Three new pilots, F/Os S.D. Marlatt and F.M.Hallford and P/O D.C. Elsley, joined the unit as replacements for recent casualties. Staff Marlatt already had one tour to his credit. There was also a change in command of 143 Wing when G/C A.D. Nesbitt ⁽¹⁾, DFC took over from G/C Davoud. Buzz bombs still disturbed the night hours, as well as the day, and were "beginning to get under one's skin". So far as No. 439 was concerned, however, their effect appears to have been purely psychological; there is no mention of any damage to the unit's equipment or installations. 

Artist Bob Pearson's telling rendition of PD-608 . Copyright © R.N. Pearson . Used with permission. You can see more of Bob's artwork on the INTERNET MODELER webpage.

The Luftwaffe had interfered with plans for a Squadron party on New Year's Day , and the function was postponed until the 9th when the pilots entertained the NCOs in the crew room with ample supplies of cognac and English beer. Coffee and toast were now standard "vittles " in the crew room as it was "compulsory" for personnel returning from leave in England to bring coffee with them; parcels from home were pooled to supply other tasty items. 

Intentionally left blank

On 13 January the Squadron made its final recce over
the St. Vith area where so much of its activity had been centred in the past three weeks. Through a hole in the clouds south of St. Vith F/L Joe Cote sighted some transport which his formation proceeded to strafe. The vehicles had already been attacked by another unit, but No. 439 added eight more damaged to the litter on the road. Very little flak was seen and it was rather scattered. The Bastogne pocket had been eliminated, and the "Battle of the Bulge" was drawing to a close. 

The next day the Squadron returned to its train and bridge busting activities on the northern front around Munster. Of the two armed recces in search of trains or MET only one had any luck, reporting one locomotive and ten freight
cars damaged in attacks on two trains east of Coesfeld. One
aircraft was slightly damaged by flak. It was almost a month since the pilots had done any dive bombing, but they had an opportunity to regain their skill in this work on the third show on the 14th, when a formation of seven pilots led by F/O Jack Sweeney went out to blast a bridge at Bestmerberg⁽²⁾, east of Zwolle. Two of the 1000 lb. bombs hit the embankment at the north end of the bridge, blowing out part of the structure. 

Then the pilots went down again to strafe the woods in the area and a German barracks nearby. The building was considerably damaged by cannon fire and many enemy troops were clobbered.

Webmaster's Notes

(1) Nesbitt, Arthur Deane
Born in Montreal on 16 November 1910. Died in Montreal on 22 February 1978.
Known awards: OBE,DFC,ON.3x,FCG+ea
Commandeur in de Orde van Oranje-Nassau met de zwaarden
Commander in the Order of Orange-Nassau with swords
Canada Gazette dated 20 September 1947
 Group Captain (C1327), Royal Canadian Air Force, Officer Commanding Royal Air Force no. 143 Wing

The recommendation reads as follows:
"Group Captain Nesbitt commanded No.143 Wing from January 1945 to August 1945. He took over command while the Wing was at Eindhoven on the day on which the enemy made their daring attacks on the majority of the airfields in 2nd Tactical Air Force. From the day he took over, Group Captain Nesbitt displayed the greatest devotion to duty and, by his keenness and enthusiasm, imbued the finest fighting spirit into his Wing in their attacks against the enemy. His outstanding organizing ability and forceful personality played a most important part in this Wing's fighting efficiency. Group Captain Nesbitt invariably displayed inspiring leadership and outstanding gallantry."

(2) Town name is misspelled - Should read Besthmenerberg

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