RAF/Commonwealth operations over Romania, recce, night bombings, targets, losses

Only Cip could get more info from Corbii Mari village trip. But the french book mentioned a Halifax serial number JP 282 lost night 9/10 august '44 near that village. Probably they found the info from british sources ( not german). The lost crew members probably could rest in Tancabesti cemetery so it's easy to check the info.
On that night were lost 2 Halifax, 4 Wellingtons and one RAF B-24 (info from the same book ).





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Dan

Definetly Dan not Radar station....a Radar Station or later on so called GCA ( Ground Controller Approach) would vector the pilot on azimuth and altitude till the touch down zone of the runway which must be lighted ( approach lights,touch down and center line light ) and the pilot must also have tuned in the runway centerline precision navaid bearing of the runway...light signals and fire torches located other than the airfield have nothing to do in operating night fighters with the Wuerzburg Radars guidance...please read read the book called NACHT JAEGER WILDSAU ...the chart provided by you is a general purpose chart other than designating the Radar Stations but is related to the night operations of the BF-110's

Regarding the Halifaxes and Wellingtons brought down in one night my common sense tells me not .....discussion held previously with Barbosu and Victor as these books are not accurate....and the books I have from RAF Bomber command didnt list them either...let me get active on this subject and will revert back to you all in a while regarding this issue

Alex

This post has been edited by alexkdl on February 28, 2005 04:36 pm

Alex is very simple to check all the informations. If the lost crew members ( from the book) we can find in Tancabesti cemetery the info should be close to reality. It could be some mistakes regarding the types of bombers ( B24 or Halifax) but the lost crew members you can not mistake so easy ( it should be from british source). And were did you think are aprox. 80 british airman burried in Tancabesti if not from that many bombers shot down in one night or others nights in summer '44 over Romania.

For confirmation below i'v checked another Wellington lost (info from the same book) on 8 may with Tancabesti cemetery resting crew members.

This post has been edited by Cantacuzino on March 02, 2005 07:16 am

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The flight sergent Frederick Head - bombardier , burrial stone 8 may '44 -Tancabesti ( courtesy Dan Melinte.

This post has been edited by Cantacuzino on February 28, 2005 03:53 pm

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Below the wireless radio Sgt. Lesley Carey burrial stone-8 may in Tancabesti. Courtesy Dan Melinte.

Carey brother was lost on HMS HOOD.

This post has been edited by Cantacuzino on March 02, 2005 07:16 am

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Alex, that was about a different book, that did not have as subject the Luftwaffe night fighters operating over Romania in 1944, like the one here at hand.

Below it'a list ( translated in romanian from Aeronautica magazine) compiled by an well known british historyan Mark Axworthy about the RAF looses over Romania.

This post has been edited by Cantacuzino on February 28, 2005 04:08 pm

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Another panoramic view of Commonwealth Heroes cemetery at Tancabesti. Courtesy Dan Melinte.


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Dan

Thanks for sharing the photos. In one way one could count the graves and compare them to the reports on the book you mentioned which would be the most accurate way to do it ......As I said I am working too on the suject and I will post in due course reports and photos

Alex

We question all of the british losses over Romania or only Lancasters?
So far I didn't find any source to indicate that Lancasters were above Romania, But all are stating 15 (or 16) missions of 205 RAF Group over Romania with Wellingtons, Halifaxes and B 24 (AFAIK Hal and B24 were used as pathfinders, launching the magnezium flares).

As for the number of aircrafts lost in just one night, for example P. MAcDonald writes about the night when the Wimpy from Comana Lake crashed. Mr. Oaul R. Long, a resercher on 150 Sqn of 205 group says:



<!--QuoteBegin-+----></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE ( @ --)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Paul R. Long:

"The aircraft you mention was Wellington X serial number JA 524 using fuselage codes JN-Q which was lost on the night of 6/7 of May 1944 - the crash site is given as Comana (15 Km. South of Bucharest)
The crew were all killed and buried at Tincabesti after the war:

W/O S. Clarke )pilot)
Sgt. L.W. Cox (Navigator)
Sgt. R.P. Scott (Bomb Aimer)
Sgt. C.G/ Walker (Wireless Op)
Sgt. G.S. Vaughan ( Rear Air Gunner)

The target that night was Bucharest.

The Group that night put up 6 Halifaxes, 3 Liberators and 52 Wellingtons. Defenses that night shot down 1 Liberator, 1 Halifax and 3 Wellingtons. MacDonald gives a very detailed look at this raid.

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This post has been edited by Barbosu on February 28, 2005 06:15 pm

Barbosu

The book from DARKNESS to LIGHT is on its way to me from the US...I will read it and scan some photos of relevance which as you stated seems to be a an outstanding book $ 55 sofar out of print and no longer available anywhere

Alex

www.modelism.ro is selling this book, is only in french and it costs 18 e.

This post has been edited by cipiamon on March 01, 2005 11:13 am

CIP

Thanks for the info, regretfully I can understand all in French and I bought the original book in English from sources related to the author,thanks anyways
Alex

Cip,

Alex is buying another book, not the one from modelism.

The book "Through Darkness to Light" was written by PAtrick MacDonald and it is out of print as Alex says (printed in 1995 AFAIK). I looked also on internet and I found a price comparison page for it (i.e. At Amazon total cost - with shipping - was 38.99 USD.

Check this link: http://www.directtextbook.com/prices/1897817177


"Through Darkness to Light" was the motto of 205 RAF Group based in Italy, with missions over Romania (and other important targets in Germany, Hungary, Poland etc).

The image represents the 205 Group's badge.

(source: http://www.rafweb.org/Grp07.htm)

Cheers,

Barbosu



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