Looking for information on an Air-Air collision 6 June 1944

[sirjahn]

I am looking for information about an incident that happened during D-Day operations.

Night 5/6 June During the night a number of aircraft were lost to reasons other than enemy fire. Aboard a 75 Squadron Lancaster, Flight Sergeant W E Barker witnessed a mid-air collision between two Halifaxes.

I believe the Halifaxs may have also been from 75 Squadron as they were converting to Halifax IIIs at the time. I am interested in confirming they were from 75 Squadron, where they went down and the names of the crew members and their fate.

[MW Giles]

Do not have any details of two Halifaxes colliding on night of 5/6 June 1944 (other than a ground accident at Sandtoft)

75 Sqn was on Lancasters and remained that way until the end of the war

Do you mean 76, 77 or 78 Sqns?

Regards

Martin

[sirjahn]

I am looking for a NZ airman and 75 was a NZ unit. I thought I read that the were converting to Halifaxes starting in May but I could be wrong.

The guy I am looking for is F/LT Bruce Cowie RNZAF NZ417029

[Revi16]

Cowie's, but no Bruce's.
http://www.aircrewremembered.com/Bom...earch/?q=cowie

[sirjahn]

I don't see my guy there as this is the rest of the information I have thusfar. In my short scan of information there were 4 RNZAF squadrons that participated directly in D-Day 75, 485, 486, and 487. So he probably would have been in one of those.

RAF New Zealand Air Corps from Wellington NZ from LT England's E&E he must have been shot down 6 June and most likely sent to hospital 9 June. Sent on to Stalag Luft I RNZAF NZ417029 arrived 11-Jun-44 departed 12-Jul-44

[Dave Wallace]

The summary of Bomber Command aircraft damaged on operations in Air14/3463 shows the following aircraft damaged for reasons not due to enemy action on June 5-6:
77 Sqn C NA511 -engine cut - bombs exploded
77 Sqn N LL544 - taxying accident
77 Sqn S NA520 - taxying accident
466 Sqn W MZ287 - swung and hit other Halifax
All of these happened taking off
The Bomber Command casualties for June 5-6 listed in Air 14/2697 list the following as missing:
1- 101 Sqn Lancaster on diversionary operation
2 - 149 Sqn Stirlings on diversiobnary operation
1 - 578 Sqn Halifax detailed to Mont Fleury
1 - 76 Sqn Halifax detailed to Mont Fleury
1 - 50 Sqn Lancaster detailed to St. Pierre du Mont
2 - 97 Sqn Lancasters detailed to St. Pierre du Mont
1 - 582 Sqn Lancaster detailed to Longues
2 - 515 Sqn Mosquitos on intruder missions
It must have been the two Halifaxes at Mount Fleury since they were the only ones missing.
Cheers
Dave Wallace

[Leendert]

Dale,

You may be interested to read this where F/O Bruce Cowie from New Zealand is mentioned: http://www.pegasusarchive.org/norman...ay_england.htm

Regards,

Leendert

[Leendert]

Dale,

Could this be your Bruce Cowie? See http://www.air-despatch.co.uk/pages/...roy/robroy.htm

Navigator on Dakota KG424, shot down and became POW with other crew members.

Regards,

Leendert

[sirjahn]

I have LT England's E&E which provided a first name for Cowie and your second link was a goldmine. I had been looking for Squadron Leader Wright as well as others on that write up. So 4 birds with one stone. Great stuff thank you.

Dale
LTC USA (Retired)

[sirjahn]

Hmm 46 Group has 5 squadrons (48, 233, 271, 512, 575) and I am looking for two guys. National Archives in KEW has the Operations Record Books online for 3.30 pounds a shot. Does anyone have those type of Record books and would it be worth it?