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THE TOUR OF OPERATIONS.

No.l 29.8.44 Target-STETTIN.

Checked Battle Order to find our crew allocated to PM-N.
Briefing for night attack on the Baltic Port of Stettin.
Bomb load mainly incendieries.

The route took us across the North Sea, over Northern Denmark, S.W. Sweden and
then due South into the target, bomb and turn West to cross Denmark and the North
Sea back to base .The force consisted of 402 Lancasters and 1 Mosquito of 1,3,6, and 8
Groups. It was a very successful attack and 23 Lancasters were lost. We suffered no
damage from anti-aircraft fire and saw no fighters . Whilst crossing Sweden there was
a certain amount of what was called friendly flak, shells bursting at about 10,000 ft whilst we were flying at 18000 ft.

This was my first sight of a target and something I shall never forget, smoke, flames, bombbursts, searchlights, anti-aircraft fire. It was also very tiring having been airborne for 9 hours 25 minutes and flown some 2000 miles.
Used full quota of 'wakey wakey' pills.

No.2. 31.8.44. Target .Flying Bomb launch site. AGENVILLE France. Daylight attack, Master Bomber controlled . This was one of several targets to be attacked in Northern France. Seemed like a piece of cake after the long trip to Stettin. Not so! We were briefed to bomb from 10,000 ft on the Master Bomber's instructions. On approaching the target area there was 10/10 cloud and the call from the Master Bomber went like this: "Main Force — descend to 8,000ft and bomb on red TI's (Target indicators).- no opposition" We descended to 8,000 ft and immediately we broke cloud there were shells bursting around us, Fortunately dead ahead was the target and I called for bomb doors open and started the bombing run.

At the appropriate point I pressed the bomb release and nothing happened. A quick look revealed no lights on the bombing panel. Whilst I was checking the main fuse the rear gunner was calling "We are on fire Skip — there is smoke streaming past me" The 'smoke' proved to be hydraulic fluid which was vaporizing.

We climbed back into cloud and assessed the situation. Whilst in cloud we experienced severe icing and with the pitot head frozen we lost instruments which meant skip had no way of knowing the attitude of the aircraft and for the one and only time in my flying career, we were ordered to prepare to abandon aircraft and I put on my parachute pack.

However we emerged from cloud and normal service was resumed. We had no electrics, no hydraulics, bomb doors open and a full load of bombs still on board Skip decided to head for base via a North Sea designated dropping zone where I could jettison the bombs safely. This was accomplished by going back along the fuselage and using a highly technical piece of kit, a piece of wire with a hook on the end, pushing it down through a hole above each bomb carrier and tripping the release mechanism.

Having got rid of the bombs it was back to base, crossing the coast at a spot where we should not have been and risking being shot at by friendly Ack Ack gunners. We arrived back at base some one and a half hours late. Now for the tricky bit. The undercarriage, in the absence of hydraulic fluid, had to be blown down by compressed air. This was an emergency procedure and could only be tried once, a now or never situation. Now we have to make a flapless landing and hope that the landing gear is locked down and does not collapse when we land. Not being able to use flaps means the landing speed is greater than normal and then we have no brakes. Skip made a super landing but once on the runway could only throttle back and wait for the aircraft to roll to a stop. This it did right at the end of the runway.

On inspection after return to dispersal it appeared that a shell or shells had burst very near to the bomb bay and shrapnel had severed hydraulic pipes and electric cables in the bomb bay. I should think we were very close to having been blown to bits. This trip was a little bit sobering to say the least The aircraft resembled a pepper pot but luckily no one was injured..

'This story was submitted to the People's War site by Rod Aldwinckle of the CSV Action Desk on behalf of John Derek Bailey and has been added to the site with his / permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions

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