February 20, 1945 - DORTMUND

From the Operations Record Book:  

27 aircraft and crews took off without incident to attack once again the heavy engineering manufacturing town of DORTMUND.  F/O Ferguson in “L” unfortunately returned early with his starboard inner engine u/s [unserviceable].  The remaining aircraft found good weather along the route until approx. 0530 degrees E when a low layer of thick cloud gradually built up to 4000 feet, until at the target the markers were barely visible as they dropped into it.  The marking was punctual and an adequate number of ground markers, as well as some sky markers were dropped.  However the latter were somewhat scattered and although some encouraging concentrations of incendiary and fire glows were seen indistinctly under the cloud, the illuminating explosions, there was quite a lot of scatted bombing and it must only be considered, from first accounts, as a moderately successful raid.  Ground defences were reported as being only slight to moderate in a loose barrage, with one or two aircraft receiving some predicted attention.  Night photographs show a good display of incendiary and fire tracks, but clouds have again prevented only plotting.  Good shows were put up by F/O Franklyn in “G” who had his port outer engine u/s [unserviceable] and had to feather it when over the Bexhill area on the outward journey.  F/L Dale in E2 (taking F/L Sarll and crew on their initial operation) had trouble with his port outer engine which was u/s from 0500 degrees outward forcing them to bomb at 13,000 feet.  F/O Mearns also had trouble with his starboard outer engine which was partially u/s for the trip.

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LIVE OPERATION: DORTMUND

CREW:

• F/O Robert Douglas Harris (Pilot) RCAF
• SGT Kenneth John Boucher Smith (Flight Engineer) RAF
• F/SGT David Johnston Yemen (Navigator) RCAF
• F/O Gordon James Nicol (Air Bomber) RCAF
• SGT Gerard Patrick Kelleher (Wireless Operator) RAF
• SGT Douglas James Hicks (Rear Air Gunner) RCAF
• SGT Eric Raymond Robinson (Acting Mid Upper Air Gunner) RAF

AIRCRAFT:

LANCASTER PB843 “N” (BQ-N)

FLIGHT NOTES:

For their third live operation, the crew took off at 21.24 and returned the following morning at 04.35, for a total night flight time of 7 hrs 11 mins.  Ditson’s mid-upper air gunner role will be filled tonight by RAF gunner Eric Raymond Robinson, but Ditson would be back with his crew for the following operation.