History of Squadron

Chapter IV

The Battle of Normandy

June - August  1944

 

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The highlight of the day was the discovery of a convoy of 300 vehicles packed bumper to bumper along a road south-east of Vimoutiers,  It was “a sight for sore eyes" and the pilots reaped a grand harvest. When the total claims were added up at the close of day the score was 51 flamers, 37 smokers, and 56 damaged; 23,246 rounds of 20 mm. had been expended.

The spectacle of that day over the Falaise Pocket left an indelible impression. Organized close convoys, scattered vehicles, horse-drawn guns and carts - all thrown into confusion by the incessant air attacks. "Some Jerries were seen waving white flags, some hastily throwing Red Cross flags over trucks, others dashing helter-skelter for cover, horses bolting with their guns and ammo carts ···· All one could see along the roads was a long; continuous blanket of smoke. The pilots had no respite, and the airmen were on the go all the time. Because of the urgent need for aircraft the airmen almost did the impossible at times when they refuelled some aircraft in eight or nine minutes, did a prop change in 45 minutes, or a radio change in less than ten. They just reeked with sweat”

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Early on the 19th the work was resumed, and in the six hours between 0745 and 1335 twenty-eight more sorties were carried out on three operations over the "happy hunting ground" in the Orbec-Broglie-Bernay triangle. Most of the vehicles in the area had already been knocked out in the previous day's strafing, but enough new targets were found to provide eight flamers, seven smokers and twelve damaged an the first sortie, and five (including a tank) on the second. Jerry's transport was now more scattered, and much of it fairly well hidden.

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