Lambroughton's Crew
Pilot: F/O David B.R. Lambroughton
Navigator: Sgt. J.R. Rowbottom
B/A: Sgt. J.C. McCallum
WAG: Sgt. J.F. Henry
F/E: Sgt. Montague "Joe" Wise RAF
M/UG: Sgt. B. K. Dwyer
R/G: Sgt. A. "Ab" M. Dennis
Crew came together while at No.24 O.T.U., completed conversion to heavy bombers at No.1664 C.U. (or 1666)then arrived at 419 Squadron on February 6th 1945.
Operations Begin
While the crew waited for their captain to complete his sorties as 2nd. Pilot, the weeks were filled with more training with their new squadron.
Finally on the 20th of February F/O Lambroughton's first and what turned out to be his only 2nd. Pilot operation was completed.
The very next day the men would find their names listed on the Battle Order with Lancaster VR-P. But they were listed as "Spare Crew" and never left on the operation that night.
Two nights later and they were again listed on the Battle Order for night operations. Only to find their aircraft VR-O had developed problems and be scratched from the operation.
Finally on the night of February 27th they took off on their first operation and returned successfully to base. The next operation for the crew was on February 28th, but all squadron aircraft were all recalled. A common occurrence at this point in the war, targets sometimes fell into Allied hands as the troops moved towards Germany.
The crew were to have two more assignments as the "Spare" crew, mixed in with their 16 operations together, with their last operation taking place on April 25th. 1945. Not all the operations went without incident and the gunners Sgt. Dwyer and Sgt. Dennis would file three combat reports during that short period.
(It should be mentioned that there had been another Air Gunner named Dwyer a year earlier, WOII Dwyer flew Halifax aircraft and he too had filed Combat Reports during his stay with 419 Squadron.)
March 15/16 1945 - Hagen Night Raid
The crew flew mostly daylight raids during the opening weeks of March, with only two night operations in the middle of March.
On the night of March 15/16 the crew's nerves and the two gunner's abilities would be put to the test as a series of attacks one with two Me262 jets attacking as a team to bring down Lambroughton's Lancaster. At a little past nine pm, F/S Dennis sighted an enemy aircraft 1,000 yards off dead astern and slightly above. He gave the order to corkscrew to starboard. He opened fire on the oncoming jet at 600 yards, with the Me262 firing back at almost the same instant. The attacker broke off the attack.
Only five minutes had elapsed when two Me262 fighters were spotted by the gunners, one in the same location astern as the previous attacker and a second fighter on the starboard quarter above. With Dennis keeping watch on the enemy aircraft coming in from the rear and Dwyer turning to face the second attacker. The Lancaster's starboard corkscrew did not throw off the attackers.
At 600 yards the fighters opened fire. Dennis gave a burst of 200 rounds towards his target and Dwyer fired off 100 rounds at his. The jet fighters broke off the attack.
Six minutes later and the crew found themselves under attack one more time. And again the gunners drove off the two jet fighters.
The crew's efforts paid off and no damage was done to their bomber during the three attacks.
The summary of the events is spelled out in the narrative sections of the two Combat Reports
March 31st 1945 - Hamburg Daylight Raid
Once again the crew were set upon by enemy jet fighters, this time during a daylight raid on Hamburg.
April 25th 1945 - 419 Squadron's Last Action
As the air war wound down, one last operation was carried out by Moose squadron, this one was to aid the Canadian troops in the last big push in Holland. F/O Lambroughton's crew flew KB748 , VR-O on this their 16th and closing operation of the war.
There is one act of camaraderie that F/L Lambroughton was commended for by the Commander in Chief. Finding one of the aircraft in the home bound stream was in "distress" Lambroughton and his crew flew along side of the stricken bomber until it reached the safety of the English coast and a friendly base.
The crew flew home to Canada, arriving June 10th 1945. They were flying one of the squadrons most well known Lancaster aircraft VR-X, serial KB753 "X-terminator". The X-terminator completed 84 operations more than any other Lancaster MkX.
Ranks at end of service with 419 Squadron
Pilot: F/L David B.R. Lambroughton
Navigator: Flight Sgt. J.R. Rowbottom
B/A: Flight Sgt. J.C. McCallum
WAG: Flight Sgt. J.F. Henry
F/Engineer: Sgt. Montague Joe Wise
M/UG : Flight Sgt. B. K. Dwyer
R/G: Flight Sgt. A.M. Dennis