Operation: Operation Goodwood

Date: 24th August 1944 (Thursday)

Unit: No. 1841 Squadron (motto: Motto: Aquila moras nescit - 'The eagle knows no obstacles')

Type: Corsair II

Serial: JT309

Code: -

Base: HMS Formidable - Fleet Aircraft Carrier

Location: Kåfjord,

Pilot: Sub/Lt. (A) Clive Eustace Woodward RNZNVR Age 22. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

While conditions that day were initially foggy, the weather cleared enough in the afternoon to permit a strike against Kåfjord. The attacking force comprised 33 Barracudas carrying 1,600-pound armour-piecing bombs, 24 Corsairs (including 5 armed with a 1,000-pound, 10 Hellcats, 10 Fireflies and 8 Seafires. In an attempt to achieve surprise, the aircraft flew off from the carriers from a point further to the south of those used in previous raids. The strike aircraft then flew parallel to the coast, before making landfall and approaching Kåfjord from the south. A German radar station detected the force at 15:41 hrs, and immediately alerted Tirpitz.

The British attack began at 16:00 hrs. It was initiated with attacks on German gun positions by the Hellcats and Fireflies, which were flying five minutes ahead of the Barracudas and Corsairs. Tirpitz's protective smokescreen was not fully in place at the start of the raid, but by the time the Barracudas and Corsairs arrived she was completely covered by smoke. As a result, these aircraft had to blind bomb the ship, releasing their weapons from altitudes between 5,000 and 4,000 feet.

1841 Squadron Corsair pilots HMS Formidable August 1944 (courtesy IWM )

Only two bombs hit Tirpitz. The first was a 500-pound weapon dropped by a Hellcat that exploded on the roof of her 'Bruno' main gun turret. The explosion destroyed the quadruple 20-millimetre anti-aircraft gun mount located on top of the turret, but did not cause any significant damage to the turret itself.

The second bomb to strike the ship was a 1,600-pound armour-piercing weapon which penetrated through five decks, killed a sailor in a radio room and lodged near an electrical switch room. This bomb failed to explode, and German bomb disposal experts later determined that it had been only partially filled with explosives.

JT309 was hit by ground based anti-aircraft fire with the Corsair crashing in flames near to the entrance of Kåfjord. The pilot was buried at Kvalsund but reinterred in August 1946 at Tromsø.

Burial details:

Sub/Lt. (A) Clive Eustace Woodward. Tromsø Cemetery. Grave Nn. B. 7. Born on the 22nd September 1921 at Whakatane. Worked as an audit clerk for Messrs English and Smith at Hamilton prior to service. Enlisted after a period with the territorial army on the 10th February 1942 into the RN/FAA. Embarked for England on the 22nd February 1942 to HMS Vincent as Gosport. Embarked for USA in October 1942. Pilots badge awarded on the 15th May 1943 and awarded his commission. Joined HMS Formidable on the 26th June 1943. Son of Arnold Adler Woodward and Eileen Vere Woodward (née Oakden), of Whakatane, Auckland, New Zealand.

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this pilot with thanks to Jenifer Lemaire and to the extensive research by Errol Martyn and his publications: “For Your Tomorrow Vols. 1-3”, Auckland Library Heritage Collection, Weekly News of New Zealand, other sources as quoted below:

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember them. - Laurence Binyon
All site material (except as noted elsewhere) is owned or managed by Aircrew Remembered and should not be used without prior permission.
© Aircrew Remembered 2012 - 2025 Last Modified: 06 July 2021, 16:58