He flew with a Avro Lancaster (type I, serial NG323, code WP-J).
TACTICAL OPERATIONS First Tactical Air Force (Provisional): In France, the 405th Fighter Squadron, 371st Fighter Group, moves from Tavaux Airfield in Dole to Tantonville with P-47s (the air echelon is operating from Dijon).
Ninth Air Force: Operational control of the IX and XXIX Tactical Air Commands is transferred from the Ninth AF to the RAF Second Tactical AF to operate against the N line of the Bulge.
The XIX Tactical Air Command flies armed weather and intruder reconnaissance in the Saarbrucken-Trier, Germany area.
Weather grounds all operations.
113 Lancasters of No 3 Group again attempted to bomb the railway yards at Trier in 2 waves. No Lancasters lost. The bomber crews were unable to observe results because of the cloud, although a large column of smoke eventually appeared.
1 Hudson flew a Resistance operation.
207 Lancasters and 1 Mosquito of No 5 Group attacked the synthetic-oil refinery at Politz, near Stettin. 3 Lancasters were lost and 5 more crashed in England. Post-raid reconnaissance showed that the power-station chimneys had collapsed and that other parts of the plant were damaged.
136 aircraft - 67 Lancasters, 54 Halifaxes, 15 Mosquitos - of Nos 4, 6 and 8 Groups attacked the important Cologne/Nippes marshalling yards which were being used to serve the German offensive in the Ardennes. No aircraft lost. The target was cloud-covered and only a few bombs hit the railway yards but these caused the destruction of 40 wagons, a repair workshop and several railway lines.
97 Lancasters and 17 Mosquitos of Nos 1 and 8 Groups attempted to attack railway areas in Bonn but thick cloud cover prevented an accurate raid and later reconnaissance showed that the railway target was not hit. No other details are available. No aircraft lost.
4 Lancasters of No 5 Group to Schneidmühl as a diversion for the Politz raid, 15 RCM sorties, 12 Mosquito patrols, 30 Lancasters and 23 Halifaxes minelaying in the Kattegat. No aircraft lost.
Total effort for the night: 542 sorties, 3 aircraft (0.6 per cent) lost.
This record can also be found on the maps of WW2 History Europe with Google coordinates. You can find the maps by clicking on this link on this location.
There are several possibilities to investigate the flight records on WW2 History Europe. All the flights are plotted on maps, sorted "day by day", "by squadron", "by type aircraft", "by year or month", "by location" and much more! Don't miss this!!!
If you have any information that you want to share, please add your comment at the bottom of this record. Or send your information to [email protected]. This information will be added to the record.
Your photos and your information are very welcome! The young do care and with your help we keep up the good work.
