Flying Officer John Kalen

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The British and Canadian forces were still driving southwards from Caen, and in the early morning of the 18^th, S/L Norsworthy’s pilots gave their attack a helping hand by dive-bombing mortar positions in a small group of buildings near Hesnil-Fremental. The results appeared to be good, at least eighteen 1,000 lb. bombs bursting in the immediate target area. One of the pilots, however, was killed in the attack. As F/O J. Kalen went into his bombing dive his Typhoon was seen to explode, and the aircraft dived headlong into the target. A few days later John's body was recovered by our advancing troops.

Later on the 18^th, the Squadron completed two more operations which cratered two cross-roads, damaged a large chateau, and completely destroyed a small bridge four miles south of Cabourg. Five pilots led by Hugh Norsworthy came down to point blank range (800 feet) to make seven direct hits on the bridge. A black staff car in the vicinity also “got the works" . This was the busiest day the Wing had known up to that date; in the course of 98 sorties 84 tons of bombs were dropped on enemy targets.

Intentionally left blank.

Then the sky clouded over again and the pilots sat around "twiddling their thumbs" until the late evening of the 19^th when a temporary clearing enabled them to carry out an attack for the Army that was a brilliant success. Enemy resistance had held up the advance near La Hague - until nine Typhoons led by S/L Norsworthy arrived on the scene.  In a steep (60^o – 70^o) dive from 6,500 to 2000 feet, the aircraft plunged upon the target and smashed all their bombs, without exception, directly on the target - not just in the target area.  A large sheet of blue flame erupted from the village, followed by tremendous billowing clouds of smoke and dust; no part of the village was left untouched.  Five minutes later our forward troops walked through, unopposed.  The pilots had hardly returned to base, in high spirits, before a congratulatory message came in from the Army.

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