大象传媒

My first operation with 7 Squadron was 30/31 December 1944. The target was Cologne. I was flying with F/O Thornton DFC, our duty supporter. I had now been off for over a year and was wondering what to expect. We took off at 1824hrs. It turned out to be a fairly quiet trip with not much flak. There were 470 aircraft on this attack and the duration 4hrs 30mins.
In the new Year I was promoted to Warrant Officer.
My next operation on 13th January 1945 was Saarbrucken and I was flying with Flt/Lt Thompson DFC, our daily visual centerer. Flt/Lt Thompson had been shot down earlier in the war and had joined up with the French Resistance. Some time after D Day he returned to the Squadron. For his activities with the French Resistance he was later awarded the Military Cross. We took off for Saarbrucken at 1600hrs. The attack on the railway yards was extremely accurate and effective. Due to low cloud at base, for our return we were diverted to Tangmere in the South. Duration was 6hrs 15mins. We took off next morning for Oakington at 1030hrs. The following day we did a fighter affiliation and air firing exercise 鈥� 2hrs.
On the 16th January I was on again with Flt/Lt Ellis DFC: our duty was blind marker. The target was Zeitz, a synthetic oil plant near Leipzig. There were 328 Lancasters on this attack and 10 were lost : duration 7hrs 15mins.
My next operation after more exercises was Mannheim Ludwigschafen on 1st February with Flt/Lt Steed DFC our duty Blind Marker. We took off at 1620hrs : duration 5hrs 30mins.
On the 2nd February the target was Wanne Eikel 鈥� an oil refinery. Sqn/Ldr Allcock DFC was taking Wg/Cdr Alexander鈥檚 crew which of course included me our duty Visual Centerer. We took off at 2040hrs : duration 4hrs 45mins. There were 323 aircraft on this attack comprising of 277 Halifaxes, 27 Lancasters and 19 Mosquitos. Four Halifaxes were lost.
My next operation on 4th February was with the Squadron CO, Wing Commander Cracknell DSO DFC who took Alexander鈥檚 crew. The target was Gelsenkirchen Nordstern Synthetic Oil Plant : duration 4 hrs. Kleve was my next operation on the 7th February. This time I was flying with F/O Wadham DFC, a blind crew using H25 : our Duty Blind Illuminator. The attack was in support of the Canadian armies between the Meuse and the Rhine. The attack turned out to be visual. I was then ordered by the pilot to do the bombing which was the only time for me on operations. It was a night attack and we took off at 1925hrs : duration 4hrs 40mins. On their next operation F/O Wadham and his crew went missing.
From the 7th February to the 1st March, I did no flying and I can only think that during some of that time I might have gone on leave. On the 1st March, Wing Commander Alexander DFC, my pilot, was fit for flying and we did 2 hours bombing practice. Flt/Lt Bently dfc was our visual bomb aimer. The next day, 2nd March, we went to Cologne in daylight. It was a sparkling morning and we took off at 0743hrs. Our duty 鈥� Visual Centerer. The Americans were camped on the banks of the Rhine and the bombers attacked German troops and armour which were in Cologne to oppose the Americans. There were 858 bombers on this operation that could be seen to stretch back for miles. The thing that surprised me was that, although Cologne had been bombed many, many times, the Cathedral was still standing. The duration was 4hs 20mins. It was the last raid on Cologne which was captured by American troops 4 days later.
Like this 鈥淟ine Shoot鈥� the war seemed to be dragging on. All my flying now until VE Day would be with Wing Commander Alexander. We next went to Chemnitze: our duty 鈥� Visual Centerer. Duration : 8hrs 20mins. This was followed by Hemmingstedt Heide Oil Refinery. Duty : Visual Centerer 鈥� duration 6hrs 15mins. The next operation was a daylight on Wuppertal Barmen on 13th March. Duty 鈥� Primary Visual Marker. Duration 4hrs 40mins.
On the 14th March was a night operation 鈥� Homberg. Duty 鈥� Long Stop. A long stop flew around the target during a raid and would drop yellow flares or ground markers on any target indicators that had gone astray, which the main force would not then aim at and bomb. Duration 5hrs 15mins.
We then went to Recklinghausen on the 20th March 鈥� a daylight operation. Our duty was Primary Visual Marker. Just after leaving the target we had to shut down the port outer engine and feather the propeller, as there was a rapid rise in coolant temperature which was caused by a drain cock coming undone. Duration 鈥� 4hrs 45mins.
