Berlin spoof 21/22 January 1944 - info and ORBs

[Tim Homewood]

I'm researching a "spoof" raid by Lancasters and Mosquitoes on Berlin on 21/22 January 1944. The raid was an unsuccessful diversion for the main attack on Magdeburg that night.

I'm looking for the ORBs for the squadrons involved in the spoof raid and any further details that could come from other documents, log books, memoires, etc.

2 Lancasters from each squadron in 5 Group were scheduled to take part, as well as a group of 12 PFF Mosquitoes from 8 Group.

I've already been given the 630 Squadron ORBs for the raid and the Bomber Command Night Raid Report (thanks John and Alan).

I think the other squadrons from 5 Group involved on the night were:

• 9 Squadron
• 44 (Rhodesia)
• 49
• 50 - F/O Beetham (later Marshall of the RAF) was the pilot of one of the Lancasters
• 57 - F/L G Laing was the pilot of one of the Lancasters (from Bomber Flight Berlin)
• 61
• 106
• 207
• 463 RAAF
• 467 RAAF
• 619

The Mosquito squadrons were probably:

• 139
• 627
• 692

Any help or suggestions for further research would be appreciated.

Tim

[Hans Nauta]

Hi Tim,

See above 'sticky' thread about RAF and RAAF ORB's available on the internet, same page so you should notice it while scrolling to this thread. Three ORB's on your list are digitally available.

Regards,
Hans

[Tim Homewood]

Thanks Hans, it definitely looks like a great resource in a nicely prominent location on the forum and I've already been through it in detail to make sure I didn't waste anyone's time.

Unfortunately the links to the squadrons I'm looking for were either broken or led me to an unreadable scan.

Let me know which links you're recommending and I'll check them out again.

Regards,
Tim

[Hans Nauta]

Hi Tim,

This one works for 9 Squadron's ORB:

http://www.9sqn.co.uk/research/


And this one for 463 and 467 Squadron:

http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/Searc...sicSearch.aspx

Just fill in 463 Squadron, carry out search query, choose digitized items and after that 463 Squdron History (which is actually the ORB). Same for 467 Squadron.

Regards,
Hans

[Tim Homewood]

Thanks Hans, the 9 Squadron ORB is great. I should have tried a little harder to get past the broken link!

I'm still finding the 463 and 467 ORBs a little hard to read so if anyone has better copies it would be great see them. There were only 2 Lancasters from each squadron going to Berlin and they are usually on the same page.

[Tim Homewood]

During a fruitful day at TNA I took notes from most of the squadron ORBs. The results are provided below (aircraft and pilot) for anyone looking for this information in the future.

Unfortunately I didn't get time to cover the Mosquito Squadrons. If anyone has any information on how they would have been involved in the spoof raid it would be great to find out.

• 9 Squadron: ME 579 F/SGT J D DUNCAN; LL 745 F/O D H PEARCE (Mission abandoned as rear turret u/s.)
• 44 Squadron: JA 843 (O) P/O BRADBURN J; ME 573 (S) P/O MANNING R T H
• 49 Squadron: JB 469 P/O MEGGESON O J; JB 360 SGT KEELING A
• 50 Squadron: LM 437 P/O DOBBYN L J; LL 744 F/O M J BEETHAM
• 57 Squadron: JB 486 (C) P/O LAING G H; JB 539 SQUADRON LEADER BOYLE M I
• 61 Squadron: DV 311 F/L EINARSON J W; second Lancaster didn't take-off
• 106 Squadron: JB663 P/O D U GIBBS; second Lancaster "bogged"
• 207 Squadron: (didn't get to this ORB)
• 463 Squadron: DV338 (JO-C) P/O FAYLE E A; DV 374 P/O ROBERTS J (ORB not very clear - it would be great to get a clearer version)
• 467 Squadron: LM 440 P/O HARVEY D C; ED 532 F/O CROUCH H S L (ORB not very clear - it would be great to get a clearer version)
• 619 Squadron: (didn't get to this ORB)
• 630 Squadron: ED 535 F/O K AMES (attacked main target due to engine trouble); F/S HOMEWOOD J W (FTR)