410 RCAF squadron

[Erich]

hope I have not repeated this request in the past ......but here goes

Gents looking for info on the Canadian night fighter unit RCAF 410 squad equipped with the Mossie XXX from August 1944 till wars end. evidently the unit had several airfields in France and am curious where and if any photos of the Mossie XXX of the squad available ? any books published on the unit ?

many thanks

Erich ~

 

[Jank]

In June 1944, they moved to Zeels where the Squadron became part of the 2nd Tactical Air Force, moving to Colerne in July, and in August commenced conversion to the Mosquito Mk XXX. A return to Hunsdon preceded a move to France in September, where regular patrols commences. Moves to other French airfields followed, and then in April 1945 to Gilze-Rijen in Holland. The Squadron had the distinction of being the top-scoring night-fighter unit in 2nd TAF during the period between D-Day and VE-Day. They flew the XXX from August '44 through June '45.

Today, they fly Hornets.

I assume you have exhausted the web?

 

[Erich]

Jank thanks for the brief run-down. and yes I am getting exhausted hunting the unit down on the web. I do wonder if the Canadian archiv's have anything on the unit ?

my inquiry as I am doing a book possibly 2 volumes on the Moskito-jagd über Deutschland, want to cover as much as possible even the RAF and RCAF Nf intruder ops especially in the fall of 44 till wars end time-frame.

the info is helpful Jank

 

[AL Schlageter]

Erich in the book by Chaz Bowyer

Mosquito: Squadrons of the RAF

there is a photo taken in Nov 1944 of a Mossie NFXXX doing a low pass. In Nov 1944, 410 was based at Vendeville (B51).

The book has a page or two on each Mossie squadron which usually has a least one photo, list of bases, list of commanders and serial numbers for many of the Mossies flown by the squadron.

ISBN 0-7110-1425-6

ps for 418
RCAF.com : Archives : General Interest : No. 418 City of Edmonton Squadron

 

[Erich]

I've heard of this book in the past. any way possible you can send a scan of the Mossie pic and the text ?

E ~ maybe pb has some more info's ??

 

[AL Schlageter]

Sorry Erich scanner is down and besides, the photo is very small.

Correction: the date of the photo is Dec 7 1944 and is taken just after u/c retraction.

Did you come across this site?
The History of 410 Cougar Squadron - Introduction

 

[pbfoot]

I'm going over to the hanger tommorrow to polish the emil I'll check the library to see what I can find

 

[Erich]

Al thanks for that last link will give me some reading for the end of the week to sort out with LW losses. pb hopeful you can contribute something, thanks in advance for checking

E

 

[pbfoot]

The famous Mossie under the Eiffel Tower pic is a 410 bird

 

[Erich]

Gents I understand the RCAF squadron has it's own ORB for $ ? and where would this be located to obtain ?

E

 

[pbfoot]

I pretty much have all you might want but lack scanner . Anything in particular or any night interest you

 

[Erich]

pb what book is that from ? how many pages please of coverage ?

 

[plan_D]

I have some information on 410 (RCAF) Sqdn. losses and claims... I haven't got a scanner unfortunately:

1st August, 1944 - Flg. Off. J.Maday/Flg.Off J.R. Walsh claimed Ju 88 at 0002 hours.

2nd August, 1944 - Sqn. Ldr. J.D Somerville/Flg. Off. G.D Robinson claimed a Ju 188 northeast of Tessy at 0100 and a Do 217 north-west of Pontason at 2255 hours.

3rd August, 1944 - Flt. Lt. B.E Plumer/Flg. Off. V.W Evans claimed a Ju 188 at 0040 hours.

4th August, 1944 - Flt. Lt. W.G. Dinsdale/Plt. Off. J.E Dunn claimed a Bf 110 north-east of Avranches.

5th August, 1944 - Flt. Lt. W.G. Dinsdale/Plt. Off. J.E Dunn claimed a Hs 126 near Tours.

7th August, 1944 Sqn. Ldr. J.D Somerville/Flg. Off. G.D Robinson claimed a Ju 88 in the St. Hilaire area. Flt. Lt. R.M.G Currie/Flg. Off. A.H. Rose claimed Ju 88 south-west of Rennes.

14th August, 1944 - Sqn. Ldr. J.D Somerville/Flg. Off. G.D Robinson claimed a Ju 88 west of Le Harve at 2325 hours.

20th August, 1944 - Flt. Lt. J.L Fullerton/Flg. Off. B.E. Gallagher (Mosquito Mk.XXX #MM744) claimed a Ju 88 near Hotot at 0015 and a Ju 88 east of Mezidon at 0025.

Claims for August, 1944 - 11 destroyed, 0 damaged
Losses for August, 1944 - 0

 

[Erich]

this is great gentlemen please keep adding ...........

 

[plan_D]

I'll add month by month, when I've got time. Pleased to be able to help.

 

[plan_D]

1st September, 1944 - Flt. Lt. I.E McTavish/Flg. Off. A.M. Grant claimed a Fw 190 five miles north-east of Le Harve at 23:35. They were flying Mosquito XXX (MM743).

9th September, 1944 - 410 Sqdn. move to Hunsdon.

