Fighting in a Fiord

[MIflyer]

On 9 Feb 1945 a force of 30 Beaufighters from 144, 404, 455, and 498 squadrons along with 10 Mustangs from 65 Squadron set out to attack German naval ships in Forde Fjord in Norway. The ships were about 15 miles up the fjord from the coast. Normally they would have attacked by flying from East to West but steep rising terrain to the East ruled that out. So they overflew the fjord and attacked from the North, thereby giving the Germans almost 30 minutes of warning to get ready and scramble fighters.

The team of Percy Smith, Observer, and Spike Holly, pilot attacked a ship, watched a Beaufighter next to them explode and then were shot down by an FW-190, with Smith blazing away with his Browning and badly wounded. They both became POWs at Stalag Luft 1. The FW-190 pilot Rudy Linz, who had 69 victories, was shot down and killed by one of the Mustangs.

Flight Sgts Butler an Nichol were on their first anti-shipping mission. They were hit, which knocked out their hydraulics and splashed so much fluid over the windshield the pilot could hardly see to fly. An FW-190 attacked but broke off after Nicholl fired a red Very flare and the Mustangs responded. They climbed through clouds, came out on top, and were a bit surprised to find that while hit they were unhurt and with two good engines. They made a belly landing at Dallachy.

The raid failed to do significant damage to the German ships and cost 9 Beaufighters, with only 5 surviving crew from those shot down. The Germans lost 5 fighters. It was the most costly shipping strike of the entire war.

I suppose that if we made a movie about this we could call it "455 Squadron" or perhaps "Ill-Starred Wars."

 

[HP52]

On 9 Feb 1945 a force of 30 Beaufighters from 144, 404, 455, and 498 squadrons along with 10 Mustangs from 65 Squadron set out to attack German naval ships in Forde Fjord in Norway. The ships were about 15 miles up the fjord from the coast. Normally they would have attacked by flying from East to West but steep rising terrain to the East ruled that out. So they overflew the fjord and attacked from the North, thereby giving the Germans almost 30 minutes of warning to get ready and scramble fighters.

The team of Percy Smith, Observer, and Spike Holly, pilot attacked a ship, watched a Beaufighter next to them explode and then were shot down by an FW-190, with Smith blazing away with his Browning and badly wounded. They both became POWs at Stalag Luft 1. The FW-190 pilot Rudy Linz, who had 69 victories, was shot down and killed by one of the Mustangs.

Flight Sgts Butler an Nichol were on their first anti-shipping mission. They were hit, which knocked out their hydraulics and splashed so much fluid over the windshield the pilot could hardly see to fly. An FW-190 attacked but broke off after Nicholl fired a red Very flare and the Mustangs responded. They climbed through clouds, came out on top, and were a bit surprised to find that while hit they were unhurt and with two good engines. They made a belly landing at Dallachy.

The raid failed to do significant damage to the German ships and cost 9 Beaufighters, with only 5 surviving crew from those shot down. The Germans lost 5 fighters. It was the most costly shipping strike of the entire war.

I suppose that if we made a movie about this we could call it "455 Squadron" or perhaps "Ill-Starred Wars."

Another worthy action by 455 Sqn was an incident some 60 miles up the fjiords when a shell hit the top left of the windscreen of the Beaufighter Steve Sykes was flying. Sykes left arm was hanging uselessly, he still had control and his Nav was un-injured and able to work the radio. Another Beau took the lead for Sykes to follow; he had 13 wounds and a fractured arm. The Nav's life was absolutely tied to that of his pilot. Their destination was RAF Sumburgh a one-way airfield 250'up a sea cliff - all landings to the west; all takeoffs to the East. they were led by one of their Beaufighters, Sykes made the 2 hour flight with the Nav keeping him awake. It was a successful wheels-up landing. He was in hosp for a couple of months after 04 Apr 1945 - at Sumburgh. One extra item of interest was the Beau Observers headgear. There was insufficient space for a steel helmet, the observer had a leather helmet with hard steel ribs in pockets so it was a bit flexible. There was at least one incident of a Beau's prop taking out the Navigator''s glass bubble.

The Old Man had a burning Beau land wheels-up at Leuchars, coming to rest beside an airfield picket. the Observer jumped clear and seeing the picket called "Get my Skipper out. The picket was none too bright and couldn't read the instructions. He rammed his 0.303 through the Pilot's side window, little fames were licking along, the pilot now with a broken jaw, was dragged clear.

The picket was reportedly given 7 days confinement and the Military Medal. No I can't prove a word of it! Just a 455 Sqn legend.

Hampdemon

 

[MIflyer]

The book Beaufighter Boys has numerous accounts of Beaufighter ant-shipping actions in the Med. Turns out it was a very good anti-shipping aircraft not only due to its durability but also because the pilot probably had the best view ever devised forward and down, if not much in any other direction. They could get very, very, low over the water. You'd probably have to switch to helicopters to find as good and as bad a view as a Beau. The observer could see many things the pilot could not and did not always find it a good idea to mention it all.

It brings to mind that night fighter pilot's summation:

"It's a good thing it was dark because if we'd been able to see what was really going on it would have been bloody terrifying."