Mois : octobre 2024

http://www.6bombergroup.ca/April45/April18~545.html

April 18, 1945

111 Halifaxes from 408, 415, 420, 425, 426, and 432 Squadrons were ordered on an attack of the naval base and airfield at Heligoland. The crews were over the target at between 17,000 and 19,000 feet, releasing 1,163,000 lbs of high explosives. According to reports, the weather was clear and severe damage was caused. 

…

F/Sgt G. Bellavance from 425 Squadron returned early as the port outer was u/s. They landed safely at base on 3 engines.

F/O J. Halle was hit by flak, not serious.

F/Sgt J. Beaudoin had the stbd outer u/s outbound. They bombed and returned safely to base on 3 engines.

…

La septième des huit opérations du bomb aimer Pierre-Émilien St-Hilaire est un vol de jour sur Heligoland. 

Le Pilot Officer G. Turcotte est cette fois-ci aux commandes du KW-F. L’heure du décollage n’est pas indiquée. La durée du vol est de 4 heures cinq minutes.

Pierre-Émilien St-Hilaire lâche 9 bombes de 1000 livres et 4 bombes de 500 livres à une altitude de 17 500 pieds.

L’équipage revient à Tholthorpe sans problèmes contrairement à trois autres.

Le sergent-chef G. Bellavance est rentré plus tôt que prévu car le moteur extérieur bâbord était inutilisable. Ils se sont posés sans encombre à la base avec 3 moteurs. L’officier d’aviation J. Halle a été touché par la DCA, sans gravité. Le sergent-chef J. Beaudoin avait le moteur extérieur tribord en panne à l’aller. Ils ont bombardé et sont revenus à la base sans encombre avec 3 moteurs.

http://www.6bombergroup.ca/March45/March2545.html

99 Halifaxes from 408, 415, 420, 425, 426, and 432 Squadrons were ordered on an attack of the rail yards and supply routes at Munster. The crews were over the target at between 17,000 and 19,000 feet, releasing 192,000 lbs of high explosives and 460,000 lbs of incendiaries. According to reports, the target was covered with smoke and dust.

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F/O M. Chappel and P/O A. Belanger from 425 Squadron were hit by flak, not serious. They landed at Dishforth on return.

F/O L. Dumais landed at Croft on return.

F/O J. Violette, F/Lt C. Lesesne, P/O G. Turcotte, and P/O J. Kolisnek landed at Dishforth on return.

W/O2 M. Lavoie RCAF and crew, flying Halifax III NR-194 coded KW-J, had the stbd inner running poorly outbound. On return the stbd outer was u/s. On landing at Riccall, they overshot the airfield and did a wheels up landing in a field. The crew was not injured.

Gladbeck fut la quatrième des huit opérations du bomb aimer Pierre-Émilien St-Hilaire.  

Le Pilot Officer G. Turcotte est toujours aux commandes du KW-Z. Le décollage se fait 0657 soit 6 heures 57 minutes du matin du 25 mars. Le vol durera 6 heures 10 minutes. Pierre-Émilien St-Hilaire passera la plupart de son temps confiné dans le nez du Halifax tout comme Laurent Tremblay.

L’équipage de Laurent Tremblay – son pilote

La prochaine opération sera marquante dans la vie du bomb aimer St-Hilaire.

http://www.6bombergroup.ca/March45/Mar3145.htm

100 Halifaxes from 408, 415, 420, 425, 426, and 432 squadrons were joined by 100 Lancasters from 419, 424, 427, 428, 429, 431, 433, and 434 on an attack at the Blohm & Voss shipyards at Hamburg. The crews were over the target at between 17,000 and 19,500 feet, releasing 1,908,000 lbs of high explosives. According to reports, the target was cloud covered but extensive damage was caused in the industrial area of Hamburg. The 6 group was in the last wave of the attack and were attacked by many ME-262s. 8 crews failed to return, mostly due to attacks by these aircraft.

F/O L. Dumais from 425 squadron was hit by flak, not serious. The crew seen one bomber shot down by rockets from an ME-262.
F/Lt C. Lesense, RCAF, and crew flying Halifax III MZ-418, coded KW-C, failed to return from this operation.

Sgt J. Tame, RAF–POW
F/Sgt J. Hilliard, RCAF–POW
F/O W. Cable, RCAF–POW
P/O R. Pigeon, RCAF–POW
W/O2 R. Trudeau, RCAF–POW
F/Sgt F. King, RCAF–POW
The pilot was killed and rest were POWs.