Category: RAF Wickenby

4-10 February 1944

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Overview

No operations were flown this week from Wickenby, although 617 Sqn, led by Wg Cdr Leonard Cheshire, did carry out a 12 Lancaster attack on the Gnome and Rhone aero-engine factory. The importance of this raid revolves around the use of low level marking using a Mosquito bomber by Cheshire, which was very successful and led to the destruction of the factory and minimal French civilian casualties. Although this method was adopted by 5 Group it was never used on large raids by the Pathfinders of 8 Group, even though it was shown subsequently that losses in marking aircraft, if Mosquitoes were used, were low.

In the Station Diary for 8th February, it states that a photographer from “Illustrated Magazine” took pictures of aircraft and crews – these appeared in the March 1944 addition and we have a copy of that magazine in the museum and some of the original prints that were not used. The photographs were taken from the balcony of the Watch Tower, which is now the RAF Wickenby Museum.

Extract from Station Diary

28 January – 3 February 1944

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Overview

Two attacks on Berlin this week, with one aircraft lost with all the crew and one aircraft returning severely damaged, following 4 night fighter attacks, with one dead crew member and 4 others badly wounded – this crew had 3 gallantry medals issued immediately, one being a rare Conspicuous Gallantry Medal (see report in Station Diary extract below).

The operations to Berlin resulted in more than a 1000 deaths and 200,000 people being bombed out, with Bomber Command losing 79 aircraft.

Extract from Station Diary

The crew of Flying Officer Breckinridge, who had an almost miraculous escape from 4 night fighter attacks and displayed extraordinary bravery in getting back to the UK – Left to Right, Sgt J Hall – W/Op (killed), W/O R J Meek – Nav (wounded) (126), P/O W B Baker – M/U (wounded) (18), F/O W S Breckenridge – Pilot (wounded), F/O V W Poushinski – B/A, Sgt J Scwartz – R/G, Sgt A F Stevenson – F/E

Extract from Appendix to 626 Sqn Operational Record Book

21-27 January 1944

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Overview

There were 2 attacks carried out by Wickenby squadrons this week, to Magdeburg and Berlin: 1 aircraft crashed on take-off, with no casualties, and 4 aircraft were lost on the Berlin operation, with 12 aircrew being killed, 12 becoming POW’s and 4 evading capture – some accounts of these airmen, given to Military Intelligence, are listed below in the Station Diary and emphasize the courage and ingenuity of civilians in the occupied countries.

The attack on Magdeburg was the first one on that target, but was a failure, mainly due to strong winds and some premature bombing by Main Force aircraft, which made it difficult for the Pathfinders to identify and mark the target. One RAF POW in hospital in Magdeburg at the time reported only “bangs far away”. 8.8% of the force were lost, Halifaxes suffering 15.6% losses.

Extract from Station Diary

Flight Sergeant Frederick Sydney Carran, aged 22, the son of Herbert & Bertha Carran of Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand. He was the Mid-Upper Gunner in the crew of Sqn Ldr Goule’s aircraft, lost during the attack on Berlin on 27/28 January 1944

Extract from 12 Sqn Appendix to Operational Record Book

Extract from Appendix to 626 Sqn Operational Record Book

14-20 January 1944

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Overview

Both squadrons took part in 2 operations this week, to Brunswick and Berlin – 3 aircraft and all their crews were lost on the Brunswick attack. 38 Lancasters were lost on the Brunswick raid, 7.6% of the force, which was higher than normal, with the German controllers successfully deploying fighters all the way in and out. Neither attack was successful, unfortunately, with thick cloud cover over Berlin (a not unusual occurrence) and 11 Pathfinders were lost attacking Brunswick.

Extract from Station Diary

The crew of JB141 who were killed during the Brunswick operation on the night of 14/15 January 1944. There is a very moving and interesting web site, dedicated to this crew, compiled by Reg Gibson, which can be found here -> https://juliaandrichard.wixsite.com/jb141

Pilot Officer Bob Yell and 4 of his crew during training. They were all killed on their 30th operation on 14/15 January 1944. If they had completed that trip, it would have meant being taken off operations in order to train new aircrew. L to R: Ken Middlemiss – Nav, Joe Nutt – W/O, Bob Yell – Pilot, Tom Finch – B/A – Sid Bates – R/G

Extract from 12 Sqn Appendix to Operational Record Book

Extract from 626 Sqn Appendix to Operational Record Book

7-13 January 1944

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Overview

A quiet week for Wickenby crews, with no missions flown. An interesting comment in the Station Diary below about air gunners having clay pigeon shooting practice – this was actually part of their air gunner training as, as with shooting aircraft, you have to lead the moving target in order to hit it. Many air gunners got to know local farmers, who were more than happy to lend them shotguns because it meant plenty of rabbits and wild fowl for the table and, of course, extra rations for the crews.

