Berlin

February 1944

15^th

Tonight is Williams Ninth operation.

After a rest of more than 2 weeks for the regular bomber squadrons, 891 aircraft - 561 Lancasters, 314 Halifaxes, 16 Mosquitos - were dispatched to Berlin. This was the largest force sent to Berlin and the largest non-1,000 bomber force sent to any target. It was also the first time that more than 500 Lancasters and more than 300 Halifaxes were dispatched. The German controllers were able to plot the bomber stream soon after it left the English coast but the swing north over Denmark for the approach flight proved too far distant for many of the German fighters. The German controller ordered the fighters not to fly over Berlin, leaving the target area free for the flak, but many fighters ignored him and attacked bombers over the city. The diversion to Frankfurt-on-Oder failed to draw any fighters. 43 aircraft - 26 Lancasters, 17 Halifaxes -were lost,

23 Oboe Mosquitos attacked 5 night-fighter airfields in Holland, 43 Stirlings and 4 Pathfinder Halifaxes carried out mine laying in Kiel Bay, 24 Lancasters of No 8 Group made a diversion raid on Frankfurt-on-Oder, 9 aircraft made RCM flights and 14 Mosquitos carried out Serrate patrols. A Serrate Mosquito was the only aircraft lost.
 
2 Mosquitos to Aachen, 6 Stirlings and 6 Wellingtons mine laying off Bayonne and Lorient, 48 aircraft on Resistance operations. 1 Stirling lost from a Resistance flight.

Berlin was covered by cloud for most of the raid. Heavy bombing fell on the center and south-western districts and some of Berlin's most important war industries were hit, including the large Siemensstadt area.

Squadron 78

26 aircraft detailed for operations, 1 aircraft did not take off.

For this operation the ground crew had to work with more speed due to the number of aircraft that was detailed.
The LV815, LV814, HX355, LV788, LV820, LW589, LV799,
LV798?, LW367, LV816, LV816?, LV794, HX241, LW547,
LW520, LW507, LX748, LW518, LW510 (with Sgt. LeBlanc),
LW511, LW517, LK762, LV813, LW519, LK763
and LV798 were detailed for this operation.
No losses over enemy territory, but one over England.

Handley Page Halifax III

LV798 EY-A

Lost on Returning

LV798 EY-A

Today William Uyen was on his ninth operation but this time with a different crew.

After Bombing the target and when leaving the target, the under-carriage from the LV798 EY-A was found to be down and would not retract. The resulting drag increased petrol consumption but the pilot felt he could still reach base. When over the English countryside they found they were about too run out of fuel, so at 00:39 hour, Captain Shard headed the aircraft out to sea and ordered the crew to bail out.
William Uyen was the first to leave the aircraft with the sea in sight and landed 800 yards from shore. The remainder, including the aircraft are presumed to have gone into the sea. The body's of Wireless operator James Fowler and Rear-gunner William Iddon have sins been recovered from the sea. (off Scarborough)

Returned early

LV820 EY-F

returned early due engine problems at 55.03N/03.58E.
Between England and Denmark.
(LV820 crashed on the raid of 12/13 June 1944)

Returned early

LV79..

returned early over Denmark owing to Starboard Inner Engine U/S and low oil pressure. Furthest point reached at 55.10N/10.00E.

Returned early

LW511 EY-Z

returned early due Starboard Inner engine problems and oil pressure dropped 80 km out of the Coast of England at 54.32N/01.51E.
(LW511 crashed on the raid of 6 October 1944)

Returned early

LW816 EY-N

returned early due oxygen problems mid Denmark at 55.15N/09.00E.
(LV816 crashed on the raid of 19/20 February 1944)

Returned early

HX241 EY-P

returned early due oxygen problems of flight engineer and Pilot. After Captain connected mask to 2nd Pilot position just before reaching the Denmark coast at 55.18N/08.32E.
He decided to return to base.
(HX241 crashed in the raid of 30/31 March 1944)

Returned early

LW520

returned early due oxygen problems Navigator over the North- Sea at 54.45N/02.30E. Bombs jettisoned safe.

