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18 October 1943 Lancaster Mk II - DS683 KO-R |
Attacked over the target by a night fighter, whose fire killed Sgt. Allen RCAF
and wounded Sgts McCabe and Rogers.
The a/c was severely damaged and returned to base at 2235 with two engines
out of action and the elevators and trimming controls shot away.
W/O II Boutilier RCAF and Sgt. Rogers were awarded immediate DFC and DMF decorations respectively.
Source: 115 Squadron Roll of Honour by D. Bruce, W. R. Chorley, J. G. J. de Haan.
360 Lancasters ordered to attack Hannover.
The target area was covered by cloud and the Pathfinders were not successful in marking the position of Hannover.
The raid was scattered, with most bombs falling in open country north and north-west of the city.
This raid concluded the current series of raids on Hannover.
Bomber Command had dispatched 2,253 sorties in 4 raids and 10 American B-17 sorties had also
been flown.
1,976 aircraft claimed to have bombed in the target area.
Only 1 raid had been completely successful but that had caused severe damage.
110 bombers were lost on the raids, 4.9 per cent of those dispatched.
18 Lancasters lost, 5.0 per cent of the force.
One of the Lancasters lost on the Hannover raid was the 5,000th Bomber Command aircraft
lost on operations since the start of the war.
By the end of this night, the bombers had flown approximately 144,500 sorties -
90 per cent of them by night - and lost 5,004 aircraft - 4,365 by night and
639 by day - over enemy territory, crashed in the sea or shot down over
England by German Intruders or 'friendly' defences.
Source: nationalarchives.gov.uk - Bomber Command - Campaign Diary October 1943.
ORB. 18th October, 1943.
14 aircraft took off between 18.05 hours and 18.20 hours to attack HANOVER.
1 aircraft failed to return from operations. Lancaster Mk II DS769 KO-H, 7 KIA.
1 aircraft (Z.D.S.661 - Captain P/O. K. HARRIS - port inner engine cutting and the starboard outer
constant speed unit burning out) was forced to jettison its bombs live over NIENBURG owing to engine trouble.
Another aircraft was just commencing its bombing run over the target when it was attacked from astern by an enemy fighter.
The Rear Gunner (Sgt. ALLEN, S.) was killed and the W/T. Oprtr. (Sgt. ROGERS, H.) and the
Flt. Engineer (Sgt. McCABE, J.) were wounded.
The aircraft was badly damaged in the combat and crash landed at Base on its return without
any further injury to the crew.
The remainder identified the target by means of red, green and yellow target indicator
markers on which they dropped
their bombs from heights ranging between 16,500 feet and 22,500 feet.
Results in most cases were unobserved due to cloud.
Scattered fires were seen and a large explosion at 20.17 hours.
Photographs were attempted.
23.30. 13 aircraft had returned to Base.
Boutilier Edward Harold - Pilot
W/O II - Service No R76385 - DFC
Age: 23 - +29 January 2004, Bridgewater, age 84.
RCAF
Son of
Ewart Boutilier and and Sadie Mason.
*Husband of Jean Pollack °1921 - +2010
Marriage: 14 September 1944, Kennington, London, England, United Kingdom
Source: 115 Squadron Roll of Honour by D. Bruce, W. R. Chorley, J. G. J. de Haan -
more info Nova Scotia Obituaries *Info via ancestors.familysearch.org
McCabe J. - FE
Sgt - Service No
Age: - injured
Son of
Source: 115 Squadron Roll of Honour by D. Bruce, W. R. Chorley, J. G. J. de Haan.
Franklin D. - Nav
F/S - Service No
Age:
Son of
Source: 115 Squadron Roll of Honour by D. Bruce, W. R. Chorley, J. G. J. de Haan.
Rogers Wyndham Edgar - WOP
Sgt - Service No 1381335 - DMF
Age: - injured
Son of
Source: 115 Squadron Roll of Honour by D. Bruce, W. R. Chorley, J. G. J. de Haan.
Horton A. - BA
Sgt - Service No
Age:
Son of
Source: 115 Squadron Roll of Honour by D. Bruce, W. R. Chorley, J. G. J. de Haan.
Tugwell K. - MUG
Sgt - Service No
Age:
Son of
Source: 115 Squadron Roll of Honour by D. Bruce, W. R. Chorley, J. G. J. de Haan.
Allen Sidney - RG
Sgt - Service No R127565
Age: 21
RCAF
Son of William B. Allen and Elizabeth Allen,
of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Cambridge City Cemetery - grave 13924
Source: CWGC - Photo thanks to John Carpenter - Canadian Virtual War Memorial - Find a Grave.