Mission 87: Châtellerault (Fuel dump)
18/19 July, 1944
To Target: attacked by a Me-110 as we entered France; first attack was ill-timed and he missed us altogether; on his second bomb aimer Sgt. Cyril Barrette destroyed him before he got off a shot. As we approached the bomb run a Me-110 attacked: he hit us several times but the only serious hit was to the starboard rudder (however, we had the daylights scared out of us when we could hear shots striking in the area of the bomb bay). On his third pass tail gunner Sgt. Alex Mayerling blew him out of the sky.
Target: As we began the bomb run we were picked out by a search light and attacked by a Me-109, but before he could do any damage he was destroyed by mid-upper Sgt. Brian Delaney. No flak hits. Bomb run On (30%).
Return: We encountered no enemy a/c on the return.
Victories: Destroyed: 3 (One for each of the lads - that's at least three rounds at the Bear and Dog!)
(Signed) F/O Chris Donovan, Pilot
BLACK MAGIC
Pilot: F/O Chris Donovan
Bomb aimer: Sgt. Cyril Barrette
Flight engineer: P/O Adrian Thoreau
Navigator: P/O Ben Morrison
W/O operator: Sgt. Thomas Herald
Mid-upper gunner: Sgt. Brian Delaney
Tail gunner: Sgt. Alex Mayerling