Our next operation was a daylight on Rheine. Our duty 鈥� Primary Visual Marker. We took off at 1520hrs. It was the 21st March 鈥� the first day of Spring and not a day to be engaged in our activities, but then, what day ever was? I would much rather be taking a country walk or working in a garden. Our bomb aimer that day was a veteran, Flt/Lt Twitcher Taylor DFC DFM, whose task it was to mark visually the marshalling yards at an important rail and road centre about 60 miles behind the German lines. The yards were left in complete chaos after 178 aircraft bombed, a hundred and fifty of which were Halifaxes. Duration 4hrs 10mins.
On the 31st March 1945 we went to Hamburg in daylight. There were 482 bombers on this operation. Our duty 鈥� Visual Centerer. The Blom and Voss shipyards were the main objective where U-boats were still being assembled. The target was completely cloud covered, and we therefore retained our target indicators and probably bombed on sky markers. After bombing, when leaving the target, ME 262 jet fighters attacked. They were the first jet aircraft I had seen and I was fascinated by their speed of over 500 mph. Luckily we were not attacked but a Lancaster about half a mile ahead and slightly below us was attacked twice. We could see the fire from the Lancaster gunners and the fighter, but the Lancaster continued on it鈥檚 way. The attacked was broken off probably because the fighters were short of fuel. Eleven bombers, three of the Pathfinders, were shot down. Duration 4hrs 40mins.
Our crew must have then been given leave which I was lucky enough to spend with my wife who was given leave from the ATS. We flew again on the 13th April: an exercise of 2 hours. On the 18th April we were briefed to attack Heligoland; the island fortress. At that stage of the war I could never quite see why. There were between 900 and 1000 bombers on this operation and three aiming points. Our duty 鈥� Deputy Master Bomber. It was a clear day and we were bombing from 18,000 feet. As we approached the island I saw several vessels leaving which appeared to be at high speed. The bombing produced clouds of pink dust and I felt pity for those below. Duration 4hrs 25mins.
My next and last bombing operation was Bremen on the 22nd April which was a daylight attack with 767 bombers and our duty was Long Stop. The operation was in preparation for an attack by British troops. We took off at 1630hrs. After 195 Lancasters had bombed, the master Bomber ordered the raid to stop because of cloud and smoke and dust from the bombing, and the nearness of the British troops. For safety, aircraft that didn鈥檛 bomb properly jettisoned their loads in the sea.
On the 24th April, although the war was just about over we went on an exercise that included practice bombing on the Wittlesea Bombing Range. I have never forgotten it because, every time the Wing Commander called up for permission to start bombing, all we received in reply was an orchestra playing 鈥淚n a Monastery Garden鈥�, and so the Winco said 鈥淪od it鈥� and we went back to base.
The next operation on the 1st May gave me and every other airman that took part, great joy. It was Operation Manna which was dropping food to the desperately starving Dutch population. The food was dropped in sacks from low level. The dropping zone in the Rotterdam area was the hague Racecourse. Thousands had turned out to welcome us; they were all ages on roads, roofs all waving madly with anything that would wave. It was a truly wonderful and satisfying operation, and gave a wonderful feeling.
My last operation with Wing Commander Alexander and the crew was the 8th May 鈥� VE Day. Our duty that day was Operation Exodus, an emotional and extremely satisfying experience. The operation was bringing home ex prisoners of war from Juvincourt, an airfield near Brussels. Practically all of Bomber Command were involved in this operation over several days and the prisoners were home in no time. Some of the prisoners had been in captivity for over 5 years and were emaciated and a sad sight to see. Each Lancaster carried 24 ex prisoners which, although cramped and uncomfortable, did not deter their excitement. Next to me in the cockpit was an army Staff Sergeant who was a Londoner. As we approached England the pilot suddenly said to him 鈥淲hats that down there?鈥� and the Staff Sergeant replied 鈥淪outhend Pier鈥� which of course there was no mistaking. We landed at Wing airfield where a good reception was waiting for our passengers. Although we had missed the celebrations it was a wonderful day. That night there was a big bonfire and all the blackout screens and curtains were burnt
On the 15th May it was the same again bringing home more ex prisoners. This time I was flying with Flt/Lt Thompson. Some of the ex prisoners were Indian and they looked so frail I really felt sad for them. Some had little boxes of sweets; I have no idea who supplied them. On take off and landing the Flight Engineer assisted the Pilot with the throttles, undercarriage and flaps. On coming in to land, Thompson left it too late in touching down and we had to open up the engines and go round again. To us it meant nothing but I have often wondered what were the thoughts of the passengers.

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