Extract from Station Diary

31 December – 6 January 1943

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Overview

A busy week for the two Wickenby squadrons with successive nights attacking Berlin and a long range operation to Stettin, in what is now Poland. 5 aircraft were lost, 13 aircrew killed, 7 becoming POW’s and one entire crew interned in Sweden having crash landed on their way back from the attack on Stettin. One aircraft ditched in the North Sea off Grimsby and the narrative in the Station Diary gives a very descriptive account of another of the many dangers faced by Bomber Command crews.

There is also a very moving article from Colin Farrant’s brother about his death aged only 17 during the attack on Stettin – lest we forget.

Extract from Station Diary

Sgt Colin Farrant, the wireless operator in Flight Sergeant Twitchett’s aircraft, who was killed, with the rest of the crew, during the attack on Stettin on 6th January 1943. He was only 17 when he died, but only 15 when he joined the RAF, being one of the youngest fatal casualties of Bomber Command – please see an article from the Wickenby Register below, written by his brother.

Article from Wickenby Register (12 and 626 Sqn aircrew association newsletter)

Extract from 12 Sqn Appendix to Operational Record Book

Extract from 626 Sqn Appendix to Operational Record Book

24-30 December 1943

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Overview

Only one operation this week, to Berlin on 29/30 December, with one aircraft lost, 2 crew killed and 5 becoming POW’s. One of the captured aircrew was a United States Army Air Force Technical Sergeant, who was the bomb aimer.

Some of the dangers of flying in close formation at night are revealed in the Station Diary entries below, one Lancaster suffering damage from another aircraft exploding nearby and another having its trailing aerial damaged in a near collision with another Lancaster.

Extract from Station Diary

Extract from 12 Sqn Appendix to Operational Record Book

17-23 December 1943

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Overview

Wickenby squadrons took part in two missions this week, a diversionary attack on Mannheim (the main attack was to Frankfurt) and another attack on Berlin. There were no casualties.

Flight Lieutenant B.E. McLaughlin, mentioned in the Station Diary below, a pilot with 12 Sqn, completed his tour of 30 missions with the attack on Berlin. Known as “Big Jim”, he was well known, when flying over enemy territory, to state “stand well back, chaps: I’m about to open the window and demonstrate the power of slipstream pull”, and commenced urinating out of the window. Jack Currie, the well known author, carried out his first “second dicky” mission with McLaughlin and recounts this act in his book “Lancaster Target”. Unfortunately, Big Jim was killed in July 1944 whilst training new pilots at a Heavy Conversion Unit.

Extract from Station Diary

10-16 December 1943

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Overview

The squadrons at Wickenby were stood down for most of this week, with only 1 mission taking place on 16th December to Berlin – one aircraft and all the crew were lost from 12 Sqn, however, another 626 Sqn crew crashed near Kelstern, but the crew all survived, relatively uninjured. Pilot Officer Breckinridge and his crew will be met again later in 1944.

Extract from Station Diary

Sgt Ronald Alfred Whitley, aged 21, the rear gunner in Flight Sergeant Ross’s aircraft. Sgt Whitley survived the crash & was transferred to Louth County Hospital on 17 December 1943 suffering from 3rd degree burns to his face and arms, facture & dislocation of both ankles, but he died under anesthetic.

Extract from Appendix to 12 Sqn Operational Record Book

3-9 December 1943

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Overview

Only one mission for RAF Wickenby crews this week, to Leipzig on 3/4 December – there were no losses of casualties. The Squadron’s were stood down from operations on 8th December until 16th December and many were sent on leave.

The raid on Leipzig was a distant inland target, but the Pathfinders successfully found and marked it and this was the heaviest raid that Leipzig had during the war, at least 600 people being killed and over 400 injured.

Extract from Station Diary