115 Squadron

29 January 1944

Lancaster Mk II - DS833 KO-S

T/O Witchford 0029 - target Berlin, Germany.
Lost without trace.

Source: 115 Squadron Roll of Honour by D. Bruce, W. R. Chorley, J. G. J. de Haan.

Berlin: 677 aircraft - 432 Lancasters, 241 Halifaxes, 4 Mosquitos.

Part of the German fighter force was drawn up by the early diversions and the bomber approach
route over Northern Denmark proved too distant for some of the other German fighters.
The German controller was, however, able to concentrate his fighters over the target and many
aircraft were shot down there.
The cloud over Berlin was broken and some ground-marking was possible but the Bomber Command
claim that this was the most concentrated attack of this period is not quite fully confirmed by German records.
The western and southern districts were hit but so too were 77 places outside the city.
* Damage was inflicted to destroy the houses of 180.000 people.

46 aircraft - 26 Halifaxes, 20 Lancasters - lost, 6.8 per cent of the force.

Source: nationalarchives.gov.uk - Bomber Command - Campaign Diary January 1944 - * 3 Group Bomber Command, Book by Chris Ward.

ORB. 29th January, 1944.
15 aircraft were detailed to attack BERLIN, but 6 failed to take off.
9 aircraft took off between 00.14 hours & 00.29 hours.
2 failed to return from operations. Lancaster Mk II LL649 A4-G, 6 KIA, 1 POW.
2 aircraft were forced to abandon the sortie
(J.D.S.687 - Captain F/L. H. G. HICKS) due to unserviceable of port outer engine and
(F.L.L.622 - Captain F/L. G. Y. MACKIE, DSO) due to severe icing and inability of aircraft to climb respectively
and both returned to base early one after jettisoning his 4,000 lb H.C., but bringing back his incendiaries and the
other after jettisoning his load live.
The remaining 5 aircraft identified the target by means of red & green markers on which they dropped their bombs from
heights ranging between 20,000 feet & 21,000 feet.
A good reflection on the clouds (10/10) indicated many fires. Two explosions were observed at 03.16 hours & 04.00 hours.
Photographs were attempted. Considered a good attack.

08.50. 7 aircraft had returned safely to base after operations.

The picture was taken by Edmands in August of 1943.
There were seven crew listed missing on January 29th,
but only six appear in the picture.

F/L Keith Harris - Knowle Park, Bristol, England;
F/O John Horn - Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada;
F/S Albert J. Chappel -Southorpe, England;
F/O James Francis Harrigan, Dauphin, Manitoba, Canada;
P/O John King, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada;
Sgt. Thomas F McLean, Falkirk, Scotland;
Sgt. Derek Roy Edmands, Smothwick, Staffs. England.

Info and photo by Derek Roy Edmands sister from Birmingham, England.
Source: Canadian Virtual War Memorial