|
Operation 'Coup de Main' / Operation Tonga - 5/6 June 1944
Hi All
I'm in the process of doing research for a project about the RAF/British Army Airborne forces operations on the morning of D-Day, and as part of this project I want to do a profile of an aircraft from each unit that took part in placement of 6th Airborne division into Normandy, I've done a trip down to Kew, and have compiled a list of the following RAF aircraft which took part in Operation 'Coup de Main' / Operation Tonga. What I'm looking for is any portside photo or profile of any of the aircraft on this list (the ones in blue being one's I would kill for). The ones in Red, I've already found the required info on and the rest of the serials or codes are up for other forum members to use, though info on serials and codes not listed would be of use. 48 Squadron - Dakota III AJ/KG321 UC/KG337 AH/KG409 AF/KG364 AD/KG391 UG/KG414 AG/KG391 UG/KG406 AV/KG419 UM/KG416 AK/KG408 AL/KG452 AN/KG404 AM/KG394 UN/KG370 UD/KG406 AV/KG499 UM/KG416 AK/KG408 AL/KG452 196 Squadron - Stirling IV LK510 LF641 LF502 EF309 LJ945 EF248 LJ810 LJ502 LJ841 LF276 LJ848 LJ937 LJ840 LJ502 LJ837 644 Squadron - Halifax V LL350 'Z' LL344 'P' LL218 'N' LL326 'N' LL332 'K' LL352 'Q' LL402 'F' LL338 'J' LL357 'P' LL198 'D' LL305 'A' LL399 'S' LL219 'G' LL351 'L' LL345 'F' LL400 'T' LL342 'L' LL328 'T' LL403 'G' LL340 'R' LL301 'R' LL312 'T' LL325 'Y' 233 Squadron - Dakota III KG424 KG341 KG329 FZ678 KG315 KG415 KG313 KG403 KG410 FZ685 KG427 KG399 KG440 FZ686 KG400 KG430 KG433 FZ679 KG356 KG429 KG455 FZ672 KG437 FZ688 KG448 FZ681 KG412 KG447 FG692 KG420 271 Squadron - Dakota III KG545 KG500 KG564 KG444 KG512 KG516 KG387 KG515 FZ639 KG362 FZ613 KG376 KG365 KG345 KG367 KG357 FZ628 KG374 KG562 KG378 KG365 KG372 KG340 FZ601 KG358 KG514 FZ668 295 Squadron - Albemarle V1740 8Z-A V1656 V1753 P1430 V1784 V1751 V1757 P1404 V1613 V1647 V1723 V1750 V1777 P1436 V1766 P1369 V1607 V1763 V1748 P1445 P1397 V1749 296 Squadron - Albemarle V1701 V1765 V1774 V1699 9W-H V1696 V1616 V1605 V1744 V1630 V1698 P1501 V1785 V1646 V1810 V1632 V1813 V1739 V1775 P1439 297 Squadron - Albemarle (didn't get chance to read the F541) V1823 P5-S 299 Squadron - Stirling IV G E C I J L A B M H D N P O Q T S U V Y X W R F 512 Squadron - Dakota III KG392 'V' KG390 'E' KG422 'B1' FZ647 'H' KG322 'C' KG314 'C1' KG480 'G' KG373 'B' KG486 'A1' KG407 'D' KG324 'A' KG333 'N' FZ649 'J1' FZ610 'O' FZ694 'R' FZ651 'J' KG344 'L' KG348 'K' FZ658 'M' FZ696 'Q' FZ609 'P' FZ656 'K' KG368 'Y' KG323 'U1' KG418 'T1' KG371 'X' KG330 'T' KG347 'S1' KG361 'U' KG379 'W' 298 Squadron - Halifax V LL355 G LL335 K LL278 T LL147 Q LL349 W LL348 M LL343 L LL273 Y LL361 F LK654 G LL382 O LL406 T LL148 J LL336 U LL271 B LK966 C LL348 H LL407 K LL384 S LL355 G LL147 0 LL348 H LL335 K 570 Squadron - Albemarle V1814 V1694 V1617 V1645 V1704 V1653 P1379 V8-D V1627 V1842 P1441 V1620 V1746 V1631 V1623 V1752 V1626 V1767 V1624 V1754 V1703 V1602 P1980 575 Squadron - Dakota III KG449 KG442 KG434 KG695 KG431 KG363 KG425 KG311 KG640 KG310 KG328 620 SQN Squadron - Stirling IV LJ847 EF295 LJ917 EF293 LJ865 LJ878 LJ849 EF256 LJ875 LJ588 LJ921 LJ872 LJ288 EF237 EF296 LK432 LJ850 LJ892 LJ869 LJ899 LJ866 LJ847 EF303 EF116 EF275 Thanks for any information or help in advance and PM me for contact details as regards e-mailing or photos. Richard. P.S. Does anybody know which one of the Stirling's Richard Todd jumped from? |
Re: Operation 'Coup de Main' / Operation Tonga - 5/6 June 1944
Hello Richard!
