February 21, 1945 - DUISBURG

From the Operations Record Book:  

24 aircraft and crews were detailed and all took off, including "B" (F/L Sarll) whose first independent trip was made with the rear turret u/s. The operations had an unhappy end in the failure of "A" (W/C Bell with the F/L Luger and his crew) to return to base. Everyone will be sorry to lose W/C Bell whose cheerful, forceful personality has been an inspiration to all members of the Squadron and Killingholme generally. It is feared that this layer cloud over the target marred the accuracy of the attack. Marking was punctual, but reports such undershooting, there were, however, large fires and several explosions around the aimer’s points. Flak at the target was only slight to moderate, fighters on the other hand were much in evidence, "A" F/O Smith the only aircraft to report a combat can claim a suspected ME262 as probably damaged. Owing to the thin cloud none of the photographs succeeded in showing ground details. Congratulations to F/L Harris [a different crew] and crew on the completion of a voluntarily extended tour, without an abortive.

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LIVE OPERATION: DUISBURG

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 Melvin Toman Ditson (Mid Upper Air Gunner) RCAF

AIRCRAFT:

LANCASTER LM273 “O” FOR OBOE (BQ-O)

FLIGHT NOTES:

Tonight's flight would be uneventful for the crew.  With Ditson back in the role of Mid-Upper Air Gunner, the crew took off from North Killingholme at 19.28, returning at 01.44 the following morning for a total flight time of 6 hrs 16 mins.

The aircraft the crew used on this mission - Lancaster LM273 Source: 550 Squadron and North Killingholme Association.  This aircraft would be lost two nights later on the raid to Pforzheim while being flown by another crew.