This page transcribed by Dick Dunn

427 Squadron Wartime Log - June 1943

1/6/43

No operations were scheduled for this date due to bad weather. No flying training was carried out but intensive ground training was conducted to rectify any errors found to have been committed on our first operation on Halifaxes over Wuppertal on May 29th.

2/6/43

The weather continued unsatisfactory and no operations were scheduled for this date. Some of the· Squadron Officers paid a social call to Harrogate.

3/6/43

The weather still continued unfavourable and the Squadron was very keen to get cracking on another operation on Halifax aircraft. No flying training was carried out.

4/6/43

Twelve aircraft were detailed for a bombing attack on BOCHUM but this operation was scrubbed due to unfavourable weather. The Squadron was very keen to go on this trip. four crews detached to Topcliffe returned to the Unit on this date.

5/6/43

No operations were scheduled for this date. Lectures were carried out all day and six crews did night flying training.

6/6/43

Movies taken of the M.G.M. presentation played at the Empire Theatre in Leicester Square. No operations were scheduled and due to unfavourable weather no flying training was carried out. Lectures were carried out.

7/6/43

W/Cmdr Burnside proceeded to Westcott to take the engine handling course. S/Ldr Earthrowl assumed command of the Squadron in his absence. Thirteen aircraft were detailed for a bombing attack on MULHEIM in Germany. However, this operation was cancelled at a late hour due to unfavourable weather. The remaining crews detailed to Topcliffe for conversion training returned to Unit.

8/6/43

No operations were scheduled for this date due to unfavourable weather. Most of the Aircrew went to Harrogate for a social whirl. P/O Ross had the first practice of our Squadron Cricket team.

9/6/43

Fifteen aircraft were detailed for a bombing attack on ESSEN and again this operation was scrubbed due to unfavourable weather conditions. All personnel were getting more impatient to get another operation in on Halifax aircraft.

10/6/43

Weather unfavourable and no operations scheduled. Ensa show in the evening at which the Squadron was well represented.

11/6/43

Seventeen aircraft were detailed to attack DUSSELDORF in the greatest raid the R.A.F. ever put on. All aircraft took off and all returned to England safely. F/Sgt Higgins returned early due to Navigational trouble. F/O Colquhoun was badly shot up and landed at Oulton. While taxying on the perimeter track at Oulton he was run into by a Wellington Aircraft and Sgt Millard (the bomb aimer) suffered a strained back - the other crew members were uninjured. F/Lt Hockey successfully completed his first trip as Captain of an Aircraft.

12/6/43

S/Ldr Earthrowl and P/O Crew proceeded to Westcott on an engine handling course and the Wing Commander returned to assume command. Twelve aircraft were detailed for a bombing attack on BOCHUM. Sgt Biggs was a non-starter due to mechanical trouble. P/O Perks returned early due to mechanical trouble after crossing the Dutch Coast. The other aircraft all returned to Base with the exception of Pilot Officer Fellner who is listed as missing from this raid. It was a sad lost losing P/O Fellner since he and his crew were original members of the Squadron and were all "gen" men. The original crew were all commissioned in this Squadron as well. F/O Lou Somers single handed attacked ESSEN in error and suffered severe flak damage.

13/6/43

No operations were scheduled for this date and the Squadron had a well earned rest.

14/6/43

Twelve aircraft were detailed for a bombing attack on OVERSHAVEN but this operation was cancelled due to unfavourable condition.

16/6/43

No operations scheduled due to this being the moon period. The armoury section of the Squadron had a very successful party in Northallerton.

17/6/43

No operations were scheduled this date and the Officer's mess had a very successful party bidding adieu to Group Captain Carscallen the Station Commander.

18/6/43

No operations were detailed this date due to the Moon period. Everyone had a rather quiet day recuperating from the previous night's party.

19/6/43

Seventeen aircraft were detailed for a special moonlight bombing attack on the Schneider works at LE CREUSOT south east of Paris. Two aircraft were non-starters due to technical trouble. P/O Crew returned early due to gyro trouble. All the other aircraft very successfully bombed the target and all returned safely to England. For the first time in Bomber Command a daylight camera was carried on a night operation. The aircraft was piloted by S/Ldr. Furthrowl(ed:possibly Earthrowl) and a series of very successful photographs was obtained. F/Lt Durocher was injured in the heel by a tracer bullet after crossing the French Coast on the way home.

20/6/43

Four aircraft were detailed for an operation on OBERSHAVEN, but this operation was cancelled. Hon Vincent Massey visited the Squadron on this date.

