Target Wesel

Target Wesel

List of aircraft, Captain, sorties, bomb load, departure and arrival times and remarks. Officer commanding S/L Belasco, bomb load, fuel load and tonnage underneath.
On the second sheet a complete aircrew list of each aircraft.
On a third sheet is an extract from an Operations Record Book with Malcolm Staves' aircraft details.

1945-03-23

Two handwritten and one photocopied sheet

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OStavesME203137-160226-110001,
OStavesME203137-160226-110002,
OStavesME203137-160226-110003,
OStavesME203137-160226-110004,
OStavesME203137-160226-110005

[underlined] DATE [highlighted] 23/24. [/highlighted] March [/underlined]
[underlined] 207. Squadron. R.A.F. SPILSBY LINCS. [/underlined]
[underlined] TARGET – [highlighted] Wesel [/highlighted][/underlined]

A/C Captain. Sorties Load ATD ATR Remarks.
A RF194 W/C BLACK 12 A 1913 0113 QDM 1st CLASS 322. OD55 BASE
B PA183 F/O ROBERTON 12 A 1919+ 0119 BASE
C PB878 F/O INGLIS 4 B 1922 0125 BASE
E PD220 F/L SIMMONS 19 A 1913+ 0111 BASE
G PA275 F/O BOYLE 3 A 1923 0116 BASE
H RF144 F/O HALEWOOD 13 A 1918+ 0115 BASE
J ME389 F/O FLEWWELLING 25 A 1918 0112 BASE
K PB874 F/O KING 13 B 1915+ 0128 QDM 1st class 035° 0109 BASE
L PB764 F/O CHAMBERS [inserted] MK II [/inserted] 5 B 1923+ 0118 BASE
M ME532 F/O BLAIR 2 A 1916 0121 BASE
O ME472 F/L ANDERSON 6 A 1920+ 0120 BASE
[highlighted] R NG245 F/O ROSE 25 A 1915 0115+ [/highlighted] BASE
S RF208 F/O HUDSON 29 A 1919 0106 BASE
V PD280 F/L VERRALLS 26 A 1914 0136 on 3 Engines BASE
W PB293 F/O HOWARD 15 B 1920 0110 BASE
Y PD782 F/O POWELL 1 B 1917 0132 BASE

[underlined] O/C FLYING S/L [/underlined] BELASCO

[underlined] Bomb Load – [/underlined] A 13/1000 + 1 x 500
B 11/1000 + 3 x 500

[underlined] Petrol Load [/underlined] – 1550 Galls

[underlined] Tonnage [/underlined] 94.19. Tons.

[page break]

A W/C Black Sgt Johnson F/S [indecipherable] F/S [indecipherable] F/O Linley Sgt. Green F/S. Griffiths

B F/O Roberton Sgt Barrett F/S Smith F/O Dale F/S. Duggan Sgt. Davis F/S Valleau.

C F/O Inglis Sgt Robson F/O. Lines P/O Phillips Sgt Heley Sgt. Gillard Sgt Banaclough.

E F/L Simmons Sgt. Crompton F/O. Cook F/O [indecipherable] F/S Cumming Sgt. Leslie Sgt. Lane

G. F/O Boyle Sgt Robinson Sgt Capley F/S Rentall Sgt Beeston Sgt. Cox Sgt Cann

H F/O Halewood Sgt Allinson F/O White F/S Danton W/O Hogan Sgt. Nye Sgt Arrowsmith

J F/O Flewwelling Sgt. brown (714) F/O Craft F/S. Roberts F/S. Hunter Sgt Gregory Sgt Elmen

K F/O King Sgt Thomas (G) F/S Thomas. A.D. F/S Lockton F/S. Smith Sgt Dalgill Sgt Carruthers

L F/O Chambers Sgt Harris F/O Raymer F/O Foster Sgt. Speirs Sgt. Higgs Sgt Haskilt

M F/O Blain F/S Maxwell F/S Linde F/O Warren Sgt. Thornton Sgt. Melski Sgt Sibley

O F/O Anderson Sgt.Nickols F/O Hewett F/O Larcombe Sgt. Collins Sgt Matthews Sgt. Pearl.

[highlighted] R [/highlighted] F/O Rose Sgt Rosser F/S. Bell F/S. Weaver [highlighted] F/S Staves [/highlighted] W/O Baldwin F/S Gardiner

S F/O Hudson F/S. Stanford F/O Brown P/O Nickol F/S. Finch F/S. Hancock F/S. Jones.

V F/L Vemalls Sgt. Moore F/O Evenson F/O Leraux F/S Thomas F/S Pink Sgt Hoskins

W F/O Howard Sgt Linnis F/O Hart F/O Tyrsell F/S Lewham Sgt Allen Sgt. Billany

Y F/O Powell F/S Vaux Sgt Cullen Sgt Clement Sgt Hutchinson Sgt Wallace Sgt Lewis

[page break]

Date Aircraft Type & Number Crew Duty Time Up Time Down Details of Sortie or Flight References.
[number missing]3/24.3.45
LANCASTER III ME.472
F/O. Anderson P.M.; Sgt. Nickols E.; F/O. Hewett C.M.; F/O. Larcombe K.A.; Sgt. Collins C.V.; Sgt. Matthews E.J.; Sgt. Pearl J.R.
Bombing
19.20
01.20
[underlined] BOMBING ATTACK WESEL. [/underlined] Bomb load 13 x 1000 MC + 1 x 500 MC. Target identified by Red, Greens and visually. Bombed at 22.35 hrs from 10,250’ heading 015°(T) IAS. 170 mph. M.P.I. of Red T.I.’s using vector winds. Controller said “Bomb as planned”. Subsequent order to use S.E. tip of Red T.I.’s. Some bombs seen to fall on markers and Controller said “Check winds”. Force called in a minute or two before H hours. 1 x 1000 lb MC hung up. Subsequently fell off into bomb doors and was jettisoned at 50°.30’ N. 00°.00 at 08.19 hrs. 2000’ 240°(T).
SORTIE COMPLETED.
2.

[highlighted] 23/24.3.45 [/higihlighted]
LANCASTER I NG.245
F/O. Rose D.M.; Sgt. Rosser G.V.; F/Sgt. Bell 002 D.A.; F/Sgt. Weaver W.F.; [highlighted] F/Sgt. Staves M.E [/highlighted]; W/O. Baldwin F.F.; Sgt. Gardiner G.W.
Bombing
19.15
01.15
[highlighted][underlined] BOMBING ATTACK WESEL. [/underlined][/highlighted] Bomb load 13 x 1000 MC + 1 x 500 MC. Target identified by South Easterly corner of Reds. [deleted] Target [/deleted] Bombed at 22.34 hrs from 10000’ heading 035°(T) IAS. 165 mph. South Easterly corner of cluster of Red T.I.’s. controller ordered “Put right wind on” as crews were bombing the West side of the river. Bombing appeared concentrated around Green T.I.’s. Bombing definitely in town area. Long steady run and bombed on Controller’s orders which were to bomb as planned on the vector wind. Could not identify target by Rhaims Chain. ‘C’ pulse missing.
SORTIE COMPLETED.
2.

[inserted] (207 Squadron. R.A.F. SPILSBY. LINCS.) [/inserted]