The 51 Sqdn left from Snaith at 1944-07-10 at 11:32. Loc or duty Kleve
On Monday 10 July 1944, a member of the 51 Sqdn, Flying Officer A G Brandon, took off from Snaith in the United Kingdom. His mission is mentioned elsewhere on Back to Normandy. You can find the other details of this mission by searching here. Training and cargo flights are not separately mentioned as a mission. The plane left at 11:32.
He flew with a Handley Page Halifax (type III, serial NP933, code MH-M).
Steve Burdon (ex-RAF): F/O Douglas Delaney was only survivor from this mission.
He was manning rear gun when the whole turret pod was blown off! Unusually he was already wearing his chute but not his boots, his daughter tells me he would normally wear his boots but not his chute.
His chute was caught in a tree and he was captured. He spent the remainder of the war at Stalag Luft III.
Doug died in 1996 near Bury st. Edmunds, Suffolk.
I have a photo of the crew standing next to a Halifax, unfortunately the Registration is not visible however there seems to be a unique item about the pictured aircraft as the upper rear gun turret has a fairing around its base, I haven't seen that on any other Halifax a/c.
Delaney is second from right in the aircraft photo and the burial picture I understand is of a crew member from NP933 in Germany, however there was no info on back of that photo and just seeing as it was the only two that the late Doug Delaney had in a folder I'm guessing.
Campaign report of the USAAF:
9 July 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS
(Eighth Air Force): Mission 462: during a morning mission 150 B-17s are dispatched to bomb bridges and airfields in France but cloud cover causes the bombers to hit targets of opportunity; 68 hit Chalonnes Bridge, 36 hit Chateaudun Airfield, 12 hit Bouchemaine Bridge, 12 hit Chalonnes highway bridge and 12 hit Le Creusot Bridge; 1 B-17 is lost and 10 damaged; 9 airmen are MIA.
Escort is provided by 155 P-47s and P-51s; 1 P-47 and 1 P-51 are lost (1 pilot is MIA).
Mission 463: 104 B-24s and 77 B-17s are dispatched to hit CROSSBOW (V-weapon) sites in France but encounters poor weather; Only 37 B-24s bomb V-weapon sites; 12 B-17s hit St Omber Longuenesse Airfield and 3 hit targets of opportunity; 1 B-24 is lost and 60 damaged; 2 airmen are WIA.
Escort is provided by 158 P-47s and P-51s; they claim 5-0-3 Luftwaffe aircraft.
90 of 96 P-38s strafe the Moulin-Nevers-Tour area claiming 1-0-1 Luftwaffe aircraft; 1 P-38 is lost (pilot is MIA).
Mission 464: During the night, 5 of 6 B-17s drop leaflets in France.
37 B-24s fly CARPETBAGGER missions during the night.
TACTICAL OPERATIONS
(Ninth Air Force): In France, of 250+B-26s and A-20s dispatched, about 60 bomb targets; bad weather prevents others from bombing; targets hit are a rail bridge, crossing, overpass and a highway bridge at Ablis, Orleans, Vendome, and Montfort-sur-Risle; fighters escort IX Bomber Command bombers, provide area cover over the battle area, and bomb and strafe gun positions, vehicles, rail cars, bridges, and tanks.
In England, the 125th Liaison Squadron, Ninth Air Force (attached to HQ Command, ETO), moves from Chedworth to Erlestokes with L-5s.
10 July 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS
(Eighth Air Force): Mission 465: 6 of 6 B-17s drop leaflets in France and the Netherlands during the night.
12 B-24s fly CARPETBAGGER missions during the night.
TACTICAL OPERATIONS
(Ninth Air Force): In France, fighters bomb and strafe gun positions, bridges, a rail overpass, infantry concentrations, and highway junctions, and cover the battle area; HQ 71st Fighter Wing arrives at Ecrammeville from England; and HQ 100th Fighter Wing moves from Criqueville to St-Pierre-Eglise.
Campaign report of the RAF:
9/10 July 1944
8 Mosquitos to Scholven/Buer, 14 RCM sorties, 9 Serrate patrols, 8 Halifaxes and 4 Stirlings minelaying off Biscay ports, 19 aircraft on Resistance operations, 4 OTU sorties. No aircraft lost.
10 July 1944
213 Lancasters and 10 Mosquitos of Nos 1, 3 and 8 Groups attacked a flying-bomb storage dump at Nucort but the target was covered by cloud and the bombing was not concentrated. No aircraft lost.
6 Mosquitos carried out Ranger patrols without loss. 1 Ju88 was claimed destroyed near Oldenburg.
10/11 July 1944
35 Mosquitos to Berlin, 8 Halifaxes and 6 Lancasters minelaying in the Kattegat and in the Frisians, 13 Halifaxes and 9 Stirlings on Resistance operations, 4 OTU sorties. 1 Mosquito lost on the Berlin raid.
With thanks to the RAF and USAAF.net!This record can also be found on the maps of Back to Normandy with Google coordinates. You can find the maps by clicking on this link on this location.
There are several possibilities to investigate the flight records on Back to Normandy. All the flights are plotted on maps, sorted "day by day", "by squadron", "by type aircraft", "by year or month", "by location" and much more! Don't miss this!!!
If you have any information that you want to share, please add your comment at the bottom of this record. Or send your information to [email protected]. This information will be added to the record.
Your photos and your information are very welcome! The young do care and with your help we keep up the good work.