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Enemy raiders were still making the nights on the beach-head noisy and at times dangerous. Most of the danger came from the terrific flak barrage which dropped a rain of metal over the countryside. One night a shell exploded in the dispersal mess, killing one of the cooks and injuring another.  Several hours later a blinding flash of light illuminated the airfield, followed by an earth-shaking blast that roused everyone who had been able to sleep through the preceding din.  It was learned later that a parachute landmine had been the cause of the blast. "Emergency rooms" (underground shelters) and "panic bowlers" (steel helmets) were quite popular.

Considerable concern had been caused by a number of mysterious explosions in Typhoons while on operations, which were clearly not due to enemy action.  So far No. 439 had suffered only one casualty of this nature, and every effort was made to ascertain the cause. The aircraft were carefully checked for short circuits, oxygen or petrol leaks, and modifications were made to the jettison liner.

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Two new pilots joined the Squadron in July, to replace F/Os Thomas and Kalen who had been killed on operations.  F/O R.V. Smith was a newcomer to No. 439, but F/O R.H. Lawrence was an old friend who had served with it at Debert for several months in 1942-43.  F/L Tommy Dadson left the Squadron at the end of July, for repatriation to Canada, after 22 months' continuous service with it at home and overseas. Don Burton replaced him as commander of "A" Flight.

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