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16/17 December 1943 - Berlin

JA857G F/L W.Riches, Sgt G.Winter, P/O H.W.Watts, F/Sgt E.H.Pack, F/Sgt J.Wrigley, Sgt R.W.Lowe, F/O L.W.Booth. Up 1640 Down 0015. 1 x 4000lb, 4 x 1000lb, 4 flares red/green, 2LBTI Red, 2 x TI red. Berlin bombed. 10/10ths cloud tops 3-5,000. Visibility good. Wanganuis very well concentrated. On leaving target TI greens going down well and tending to overshoot. Observations difficult owing to cloud.

JB712U F/L C.P.C.de Wesselow, F/Sgt W.S.Bamlett, S/L R.B.Ingalls, F/O W.G.Cooper, F/Sgt F.White, W/O G.Muckart, P/O J.J.Saynor. Up 1640 Down 0050. 4 flares red/green, 2LBTI Red, 2 x TI red, 1 x 4000lb, 4 x 1000lb. Target attacked from 18,000. 10/10ths cloud, visibility good. TI reds and Wanganuis well bunched. Cloud obscured observation of results and aircraft early on target.

JA960E F/L J.W.Pelletier, F/O L.Henson (2nd Pilot), F/Sgt G.E.Dunning, F/O R.J.Conley, F/L P.M.Lowick, F/Sgt A.W.A.Burnell, F/Sgt F.R.Watson, F/O G.Polson. Up 1640 Down 0005. 4 flares red/green, 2LBTI Red, 2 x TI red, 1 x 4000lb, 4 x 1000lb. Berlin bombed from 18,500. 10/10ths cloud, visibility moderate. Smoke haze. First TI red very accurate. Remaining red and green TI’s fell very rapidly. Good concentration. No results observed owing to cloud.

JB706H F/O J.H.Nicholls, Sgt S.A.Smith, F/O R.Easson, F/Sgt R.A.Jolley, Sgts J.Gardner, W.D.Ogilvie, R.Whitehead. Up 1655 Down 0025. 4 flares red/green, 2 LBTI red, 2 x TI red, 1 x 4000lb, 4 x 1000lb. Primary target Berlin successfully bombed. Visibility moderate. 10/10ths cloud. JB312Z F/L C.T.Wilson, Sgt T.W.Smith, F/O G.W.Borthwick, F/O G.A.Watling, Sgts L.G.Jones, G.Harper, H.J.Pleydell. Up 1655 Down 2350. 4 flares red/green, 2LBTI Green, 2 x TI green, 1 x 4000lb, 3 x 1000lb, 1 x 500lb. Berlin attacked from 19,500. 10/10ths cloud, visibility good. Early markers very accurate but pattern spread north to south. Starboard fin and rudder damaged on landing.

JB356X P/O J.B.Billing, Sgt T.W.Hope, P/O J.Moriarty, P/O E.E.Osler, Sgt J.M.Campbell, W/O R.D.Curtis, F/Sgt J.B.Findlay. Up 1700 Down 0035. 4 x TI, 1 x 4000lb, 3 x 1000lb, 1 x 500lb. Berlin successfully bombed. Visibility good, 10/10ths cloud.

JB361A P/O V.S.Flack, F/L R.S.Emerson (2nd Pilot), Sgt J.H.Hare, F/O A.P.Rand, F/O R.G.Boston, Sgt R.Ferguson, F/Sgt H.Dunnent, F/Sgt G.W.Wood. Up 1700 Down 0035. 2 LBTI Green, 2 x TI Green, 1 x 4000lb, 4 x 1000lb. Target bombed from 19,500. 10/10ths cloud, visibility good. TI reds and Wanganuis well concentrated but covered an area of possibly 5 miles in diameter. Cloud prevented observation of results. Weather at base on return very bad.

JB963Q F/L D.Brill, F/L J.Handley (2nd Pilot), Sgt J.Stone, P/O T.McIntyre, P/O R.Butler, Sgt H.Chappell, P/O G.J.Little, F/Sgt E.Battle. Up 1655 missing.

JB119F S/L D.Mackenzie, P/O J.Pratt, F/Sgt R.Marshall, F/O W.A.Colson, F/Sgt A.Hunter, F/Sgt W.A.Lang, F/Sgt K.Kirby. Up 1645 Down 0045. 5 x 2000lb. Crashed on landing at base. Captain, Flight Engineer and Air Bomber killed.

JB470T S/L E.F.Cawdery, F/L E.Clarke (2nd Pilot), Sgts J.A.Pearson, K.Swale, F/O C.Peden, Sgts A.J.Tindall, J.H.McGregor, F/Sgt E.H.Hansen. 5 x 2000lb. Up 1650 Down 0035. Berlin bombed from 19,500. Visibility good. 10/10ths cloud tops at 3,000. TI’s and Wanganuis fairly well concentrated. No results seen owing to cloud.

JB299W F/L J.Roberts, P/O S.R.Arter, F/Sgt R.Dudley, F/Sgt G.Young, F/Sgt H.J.Blower, Sgt T.A.Marsh, F/Sgt W.A.Parsley. Up 1650 Down 0015. 5 x 2000lb. Primary target successfully bombed. Visibility good over target area. 10/10ths cloud.

