LEST WE FORGET
Air Operations: (No. 460 Squadron Lancaster aircraft ND654), Belgium, 21 July 1944
Two nights later on 20th-21st July both Nos. 1 and 5 Groups combined to attack the important railway centre of Courtrai with 321 bombers, the largest force used against this class of target during the campaign. In the first wave 18 of No. 463 and 14 of No. 467 joined in a very successful attack against marshalling yards. Raid accounts refer to excellent marking with sound control and a good concentration of bombs. There was some criticism of the spoof fighter flares designed to confuse the Luftwaffe. In the opinion of some crews these were too close to the actual target and in fact illuminated the fringes of the bomber stream. No. 467 lost two freshman crews but otherwise casualties were very light. An hour later 22 Lancasters of No. 460 arrived in the second wave to attack the triangle main lines junction under the direction of the master bomber, Squadron Leader Swan of No. 635. Crews were again critical of the spoof flares which seemed to aid rather than distract enemy fighters. Five bombers were lost and there were many combats reported by crews which did return. Nevertheless the 1,650 tons of bombs dropped at the two Courtrai aiming points created a scene of devastation. Reception and dispatch sidings were destroyed, the passenger station was almost gutted, and a bridge carrying five sets of tracks was demolished. An effective bottleneck had been created at a significant point in relation to the land battle.
Extract from Herington, J. (John) (406545) Air War Over Europe 1944-1945, Australian War Memorial, Canberra, 1963 – Page 237
Lancaster ND654 took off from RAF Binbrook at 0014 on the night of 21 July 1944 to bomb the railway yards at Courtrai, Belgium. The bomb load was 11 x 1000 lb (pound) (450 kg) and 4 x 500 lb (225 kg) bombs. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take off and it did not return to base.
Twenty two aircraft from the squadron took part in the mission and one ND 654 failed to return. Post war it was established that the aircraft crashed at Poelkapelle (West Vlaanderen), 9 kms north north east of Ieper, Belgium. There were no fatalities. One crew member was captured and the remaining six crew members evaded capture and returned safely to the UK.
The crew members of ND654 were:
Flight Sergeant Donald James Annat (426279) (Wireless Operator Air) Evaded capture, Discharged from the RAAF: 2 June 1945
Flight Sergeant K G Butler (1106021) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer) Evaded capture
Sergeant J G Cawley (68667) (RCAF) (Navigator) Evaded capture
Flying Officer Reginald Harold Jopling (410065) (Pilot) Evaded capture, Discharged from the RAAF: 20 September 1945
Sergeant Richard Mills (1254702) (RAFVR) (Mid Upper Gunner) PoW
Flight Sergeant Robert Blackall Moffitt (419198) (Bomb Aimer) Evaded capture, Discharged from the RAAF: 14 September 1945
Flight Sergeant Leo George Rossely (419057) (Rear Gunner) Evaded capture, Discharged from the RAAF: 20 November 1945
Pilot Officer Jopling later reported: “After completing the bombing the aircraft was hit by a rocket anti aircraft bomb on the starboard wing setting the petrol tank on fire. I instructed the crew to abandon the aircraft which was losing height rapidly and out of control. Moffitt baled out at approx 9000 feet, followed by Cawley, Annat and Butler. Rossely and Mills abandoned from the rear exit hatch. I baled out at approximately 3,500 feet. Butler and Annat were slightly injured by the explosion and flak prior to baling out.”
No. 467 Squadron lost Lancaster LM119 (Flying Officer David Arnold Barlow (417781) (Pilot)) on 21 July 1944.
No. 467 Squadron lost Lancaster LM101 (Flying Officer Douglas Bruce Jeffery (427420) (Pilot)) on 21 July 1944.
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records (RAAF Casualty Information compiled by Alan Storr (409804))
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veteran’s Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
Bibliography:
Firkins, P. C. (Peter Charles) (441386) Strike and Return, Westward Ho Publishing City Beach WA, 1985