Crew of Wellington X3711
P/O Thompson ,F/S Cassidy and Sgt. Hart were all part of
P/O Jost's
original crew who had been posted to 419 Squadron
sometime in the last week of March or first week of April. P/O Freestone joined the crew for the first time on July 13th,
then returned on July 28th 1942.
As part of Jost's crew Thompson, Cassidy, Hart and the original wireless operator Sgt. Johnston flew on two of this periods largest ever raids. Air Marshall Harris had put into place a plan simply called the "Thousand Plan" in which at least 1,000 Bomber Command aircraft would hit one target.
So it was on their second operational sortie the original crew flew on the first 1,000 bomber raid on Cologne on May 30th 1942. The following night the crew flew on the second 1,000 bomber raid on Essen. It was the result of being on these raids that P/O Thompson and Jost met with King George VI later that year at a ceremony in one of the squadron hangers.
The crew with variations stayed on to complete 19 operations together. As mentioned after his ninth operation with the crew Sgt. Johnston was replaced by P/O Freestone for three operations and Sgt. Hall for the next three operations. Freestone returned to be with the crew for their next series of sorties.
During August of 1942 the squadron was in the midst of a move to it's new permanent base at Middleton St. George and very few operations were completed. Jost's crew was one of the exceptions and flew on August 8th to Duisberg.
August also marked the arrival of the squadron's new commander,W/C Walsh DFC AFC who had been appointed to the post after the loss of the squadron's first and well respected commander W/C John Fulton it wasn't an easy position to fill. But a good choice by the RAF in selecting another Canadian to take over the posting was a positive step.
W/C Walsh had already completed 27 operations and on September 1st. with a borrowed crew he took on his first operation with 419 Squadron. Then on the next night, September 1/2 1942 he borrowed P/O Jost's crew on an operation with Wellington X3711 VR-R setting off for a raid on Karlsruhe Germany at 2253 hours from Topcliffe.
It would appear from the timing that the Wellington was attacked by nightfighter 9./NJG 4 on it's return trip to base, Sometime around 0210. The aircraft came down 9km NNW of Dinant Belgium at Warnant.
On June 25th, one year to the day that he had met with the King, Burton Jost now Squadron Leader has killed while steering his heavily damaged Halifax bomber away from the village and inhabitants of Roermond. Saving Roermond
As part of Jost's crew Thompson, Cassidy, Hart and the original wireless operator Sgt. Johnston flew on two of this periods largest ever raids. Air Marshall Harris had put into place a plan simply called the "Thousand Plan" in which at least 1,000 Bomber Command aircraft would hit one target.
So it was on their second operational sortie the original crew flew on the first 1,000 bomber raid on Cologne on May 30th 1942. The following night the crew flew on the second 1,000 bomber raid on Essen. It was the result of being on these raids that P/O Thompson and Jost met with King George VI later that year at a ceremony in one of the squadron hangers.
19 Operations
The crew with variations stayed on to complete 19 operations together. As mentioned after his ninth operation with the crew Sgt. Johnston was replaced by P/O Freestone for three operations and Sgt. Hall for the next three operations. Freestone returned to be with the crew for their next series of sorties.
During August of 1942 the squadron was in the midst of a move to it's new permanent base at Middleton St. George and very few operations were completed. Jost's crew was one of the exceptions and flew on August 8th to Duisberg.
August also marked the arrival of the squadron's new commander,W/C Walsh DFC AFC who had been appointed to the post after the loss of the squadron's first and well respected commander W/C John Fulton it wasn't an easy position to fill. But a good choice by the RAF in selecting another Canadian to take over the posting was a positive step.
W/C Walsh had already completed 27 operations and on September 1st. with a borrowed crew he took on his first operation with 419 Squadron. Then on the next night, September 1/2 1942 he borrowed P/O Jost's crew on an operation with Wellington X3711 VR-R setting off for a raid on Karlsruhe Germany at 2253 hours from Topcliffe.
It would appear from the timing that the Wellington was attacked by nightfighter 9./NJG 4 on it's return trip to base, Sometime around 0210. The aircraft came down 9km NNW of Dinant Belgium at Warnant.
On June 25th, one year to the day that he had met with the King, Burton Jost now Squadron Leader has killed while steering his heavily damaged Halifax bomber away from the village and inhabitants of Roermond. Saving Roermond
