Coastal Command marts 1945 Den 1. marts 1945 var Coastal Commands eskadriller således placeret og udstyret: No. 15 Group Squadron Aircraft ASV U.E. Strength Available Ballykelly No. 59 Sqn VLR Liberator V Mk. VA 15 16 11 No. 120 Sqn L/L Liberator VIII Mk. X 15 15 10 Benbecula Det 304 Sqn L/L Wellington XIV Mk. VI 9 9 6 Castle Archdale No. 201 Sqn Sunderland III Mk. IIIC 12 11 4 No. 423 Sqn Sunderland III Mk. IIIC 12 12 4 No. 202 Sqn L/L Catalina IVA Mk. VIIIA 16 15 4 Limavady No. 172 Sqn L/L Wellington XIV Mk. VI 15 15 6 Det 303 Sqn L/L Wellington XIV Mk. VI 6 6 3 Mullaghmore No. 815 FAA Barracuda Mk. XIIIA 12 12 5 Total in No. 15 Group - 7 RAF + 1 FAA Squadron 112 111 53

Beaufighter X NE686 EE-T fra canadiske No. 404 (Buffalo) Squadron, der var stationeret på RAF Dallachy fra oktober 1944 og frem til marts 1945, hvor de konverterede til Mosquitos VI og forlagde til RAF Banff. Fra april 1944 og frem til krigens slutning var Wing Commander E W 'Teddy' Pierce chef for eskadrillen. Pierce havde som Pilot Officer fløjet en tour ved No. 404 Squadron i 1941, medens eskadrillen stadigvæk fløj Blenheim.

No. 16 Group Squadron Aircraft ASV U.E. Strength Available Thorney Island No. 810 FAA Barracuda Mk. XIIIA 12 14 10 No. 822 FAA Barracuda Mk. XIIIA 12 12 9 Langham No. 612 Sqn Wellington XIV Mk. VIA 15 12 8 Det 524 Sqn Wellington XIV Mk. IIIB 16 16 5 North Coates No. 236 Sqn Beaufighter X RP Fitting Mk. XII 20 18 10 No. 254 Sqn Beaufighter X Torp Mk. XII 20 24 15 Bircham Newton No. 819 FAA Swordfish Mk. XI 9 9 9 Knocke No. 119 Sqn Swordfish Mk. XI 15 16 13 Total in No 16 Group 4½ RAF + 3 FAA Squadrons 119 121 79

Beaufighter Mk. X fra new zealandske No. 489 Squadron, der var en del af Dallachy Strike Wing fra oktober 1944 til maj 1945. Eskadrillen var under kommando af Wing Commander D H Hammond DSO, DFC & Bar, der overtog eskadrillen i februar 1945 og førte enheden frem til den 1. august 1945, hvor den blev nedlagt.

No. 18 Group Squadron Aircraft ASV U.E. Strength Available Banff No. 143 Sqn Mosquito VI RP None 20 20 16 No. 235 Sqn Mosquito VI RP None 20 20 14 No. 248 Sqn Mosquito VI RP None 18 18 13 No. 248 Sqn Mosquito XVIII Tsetse None 6 6 - No. 333 Sqn Mosquito VI RP None 10 9 4 Dallachy No. 144 Sqn Beaufighter X RP Mk. II fitting XII 20 14 7 No. 404 Sqn Beaufighter X RP Mk. II 20 20 10 No. 455 Sqn Beaufighter X RP Mk. II 20 14 7 No. 489 Sqn Beaufighter X Torp Mk. XII 20 22 5 Det 524 Sqn Wellington XIV Mk. IIIB 4 5 4 Leuchars No. 206 Sqn L/L Liberator VI & VIII Mk. VA & X 15 22 5 No. 547 Sqn L/L Liberator VI Mk. VA 1 5 16 9 Milltown No. 224 Sqn L/L Liberator VIII Mk. X 15 14 5 Stornoway No. 58 Sqn Halifax II Mk. IIIB 15 10 6 No. 502 Sqn Halifax II Mk. IIIB 15 15 7 Sullom Voe No. 210 Sqn L/L Catalina IVA Mk. VIIIA 12 12 5 No. 330 Sqn Sunderland III Mk. IIIC 9 9 4 Tain No. 86 Sqn L/L Liberator VIII Mk. X 15 15 5 No. 311 Sqn L/L Liberator V & VI Mk. V & VA 15 18 2 Woodhaven No. 333 Sqn Catalina IVA Mk. VIIIA 3 2 1 Sumburgh No. 1693 Flt Anson None 6 8 6 Total in No. 18 Group - 18 RAF Squadrons 293 289 135

Liberator VIII L/L KK292 'P' fra No. 206 Squadron på RAF Leuchars i 1945. No. 206 Squadron fløj Liberator VI indtil den 1. marts 1945, hvorefter man konverterede til VIII og først blev operative igen den 22. marts. De nye VIII var udstyret med radar af typen Mark X samt LAB udstyr. Liberator KK292 kom til No. 206 Squadron den 22. februar og fløj ved eskadrillen indtil juli måned, hvor KK292 blev overflyttet til 51 MU. KK292 blev hugget op den 11. november 1947. Liberator KK292 opererede over Kattegat og Skagerrak den 19. april, hvor besætningen blev beskudt af let luftværnsskyts fra skibe lidt nordøst for Læsø.

