Please could you check my reply to your research (bottom of thread) re the Halifax planes and their gliders.
Thanks
Carolyn Wheatley
Hi Patrick
I work with Mike ‘Radar’ Hayes who told me about Project 65 and I’ve been doing some research on the operations of the night of the 5/6 June 44. This is what I’ve come up with.
The Halifax’s which towed the gliders and crew are as follows:-
Horsa 1 PF800 Chalk 91 (S/Sgt J.H.Wallwork – S/Sgt J.Ainsworth)
Tug
Halifax V LL355 ‘8T-G’ 298 Sqn
Pilot – Wg Cdr D.H. Duder DSO DFC
Navigator – P/O J.W. Mclaren
Air Bomber – Sgt E. Bappin
Wireless Op – Flt Lt G.D. Palmby
Rear Gunner – F/Sgt H.A. Newling
Flight Eng – Sgt A.B. McCullum
Horsa 1 LW943 Chalk 92 (S/Sgt O.F.Boland – Sgt P.Hobbs)
Tug
Halifax V LL335 ‘8T-K’ 298 Sqn
Pilot – W/O A.K. Berry
Navigator – F/Sgt J. Roberts
Air Bomber – P/O A.E. Letts
Wireless Op – F/Sgt E. White (RCAF)
Rear Gunner – Sgt J. Stewart
2nd Gunner – Flt Lt W.D. Reevelt
Flight Eng – Sgt K.W. Austin (RNZAF)
Horsa 1 LH469 Chalk 93 (S/Sgt G.Barkway – Sgt P.Boyle)
Tug
Halifax V LL218 ‘2P-N’ 644 Sqn
Pilot – W/O J.A. Herman
Navigator – F/Sgt W.L. Mills
Air Bomber – Sgt R.L. Duncan
Wireless Op – F/Sgt C.C.Narrison
Rear Gunner – F/Sgt J.P. Walsh
Flight Eng – Sgt F.L. Waterfall
Horsa 1 LJ326 Chalk 94 (S/Sgt A.Lawrence – S/Sgt H.Shorter)
Tug
Halifax V LL344 ‘2P-P’ 644 Sqn
Pilot – F/O G. Clapperton
Navigator – F/O D. Robertson
Air Bomber – Sgt G.J. Fensby
Wireless Op – F/Sgt W.B. Burness
Rear Gunner – F/Sgt J.S. Boreham
Flight Eng – Sgt F.E. Rolt
Horsa 1 LJ326 Chalk 95 (S/Sgt S.Pearson – S/Sgt L.Guthrie)
Tug
Halifax V LL406 ‘8A-T’ 298 Sqn
Pilot – W/O G.P. Bain
Navigator – Flt Lt L.J. Rowell
Air Bomber – Sgt A. Holder
Wireless Op – F/Sgt C. Mansell
Rear Gunner – Sgt I.A. Weeks
Flight Eng – Sgt R. Bensley
Horsa 1 PF791 Chalk 96 (S/Sgt R.A.Howard – S/Sgt F.Baacke)
Tug
Halifax V LL350 ‘9U-Z’ 644 Sqn
Pilot – F/O W.W. Archibald
Navigator – F/Sgt A.J. Shea
Air Bomber – Sgt C.O. Howes
Wireless Op – F/Sgt F.L. Chidley
Rear Gunner – F/Sgt F.G. Brown
Flight Eng – Sgt J.T. Orford
One problem I’ve found is that due to the number of aircraft on the two Halifax squadrons, they had a squadron code of each flight on the unit. Hence 298 Squadron’s ‘A’ Flight aircraft were coded ‘8A’ and ‘B’ Flt ‘8T’ while 644 Squadrons aircraft were coded ‘2P’ and ‘9U’. To add even more confusion on aircraft coding, before 298 Squadron got its Squadron codes (and its ‘C’ Flight became 644 Squadron), it’s Halifaxs just had an aircraft letter, and seeing that they had more aircraft than letter’s in the alphabet, when they ran out of single letter, they coded aircraft with two, hence aircraft were coded ‘AA’ ‘BB’ ‘CC’ etc. Some of these coded aircraft still had those codes on D-Day. the big problem I’ve had is the F541’s (Sqn operational flying logs) that I’ve looked at don’t have the Flight Code (8A/8T/2P/9U) against the aircraft log entry, or two letters of aircraft that were so marked. I do have a French contact is is trying to tie the aircraft seriels and squadron (flight) codes for me. (However thanks to the Project 65 site galley having what looks like a picture from the Tarrent Rushton tower log, I’ve been able to tie the Squadron codes and serials for the six tug aircraft)
The Tarrant Rushton photos at IWM show the Halifaxs and gliders lined up for Operation Mallard, the glider operation done on the evening of D-Day. On the airborne photo that has the two Horsa’s and Hamilcars on the runway with a Halifax on the runway and Hailfaxs either side, the 7th Halifax from the front of the line parked off the runway on the right hand side of the photo is LL355 8T-G, the tug that towed John Howards Horsa (91). The 9th Halifax on that line is 8T-K which towed Horsa (92).
Regards
Richard
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