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15 October 2014
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Operation Mitteland Canal

by WMCSVActionDesk

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Archive List > Royal Air Force

Contributed by听
WMCSVActionDesk
People in story:听
John Whiteley
Location of story:听
Germany
Background to story:听
Royal Air Force
Article ID:听
A7353498
Contributed on:听
28 November 2005

I was the pilot of 619 Squadron's Lancaster III, PB 356, based at RAF Strubby, a bomber airfield 5 miles south west of Mablethorpe, a seaside resort on the east coast of Lincolnshire.

For this night operation, the Squadron detailed 16 aircraft, part of a force of 235 Lancasters of 5 Group, Bomber Command which attempted to cut the Mittelland Canal at the junction with the Dortmund-Ems Canal at Gravenhorst. I can still recall this operation for three reasons - the difficulty of the Pathfinder鈥檚 to locate the target, the eventual abandonment of the operation and my diversion to an American Army Air Force base in Norfolk.

As a consequence of the delay by the Pathfinders to find Gravenhorst, the main force of Lancasters had already arrived and were instructed over the radio by the Master Bomber to circle the target area at 2,000 feet whilst the Pathfinders continued with their search.

Eventually, the canal junction was found and the target marker (a long burning phosphorus light) was dropped with such accuracy that it fell into the water and was extinguished! The Master Bomber then ordered the operation to be abandoned.

For this operation, I was carrying 14 X 1,000 lb bombs. As surplus bombs of this type could not be dropped indiscriminately but brought back to base for future operations, I realized that my Lancaster would be above its maximum all-up weight for landing at Strubby, if I did not off-load some bombs. I therefore instructed my Navigator to give me a course to fly to a special area in the North Sea, free of British shipping, where I could dispose of my surplus bombs. I asked my navigator and my flight engineer to calculate the number of bombs we needed to drop to ensure that we were not over-weight for landing. I carried out the same calculation and I am pleased to say that we all arrived at the same figure - we had to lose3 X 1,000 lb bombs.

After dropping our surplus bombs, my Navigator gave me the course for Strubby. About an hour from my home base, my wireless operator reported that we were being diverted to an airfield at Hethel as Strubby was covered by low cloud. As I had no idea of its location, I said to my Navigator, "Where's Hethel?" On referring to his book of diversion airfields, he told me that it was 6 miles south west of Norwich. The good news was that it was an American Liberator aircraft airfield with the prospect of some excellent food after landing! With another course alteration, we reached Hethel without difficulty. However, I had to face the experience of landing at night at a strange airfield plus the added burden of 5 tons of bombs.

As I was about to turn towards the runway on my final approach, my Wireless Operator reported that the low cloud at Strubby had dispersed and that we were to return to base. My reply to this message was that it was too late to stop my landing at Hethel - the real reason was, of course, the prospect of some excellent post-operational food!

We were debriefed by an American Intelligence Officer who asked me if we had any bombs on board our Lancaster. When I told him that we had landed with 11 X 1,000 lb bombs, he expressed his astonishment in some rather unrepeatable expletive Sassenach as this was twice the weight of the bomb load carried by the Liberator.

My crew's official report in the 619 Squadron Operations Record Book reads:

"This aircraft proceeded to the primary target, MITTELAND CANAL, but was ordered not to bomb and to return to Base. Jettisoned some bombs to reduce landing weight, the remainder being brought back."

I have to say that the meal provided by the Americans was beyond our expectations when compared with the modest food served in our own messes. It should be remembered that there was strict rationing in the UK in 1944. We were even invited to have second helpings! I notice that there was a full complement of crews who had survived the Mittelland Canal Operation and who had sat down for their post-operation food so I can only conclude that that the other captains had failed to receive the massage to return to Strubby.

After landing at Strubby the next morning, I was informed by my Flight Commander that my crew and I had been posted "missing" for two hours; there had obviously been a breakdown in communications between Hethel and Strubby.

I much regret to report that 5 Group lost 10 Lancaster on this operation including 2 from 619 Squadron.

I re-visited the Mittelland Canal on a night operation on 21 November 1944. My official report reads:

"The primary target, MITTELLAND CANAL, was bombed from 4,000 feet at 21.04 hours. Target identified by red TI鈥檚 (Target Indicators), bombs being dropped on most southerly TI. Bombing appeared to be well concentrated."

The Bomber Command War Diaries by Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt states:

MITTELLAND CANAL

"138 Lancasters and 6 Mosquitoes of 5 Group took part in this operation. 2 l.ancasters lost. The canal banks were successfully breached near Gravenhorst. Later photographs showed water drained off over a 30-mile stretch and that 59 barges were stranded on one short section alone."

This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War site by Anastasia Travers a volunteer with WM CSV Actiondesk on behalf of John Whiteley and has been added to the site with his permission. John Whiteley fully understands the sites terms and conditions.

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