Australian Aviation’s War Diary

50 Years Ago…

May 1 – Britain. A 455 Squadron Beaufighter piloted by P/ ON Wilson crash lands after takeoff and bursts into flames. Navigator, F/Sgt T Holmes (RAF), who jumps clear, tries in vain to drag his pilot free and suffers facial burns. May 2 Britain. S/Ldr Don Smith takes command of 453 Squadron. During their “visits” to the Continent, 453’s Spit fires begin carrying 500lb (227kg) bombs for dive bombing, as well as filling their normal fighter role. Throughout May and June they raid marshalling yards, radar stations, road traffic and targets of opportunity. This “softening-up” will continue right up until the eve of the D Day invasion. Although now a controller, F/Lt Charles “Last-Trip” Scherf flies another “last” sortie with his old unit, 418 (Canadian) Squadron. Accompanied by another Mosquito, he heads for the Baltic and North Germany. Near Rostock they find He 115 floatplanes moored on the water and leave two on fire. At Barth, Scherf destroys two aircraft on the ground. The other pilot, Canadian F/O John Caine, accounts for four more but his Mosquito is heavily damaged by AA and he turns back. Scherf attacks Griefswald aerodrome alone. He crashes a circling Ju 86 in flames and explodes a parked He 111. Finally, he returns over Rostock where he destroys yet another parked He 111. Even this will not be his last trip. May 3-Mediterranean. 458 Squadron and 17 Squadron SAAF cooperate with destroyers in a U-boat hunt north of the Gulf of Bougie. RAAF Wellingtons fly six patrols before U-371 is finally depth charged to the surface and sunk by shell fire from the destroyers on the 4th.

May 3/4 Britain. 346 Lancasters and 16 Mosquitoes, bomb a German military camp near Mailly. German fighters inflict heavy casualties. 42 Lancasters are lost including five from 460 Squadron – P/O N Lloyd, P/O F Baker, W/O J Smart, F/Sgt G Gritty, F/Sgt H Fry and their crews. 114 barrack buildings, 47 transport sheds and ammunition buildings are hit; 102 vehicles, including 37 tanks, are destroyed. 218 German soldiers are killed and 156 injured. The only French casualties occur when a Lancaster crashes onto their house.

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