Flying Officer PAUL JAMES ELFNER

Photo source: 439 Sqn archives PL29018

On the 10th an operation was finally attempted after several hours delay due to low cloud. The eight Typhoons made a "rosy" take-off, formed up fairly quickly despite interference by low cloud, and set course for Beachy Head at deck level. But the clouds pressed lower and lower, finally forcing the pilots to climb up through the 4,000 feet layer.  Only seven emerged on top; F/O Paul Elfner was missing. His Tiffie apparently went down into the sea off Beachy Head and another good man was lost: five pilots in two months, before a single bomb or bullet had been fired against the enemy.

Shortage of aircraft was again a problem; by 12 April all the Hurricanes except one drogue ship had been ferried away, and No. 439 was left with only four Typhoons. For a few days the three squadrons had to share their aircraft for operations until more were flown in. By the end of April No. 439 had at last received its full quota of eighteen.

 

A "Noball" , a V-2 Rocket

Photos source:  Unknown

On 13 April the Squadron carried out its first offensive operation against the enemy when seven aircraft, each carrying two 500 lb. bombs, took off at 0725 to dive-bomb a "Noball" (V.1 flying-bomb) target near the Foret (1) de Crecy. Far this operation No. 439 had to borrow one Typhoon from No. 438 and two from No. 440.   Diving from 10,000 foot to 6,000 feet, the pilots (S/L Norsworthy, P/O Burton, F/O Swingler, F/L Saville, F/Os MacDonald, Brown and Johns) released their missiles and saw twelve burst inside the target area; another two overshot due to a momentary hang-up.  Another "Noball" east of Abbeville was attacked on the 18th by eight pilots led by S/L Norsworthy, and once again direct hits were observed by the two pilots who provided top cover for their comrades,  This operation might be called the Squadron's baptism of fire as flak was mentioned for the first time; “plenty" of it was thrown up at the Tiffies from the batteries around Abbeville.

 

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