Australia’s War Diary

April 9/10 – Britain. 460 Squadron suffers heavy losses mine laying in Danzig Bay. F/Sgt W McKenzie’s Lancaster crashes during takeoff and all the crew, on their first op, are killed. Three others do not return (P/O F Crosby, P/O R Burke DFC and W/O R Proud and their crews) and two more come back severely damaged by flak and night fighter attacks over Denmark.

April 10/11 – Britain. Target: Tergnier marshalling yards. Of 15 Halifaxes sent by 466 Squadron, two are lost-F/OC Lamb (LV875) and F/Sgt J Bond (HX274) and their crews. 460 Squadron’s target is Aulnoye marshalling yards, the Lancaster of F/O A Probert and crew failing to return. April 12 – Burma. Over Imphal, F/O Larry Cronin of 81 (Spitfire) Squadron RAF damages an Oscar. Back in March his score had reached 5 by destroying a Dinah on the 6th and an Oscar on the 13th.

April 13- Australia. As part of the general effort to pave the way for landings at Hollandia and Aitape on New Guinea’s northern coast, raids are made on Japanese bases which might be used for counterattacks on the beachheads. Five Beaufighters of 31 Squadron raid Su Island Village in Timor. Japanese AA is intense, damaging all aircraft. F/Sgt H Ashbolt’s A19-178 crashes into the sea south of Timor. Both he and F/Sgt E Hiskins are killed.

April 15 – Italy. During a strafing sortie at San Benedetto, F/Lt M Hayes’ Kittyhawk is hit by AA fire. It plunges into the water and explodes.

April 16 – Los Negros. The CO of 79 (Spitfire) Squadron, S/Ldr Max Bott is killed in a collision while taking off. April 16/17 – Caroline Islands. Five Catalinas from Nos 11 and 20 Squadrons lay mines in Woleai atoll. S/Ldr Lawrence’s A24-49 is intercepted by a Japanese floatplane but not damaged.

April 18/19 – Britain. Tergnier marshalling yards is again the nemesis of 466 Squadron when another Halifax (LV956), piloted by F/Sgt B Casey, goes missing.

Caroline Islands. More mines are laid in Woleai atoll’s entrance channel, by seven Catalinas from Nos 11 and 20 Squadrons. On the return trip A24-47 (F/O Chas Williams, pilot) is shot at in error by US ships. Fortunately no one is injured, but the Catalina has control wires shot away and collects 130 holes.

April 19- Australia. Another raid is made on Su Village, Timor. Beauforts of 1 Squadron and Mitchells of 18 Squadron are escorted by eight 31 Squadron Beaufighters. An engine of Beaufighter A19-159 (F/Lt J Boyd & P/O F Anderson, with G/Capt C Eaton on board observing) is hit by AA fire. After three hours on one engine, Boyd lands safely at Snake Bay with 23 litres of fuel remaining. Britain. 455 Squadron operates for the first time as part of 16 Group RAF Three Beaufighters on reconnaissance off the Dutch coast, sight and report the position of an enemy convoy. It is successfully attacked by another squadron. April 19/20 – Caroline Islands. During the RAAF’s third visit to Woleai atoll, a 25mm shell explodes between the blisters of Catalina A24-63 (F/Lt Eddie Ham), killing gunners Sgts N Phillips and R Ely and severely wounding F/O Paul Lachal, an intelligence officer observer. Flight engineer F/Sgt Alan Lancaster successfully repairs the hull damage with the standard repair kit and cares for Lachal on the return flight. This is the last mission against Woleai atoll and the Catalinas will return to Cairns. Britain. Target Cologne. 4500 tonnes of bombs are dropped in the heaviest raid of the war to date. Lancaster W4784 “G for George”, with F/O J Critchley at the controls, flies its 90th and final operation. It is retired, Bomber Command’s most “operational” bomber and a veteran of 460 Squadron. Today it stands proudly in Canberra’s Australian War Memorial. April 20 – Italy. While strafing a bridge north of Ancona, F/Sgt H Eaves of 450 Squadron has the remarkable and undesirable experience of having his Kittyhawk shot down by its own ricocheting bullets! Again he has to be recovered by Air/Sea Rescue.

April 20/21 – Britain. Seven 456 Squadron Mosquitoes scramble despite terrible weather. F/Lt C Brooks & W/O F Forbes in HK253/F destroy a Me 410 near Horsham, Sussex. One blade of the airscrew, perforated by a cannon shell, is recovered and hung in ‘A’ Flight’s dispersal as a trophy. During a raid on La Chappelle marshalling yards 467 Squad- ron Lancaster ND732 (P/O N Feeney & crew) is lost. April 21 – New Guinea. In preparation for the Hollandia landings, American ships, including 12 carriers, attack Wakde Island, Sawar, Sarmi and Hollandia itself. April 21/22 – Britain. Target Dusseldorf. The 460 Squadron Lancaster of S/Ldr A Willis DFC is badly hit by flak. He has to bomb Krefeld instead of the prescribed target before limping home. F/Sgt R Allen & crew are lost.