No. 19 Group Squadron Aircraft ASV U.E. Strength Available Chivenor No. 14 Sqn L/L Wellington XIV Mk. VI 15 16 7 No. 36 Sqn L/L Wellington XIV Mk. VI 15 16 8 No. 407 Sqn L/L Wellington XIV Mk. VIA 15 16 12 Dunkeswell 103 USN Sqn Liberator PB4Y Mk. VA 15 20 11 105 USN Sqn Liberator PB4Y Mk. X 15 15 13 110 USN Sqn Liberator PB4Y Mk. VA & X 15 16 13 Mount Batten No. 10 RAAF Sunderland III Mk. IIIC 12 11 9 Pembroke Dock No. 228 Sqn Sunderland III Mk. IIIC, VIC 12 10 4 No. 422 Sqn Sunderland III Mk. IIIC 12 9 7 No. 461 Sqn Sunderland III Mk. IIIC, VIC 12 9 7 St Eval No. 179 Sqn L/L Warwick V Mk. IIIB 15 12 2 Upottery 107 USN Sqn Liberator PB4Y Mk. VA 15 11 5 112 USN Sqn Liberator PB4Y Mk. VA & X 15 15 13 Det 63 USN Catalina MAD Mk. XIIIA 4 4 3 Total in No. 19 Group - 8 RAF + 5½ USN Squadrons 187 180 114

Iceland Squadron Aircraft ASV U.E. Strength Available Reykjavik No. 53 Sqn L/L Liberator VI & VII Mk. VA & X 15 21 8 No. 162 RCAF Cansos (Catalina III) Mk. II 15 14 7 Total in Iceland - 2 RAF Squadrons 30 35 15 Gibraltar Squadron Aircraft ASV U.E. Strength Available North Front No. 458 Sqn L/L Wellington XIV Mk. VI 15 16 11 No. 22 SAAF Ventura V Mk. VIII 20 17 12 Total at Gibraltar - 1 RAf + 1 SAAF Squadron 35 33 23

Liberator VI KG869, der blev tildelt No. 547 Squadron den 23. september 1944. Liberator 'B' patruljerede hovedsageligt over Atlanterhavet og besætningens rapport lød som regel således; 'Area covered four times - nothing to report'. To gange i februar og marts 1945 deltog flyet i operationer over Østersøen. Natten mellem den 3. og 4. februar var KG869 på anti-ubådspatrulje ved Bornholm (5550N 1515E - 5524N 1450E) under ledelse af F/O D W Roberts, der beretter: 'this particular area was covered twice but nothing was sighted. As with the other aircraft taking part in the patrols flak was experienced on both outward and inward flights. 16 DC's were carried, but after leaving patrol area, were jettisoned, no target having been contacted'. Natten mellem den 26. og 27. marts var KG869 med F/Lt A E Brown som pilot igen ved Bornholm, hvor man afpatruljerede området 5551N 1555E - 5540N 1555E - 5515N 140E: 'Whilst passing through the Skaggerat, outward bund, two ships were sighted, about one mile apart, firing intense flak which suddenly ceased as both ships appeared to burst into flames. Aircraft flares were being dropped. Flak recommenced from other ships in the area presumably at the aircraft making the attack. At 2340 a Radar Contact was obtained and when the Leight Light was struck, after homing, schnorkel smoke, periscope and wake were sighted. The schnorkel passed under starboard wing tip and was considered out of line for an attack by DC's. Added to that fact a more substantial contact had been picked up. However this schnorkel was attacked by the front, beam and rear gunner who claims hits registered. At 2351 aircraft homed on to another contact and when the Leigh Light wasw struck at 1/4 of a mile a fully surfaced U/Boat was illuminated. an attack was carried out with 6 DS's obtaining straddle with Nos. 3 and 4 just abaft the conning tower. The aircraft returned to the vicinity but no further contact was made. A further homing was made and the Leigh Light illuminated a Narvik class destroyeer and also aircraft took evasive action and so an attack could not be made with DS's. However hits by machine gun fire was again estimated on the schnorkel. The remaining four DC's were jettisoned at safe'. Liberator KG869 blev overført til 22 MU den 15. juni 1946 og blev udfaset den 2. juni 1947.