Returned early

LW367 EY-L

returned early due compass failure and was 15 minutes late on ETA at enemy coast, at SYLT. Bombs jettisoned safe.
(LW367 crashed in the raid of 19/20 February 1944)

Returned early

LW547

returned owing failure of electric heating suit of rear-gunner not functioning and he was suffering great agony from cold.
Furthest point of reach at 54.25N/01.35E.

the primairy target was reached and bombed at 21:38 hours from a height of 21,000 ft.
landed on return at RAF Coltishall owing to engine failure
(LW518 crashed on the raid of 24/25 March 1944)

In Combat

LW519 EY-A

Airborne 17.24 hour from Breighton.
On his way to Berlin the LW519 had confrontations with several German air planes.

As for combat report: at 20.31 hour with no moon and clouds at 11.000 feet,
the LW519 encountered his first German airplane for this night at a hight of 23.000 feet North-East of Kiel
on position 54.50N / 11.15E with a IA.S. Of 160, heading 107 (T).
The first indication of a enemy aircraft was visual.
M.E. 210 seen on port quarter up at approximately 600 yards.
Rear gunner Sgt. Dalton gave order to corkscrew to port
and opened fire at approximately 500 yards.
Both gunners Sgt. Dalton and Sgt. Nott then opened up, but
all guns in both turrets jammed and could not be cleared owing to icing up.

Enemy aircraft broke away but both gunners are undertaken
as to where due to the terrific Gee throughout the avasive
action. No hits or damage was sustained by own aircraft,
and no hits claimed by the gunners.
At 21.21 hour the next enemy aircraft was seen, when the LW519 was at 22.000 feet heading 135 (T) with a speed of
160 I.A.S. a J.U.88 first seen dead astern at 400 yards
North of Berlin at location 53.00N /13.10E
The pilot was immediately ordered to corkscrew, due to the
fact that all rear firing guns were unserviceable.
This was carried out by the Pilot, who by following the
gunners orders was able to prevent the J.U.88 from getting a really good shot.
The enemy aircraft, however, closed in to 300 yards and opened fire, before breaking away to starboard quarter down.
The J.U.88 was then lost sight of.
No damage was sustained by the bomber.

9 minutes later on 21.30 hour at a hight of 21.000 feet heading
165 Magnetic with a speed of 200 I.A.S. The LW519
made his third encounter again with a J.U.88 witch was spotted
directly over the target and coming in from the starboard quarter down at 700 yards.
Enemy aircraft came in to dead astern, leveled and opened
fire at 400 yards. Pilot was given the order by the rear gunner to corkscrew.
Enemy aircraft came in right to 200 yards still firing and
broke away to port quarter down.
Gunners were convinced that had not their guns been
unserviceable due to icing they could have claimed the
enemy aircraft as destroyed. and again due to evasive action
taken no damage was done to the bomber.
And again on 21.32 hour at 18.000 feet when leaving target,
gunners saw a M.E.110 dead astern at 400 yards. Order was
immediately given to corkscrew to port.
Fighter opened up at 400 yards with a short burst and broke
away diving to port quarter down.
The rear and mid upper gunner were still unable to return
fire, because both lots of guns were still iced up due the
intense cold.
No damage was reported having been caused by the fighter to the bomber.

February 1944

16^th

22 aircraft detailed for operations, Later cancelled.
Weather: Cloudy with rain and poor visibility all day, improving to fair
with good visibility later.

17^th

22 aircraft detailed for operations, Later cancelled.
Weather: Mainly fair with occasional showers of rain and sleet.

18^th

24 aircraft detailed for operations, Later cancelled.
Weather: Cloudy with some slight occasional sleet. Visibility moderate.

19^th-- 28^th

William Uyen is on Leave