Crew of Lancaster KB776
The August 9th. 1944 arrival of F/L McGuffin's crew would be the second arrival at 419 Squadron for F/O Molloy.
F/O Futoranski, Sgt. Neville, Sgt.Mallabone, Sgt. Schlievert
and Sgt. Neufeld.
These six airmen had arrived at 419 Squadron back on May 19th., as the crew of F/O William W. Mitchell, who was lost while on his first 2nd. Pilot sortie with KB717 .
On June 7th. the six men where sent back to No. 1664 HCU to be "re-crewed".
Their return with a captain who had already completed one Tour, and would soon become "A" Flight Commander would mean that their way to completing the required 30 sorties for a Tour was spread out over a longer period of time. During September the crew took part in only two of the squadron's operations. During the times between operations with McGuffin, some of the crew flew with other pilot's replacing airmen on Leave or other reasons.
The crew's fifth sortie on the cloudless night of August 18/19th, flying in Lancaster KB732 nick named "X-Terminator" was it self almost exterminated.
The clear skies work for both attacker and defender. While VR-X was approaching the target they were hit by flak. The aircraft had damage to the oxygen system, in particular the oxygen economizer a simple device which as the name suggests controls the loss of oxygen through the breathing system. An important device to help eliminate Hypoxia, a condition which make the crew non-responsive to commands and actions.
They also had another major loss, the hydraulics which were put out of service disabled the rear and upper gun turrets. Making the crew limited to evasive actions if they came under attack.
The vital internal link, the intercom was also lost to the flak damage. Only by relaying messages in shouts could the gunners and others communicate any necessary orders to take evasive actions.
They were certainly not in the best situation to protect themselves while making their way back over enemy territory on such a clear night .
Still McGuffin decided as they were already there, to continue on with the attack, then do their best to return to base.
Then as they were leaving the target area the aircraft was again hit by flak, no report on damage was listed and VR-X was brought back to base.
Essen was a target well know to those who flew with 419 Squadron, the Krupps Armament works was a vital part of the Nazi war machine. It was heavily defended from the ground and the air. Fake targets were constructed around the huge factory to draw off the bombers and drop their bombs in open areas.
This night the raid on Essen would be massive, 1,055 bombers almost all heavy bombers converged on the Krupps factories, with a planned follow up raid of over 700 bombers for October 25th.
Bomber Command planed the many routes needed and timing for all these hundreds of aircraft to arrive at a set series of altitudes and timed bomb runs. Each squadron following different paths with dog legs and turns to confuse the enemy defence systems. Timing was important each wave had to arrive within a set time and follow a path laid out for them across the target area in order to avoid collisions.
S/L McGuffin was tenth in line to take off, a further 10 aircraft would follow. As the 20 Lancaster's of 419 flew off into the dark skies, each was then on his own. Although the squadron's aircraft flew in gaggles, it was unlike the formation day time flying the USAAF used. The only lights were those of the Navigator's table and these were heavily screened off so that no light shown through to the rest of the interior. Relying on the Navigator to keep them from not only going off course but out of the path of aircraft ahead.
The cloud cover over the target was heavy, 10/10th., all crews bombed according to the pre-dropped flares as they were unable to see through the clouds. As each aircraft made their way home, several of the squadron's captains reported flying through thunderstorms and icing forming on their wings. Costing them speed and height.
In a letter to the family of P/O Neville from the Department of National Defence for Air reported information found in official German documents that P/O Neville, P/O Neufeld, F/O Molly and S/L McGuffin were buried in South West Cemetery at Borbeck a suburb of Essen.
This would appear to indicate the crew were lost over the target area, and most likely from flak bringing down their aircraft.