JB671V F/L C.B.Owen, Sgt D.E.Lacey, F/O O.W.Shires, Sgts T.W.L.Leak, W.G.Knowles, K.Forrest, F.B.Thomas. Up 1655 Down 0005. 5 x 2000lb. In the early stages of the raid good concentration of TIs over target Berlin which was bombed from 19,500. A number of green TIs observed obviously dummy. Dangerous landing conditions at base due to fog. JA846M P/O C.R.Snell, Sgt L.Harman, P/O L.Lintott, P/O N.J.Smith, Sgts J.Grieve, C.J.Green, O.D.Wood. Up 1640 Down 2325. 5 x 2000lb. Berlin attacked from 18,800. Glow of fires could be seen on leaving target. TI’s and flares appeared scattered at first but improved later.

JB659J F/L P.Mansbridge, F/Sgt A.S.Palmer, P/O J.Cruwys, F/Sgt W.C.White, W/O E.H.Hanson, F/SGT E.Hambling, F/Sgt P.A.Walder. Up 1650 Down 0050. 5 x 2000lb. Berlin bombed from 19,000. One green TI in centre of cluster of reds in bomb sight as bombs released. Low cloud at 400 at base made landing very dangerous.

JB531Y P/O F.Smith, Sgt F.E.Durn, P/O J.W.Arturson, F/Sgt J.A.Wilson, Sgts G.H.Townend, N.Stewart, C.A.Bradshaw. Up 1700 Down not shown. 5 x 2000lb. Bombs released on Berlin from 20,000. No results of bombing seen. On return to base fog and low cloud made landing dangerous so crew baled out from 7,000. All landed safely.

JB117C F/Sgt I.W.Scott, Sgts E.W.Collishaw, J.Peek, D.R.Irvine, S.G.Parrott, K.Foxcroft, S.L.Hope. Up 1650 No down time. 5 x 2000lb. Aircraft crashed on return to base due to fog and low cloud. All members of the crew were killed. JB243P S/L E.A.Deverill, F/Sgt A.Russell, P/O J.T.Brown, F/Sgt J.Farr, F/Sgt R.Crossgrove, W/O J.Benbow, W/O D.J.Penfold. Up 1645 Down 0015. 5 x 2000lb. Crashed at Grevelay on returning from attack on Berlin owing to very bad visibility and low cloud. All members of the crew were killed except the mid upper gunner who was injured.

JB219R P/O J.Kirkwood, F/Sgt E.Hubbard, Sgt R.Stewart, F/O G.A.Wigley, Sgts R.G.Cleeve, L.Madeley, J.Killen. Up 1650 Down 0010. 5 x 2000lb. Crashed on landing on returning from raid on Berlin owing to bad visibility and low cloud, all members of the crew being killed.

JB482S F/O R.L.Mooney, Sgts F.B.Gray, G.A.Johnson, F/Sgt J.Worsdale, Sgt N.D.Cameron, F/Sgt G.Woolf, F/Sgt L.Smith. Up 1705 Down 0035. 5 x 2000lb. Berlin bombed from 19,500. Target identified by red and green TIs and Wanganui flares. On return crew baled out owing to weather conditions making landing too dangerous.

JB176K F/O E.Thackway, Sgts G.Grundy, J.Powell, P/O L.K.Grant, P.H.Mack, R.Lawrence, L.N.Laver. Up 1655 Down 0100. 5 x 2000lb. Crashed on landing after raid on Berlin due to fog and low cloud. The Captain, Flight Engineer, Navigator, Air Bomber and mid upper gunner were killed. Wireless Op was injured but the rear gunner escaped injury. JA908N Sgts W.D.Coates, R.H.Nicholas, G.Nuttall, P/O E.H.Baldwin, Sgts W.Chapman, W.L.York, F.Thompson. Up 1700 Down 0130. 5 x 2000lb. Berlin attacked from 19,000. Bombs released in centre of concentration of green TI’s. Returned on two engines, both on port side, and all instruments u/s. Landed at Downham Market.

This story was submitted to the People’s War site by Becky Barugh of the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio Shropshire CSV Action Desk on behalf of Des Evans and has been added to the site with his permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

See more of Des’s stories:

• Bale out!
• Missions from Woodhall Spa
• Tracers coming through the thatch
• I didn’t quite get the chop
• Little humour in adversity
• Ted Porters Crew
• The ‘Augsburg Raid’
• S/L Sherwood’s recommendation for the Victoria Cross
• The worst night of the War…
• The worst night of the War (Part 2)
• The worst night of the War (Part 4) - Losses
• The worst night of the War (Part 5) — Extract from ‘the Berlin’ Raids’
• The worst night of the War (Part 6) — Bombers over Berlin
• The worst night of the War (Part 7) — Combat Report
• A Dedication to Skipper Wing Commander Ted Porter - Pause for Thought
• A Dedication to Skipper Wing Commander Ted Porter — A Navigators View of the Route to Heaven
• Did you know?
• Flight Operations carried out with Sgt. D.C Plaunt
• Flight Operations carried out by Sgt. J.J Johnson
• The experiences of ‘Taffy’ after baling out on 9th — 10th June 1944
• The experiences of ‘Taffy’ after baling out on the 9th - 10th June 1944 - Continued
• The experiences of ‘Taffy’ - 11th June 1944
• The experiences of ‘Taffy’ - 12th — 15th June 1944
• The experiences of ‘Taffy’ - 16th - 18th June 1944
• The experiences of ‘Taffy’ - 19th — 23rd June 1944
• The experiences of ‘Taffy’ — 24th August 1044
• ‘Our Heroes’

For further stories read ‘ACHIEVE YOUR AIM’ by Kevin Bending

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