then returned to Base 2150hrs.

31Aug44 Aircraft flew three operational missions and made four non-operational flights in August 1944.

30Sep44 Aircraft flew nine operational missions and made 11 non-operational flights in September 1944.

31Oct44 Aircraft flew ten operational missions and made 15 non-operational flights in October 1944.

30Nov44 Aircraft flew six operational missions and made 10 non-operational flights in November 1944.

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 five non-operational flights in December 1944.

14Jan45 34th Operational mission. PLTOFF A.E Astill and crew departed Foulsham at 1632hrs as one of thirteen squadron aircraft tasked to conduct a Windows Spoof Raid on Mannerheim, Germany. At 1645hrs the starboard outer engine caught fire followed by the starboard mainplane which quickly spread to engulf the entire starboard wing. The captain gave the order to abandon the blazing bomber but only two crewmen managed to do so before the aircraft crashed two miles west of Shipdham airfield, Norfolk killing the remaining five crewmen.

An accident investigation discovered the cause of the engine fire was fatigue failure of the No.7 cylinder retaining studs and subsequent rupture of the cylinder. The pilot feathered the propeller and was about to operate the fire extinguisher when the propeller unfeathered and as the engine accelerated the fire flared up and spread. The raging fire then weakened the starboard outer wing to a point where it broke away and was found 400 yards away from the main wreckage. At 1650hrs the aircraft struck the ground at a high rate of descent but with little forward speed killing all aboard and destroying the aircraft.

15Jan45 No.54 Maintenance Unit was tasked to salvage the remains of the aircraft.

19Jan45 Aircraft struck off charge. While serving with 462Sqn the aircraft flew 34 operational missions and made at least 23 non-operational flights, plus 34 pre-operations test flight. RAAF pilot 421143 Pilot Officer Alan Edward Astill (24) was born on 7^th November 1920 in Chatswood, Sydney, New South Wales the son of Mr James Edwin Astill and Mrs Christina Maud Astill (nee Finlayson). PLTOFF Astill was KIA and is buried in RAF Lawn Grave 15723 at the Cambridge City Cemetery in Cambridgeshire, England. He is also commemorated on Panel 109 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT; and, on Panel 124 on The Walls of Names at the International Bomber Command Centre, Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire. He is also honoured on the Roll of Honour at Roseville, Sydney.

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RAAF air bomber 423814 Warrant Officer Stanley James Minett (27) was born 20 March 1917 in Eastwood, the son of John & May Minett of North Sydney, New South Wales, husband of Valentina Minett of North Sydney. WOFF Minett was KIA and is buried in RAF Lawn Grave 15722 at the Cambridge City Cemetery in Cambridgeshire, England. He is also commemorated on Panel 109 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT; and, on Panel 213 on The Walls of Names at the International Bomber Command Centre, Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire. He is also honoured on the Roll of Honour at North Sydney, Australia.

RAAF navigator 427410 Flight Sergeant Phillip Swarbrick (32) was born 21 September 1912 in Perth Western Australia the son of James and Beatrice Swarbrick of Perth, husband of Edna Beryl Swarbrick of Gwaila, Western Australia. Phillip Swarbrick was KIA and is buried in RAF Lawn Grave 15724 at the Cambridge City Cemetery in Cambridgeshire, England. He is also commemorated on Panel 109 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT; on Panel 250 on The Walls of Names at the International Bomber Command Centre at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire; and, on the Cenotaph Undercroft, State War Memorial in Kings Park, Perth WA. He is also honoured on the Leonora Honour Roll at the Leonora War Memorial in Perth.

RAAF wireless air gunner 421198 Warrant Officer Sydney Robert Fuller (21) was born on 11 November 1923 in Chatswood, Sydney, New South Wales, the son of Richard and Doris Christina Fuller, of Chatswood, Sydney. WOFF Fuller was KIA and is buried in RAF Lawn Grave 15720 at the Cambridge City Cemetery in Cambridgeshire, England. He is commemorated on Panel 109 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT; and, on Panel 167 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 Brooklyn, New South Wales.

RAAF air gunner 433727 Flight Sergeant Mervyn George Isaac (19) was born 8 March 1925 in Young, New South Wales to Ernest George and Mercy Marion Isaac of Goulburn, New South Wales. Mervyn Isaac was KIA and is buried in RAF Lawn Grave 15721 at the Cambridge City Cemetery in Cambridgeshire, England. He is commemorated on Panel 109 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT; and, on Panel 187 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 the Rocky Hill War Museum in Goulburn, New South Wales.

RAFVR special duties operator 1894484 Sergeant Leslie Edward Miles (20) was born 11 December 1924 in London, the son of William Lewis and Emily Jane Miles from Queen's Park, London. Leslie Miles was KIA and is buried in Section R.S Grave 1295 of the Kensal Green (St Mary’s) Roman Catholic Cemetery, London. Borough of Brent, Greater London, England. He is commemorated on Panel 212 on The Walls of Names at the International Bomber Command Centre at Canwick Hill, Lincolnshire.

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