The crew within themselves had nick names for each other: S/L William McGuffin was "Small Boy"
P/O Schlievert was "Ace"
F/O Molloy "Polecat" P/O Neville "Teddy Bear"
Sgt. Mallabone "Bones"
And according to the notes on the back of the crew photo, which was taken at HCU the Halifax was named by them as "Clueless MKII D"
These six airmen had arrived at 419 Squadron back on May 19th., as the crew of F/O William W. Mitchell, who was lost while on his first 2nd. Pilot sortie with KB717 .
On June 7th. the six men where sent back to No. 1664 HCU to be "re-crewed".
Their return with a captain who had already completed one Tour, and would soon become "A" Flight Commander would mean that their way to completing the required 30 sorties for a Tour was spread out over a longer period of time. During September the crew took part in only two of the squadron's operations. During the times between operations with McGuffin, some of the crew flew with other pilot's replacing airmen on Leave or other reasons.
August 18/19th. - Over Bremen
The crew's fifth sortie on the cloudless night of August 18/19th, flying in Lancaster KB732 nick named "X-Terminator" was it self almost exterminated.
The clear skies work for both attacker and defender. While VR-X was approaching the target they were hit by flak. The aircraft had damage to the oxygen system, in particular the oxygen economizer a simple device which as the name suggests controls the loss of oxygen through the breathing system. An important device to help eliminate Hypoxia, a condition which make the crew non-responsive to commands and actions.
They also had another major loss, the hydraulics which were put out of service disabled the rear and upper gun turrets. Making the crew limited to evasive actions if they came under attack.
The vital internal link, the intercom was also lost to the flak damage. Only by relaying messages in shouts could the gunners and others communicate any necessary orders to take evasive actions.
They were certainly not in the best situation to protect themselves while making their way back over enemy territory on such a clear night .
Still McGuffin decided as they were already there, to continue on with the attack, then do their best to return to base.
Then as they were leaving the target area the aircraft was again hit by flak, no report on damage was listed and VR-X was brought back to base.
October 23rd. - Over Essen
Essen was a target well know to those who flew with 419 Squadron, the Krupps Armament works was a vital part of the Nazi war machine. It was heavily defended from the ground and the air. Fake targets were constructed around the huge factory to draw off the bombers and drop their bombs in open areas.
This night the raid on Essen would be massive, 1,055 bombers almost all heavy bombers converged on the Krupps factories, with a planned follow up raid of over 700 bombers for October 25th.
Bomber Command planed the many routes needed and timing for all these hundreds of aircraft to arrive at a set series of altitudes and timed bomb runs. Each squadron following different paths with dog legs and turns to confuse the enemy defence systems. Timing was important each wave had to arrive within a set time and follow a path laid out for them across the target area in order to avoid collisions.
S/L McGuffin was tenth in line to take off, a further 10 aircraft would follow. As the 20 Lancaster's of 419 flew off into the dark skies, each was then on his own. Although the squadron's aircraft flew in gaggles, it was unlike the formation day time flying the USAAF used. The only lights were those of the Navigator's table and these were heavily screened off so that no light shown through to the rest of the interior. Relying on the Navigator to keep them from not only going off course but out of the path of aircraft ahead.
The cloud cover over the target was heavy, 10/10th., all crews bombed according to the pre-dropped flares as they were unable to see through the clouds. As each aircraft made their way home, several of the squadron's captains reported flying through thunderstorms and icing forming on their wings. Costing them speed and height.
Loss of Crew of KB776
In a letter to the family of P/O Neville from the Department of National Defence for Air reported information found in official German documents that P/O Neville, P/O Neufeld, F/O Molly and S/L McGuffin were buried in South West Cemetery at Borbeck a suburb of Essen.
This would appear to indicate the crew were lost over the target area, and most likely from flak bringing down their aircraft.
The crew within themselves had nick names for each other: S/L William McGuffin was "Small Boy"
P/O Schlievert was "Ace"
F/O Molloy "Polecat" P/O Neville "Teddy Bear"
Sgt. Mallabone "Bones"
And according to the notes on the back of the crew photo, which was taken at HCU the Halifax was named by them as "Clueless MKII D"
