At the same time two of the less damaged houses were allocated for their use, so that they would no longer be as cramped as in their old quarters. It was, of course, fatal. The pilots were able to enjoy their "super" ante room and dining room for barely a week. 

Spring had arrived before the wing left Eindhoven and with it came a revival of sporting activity. Softball and volleyball had already started; horseshoes were soon
added, and there were days when it was even possible to indulge in some quiet relaxation in the sun. The dispersal was cleaned up and the winter's accumulation of waste was consigned to a huge bonfire.

Even the two pups succumbed to the tidiness campaign and paid more heed to indoor discipline. Marshal of the R.A.F. Lord Trenchard, "the father of the R.A.F.",
visited Eindhoven one day to chat with the pilots; and another day they had the pleasure of entertaining the W.D. members of the R.C.A.F. "Blackouts" show. F/L "Tex" Gray, the O.C. coffee making, displayed his culinary skill for the occasion. 

Intentionally left blank

Intentionally left blank

Two more pilots had become O.T.E. (Operationally Time Expired) in the last days of March, F/O Jack Roberts (96 
trips) and F/O Al McBride (88). Their places and vacancies in the establishment were filled by F/L J.H. Cook, WO1 E.F.Kidd, F/L A.B. McCully and F/Os D.S. McGibbon and J.S. Brock. Jack Cook already had done one tour in India.
When the squadron left Eindhoven its tally for the month(l) was 68 rail cuts, six gun positions destroyed, eight damaged, four towns and "military installations" damaged, two buildings destroyed, and for mobile "military installations" damaged, two buildings destroyed, and for mobile targets: 

               Destroyed Damaged
MET              3             5
AFV              1
Locomotives 3
Freight cars 6             6

(1) "Excluding numerous results unobserved due to climatic conditions."

Strange as it seems, the Squadrons copy of this fascinating historical summary of 439  Squadron just stopped ! It appears that for whatever reason, the rest of the story is missing from the Squadron archives. Unfortunately the journal that I have enclosed on this site ended abruptly on this last page.

According to the Table of Contents of the document, there should be two additional chapters

Chapter VIII   On to the Elbe (March - May 1945)

Chapter IX      End of the Tour ( May - August 1945)

plus Appendices:

No. 123 Squadron

No. 439 Squadron

 

Should you the reader have or know of  a duplicate copy of this precious document, would you contact me so that I may complete this fabulous story of 439

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