Sit here, Adolf! — After Action Report
19/20 April, 1944 — Miss. No. 59
Operation: Detailed against Berlin — Industry
Crew: Pilot: F/L Rick Abbotsford; Bomb aimer F/O Brian Holmes; Navigator P/O Colin Bright; Flt. Eng. F/L Peter Darwin; W/O Sgt. Sean Hemming; Mid-upper Sgt. Arthur Kingsley; Tail gunner Sgt. Ross (Rosie) Dillon
Weather en route: Intermittent light clouds.
- Opposition:
- Outbound:Before the enemy coast we were attacked by our first 110. Coming up from the rear he hit us several times but with no significant damage except for seriously wounding Flt. Engineer Peter Darwin on his first mission. On his second pass mid-upper winged the Kraut enough that he missed his shot and didn't return for another attempt. (FBOA — Me-110, Sgt. Art Kingsley). The next encounter was over Belgium and before the 110 got an accurate shot off Dillon put finish to the German's attack. (FBOA — Me-110, Sgt. Ross Dillon). The third 110 came shortly after and he couldn't do any damage as Dillon destroyed him before he fired. (Destroyed — Me-110 Sgt. Ross Dillon). We were within sight of the target and Dillon received a light wound before he was able to drive off an Me-110. (FBOA — Me-110, Sgt. Ross Dillon).
- Over target: Just before our bomb run Dillon got another Kraut, but not before the 110 put some rounds into the pilot compartment and I was hit lightly by flying shrapnel. (Me-110 Destroyed — Sgt. Ross Dillon). We weren't caught by the search lights; flak was not that heavy where we were but the fuselage was hit several time ineffectively. A Me-109 came at us just as Brian was about to drop the bombs. The Jerry put a number of rounds into the port wing (root), knocked out the starboard flap and then hit the No. 4 engine which I had to feather. Brian immediately dropped our load and had no sooner finished when the 109 came at us head-on and Brian hit him enough that his shots went high; on his last pass he missed us altogether. Before we could get out of the target zone a 110 attacked but fortunately he missed us, or what hits he did make were ineffectual.
- Bomb run: Off; 0%
- Homeward:North of Brunswick a 110 attacked: on his first pass he knocked out the tail guns, damaged the mid-upper's heat, and destroyed the raft. On his second attempt he knocked out the number No. 2 engine which, again, I was able to feather. And then on his next pass Art flamed him! (Me-110 Destroyed — Sgt. Art Kingsley). (I had to drop us to 10,000 feet due to lack of power. The last attack came just east of Amsterdam and we were hit a couple times, but nothing serious. On his second attack Art put enough rounds into his fuselage that he left after missing us. (Me-110 FBOA — Sgt. Art Kingsley).
Assessment of attack: We were just too bloody busy to put them where we wanted; although we had little time for observation the tail gunner did say it looked like the rest of the group had done well enough.
Landing: We landed at Woodbridge and the ground crew pieced together enough of one engine that we headed back to base on three.
Crew casualties: One serious wound: Flight engineer, F/L Peter Darwin
Comments: F/L Darwin was the second flight engineer we have lost in as many missions; both on their first assignments. Sgt. Ross Dillon did rather well with two FBOA's & two destroyed, and might have gotten a couple more if his turret hadn't been put out of action. Mid-upper, Sgt. Kingsley accounted for two FBOA's and one destroyed. (The lads count two FBOA's as a kill so they got their five points which means I buy at The Cock and Bull …)
F/L Rick Abbotsford, pilot
Peckham Pts.: 223