David Sanders personal record of operations

David Sanders personal record of operations

Contains details of 22 operations where David Sanders flew as flight engineer. Includes all up weights, bomb loads, fuel loads, snags, numbers of aircraft, defences, remarks and number of aircraft missing on operations.

1944

1945

14 handwritten pages in notebook

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MSandersDS1869292-160314-07

[underlined] 619 SQUADRON STRUBBY [/underlined] [underlined] 1944 [/underlined]

[underlined] THE GEN ON MY OPERATIONS OVER
GERMANY ETC. [/underlined]

[underlined] 1st op. [/underlined] [underlined] BREMEN [/underlined] A/C. ‘D’ LM630
A.U.W. 61,140 lbs.
B.L. 10,000 Inced. 4. 500 lb Bombs
Fuel Load 1,505 [deleted] 0 [/deleted] galls.
Snags No snags.
Total Flying Time
Defences 250 Heavy Flak Gun & 250 Light – 300 searchlights.
[underlined] REMARKS [/underlined] :-

Being our first op. we were all very nervous wondering what it would be like. It was a very hot one, we was slightly in the Perspex by the pilot, also we had a nasty experience when we were coned in the searchlights for 7 mins. It was a very successful raid the target left well ablaze. One of our squadron A/C didn’t return. Total losses for the night was 20.

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[underlined] 2nd op. [/underlined] [underlined] VEERE (Walcheren Island) [/underlined]
A/C ‘D’ LM630 [underlined] Daylight [/underlined]
A.U.W. 60,250 lbs.
B.L. 12. 1000 lbs bombs.
Fuel Load 1200 galls
Snags Mag. Drop 250 P.O. No.1.
T.F.T.
Defences 40 Light & 10 heavy’s

[underlined] REMARKS [/underlined]

Our first daylight, we had a bit of trouble finding the main force but Mac’ got us there on time. Otherwise it was a very easy trip.

All our A/C returned.

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[underlined] 3rd op. [/underlined] [underlined] BRUNSWICK [/underlined] A/C ‘D’ LM630
A.U.W. 67,050
B.L. 10,000 Inced. 1. 1000 lb bomb
F.L. 1926
Snags P.I. ‘S’ gear wouldn’t engage
T.F.T.
Defences 150 heavy’s 100 light’s 60 searchlights.

[underlined] REMARKS [/underlined]

It was a very long trip we were all very tired on our way back. We were attacked three times by fighters without any results. The whole was one mass of flames from 10,000 ft. and you could see it from approx. 60 miles away. We came back over German & France at 3000 ft.

All our squadron A/C returned.
Total losses for the raid was 5.

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[underlined] 4 op. [/underlined] [underlined] BERGEN (Norway) [/underlined] A/C ‘D’ LM630
A.U.W. 63005 lbs.
B.L. 11. 1000 lbs. bombs.
F.L. 1500 galls.
Snags No snags.
T.F.T.
Defences. 60 light [indecipherable word] amount of heay’s [sic] & searchlights.

[underlined] REMARKS [/underlined]

The weather on this raid was very poor there was 10/10 clouds over the target from 2,000 to 10,000 ft, so we had to bring our bombs back. We jettisoned two bombs in the sea to bring our All up weight down for landing, also we was diverted away from base.

All our A/C returned

Total loses for the raid was 2.

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[underlined] 5th op [/underlined] [underlined] WESTCAPLER (Walcheren Island) [/underlined]
[underlined] Daylight [/underlined] A/C ‘L’ DM472
A.U.W. 59,750 lbs.
B.L. 12. 1000 lbs.
F.L. 1,150 galls
Snags No. snags.
T.F.T.
Defences NIL.

[underlined] REMARKS [/underlined]

Very easy trip, there was no flack at all.

All our A/C returned.

P.S. Since our next op. on our new squadron three of our [deleted] indecipherable word [/deleted] old squadron A/C are missing.

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[underlined] 2006 [/underlined]

6th op GRAVENHORST (DORTMUND-ELMS CANAL) – 174 LANCS.
BREACHED VIA-DUCT AT 4000ft.
LOT OF FLAK
NO A/C MISSING

7th OP MUNICH 270 LANCS.
LONG TRIP GOING OVER THE ALPS OF SWITZERLAND BOMBING SUCCESSABLE [sic]
1 A/C MISSING

8TH Op HEINBACH
RECALLED

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9th HEINBACH
140 LANCS
8 A/C MISSING

10th GDYINA
236 LANCS.
4 A/C MISSING
BOMBED PORT ON THE BALTIC COAST AND CAUSED DAMAGED [sic] TO SHIPPING
VERY LONG FLIGHT (EXTREMELY TIRING)

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11th KARLSRUHE
250 LANCS
14 A/C MISSING WHICH 4 FROM SQUADRON [UNDERLINED] 189 [/UNDERLINED] OUT OF 17.
CLOUD COVER RAID WAS A COMPLETE FAILURE

12th POLITZ
475 LANCS
12 A/C MISSING
SEVERE DAMAGE TO OIL PLAND [sic]
VERY LONG FLIGHT
(EXTREMELY TIRING)

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13th LADBERGEN (DORTMUND-ELMS CANAL)
212 LANCS, 9 A/C MISSING.
AQUEDUCT AGAIN BREACHED AND PUT COMPLETELY OUT OF ACTION.
22 A/C SHOT DOWN OVER ENGLAND. WE WERE SHOT AT OVER THE RUNWAY.

14th BOHLEN (NR LEIPZIG)
248 LANCS. 4 A/C MISSING.
SOME DAMAGE TO OIL PLANT.
ANOTHER VERY LONG FLIGHT.

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15th SASSNITZ
191 LANCS 1 A/C MISSING
PORT ON BALTIC, 4SHIPS SUNK AND PORT DAMAGED
MY LONGEST OP

16th HARBURG (NOT MY USUAL CREW)
234 LANCS. 14 A/C MISSING WHICH 4 FROM OUR SQUADRON [underlined] 189 [/underlined] OUT OF 16 SENT.
ATTACKED BY 2 ME 109’s ONE DROPPED FLARE & THE OTHER FIRED ON US. OUR 2 GUNNERS SHOT IT DOWN. WE LATER HAD ANOTHER ATTACK BUT CAME TO NOTHING

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17th Op. DORTMUND (DAYLIGHT RAID)
1000 BOMBER RAID
2 A/C MISSING
VERY HEAVILY DEFENDED

18th Op LUTZENDORF
244 LANCS 18 A/C MISSING
LITTLE DAMAGE
LOST ENGINE LANDED
AT MANSTON IN FOG.
I CALCULATED A.U.W.
TOO HEAVY SO ORDERED
DROP A FEW BOMBS IN
SAFE AREA IN SEA
ENGINE – ONE CAM SHAFT
DRIVE BROKE

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19th Op BOHLEN
224 LANCS. 9 A/C MISSING
OIL – PLANT COMPLETELY
DESTROYED

20th OP HAMBURG
151 LANCS. 4 A/C MISSING
OIL – PLAND [sic] DESTROYED

[page break]

21st Op WESEL
195 LANCS NO LOSES
HELPING ARMY ADVANCE

22nd Op FLENSBURG (DAY RAID)
148 LANCS
ABANDONED (RECALLED)

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23rd Op TONSBERG
107 LANCS 1 A/C MISSING
LAST RAID FLOWN
BY HEAVY BOMBERS