I am afraid your querrie is a bit too long, this is most of people did not reply yet. I am sure you certainly do have this book, but I read it last year and found a good account with some information that you are looking for. Have you tried to contact those Squadron´s Associations? Try out, you certainly will be sucessful. Hope to have helped, even though being a small help... Sincere and friendly yours Adriano Baumgartner ONE NIGHT IN JUNE One Night in June is an account of the Glider Pilot Regiment’s role in Operation Tonga, the first stage of the Airborne assault in the Normandy landings in June 1944.The story includes stories of crew who evaded capture by the Germans and pays tribute to the help they received from local Resistance fighters.The contribution of the nine gliders which took part in the ‘Coup de Main’ landings has been well-documented but of the other eighty-nine gliders which took part little has been written.This book tells the full story. Author: Kevin Shannon & Stephen Wright; forword General Sir John HackettFormat: 208pp, b/w photographs, hb. Published Price £16.95 Price: £ 4.99 Click Here to view this price in other currencies Shipping Time: Usually despatched Next DayProduct Code No: 6500 |
Re: Operation 'Coup de Main' / Operation Tonga - 5/6 June 1944
Hello Adriano
Thanks for the pointer, No I've not got the book in question, however it is now on order. There is a French site that does list all of the glider sorties flown on the night of 5/6 Jun with 'One Night in June' as its sourse. Most of the details seem to be taken from the 38 Group Glider Raid Reports, the only Sqn 540 annexs that have these reports on microfilm at Kew seem to be those of the Tarrent Rushton units (298 and 644) The Orne bridge glider tugs were 298 Squadron - Halifax V LL355 ‘G’ LL335 ‘K’ LL278 ‘T’ 644 Squadron - Halifax V LL350 'Z' LL344 'P' LL218 'N' These are the ones I'm most interested in at the minute, however due to the size of the 2 squadrons, they had multiple squadron codes (8A (A Flt)or 8T (B Flt) for 298 and 9U or 2P for 644 Sqn). To make life even more interesting some of the Halifax V's at Tarrent Rushton had dual letter codes (KK is one that springs to mind, seing that its in a photo of the aircraft lined up for Op Mallard on the afternoon of D-Day (cannot make out the serial of KK on the photo though). Thanks to the 38 Group Reunited site, I'm sure that LL218 was 2P-N and I've found a couple of other codes for both Squadrons. Two books I was hoping would help are Ospery's Halifax Squadrons of WWII and the Warpaint - Hailfax and Halton, however every attempt to buy the later on line has ended up with 'out of print and out of stock'. Cheers for the link however. Regards Richard |
Re: Operation 'Coup de Main' / Operation Tonga - 5/6 June 1944
Hello Richard,
I'm the Webmaster of www.raf38group.org To begin to help you: Here are the 297 Squadron aircraft serials (all were Albemarles) who participated to Tonga: Tonga I/II P1383 V1716 P1400 P1384 V1700 V1812 P1365 V1748 P1367 V1772 V1742 P1471 P1378 Tonga III V1781 V1778 V1825 P1395 V1771 P1651 P1409 V1769 V1773 V1782 V1776 Concerning 299 Squadron I have a list of all the Stirling assigned to this Squadron who could have flown Tonga but it is a very long work because I've to retrieve what letter what assigned to each aircraft by checking in all the documents. It'll take a few months... Unfortunately I don't have all the aircraft letters you search but I'll try to help you with what I have (off board). My email is raf38groupATgmail.com (replace AT with @) Regards. Bruno LECAPLAIN |
Re: Operation 'Coup de Main' / Operation Tonga - 5/6 June 1944
Thanks Bruno, E-mail on its way. Also welcome to 12 O'clock high, and congratulations on your excellent web-site.
