405 Squadron Halifax
 

On the night of 08/09th November 1942 a Halifax II of 405 Sqn was lost on an anti submarine patrol from Beaulieu. The pilot was Sgt WR Waddle. The crew were all killed except the Wireless Operator Sgt C Manning, who was made a POW

Does anyone know the serial number of the a/c?

Regards

Martin

Re: 405 Squadron Halifax
 

Hello Martin,

Mk.II, W1152 "LQ-U".

Crew:
F/Sgt. WADDLE, Ward Ralph. - R/90299 - RCAF.

Sgt. WALLAND, Allan Clarance. - R/107254 - RCAF.

F/Sgt. HODGINS, Adam Kidd. - R/95943 - RCAF.

Sgt. MARONEY, Paul Jones. - R/131262 - RCAF (USA).

Sgt. MANNING, Gordon M. - R/84918 - RCAF.

F/Sgt. BLACK, Wendell Clifford. - R/119121 - RCAF.

F/Sgt. WADDELL, Woodrow Wilcox. - R/67738 - RCAF (USA).


Alex


Refs were:
BCL vol 9; BL Middle East & Med vol 1;and the late Henk Welting's files.

Re: 405 Squadron Halifax
 

Alex.

I had checked the Air Britain RAF serials book but it said W1152 went to the Middle East. Looks like it stayed in the UK

Thanks very much for your help

Regards

Martin

Re: 405 Squadron Halifax
 

My notes show this aircraft was lost on an anti-shipping mission to La Gironde harbour, everything else I have matches the earlier posts.

Re: 405 Squadron Halifax
 

Hello,
From 405's ORB.
8-11-1942
Operation No. 149
Anti-Shipping Strike No. 11
La Gironde Harbour
Three Aircraft Detailed - Bomb load - 9 x 250 G.P Bombs.
W/C Fraser L.G (DFC) - " J" up-0250 - down 1215.
F/L Shockley H.G - "M" up 0255 - down 1207.
Sgt. Waddle W.R - "U" - up 0300 - Missing.
9-11-1942
Operation No. 150.
Anti Shipping Strike No. 12
La Gironde Harbour.
Two Aircraft Detailed.
Bomb load:
a/c "P" - 4x 500lb G.P bombs.
a/c "N" - 4x 500 M.C bombs.
F/S Rea H.D - "P" up - 1635 down 0210.
P/O Daggett N.D - "N" - up 1640 down 0218.

A couple of Ju88's were observed as were three Arado's which attacked but "J" eventually outdistanced them. there was some light flak from ship and shore batteries reported by both "J" and "M".

Four a/c including "M" were on Operation No. 151, Anti-Submarine Patrol No. 13 later on the 9th.

Weather :
Op 149 -Partly cloudy with good visibility.
Op 150 - Fair to cloudy with poor visibility.
Op 151 - No info given.

From Tony Woods files : No claims for a Halifax on the 8th and only one Halifax claim on the 9th but at 2000 plus hrs so not "U". So unless a flak victim the loss may have been as a result of enemy damage or a mechanical problem.

Alex