August 17 1943 – Schweinfurt/Regensburg

Well David, it seems like no one can answer the question about the ‘S’ and ‘P’, I was expecting a few experts to jump in straight away. That 97 Squadron website is very good, a lot of detailed information there.
Cheers Paul

That surprised me too. Another good site about 97 Squadron is http://www.firebynight.co.uk/index.html

Well David, it seems like no one can answer the question about the ‘S’ and ‘P’, I was expecting a few experts to jump in straight away. That 97 Squadron website is very good, a lot of detailed information there.
Cheers Paul

… great to see so much information forthcoming…..it is what this forum does best.

Agree ~ this is a remarkable community

My father…..was shot down on his last op of his second tour, a trip to Mannheim on September 23rd 1943.

Unlucky, but at the same time incredibly lucky; to have survived two tours (especially at this dangerous time) was remarkable and to survive being shot-down as well. On average only a single crew member survived from each Lancaster shot-down and the wireless-operator was statistically not one of those most likely to survive.

Those pages from your father’s log-book are absolutely fascinating; thanks again for posting.

That 97 Squadron Association website is a great resource…..I suppose one day every ORB will be available on the web.

A couple of threads referencing one of the many who didn’t survive (Peenemünde) … here and here

Fascinating threads; it is very interesting to read some of those that were from before my time on this forum, and great to see so much information forthcoming…..it is what this forum does best.

In the first image of Davids fathers logbook he flew in ED869 ‘S’ on the 17th and then ED869 ‘P’ for all the other flights. Was it common for an aircraft to have its squadron codes changed like that?
Thanks Paul

I noticed that also. Initially I presumed he had made an error in his log book entry but squadron orbs (link below) shows the same. Can anyone clarify this?

http://www.97squadronassociation.co.uk/flightops4.html

Peenemünde

Operation Hydra as well (Bomber Command attack on Peenemünde) that night also covered by a very good Martin Middlebrook book.

A couple of threads referencing one of the many who didn’t survive (Peenemünde) … here and here

In the first image of Davids fathers logbook he flew in ED869 ‘S’ on the 17th and then ED869 ‘P’ for all the other flights. Was it common for an aircraft to have its squadron codes changed like that?
Thanks Paul

He participated in the Winter March from Stalag Luft III and the Spring March from Marlag and was liberated May 2nd 1945 by the British Army 10 miles South West of Lubeck.

We were very lucky to have him come home.

You certainly were, is he still with us?
thanks for posting those scans:)

And yes, those Middlebrook books are all great, brilliantly done

Operation Hydra as well (Bomber Command attack on Peenemünde) that night also covered by a very good Martin Middlebrook book.

Of course yeah, I’ve just finished that book, the significance of the date didn’t click. I’m halfway through ‘Decision Over Schweinfurt’ by Thomas Coffey, so that is why it came to mind.

David – Thanks for posting those copies, they really are amazing!

Steve

Although having done some evasion exercises, I can still only speculate how he must have felt in those days.

It was that kind of strong spirit and hard determination that saved your islands back then.

Amazing!

Must have been 10 tense days evading through Germany. I’m very happy to hear he made it home eventually.

Heroes all.

To survive he ate root crops from the fields. Dressed himself in clothes taken from a scarecrow and committed “friendly burglarys” for food. He was eventually captured asleep in a barn.

Amazing!

Must have been 10 tense days evading through Germany. I’m very happy to hear he made it home eventually.

Heroes all.

Sobering indeed!

Within about two weeks, he participated in 5 missions deep inside Germany. Thats around 25 hours flying, a good bit of it over enemy held territory.

I hope he managed to see peace-time and more.

My father did manage to see peace time although he was shot down on his last op of his second tour, a trip to Mannheim on September 23rd 1943.

He managed to evade for 10 days before being captured. He was imprisoned at Dulug Luft (Frankfort,) Stalag Luft 6 (Heydekrug,) Stalag 357 (Thorn,) Stalag 357 (Fallingbostel,) Stalag Luft III (Sagan,) and at Marlag/Tarmsdedt.

He participated in the Winter March from Stalag Luft III and the Spring March from Marlag and was liberated May 2nd 1945 by the British Army 10 miles South West of Lubeck.

We were very lucky to have him come home.

Sobering indeed!

Within about two weeks, he participated in 5 missions deep inside Germany. Thats around 25 hours flying, a good bit of it over enemy held territory.

I hope he managed to see peace-time and more.

Very sobering to see just that one page of operations from your father’s log book; thank you for posting.

I did a quick Google and just the first four operations resulted in the loss of 54 Lancasters, 51 Halifaxes and 29 Stirlings (and probably the deaths of 800 aircrew).

I can thoroughly recommend any (and all) of Martin Middlebrook’s books.

That page shows 5 of the 64 trips my father made consisting of 2 tours with 50 and 97 Squadrons.

Very sobering to see just that one page of operations from your father’s log book; thank you for posting.

I did a quick Google and just the first four operations resulted in the loss of 54 Lancasters, 51 Halifaxes and 29 Stirlings (and probably the deaths of 800 aircrew).

I can thoroughly recommend any (and all) of Martin Middlebrook’s books.

Operation Hydra as well (Bomber Command attack on Peenemünde) that night also covered by a very good Martin Middlebrook book.

My Dad took part in that raid when serving with 97 Squadron.

After bitter house to house fighting, Schweinfurt was captured late in the war by the U.S. Army’s 42nd Infantry Division (“The Rainbow Division”). A large Nazi flag was found flying over the Kugelfischer factory. Aware of the heavy losses suffered by the 8th Air Force, especially the 305th BG, the banner was presented to that group by the 42nd. A photo of that ceremony:

http://books.google.com/books?id=rJCDygyIEqQC&pg=PA104&lpg=PA104&dq=Schweinfurt+flag+captured+%22air+force%22&source=web&ots=usPAJVOA5a&sig=g1IEi8bhG7oKvhpjspQZt1UiTfM&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=3&ct=result

I believe that it’s now in the National Museum of the USAF.

Also Operation Hydra 17/18 Aug 43

Operation Hydra as well (Bomber Command attack on Peenemünde) that night also covered by a very good Martin Middlebrook book.