Crew of Halifax JP200
The actual events of that night are know only to the crew of JP200. It has been noted elsewhere that
mine laying operations in the heavily defended waters of the Kiel was not liked by any of crews.
Gardening as it
was code named, involved low level flying over dark waters, even darker when they were done at night. Between
the loss of perception of height over the water, the need to stay on an exact course to properly lay the mines
in an order that was specified, the flak boats and land based flak batteries which were always
in the area of this important water way. It was a tricky operation which took nerves of steel.
The crew in total completed seven operations. Four of which were "Gardening " ops. One each in Bay of Biscay, around Brest, Nazaire and Rochelle.
So they were well experienced in that type of operation.
They also made two sorties into Germany including Berlin on the night of February 15/16 1944, which they found heavily defended both by flak but also night fighters. The night fighters were dropping rings of flares all around the target area to catch the bombers in the glow. Dropped normally from above and giving off a bright glow as they fell, it enabled the fighter pilots to spot targets.
The February 15/16 Berlin raid was one of the largest since the 1,000 bomber raids. With over 860 aircraft involved in the raid. A diversionary attack failed to draw off all the fighters from the main bomber force headed to Berlin.
Although the German controllers ordered their fighters to stay out of the skies over Berlin, many fighter pilots disobeyed the order to stay out of the area. Instead weaving in and out of the flak to attack the bombers as they came into the sky above their capital city.
Over 40 bombers were lost that night.
During the crew's February 19/20 operation to Leipzig, their aircraft was tailed by a number of multi-engine aircraft continually criss- crossing their rear track. Eventually the aircraft following them were recognized as RAF Mosquitos which must have provided some relief to know they were not Luftwaffe night fighters.
This raid was also a large one with over 820 aircraft involved. This raid was for Bomber Command a costly one , 78 bombers were lost. The bomber stream was set upon by night fighters as they crossed the Dutch coast all the way to and from the target, the RAF diversion again failed to fool the German controllers, who recalled the fighters from the Kiel area. To add to the chaos many bombers arrived over the target too early and had to wait for the Pathfinder force to arrive. Four bombers were known to be lost to mid-air collisions and 20 more lost to flak. F/O Warren and his crew made it through both these raids without any reported incidents.
The crew's original Bomb aimer was F/S T. Korbar, but he only flew on three operations. The crews first operation on January 4/5 had Sgt. S.A. Goulding as Bomb Aimer. WO L.A. McGaughey on January 6/7. F/O L.D.Swenerton on February 19/20 and 22/23. It was F/O Sherman's first operation with the crew, but his 25th operation in all.
The crew in total completed seven operations. Four of which were "Gardening " ops. One each in Bay of Biscay, around Brest, Nazaire and Rochelle.
So they were well experienced in that type of operation.
They also made two sorties into Germany including Berlin on the night of February 15/16 1944, which they found heavily defended both by flak but also night fighters. The night fighters were dropping rings of flares all around the target area to catch the bombers in the glow. Dropped normally from above and giving off a bright glow as they fell, it enabled the fighter pilots to spot targets.
Warren Crew Over Berlin
The February 15/16 Berlin raid was one of the largest since the 1,000 bomber raids. With over 860 aircraft involved in the raid. A diversionary attack failed to draw off all the fighters from the main bomber force headed to Berlin.
Although the German controllers ordered their fighters to stay out of the skies over Berlin, many fighter pilots disobeyed the order to stay out of the area. Instead weaving in and out of the flak to attack the bombers as they came into the sky above their capital city.
Over 40 bombers were lost that night.
Warren Crew Over Leipzig
During the crew's February 19/20 operation to Leipzig, their aircraft was tailed by a number of multi-engine aircraft continually criss- crossing their rear track. Eventually the aircraft following them were recognized as RAF Mosquitos which must have provided some relief to know they were not Luftwaffe night fighters.
This raid was also a large one with over 820 aircraft involved. This raid was for Bomber Command a costly one , 78 bombers were lost. The bomber stream was set upon by night fighters as they crossed the Dutch coast all the way to and from the target, the RAF diversion again failed to fool the German controllers, who recalled the fighters from the Kiel area. To add to the chaos many bombers arrived over the target too early and had to wait for the Pathfinder force to arrive. Four bombers were known to be lost to mid-air collisions and 20 more lost to flak. F/O Warren and his crew made it through both these raids without any reported incidents.
F/O Sherman
The crew's original Bomb aimer was F/S T. Korbar, but he only flew on three operations. The crews first operation on January 4/5 had Sgt. S.A. Goulding as Bomb Aimer. WO L.A. McGaughey on January 6/7. F/O L.D.Swenerton on February 19/20 and 22/23. It was F/O Sherman's first operation with the crew, but his 25th operation in all.
