RCAF 425 Alouettes III

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

92 Halifaxes from 408, 415, 425, 426, and 432 squadrons were joined by 100 Lancasters from 419, 424, 427, 428, 429, 431, 433, and 434 squadrons on an attack of the coastal guns at Wangerooge.

The weather was clear and the crews were over the target at between 10,000 to 12,000 feet, releasing 2,100,000 lbs of high explosives. According to reports the target area was well cratered. This operation proved to be the last over enemy territory after two and a half years of effort. The 6 Group crews would not be asked to carry bomb loads over enemy held territory. As well as this being the last operation, the group suffered its final casualties, but not at the hands of the enemy. Sadly the 4 crews that failed to return were all due to mid-air collisions.

…

La huitième et dernière des opérations du bomb aimer Pierre-Émilien St-Hilaire est un vol de jour sur Wangerooge. 

Le Pilot Officer G. Turcotte est cette fois-ci aux commandes du KW-D.  Il décolle de Tholthorpe à 14h58. La durée du vol est de 4 heures 26 minutes.

Pierre-Émilien St-Hilaire lâche 9 bombes de 1000 livres et 4 bombes de 500 livres à une altitude de 10 800 pieds.

http://www.6bombergroup.ca/Wangeroogestrike.html

L’équipage revient à Tholthorpe sans problèmes contrairement à quatre équipages d’autres escadrilles du Bomber Group 6.

Le temps était clair et les équipages ont survolé la cible à une altitude comprise entre 10 000 et 12 000 pieds, libérant 2 100 000 livres d’explosifs puissants. D’après les rapports, la zone ciblée était bien encombrée de cratères. Cette opération s’avéra être la dernière au-dessus du territoire ennemi après deux ans et demi d’efforts. Les équipages du 6e groupe n’auraient plus à transporter des charges de bombes sur un territoire tenu par l’ennemi. En plus de cette dernière opération, le groupe subit ses dernières pertes, mais pas aux mains de l’ennemi. Malheureusement, les quatre équipages qui ne sont pas revenus ont tous été victimes de collisions en vol.

F/Lt. A. Ely, RCAF, and crew from 408 squadron, flying Halifax MK VII NP-796, coded EQ-M, failed to return from this operation.

Sgt. J. Hughes, RAF
P/O J. Brambleby, RCAF
F/O J. Stanely, RCAF
F/O A. Boyd, RCAF
P/O A. Rutter, RCAF
P/O V. Hovey, RCAF
There were no survivors in a mid-air collision.

https://aircrewremembered.com/ely-arthur.html

P/O J. Tuplin, RCAF, and crew from 426 squadron, flying Halifax VII NP-820, coded OW-W, failed to return from this operation.

Sgt. R. Roberts, RAF
F/O J. Ross, RCAF
W/O R. Evans, RAF
P/O R. Curzon, RCAF
P/O E. Hicks, RCAF
P/O S. Teskey, RCAF
There were no survivors in a mid-air collision.

https://www.veterans.gc.ca/en/remembrance/memorials/canadian-virtual-war-memorial/detail/1809092?James%20Chester%20Tuplin

F/O D. Walsh of 428 squadron saw 2 Lancasters from 431 collide. The crew saw 5 or 6 parachutes open.

F/Lt. B. Emmet, RCAF, and crew, flying Lancaster X KB-831 SE-E, failed to return from this operation.

Sgt. J. Simms, RAF
F/Lt. R. Stingle, RCAF
F/O W. Hanna, RCAF
W/O2 C. Mark, RCAF
Sgt. D. Faulkner, RAF
F/Sgt. R. Mellon, RCAF
There were no survivors in a mid- air collision.

https://caspir.warplane.com/pdoc/pn/600005928/

F/O D. Baker, RCAF, and crew, flying Lancaster X KB-822, coded SE-W, failed to return from this operation.

Sgt. F. Smith RAF
F/O J. Cruickshank, RCAF
F/O L. Amos, RCAF
W/O2 P. Henrichon, RCAF
F/Sgt. J. Roy, RCAF
F/Sgt. L. Hiatt, RCAF
There were no survivors in a mid-air collision.

http://thewhpfamily.com/wwout13/pages/wangerooge.html

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. 

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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.

http://www.6bombergroup.ca/March45/Mar2445.html

100 Halifaxes from 408, 415, 420, 425, 426, and 432 Squadrons were ordered on an attack at Gladbeck. The crews were over the target at between 16,000 and 18,000 feet, releasing 772,000 lbs of high explosives. According to reports, the attack was accurate and severe damage was done.

Gladbeck fut la troisième des huit opérations du bomb aimer Pierre-Émilien St-Hilaire. Il s’est trompé de date en inscrivant cette opération dans son carnet de vol. L’écriture en vert indique que c’est un vol de jour alors que le rouge indique un vol de nuit. 

Le Pilot Officer G. Turcotte est encore aux commandes du KW-Z. 

Gladbeck avait reçu la visite de la USAF le même jour…

https://384thbombgroup.com/piwigo_384th_gallery/picture.php?/235698