17th September, 1944 - Flt. Lt. C.E. Edinger/Flg. Off. C.L. Vasessen flying Mosquito XXX (MM743) intercepted an unidentified enemy aircraft over the Dutch islands at 01:30, the plane took evasive action and crashed into the sea without a shot being fired. It was claimed as 410 squadrons 50th victory.

21st September, 1944 - 410 Sqdn. move to airfield B.48 at Amiens.

26th September, 1944 - 1/Lt. Archie Harrington (USAAF pilot on attachment)/Plt. Off. D.G. Tongue flying Mosquito XXX (MM743) claimed Ju 87 twelve miles north of Aachen at 21:36.

Claims for September, 1944 - 3 Destroyed, 0 Damaged
Losses for September, 1944 - 0

 

[plan_D]

October

6th - Flt. Lt. Charles Edinger/ Flg. Off. Charles Vaessen in Mosquito XXX (MM760) claimed a Ju 88 sixteen miles north-east of Namur at 19:40.

Flt. Lt. Ben Plumer/ Flt. Lt. W.W Hargrove in Mosquito XXX (MM749) forced a Bf 110 into the ground near Venlo at 23:20. The Mosquito suffered engine damage from the German rear gunner.

7th - Flg. Off. J.L Fullerton / Flg. Off. B.E. Gallagher in Mosquito XXX (MM744) claimed a Ju 88 north-east Hasselt at 21:57.

20th - Flg. Off. K.R. Walley / Flt. Sgt. F.R. Charnock in Mosquito XXX (MM737) crashed in bad visibility near Corbie at approx. 22:00. Both pilot and navigator were killed.

26th - Sqn. Ldr. R.H. Hedger / Plt. Off. C.P. Bodard in Mosquito XXX (MM785) crash landed at airfield B.48 with under-carriage trouble at approx. 22:05. Sqn. Ldr. Hedger was injured in the crash, Plt. Off. Bodard was unhurt.

29th - 1/Lt. A.A. Harrington / Plt. Off. D.G. Tongue in Mosquito XXX (MM767) claimed a Fw 190 east of St. Anton at 18:55.

Claims for October, 1944: 4 destroyed, 0 damaged
Losses for October, 1944: 1 destroyed, 2 damaged

 

[pbfoot]

Plan D what you have checks out with my info , mine lacks the location though

 

[plan_D]

November

2nd - 410 Sqdn. move to airfield B.51 at Lille/Vendeville, joining 409 (RCAF) Sqdn.

11th - Flg. Off. E.Sexsmith / Flg. Off. W.Nixon in Mosquito XXX (MM760) overshot while attempting to land at airfield B.58 after engine failure at 22:40, both pilot and navigator were unhurt.

25th - 1/Lt. A.A.Harrington / Flg. Off. D.G.Tongue (Note the promotion) in Mosquito XXX (MM767) claimed a Ju 88 over Muntz at 20:08, a Ju 88 over Jackerath at 20:19 and a Ju 88 north of Hunxe at 20:26.

(II. and III./NJG.4 do report losses of one Ju 88G each on the night of the 25th.)

30th - Flg. Off. D.M.Mackenzie / Plt. Off. G.P.A.Bodard claimed a Ju 88 east of Harbeck at 19:46.

Claims for November, 1944: 4 destroyed, 0 damaged
Losses for November, 1944: 0 destroyed, 1 damaged

 

[plan_D]

December

18th - Flt. Lt. C.E.Edinger / Flg. Off. C.L.Vaessen in Mosquito XXX (MV527) claimed a Ju 88 south of Bonninghardt at 19:53.

24th - Flg. Off. D.M.Mackenzie / Flg. Off. G.P.A.Bodard in Mosquito XXX (MM812) claimed a Ju 88 near Rheydt at 0500 and claimed a Ju 88 over Grefarth at 0526.

(The kills seem to be Ju 88S-3s from I./LG.1; L1+DL and L1+CL)

Flt. Lt. C.E.Edinger / Flg. Off. C.L.Vaessen in Mosquito XXX (MV527) claimed a Ju 87 near Wassenburg at 19:55.

Sqn. Ldr. I.E.MacTavish / Flg. Off. A.M.Grant in Mosquito XXX (MT485) claimed a Ju 87 in the Walbeck area at 23:28.

25th - Flg. Off. J.A.Watt / Flt. Lt. E.H.Collis in Mosquito XXX (MT493) claimed a Ju 88 near Puffenat at 06:18

27th - Flt. Lt. W.G.Pinsdale / Flg. Off. J.E.Dunn in Mosquito XXX ( MM788 ) claimed a Ju 88 near Helchteren at 22:00.

31st - Sqn. Ldr. R.M.G.Currie / Flt. Lt. A.H.Rose in Mosquito XXX (MV562) claimed a Ju 188 north-west of Liere at 23:20.

Claims for December, 1944: 8 destroyed, 0 damaged.
Losses for December, 1944: 0

Total claims from 0001 August 1st to 0000 hours December 31st:
30 destroyed, 0 damaged

Total losses from 0001 August 1st to 0000 hours December 31st:
4 destroyed, 3 damaged