No 247 Group - Azores Squadron Aircraft ASV U.E. Strength Available Lagens No. 220 Sqn L/L Liberator VI Mk. VA 15 12 3 114 USN Sqn S/L Liberator PB4Y Mk. VA 12 12 8 Total in the Azores - 1 RAF + 1 USN Squadron 27 24 11

Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron Aircraft ASV U.E. Strength Available Benson No. 540 Sqn Mosquito VI, IX & XVI 20 21 18 No. 541 Sqn Spitfire X, XI, XIX, Mustang III 23 23 13 No. 542 Sqn Spitfire X, XI and XIX No. 544 Sqn Mosquito VI, IX, XVI & 32 20 23 16 Total PR - 4 Squadrons 83 88 62

Air Sea Rescue Squadron Aircraft U.E. Strength Available Tiree No. 281 Sqn Warwick, Sea Otter 18 18 3 Detachment at Mullaghmore Thorney Island No. 278 Sqn Walrus, Sea Otter 16 13 2 Beccles No. 280 Sqn Warwick 24 24 6 Detachment at Thornaby Banff No. 279 Sqn Warwick 28 32 13 Detachment at Wick and Thornaby St Eval No. 282 Sqn Warwick, Sea Otter 18 14 2 Azores - Lagens No. 269 Sqn Warwick, Walrus, Hudson, 18 19 5 Martlet, Spitfire, Anson Combined ASR and Meteorological . Total ASR - 6 Squadrons 122 120 31

Warwick I BV356 HK-E fra No. 269 Squadron, der var stationeret på RAF Lagens på Azorerne. BV356 medf'rer en Mk II redningsbåd, som man kunne nedkaste til nødstedte besætninger på havet. No. 269 Squadron var stationeret på RAF Lagens fra marts 1944 til marts 1946. Eskadrillen var fra december 1944 og frem til maj 1945 under kommando af Wing Commander G A B Cooper.

Halifax LL145 fra No. 517 Squadron, der var stationeret på RAF Brawdy og som havde til opgave at gennemføre vejrrekognoscering ude over Atlanderhavet. No. 517 Squadron blev oprettet den 11. august 1943, hvor man anvendte No. 1404 Flight som grundstamme. Eskadrillen anvendte oprindelig Hampdens og Hudsons, men konverterede november samme år til Halifax V. No. 517 Squadron blev i februar 1944 flyttet til RAF Brawdy, hvor man forblev indtil november 1945. I februar 1945 konverterede eskadrillen til Halifax III. No. 517 Squadron blev nedlagt på RAF Chivenor den 21. juni 1946. I marts 1945 var Wing Commander V H P Lynham, DSO, chef for No. 517 Squadron. Lynham havde tidligere været chef for No. 279 Squadron, hvor han havde fået sit DSO.

Meteorological Squadron Aircraft U.E. Strength Available Tiree No. 518 Sqn Halifax III and V 22 24 5 Ballyhalbert No. 1402 Flt Spitfire, Hurricane, Gladiator 9 11 7 Langham No. 521 Sqn Fortress, Hudson, Hurricane 9 12 9 Skitten No. 519 Sqn Fortress, Spitfire 15 10 5 Brawdy No. 517 Sqn Halifax III and V 13 17 3 Iceland - Reykjavik No. 251 Sqn Hudson III and IIIA 13 13 7 Gibraltar - North Front No, 520 Sqn Halifax V, Hudson, Hurricane 13 12 5 Total Meteorological - 6½ Squadron 94 99 41

No. 18 Group 8. til 14. marts 1945 'The RAF in Maritime War Volume V' beskriver No. 18 Groups indsats mod tyske overfladefartøjer i marts 1945 således: No. 18 Group policy and operations in March Much improved weather conditions saw a big rise in anti-shipping sorties to 847. More attacks were made, particularly by night on enemy traffic in the Skagerrack. Early in the month the Mosquito Wing was at last satisfactorily equipped with 100 gallon drop tanks and daylight operations escorted by Mustangs were extended as far east as the Skaw. Shipping was till seldom seen underway by day in the Inner Leads off Western Norway and targets had to be searched for where they were lying up in the narrow fjords. The addition of the second Mustang Squadron now enabled all these searches to have a fighter escort. the policy of attacking lighthouse and beacon light installations was approved on 9 March and by the end of the month about fifteen were put out of action between Haugesund and Aalesund. The spoof minelaying (Operation Chuck) was carried out off Josing fjord, Egersund, south of Haugesund and northeast of Stadtlandet backed up by ground mines laid in shallow water off Askevold by carrier-borne FAA aircraft. It has proed impossible from German records to assess separately the individual effects of thee two policies from the general and increasing interruption to traffic to and from Norwegian bases.

Day Operations Rover sweeps, increased now to some 25 aircraft apiece, operated on six occasions along stretches of the Inner Leads without seeing any movement of shipping. Six escorted Wing Strikes of 40 or more aircraft each were directed at roadstead or fjord anchorages during the month and found a number of targets. Aalesund and its vicinity was attacked twice resulting in four ships being sunk and two damaged. Midgulen and Dals fjrod each received an attack which yielded four more ships damaged and Egersund roadstead was raided where two ships were sunk. the total loss of aircraft in these strikes was eleven. * F, R and W/143, G/144, W/235, K/248, L, R and U/404 and P and X/455 Squadrons.

Beaufighters fra No. 144 Squadron. Raketterne er affyret, så flyene er på vej tilbage fra et angreb.

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