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Old 29th November 2005, 09:25
Laurent Rizzotti Laurent Rizzotti is offline
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Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Paris, France
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Re: RAF Halifax crash, 6 Nov 44

The date is probably off, or the type.

There was no raid on Koln by BC on 6 Nov 1944. There was a day raid against Gelsenkirchen with Lancasters and Halifaxes and then night raids on 6/7 against Koblenz and Mitteland Canal, but only with Lancasters.

The only possibility for the night of 6/7 according to Chorley is the Lancaster I HK621 GI-O of 622 Sqn that took off at 1700 to bomb Koblenz. Only details given is "Crash-landed in France. It is not thought that anyone was injured". Crew F/O F I Stephens RAAF, Sgt G Green, P/O F S Deacon RAAF, F/S A D Young, F/S J D Crago RAAF, Sgt D J Fitzsimmons, F/S W McRae, Sgt C E Barclay.
As part of the crew was Australian, maybe you can find more details in online Australian archives.

As for Koln, it was raided on 28 Oct by day and during the night of 30-31 Oct and 31 Oct-1 Nov. There were few losses.

A possibility on 31 Oct/1 Nov
Lancaster I LL964 PM-H of 103 Sqn took off 1749 to bomb Koln. Hit by Flak over the AP, which damaged fuel tanks and the rudder controls. The crew turned towards the Allied lines and when over Namur, Belgium, the order to abandon was given. F/S oubrey RCAF has the misfortune to open his parachute while still in the aircraft and by the time he had located the spare 'chute, the bomber was dangerously low. Exercising airmanship of the highest order, F/S Cooke RCAF crash-landed at St-Gerard (Namur), 14 km NW of Dinant, without injury to himself or F/S McCoubrey.
Crew (all save): F/S J C Cooke RCAF, Sgt E W McGrath, F/S J A Goff RCAF, F/S A E Mann RCAF (evaded, probably bailed out over the frontline), F/S F I R B Hill RCAF, F/S J H C McCoubrey RCAF, F/S M O Orr RCAF.

And another on 28 oct
Halifax III NA512 L8- of 347 Sqn took off 1342 to bomb Koln. Landed 1755 at Brussels with its engine streaming oil. Believed to have been abandonned to its fate and possibly fell victim to enemy action at Brussels on 1 January 1945.
Crew (all save, all French): Cne A Barrault, Adj H Laronze, Ltn P Vallette, Ltn J Bergeon, Adj P Baffico, Sgc R Monnett, Adj Stepanoboli
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