21/6/43

Fourteen aircraft were detailed for a bombing attack on DREFELD(slide spelling Krefeld). All aircraft took off successfully. Two returned early due to Technical trouble. The other twelve aircraft successfully bombed the target and returned to Base.

22/6/43

Fourteen aircraft were detailed for a bombing attack on MULHEIM. W/Cmdr Burnside returned early due to gyro trouble and F /Sgt Higgins returned after crossing the Dutch Coast due to Navigation trouble. Of the other twelve aircraft, only eight aircraft returned safely. The other four aircraft are listed as missing. The aircraft were piloted by F/Lt Webster, P/O Cadmus, Sgt Hamilton and F/O Reid and their loss will be surely missed in this Squadron since they were an integral part of our Squadron's life.

23/6/43

No operations were scheduled for this date but two of the Squadron aircraft conducted a sea-search for our missing crews of the previous night. There were no results of these sea searches.

24/6/43

F/Lt Taylor was promoted to the rank of S/Ldr and P/O Tubman to the rank of F/Lt. Eleven aircraft were detailed for a raid on WUPPERTAL. F/Lt Ganderton returned early due to both turrets being unserviceable. Of the other ten crews, nine landed safely at Base and Flying Officer Lou Somers did not return from this raid. Lou was very popular with all Squadron members and will be sorely missed.

25/6/43

Nine aircraft were detailed for a raid on GELSENKRICHEN (slide spelling Gelsenkirchen). W/Cmdr Burnside crashed on take-off due to lack of brake pressure. F/Sgt Rodwell was a non-starter due to Guns being unserviceable. Of the other seven aircraft five only returned to Base. P/O Gagnon and F /Sgt Higgins D.F.M. are missing from this raid. These two Pilots were original members of the Squadron and will both be missed very much.

26/6/43

The Squadron had a stand down today to rest from its strenuous week's attacks on the Ruhr Valley during the past week.

27/6/43

The Squadron had another stand down today and it was appreciated by all Squadron members who were still played out by our previous five raids.

28/6/43

Nine aircraft were detailed for a bombing attack on COLOGNE. P/O Morton returned to Chipping Warden after crossing the Dutch Coast due to his Starboard outer engine failing. P/O Crew and Sgt Henry, Sgt Johnson and F/Lt Tubman landed safely at Chipping Warden. Sgt Schmitt, landed wheels-up at Chipping Warden due to his undercarriage control as having been shot away by flak. F/Lt Ganderton and his crew baled out over England. On crossing the Coast on his way to the Target his aircraft was shot up very badly by an enemy fighter but he nursed it back to England, and not having enough controls left to effect a landing the whole crew bailed out. Two members of the crew P/O Soeder and F/S Newcombe were taken to hospital with slight injuries. Sgt Biggs landed at Wing and P/O Arnot landed badly shot up by flak at Dunsdon.

29/6/43

No operations were scheduled this date. Crews who landed away from base all returned to base with exception of the two taken to Hospital.

30/6/43

No operations again scheduled for this date. Press men visited the Station to interview Flight Lieutenant Ganderton about his superb feat of airmanship. F/Sgt Edwards of Squadron Maintenance was posted.

Honours and Awards

Nil

Commissions

J1750l W/0 Crossman, G. T. (Navigator) appointed to Pilot Officer w.e.f. 29/4/43.
J17609 Sgt Tedford J .L. (WOP/AG) appointed to Pilot Officer w.e.f. 29/4/43.
145348 Sgt Perks G.D. (Pilot) appointed to Pilot Officer w.e.f. 9/3/43.

Promotions

121801 A/F/Lt C.A. Taylor promoted to the rank of Acting S/Ldr w.e.f. 16/6/43.
142142P/O G.P.T. Tubman, promoted to the rank of Acting F/Lt w.e.f. 17/6/43.
128408 P/O/A/F/Lt L.D. Izzard promoted to the war subs. Rank of temporary F/O w.e.f. 25/1/43.
127509 P/O J.W. Moore, promoted to the war subs rank of temp F/O w.e.f. 8/2/43.
J15990 P/O W.L. Moyle, promoted to the war subs. rank of temp. F/O w.e.f. 21/3/43.

Postings

J22488 P/O Low posted from 1659 C.U. w.e.f. 28/5/43
J14059 P/O B.A. St Louis posted from 1659 C.U. w.e.f. 28/5/43.
J20168 P/O A.C. Law posted from 1659 C.U. w.e.f. 28/5/43.
C3307 F/L G.F. Burton posted from Topcliffe w.e.f. 18/5/43.
J10353 F/O H.D. Reid posted from 1659 C.U. w.e.f. 10/6/43.
J14193 P/O A.M. Pariseau posted from 1659 C.U. w.e.f. 10/6/43