Aeroplane September 2017

AEROPLANE SEPTEMBER 2017 http://www.aeroplanemonthly.com 51

It is hoped that this modifi cation may be

incorporated in all Lancaster X aircraft to be

received.”

Five Lancasters were on the squadron by the end of

March. Monica V tail warning radar equipment

had been fi tted to four of them as of early April, but

not KB700. Training on type was gathering pace,

including night fl ying.

11 April 1944: “Further experiments

in H2S equipment in the Lancaster Ruhr

Express were carried out, the changes being

tested on a cross-country fl ight during the day.

Performance was found to be excellent, and a

maximum range of 48 miles was obtained with

this equipment.”

419’s fi rst operational bombing raid with

Lancasters — not including KB700 — took

place on 27 April 1944. Eight Lancasters and

fi ve Halifaxes attacked rail marshalling yards

at Montzen, just outside Aachen in the west of

Germany. In the words of the ORB, re-equipment

“again makes the unit a fi rst-line striking force”.

Conversion was complete by the end of the month,

this being announced at the squadron party, “a

bang-up affair.”

8 May 1944: “The radar section received

one complete set of ‘Boozer’ equipment

[another radar warning receiver], with servicing

equipment. It is proposed to fi t this to the Ruhr

Express (KB700) for trial purposes. If these

trials prove successful, it is expected that this

warning device will be fi tted to all aircraft of the

squadron.”

5-6 June 1944: KB700 was part of a

‘maximum effort’ mission the day before the

Allied invasion of Normandy. All 20 available

aircraft were used, seven of them bombing gun

emplacements at Longues-sur-Mer, the rest —

including KB700, which had been undergoing

modifi cations in the hangar — Merville. For its

fi rst operational sortie with 419, Ruhr Express

took off at 22.17hrs and landed at 03.36, its

crew headed by Plt Off G. E. Holmes. He

reported: “Ten-tenths cloud, tops 7-8,000ft.

TI red and green falling through clouds at

00.27hrs. Bombed glow of TI red beneath

clouds. Several bomb bursts seen through

clouds on red glow.”

6-7 June 1944: Another whole-squadron

effort, this time to Coutances. In the hands

of Fg Off W. J. Anderson, KB700 took off at

21.50hrs, watched by AOC No 6 Group, AVM

McEwan. “Bombed centre of three lots of red

TIs. Marking scattered and no possibility of

judging results”. As with all of 419’s aircraft,

Ruhr Express diverted into Colerne on returning

to the UK.

9-10 June 1944: Among 14 aircraft

involved in a low-level attack on Le Mans

airfi eld. “Weather conditions were poor,

resulting in the bombing height being from

2,000 to 5,000ft. Tactics were very diffi cult, and

navigational results were good. This attack has

since proven to have been a really good effort”.

KB700’s pilot Flt Lt A. J. Byford reported:

“Three large explosions seen behind after

aircraft left target area at 00.32. Many bomb

bursts seen among TI red. Ground detail seen

and attack should be successful.”

showed that the attack was, however, very

accurate, and a very concentrated bombing

operation was carried out”. For his part, Dix

managed to evade a Luftwaffe night fi ghter.

23-24 June 1944: Dix was again at

the controls for an attack on the V1 site at

Bientques. One of KB700’s 16 500lb medium

bombs hung up over the target area.

24-25 June 1944: Another strike against

a V1 site, this time at Bamières. “This was

considered a fi rst-class attack in all its aspects...

During the operation, a trial was made of

‘Boozer’ equipment fi tted to aircraft ‘Z’ (the

Ruhr Express), the results of the trial being

inconclusive, and further trials were planned.”

27 June 1944: “Trials were again made in

aircraft ‘Z’ of the ‘Boozer’ tail warning device,

these being again unsuccessful, apparently owing

to interaction from other radar equipment.”

6 July 1944: An attack on the V1 bunker at

Siracourt. KB700 “[bombed] centre of smoke

as instructed by MB with high explosives.”

7 July 1944: One of a dozen aircraft

mustered at short notice for an attack against an

enemy troop concentration at Caen. KB700 was

fl own by Sqn Ldr J. G. Stewart, who recorded:

“MB seemed to be moving bombing around to

cover all of the target. Bombing good. A large

cloud of black smoke suddenly billowed up from

the centre of the markers in the target area. Very

good attack. No troubles anywhere.”

12 July 1944: “Bombed with Gee [radio

navigation system] as ordered by MB”,

NO 419 SQUADRON MIDDLETON ST GEORGE

KB700 was part of a

‘maximum effort’ mission

the day before the D-Day

invasion. All 20 available

aircraft were used

14-15 June 1944: Part of a raid against

road and rail junctions at Saint-Pol, piloted by

Anderson. “Bombed on spot fi res. Flares and

TIs badly scattered in target area. MB [master

bomber] very indistinct. Briefed to bomb at

11,800ft but cloud so heavy aircraft dropped

400ft hoping to get better vision without

success.”

16-17 June 1944: The fi rst mission to the

Ruhr by Ruhr Express, the target Sterkrade near

Oberhausen, piloted by Fg Off W. F. Dix. “Lots

of bellows of smoke seen in target area after

aircraft left up to 20,000ft. Doubtful of success

of attack owing to scattered bombing seen”. The

ORB recorded, “Subsequent PRU photography

The Ruhr Express nose

art carried by KB700

throughout its life has been

faithfully reproduced on

the CWHM’s FM213.

ERIC DUMIGAN/CWHM

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