Master bomber's Mosquito during Dresden raid on 13 February 1945?

[ChristianK]

Gentlemen,

my question is a short one: Is it known which particular Mosquito had been used for this mission? Apparently it was flown (or commanded) by Wing-Commander Maurice Smith and belonged to 627 Squadron (?).

 

Cheers,

Christian

[Dave Swindell]

1 hour ago, ChristianK said:

Gentlemen,

my question is a short one: Is it known which particular Mosquito had been used for this mission? Apparently it was flown (or commanded) by Wing-Commander Maurice Smith and belonged to 627 Squadron (?).

 

Cheers,

Christian

Hi Christian

Best place to start looking for queries like this is the Squadron Operational Records Book at The National Archives. Details in the ORB can be variable, but 627's for 13/2/45 is quite good. (Ref AIR-27-2148-32)

No record of W/C Maurice Smith flying with 627 Sqn 13/2/45

8 Marker sorties were flown, Marker Leader was Mosquito BIV DZ631 / W flown by F/L W.W. Topper & F/O V.W. Davies

Marker aircraft were directed by radio by Controller (Master Bomber? W/C Smith?

 

[ChristianK]

Thanks a lot Dave, already got the file from the National Archives

 

But the file is a little cryptic (at least to me) in a certain regard - did DZ631 plane drop its target indicator or not? Here's what the file says:

 

DZ 631/Marker Leader: "Load 1 x 1000 lb Red T.I. returned to base not required. Primary Greens fell on time and also flares making the M/P immediately visible. A/C dropped T.I. which was assessed by Marker 2 at 100 yds E. This was passed to the Controller who requested backing up by all Markers. This was well carried out the resulting concentration was 400 yds E to W across the M/P. Markers were visible through the cloud. The Markers were called off and the Main Force told to bomb the Red T.I.'s ..."

 

Irritating to me is the quote at the beginning "T.I. returned to base not required", but later: "A/C dropped T.I."

So, what happened? Is this simply a mistake in the file? And who dropped those "Primary Greens"? Also DZ631? Or was there another kind of pathfinder/target marker preceding the Mosquitos of 627 Squadron?

 

Cheers,

Christian

[ChristianK]

26 minutes ago, ChristianK said:

Thanks a lot Dave, already got the file from the National Archives

 

But the file is a little cryptic (at least to me) in a certain regard - did DZ631 plane drop its target indicator or not? Here's what the file says:

 

DZ 631/Marker Leader: "Load 1 x 1000 lb Red T.I. returned to base not required. Primary Greens fell on time and also flares making the M/P immediately visible. A/C dropped T.I. which was assessed by Marker 2 at 100 yds E. This was passed to the Controller who requested backing up by all Markers. This was well carried out the resulting concentration was 400 yds E to W across the M/P. Markers were visible through the cloud. The Markers were called off and the Main Force told to bomb the Red T.I.'s ..."

 

Irritating to me is the quote at the beginning "T.I. returned to base not required", but later: "A/C dropped T.I."

So, what happened? Is this simply a mistake in the file? And who dropped those "Primary Greens"? Also DZ631? Or was there another kind of pathfinder/target marker preceding the Mosquitos of 627 Squadron?

 

Cheers,

Christian

 

Ok nevermind, found the answer myself. The lead marker used a green flare and had the red T.I. on board only as a backup (in case of not arriving first over the target).

[Dave Swindell]

27 minutes ago, ChristianK said:

Thanks a lot Dave, already got the file from the National Archives

 

But the file is a little cryptic (at least to me) in a certain regard - did DZ631 plane drop its target indicator or not? Here's what the file says:

 

DZ 631/Marker Leader: "Load 1 x 1000 lb Red T.I. returned to base not required. Primary Greens fell on time and also flares making the M/P immediately visible. A/C dropped T.I. which was assessed by Marker 2 at 100 yds E. This was passed to the Controller who requested backing up by all Markers. This was well carried out the resulting concentration was 400 yds E to W across the M/P. Markers were visible through the cloud. The Markers were called off and the Main Force told to bomb the Red T.I.'s ..."

 

Irritating to me is the quote at the beginning "T.I. returned to base not required", but later: "A/C dropped T.I."

So, what happened? Is this simply a mistake in the file? And who dropped those "Primary Greens"? Also DZ631? Or was there another kind of pathfinder/target marker preceding the Mosquitos of 627 Squadron?

 

Cheers,

Christian

If you read the comments for the other 7 markers on the mission some of them were carrying 2 x 1000lb Red TI's. My take is the Primary Greens were dropped as an initial aiming point for the markers, presumably by the aircraft carrying the controller (master bomber?) for him to direct where the marker aircraft were to lay their red TI's. The Leader went in first and dropped one Red TI which no 2 reported and controller then asked the markers to drop on the TI's already laid. The other markers made their runs and dropped their TI's, but bfore the leader got to make a second run the controller callled the markers off. The leader thus took 1 x 1000lb red TI home.

[Paul Lucas]

According to Frederick Taylor in his book 'Dresden', Bloomsbury 2004, W/CDR Maurice Smith flew KB401 'E' from Coningsby with P/O Leslie Page as Navigator.

 

Taylor does not state the unit to which this Mosquito was allocated, but it would not appear to have been 627 Squadron. Possibly Coningsby Station Flight? I don't have access to the Form 78 for this aircraft to take this matter any further.

 

The primary green markers were dropped by the Lancasters of 83 Squadron.

 

 

Edited April 4 by Paul Lucas

[Work In Progress]

KB401 is quoted elsewhere as wearing AZ before the E, which does imply 627 Squadron, and it is also regularly quoted as operating normally from Woodhall Spa, which also suggests 627.

 

Incidentally there is a first-person account here of a marking mission flown in KB401 

https://www.key.aero/article/pathfinder-pilot-tells-story-mosquitos-role-bursting-german-canals

 

It states that 627 were responsible for maintenance of the aircraft so it seems reasonable that it was at least administratively one of theirs, and probably did wear their AZ code.

Edited April 4 by Work In Progress

[Andy Marden]

According to the AM78, KB401 was indeed on 627 Sqn charge on 13 February 1945.

It was lost a week later.  Once again it was being operated by the Master Bomber so does not appear in the 627 Sqn ORB.