Strana 17
Therefore, seven crews bombed only the
presumed location of the target. All 11 crews
returned home, but W/O Custance on the LP130
„D“ had an accident, when after a turn over the
target and a subsequent descent collided with
another arriving Wellington. The collision tore
off 6-7 feet of his right wing. However, the pilot
and co-pilot managed to haul the damaged
machine to the home airport and land. Identity
of the second participant of the collision is yet
unknown. Either was the damage minimal and
was not reported or what is more probable,
it was one of the lost planes.
Also nine crews of the 104th Squadron
(LP131 „L“ F/S JJ Laughton, LP499 „B“ F/O EA
Billen LN841 „C“ F/S Courtney, MF420 „N“ P/O
PJT Pile, LP122 „V“ F/S RWG Taylor, LN977 „R“
W/O CT Cutler, LN754 „W“ W/O DGD Whitehead,
MF137 „H“ P/O KC Harrison, LP338 „G“ P/O TTC
Stephenes) aimed at a refinery in Hungarian
capital. They arrived over the target without
any problems. However, the impact of the
bombs was unconcentrated. Most of the planes
bombed according to the focus on the fired
flares and therefore inaccurate. The results
were not observable. The markers marked
only the northern part of the target. The work
was disturbed by 25-30 headlights.
From the 142nd Squadron took off from
Amendola Airport between 20:20 and 21:00
fifteen Wellington Mk.X. They were HZ516
„O“ pilot F/S C Morgan, LN262 „P“ F/S D Dean,
MF120 „Q“ F/O K Jones, LN700 „R“ Lt. K Kelly,
LN767 „S“ F/S J Ashwell, „U“ (serial unknown)
Cpt. VD Westhuisen, LP297 „V“ Lt. W Wallace,
LN719 „A“ F/Lt. J Long, LN808 „B“ P/O E
Galloway, LP117 „C“ F/S P Cooke, LN748 „E“ F/S
Schonfield, LN914 „G“ Lt. J Koekemoer, LP189
„H“ W/O S Bryant, MF371 „K“ F/S C Hill and LP467
„L“ pilot F/O H Morton.
The LN748 with the fuselage code „E“ carried
a crew commanded by F/Sgt. JW Scholefield.
However, it did not manage to reach the
target. They were shot down by a night fighter,
probably Oblt. Wilhelm Johnen from 8./NJG 6.
A burning bomber landed at Dunaharaszti in
Hungary. Along with the pilot, also died F/Sgt.
J Thompson, Sgt. GR McKnight and Sgt.
D Nelson. The only one who escaped by
parachute was Sgt. J Robertson (RCAF) and
ended up in captivity.
The 150th Squadron lacked two bombers
after returning from night action. Wellington
Mk.X LN811 „L“ took off from Amendola Airport
into the dark night at 20:46. During the fighting,
he was hit by a flak and exploded. Radio
perator F/Sgt. Stanley Jeacocke DFM (RAAF)
was the only one to survive, remembering that
night years later as follows:
“After setting course from Lake Balaton to
Budapest we encountered terrific Flak which
appeared to be box barrage at first, but after
taking evasive action proved to be predicted.
We were using window which appeared to
upset the accuracy for a couple of minutes
but we were suddenly hit and I found myself
lying on the floor of the aircraft beside the
bed. I was on look out duties in the astrodome.
I tried to struggle onto my feet but could not
do so because of the speed at which we were
going down. The port side was on fire. I believe
from the port engine back as far as the tri-cell
chute position. Not knowing that my telephone
plug was out, I expected at any moment to
hear the order to bale out and so continued
trying to get on to my knees at least in order to
crawl to the emergency exit when the bale out
order should be given. The aircraft suddenly
commenced to spin and I found it impossible
to even roll myself over. I counted four spins
F/Sgt. Stanley Jeacocke (RAAF) photographed
in March 1944.
Pilot P/O Robert Edward Seymour Shearer (RAAF)
Page from a Logbook of Lt. Bryan Desmond „Davie“ Jones, 31. Squadron SAAF, who flew as a navigator
and bombardier in the crew of Lt. Klette on board of Liberator EV941 „Q“ in the night to 26.6.1944.
[Foto: via Darryl Jones]
HISTORY
F/Sgt. Finlay Ewart Munro Crawford (RAAF)
Pilot W/O Kevin James Hiskins (RAAF).
INFO Eduard
17
October 2024