109 Squadron - 5 Oct 1944 - crew Russell/Barker

[HMS1983]

Dear All

Is there someone who perhaps has more information on the operation(s) flown by 109 Squadron, the night of 5/6 October 1944 ? And then more specifically by the crew Flt. Lt. D.M. Russell and F.O. J.S. Barker ?

The mission records for 5 October 1944 of the 404th FG stationed at A-92 at St.-Trond have an entry about this crew : Target was 'Lisson West' in France, attacked by 6 aircraft. This entry was written around 23h00.

I'm uncertain if this means the Mosquito made a landing at St.-Trond or simply contacted the 404th FG homing station.

If anyone has more information, I'd be happy to hear from you.

Best

Hendrik

[Dave Wallace]

This crew was detailed on a bombing operation to Heilbronn on Oct 4. in Mosquito XVI MM153 HS-W and failed to return. The ORB shows them returning to England by the 15th and being posted to the War Casualty Accts Dept. wef Oct.5. Five Oboe Mosquitos were involved in the attack, two from 105 Squadron and three from 109 Squadron, all with 4000 lb. cookies on board. The 105 ORB describes the operation as "experimental".
Regards
Dave Wallace

[HMS1983]

Dave

Thanks for this info.

In Michael Cumming's book "Beam Bombers" the same crew is mentioned once (p.126) : In the night of 27/28 June 1944 they were twice intercepted by an enemy nightfighter. The Mosquito made it back to Manston where it burned out in a crashlanding with Russell and Barker both being admitted to the station sick quarters with burns.

Do you know how many aircraft of 109 Sqn attacked Heilbronn ? What I read as 'Lisson West' might mean something different entirely : "Mosquito - Lisson W 6 a/c on Target"

Thanks again

Hendrik

[Dave Wallace]

Three 109 & two 105 Squadron crews were sent to Heilbronn on the 4th. No references to Lisson in any of my files, could it be where they went down? The 8 Group ORB refers to this as an "Experimental Precision attack".
The Medical Officer's Report in the RAF Little Staughton ORB gives us a bit more detail on what happened.
"109 SQN aircraft Mos MM153 shot down by flak over enemy territory, both members of the crew baling out. The pilot sustained a wound of the R foot and sprained his ankle on landing. He arrived in this country on 6/10/44 and was admitted to Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford on 7/10/44.
Pilot - F/L Russell.D. -G.S.W. R Foot and sprain R ankle- slight
Navigator - F/O Barker,C. Nil"
This crew did not enjoy much luck at 109 Squadron given their crash at Manston in June and being shot down on this operation.

[HMS1983]

Dave

I'll see if I can insert/upload the note from the pdf-file.

Great info, thanks.

[HMS1983]

Dave

This is the note that's part of the pdf-file showing the mission reports for 5 October 1944 of the 404th FG.

Hendrik

[HMS1983]

Hi Dave

See attachment for the note as written by a member of the 404th FG stationed at St.-Trond. Perhaps you can make more of this ?

Hendrik

[68 Sqn]

Hi Hendrik
Do you know the service number and the first names crew Russell/Barker?
Regards Pavel

[Chris Goss]

102955 David Matthew Russell
129541 John Stanley Barker

[HMS1983]

Chris

Thanks for completing the crew's names.

Hendrik