DEV Australia. Using Yampi Sound as their advance base, Catalinas of 43 Squadron fly their first minelaying mission, against Balikpapan. Over the target the crews meet unexpectedly intense AA fire from shipping in the harbour. A24-53 (F/Sgt Don Abbey) crashes in flames. A24-35 (F/Lt Robin Gray) is caught in searchlights. Flak causes damage to the port mainplane and blows a gaping hole in the bow. Gray and second pilot, F/O Jim Seage, are both injured but keep the Catalina airborne and make a skilful landing back at Yampi Sound. 43 Squadron makes further night visits on April 24 and 27. The harbour is closed April 20-29 and a delayed action mine sinks the Japanese destroyer Amagiri while it is sweeping the harbour on April 23. April 22 – Britain. Two Spitfires of 124 Squadron RAF scramble to intercept an enemy aircraft making for Cherbourg. Over France, flak shatters the perspex canopy of F/Sgt Desmond “Ned” Kelly’s aircraft. He is struck in one eye. FIO G Nowell DFM & Bar, flying alongside, talks his blinded wingman back across the Channel to Tangmere and guides him to a safe landing. Kelly’s other eye is saved in hospital. Italy. F/Sgt H Eaves of 450 Squadron overshoots the run-way and his P-40 finishes on its back. Before it can catch fire, the ground staff hastily dig the sand away and drag him clear. Eaves has a broken hand and shock but it is the end of his bad month! New Guinea. The Americans land at Aitape, Tanahmerah Bay and Humboldt Bay.

April 22/23-Britain. is raided by 596 aircraft of which 30 are lost. The attack causes damage to more than 28 industrial targets including two branches of the Rheinmetall steel combine, the most important armament works in Germany. 466 Squadron loses Halifax HX337/ HD-W, F/O W Russell and crew. S/Ldr R Connolly, shortly to become Wing Commander, has a large hole punched through his port rudder fin by a falling bomb.

April 23 – Italy. 451 Squadron flies its first offensive operation since moving to Corsica in March escorting Mitchells on a bombing mission. Ten Fw 190s and four Bf 109s are chased off, F/OJ Wallis sharing a Messerschmitt. New Guinea. US forces take Hollandia.

April 23/24 Britain. W/Cdr K Hampshire &; F/O T Condon in Mosquito HK268/A of 456 Squadron shoot down a Ju 88 off Swanage. Hampshire’s cannons later fail while attacking another target.

April 24 – New Guinea. The Australians advancing from the Huon Peninsula capture Madang.

April 24/25-Britain. Because of flak damage, Mosquito NS896 (F/O E Dunkley & F/O H “Woody” Woodward) of 464 Squadron crash-lands at Gravesend. Without brakes, it overshoots the perimeter, damages two aircraft and ploughs into tents nearby, killing one man and injuring two others.

April 25-Britain. Ten Mosquitoes of 464 Squadron attack a construction site in northern France in daylight with good results. While returning, F/O L Fittock & W/O J Haugh in MM400 ditch into the sea. The Air/Sea Rescue Service rescues Haugh but cannot save Fittock.

Burma. Three Spitfires of 615 Squadron led by F/Lt G Falconer intercept nine Oscars south of Silchar. Falconer dam- ages one and F/Lt Kevin Gannon probably destroys another. April 25/26 Britain. The Luftwaffe attacks the Portsmouth area. Ju 88s are destroyed by 456 Squadron’s F/Lt W Lewis & P/OR Wilmoth (Mosquito HK317/Y); F/Os Roediger & R Dobson (HK297/V); and F/Os G Houston & L Engberg (HK264/T).

April 26 New Guinea. American beachheads at Tanahmerah Bay and Humboldt Bay link up. The Australians take Alexishafen.

Burma. S/Ldr David McCormack leading ten Spitfires of his 615 Squadron clashes with Oscars west of the Imphal-Tiddim road. He claims one of two probably destroyed. April 27 – Britain. Led by Wing Commander Iredale, 464 Squadron bombs the construction works in northern France again. Mosquito HP935 (FO A Oates & Sgt D Spen- cer) crashes in flames. The rudder of F/O Bill Henderson’s MM407 is shot away but he manages a successful landing at Friston. Bomber Command raids Friederichshafen and for 460 Squadron the cost is three more Lancasters, those of S/Ldr E Jarman DFC; W/O J Leary and F/Sgt G Brown and their crews. F/Sgt D Cullen’s aircraft is badly damaged.

April 28/29-Britain. W/Cdr Hampshire & F/O S Smith of 456 Squadron in Mosquito HK286/A shoot down a minelaying Do 217 over the Channel. Unfortunately, F/O R Pahlow & F/O F Silva fail to return from a similar patrol. Australia. Catalina A24-49 (P/O Warwick Rose & crew) fails to return from minelaying off Manokwari, probably the victim of Japanese AA fire. This is the third aircraft lost in the year long campaign and after this the use of single aircraft in minelaying missions is avoided. April 29 Italy. In error, three USAAF P-47s strafe Cutella airfield, killing one man and wounding several others. Luckily, 450 Squadron suffers no casualties. LACs Reg “Slim” Moore and K Harris of 3 Squadron are servicing one of three Kittyhawks in a dispersal bay when one bombed-up aircraft is set alight. Disregarding the danger of the bomb exploding, Moore and Harris unshackle it and roll it clear. They then taxi the other two Kittyhawks away from the fire.

April 30/May 1 – Britain. Target Paris-Acheres marshalling yards. During the return trip Halifax LV-791 of 466 Squadron piloted by F/L B MacDermott begins vibrating violently about 60km from the English coast, almost becoming uncontrollable as the front part of the tail fin breaks up. At last over land, MacDermott orders the crew to bale out. + F/Sgt Evans, the wireless air-gunner, is slightly injured.