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History
of
 Squadron
  
Chapter
VI
Winter in the Netherlands
November 1944 January
1945
A formation that went out on the morning of the 28th had hopes of netting two birds at one blow for the pilots noticed a train on the tracks near the point they were to bomb. The explosives blew a
clean break in the rails near Dulmen, but they missed the train to the relief of the pilots who on closer scrutiny saw it was an ambulance train. Another train was spotted near Coesfeld, however,
and it was well damaged before flak discouraged further strafing.
Following this the squadron undertook a job for the Army to eliminate a garrison of Nazis dug in at some old castle buildings on the banks of the Meuse some miles north of Venlo. Three pilots (F/L Crosby, WO Church and F/O Anderson) had first crack at the
target, which the Army as usual marked with red smoke, and Bing
demolished one of the buildings with his pair of 1000 pounders.
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Intentionally
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Intentionally
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Then F/L Carr, F/O Shaver, F/L Cote and F/O Bell went out to complete demolition. When the debris settled and the smoke cleared only one corner of the second building remained standing; but the Army reported that the fanatical Nazis were still holding out in the ruins.
The "line abreast" approach was tested again in an attack on the rail line near Wesel on the 29th with only fair results a probable cut. The old line astern procedure proved more successful in another attack on a train near Dorsten. Two good hits were made, blowing cars off the track, damaging the engine, and undoubtedly cutting the rails as well. On the homeward flight a second train was strafed and damaged.
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November ended with four armed weather recces, tree of which reported "oranges sour". The fourth did not find any better weather conditions or targets for their bombs, but they did get some cannon practice. As F/O Laurence was leading his section on a vain search for a break in the clouds, he spotted the balloon barrage over
Wesel, floating 3000 feet above the cloud tops. Bob was curious what effect some some 20 slugs would have on the gasbags, so he
fired an experimental burst. For several minutes nothing happened then the balloon, leaking through many punctures, sank into the clouds. Laurence thereupon deflated another and each of his three companions also had a go at the sausages. Five in all were shot down, one in flames after Church's tracer shells ripped into it. The pilots had
"a hell of a good time" until their ammunition ran out.
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