|
Re: Operation 'Coup de Main' / Operation Tonga - 5/6 June 1944
Richard,
I am not at home right now, but as soon as I got home, I will try to put you in contact with the Stirling Aircrew Asssociation. You could, however, meanwhile try to contact them. They are very helpful and, I am sure, will try to help you with information on 299 Squadron´s Stirling during Operation Tonga. I am glad that the book will help you...it is a great reading! Sincere and friendly yours Adriano |
Re: Operation 'Coup de Main' / Operation Tonga - 5/6 June 1944
Dear Richard
I've just been doing some research for my family history and just seen your request for pictures of aircraft that you listed. I do have one that may be of some intrest to you, as i believe it was taken before the mission on the eve of D' Day. my Mothers Cousin, Robert Farrow was the navigator on the Albermarle, reg v1740. hence i have the photo. The pilot was Squadron leader Claude Merrick, and i know that Air Vice Marshall Hollinghurst was also on the flight too. The only other thing that I've found out so far is that Squadron Leader Merrick and Robert Received the DFC each for their part in the mission Richard. I hope that you you receive the picture in the attachment ok, as I've had some problems with it's file size. The only way i could seem to do it was to use the camera on my phone, but the quality isn't great. if you have any ideas of how i could email you a better copy just let me know. Also if a hard copy would be any use, i'd be more than happy to send you a one. Good luck with your research. Regards Mike Shearing |
Re: Operation 'Coup de Main' / Operation Tonga - 5/6 June 1944
Quote:
Thanks for the offer, which I'm glad to say is a photo of one of the Aircraft that was on my must find list. a few more details for your use. V1740 was an AW Albermarle of 295 Squadron RAF which took off at 23.03 5th June 1944 from its base at RAF Harwell Crew was as follows 83256 S/L Merrick. C - Pilot 1268885 W/O Farrow R.E. - Navigator 145382 F/O Saddler N.E. - Air Bomber 1312408 F/S Lindsey W. - Wireless Operator J.17236 F/S Walker J.R. - Air Gunner The aircraft did carry a VIP crewman in the form of the AOC 38 Group as 2nd pilot and 10 paratrooper 'Pathfinders' of 22nd Independent Parachute Company. These troops were believed to be the first British paratroopers to land in France (at Drop Zone ‘K’ at around 00:20) as part of Operation Tonga. The aircraft returned safely to Harwell at 01.48 on the 6th I’ll PM you later with E-mail details. Scanned image if possible, the bigger the image size, the better. Regards Richard |
Re: Operation 'Coup de Main' / Operation Tonga - 5/6 June 1944
Sorry to resurect an old thread i have the Flight log books for LL343 (298 Squadron) and many photographs of the squadron please let me know if you would like them
|
Re: Operation 'Coup de Main' / Operation Tonga - 5/6 June 1944
|
| All times are GMT +2. The time now is 19:05. |
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.7.2
Copyright ©2000 - 2025, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004 - 2018, 12oclockhigh.net