- Contributed by听
- CSV Action Desk Leicester
- People in story:听
- JOHN DEREK BAILEY
- Location of story:听
- LORDS CRICKET GROUND TO KIRKHAM
- Background to story:听
- Royal Navy
- Article ID:听
- A4476099
- Contributed on:听
- 18 July 2005
21.12.44. Seamining BALTIC Night operation..
Aircraft AS-H. Bomb load. 5 x 1800 Ib mines.
This operation was aborted shortly after take-off due to the unserviceability of the H2S which was essential for the accurate laying of the mines. The visibility at base was very poor and we were given permission for one attempt at landing and if unsuccessful we were to divert to Carnaby in Yorkshire which was one of three diversion airfields with very long runways and overshoot facilities. We therefore jettisoned fuel to reduce the landing weight and made the approach. The airfield controller was firing white Very lights into the air over the end of the runway to guide us.
We crept in over trees in Brocklesby Wood, trees which had claimed other Lancasters coming in too low, and made a perfect wheeled landing. It does not bear thinking about what would have happened if the undercarriage had collapsed, we were sitting on top of 9000 Ibs of High Explosive. Good work skipper! Did not count as an operation.
The Squadron had a stand down at Christmas and on Christmas Day there was much merriment and a fair amount of booze put away and we went to bed a bit the worse for wear. It was therefore a bit upsetting to be got out of bed at 5am on Boxing Day morning, sent for an Ops meal and told to report for briefing at some unearthly hour. So to operation No.27.
'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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