CREW MEMBER PROFILE

Surname:

BEESON

First Name/s:

Joseph

No Image

Service No/s:

1594564

Service:

RAFVR

Branch:

Field Engineer

Awards:

Return

SERVICE RECORDS

Date

Event

Aircraft Flown

25 Nov 1943

Joined 576 Sqn at Elsham Wolds, Linconshire

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14 Oct 1944

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14 Oct 1944

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15 Oct 1944

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576 Squadron FLYING RECORDS

Date

Aircraft

Code

Flight Details

T/O

Land

Flt Time

Crew

06 Sep 1944

ME801

UL-C2

LE HAVRE

1700

2035

3h35

P1   Fg Off J. MacDonald
P2   
FE   Sgt J. Beeson
AB   Sgt J.M. Weir
NAV  Flt Sgt J. Fell
WOp  Sgt J. Thomson
MUG  Sgt J.F.F. McDonald RCAF
RG   Sgt K.A. Grant RCAF

NOTES:

Enemy strongpoints. R/T failure – unable to bomb – could notidentify target

10 Sep 1944

ME801

UL-C2

LE HAVRE

1630

2020

3h50

P1   Fg Off J. MacDonald
P2   
FE   Sgt J. Beeson
AB   Sgt J.M. Weir
NAV  Flt Sgt J. Fell
WOp  Sgt J. Thomson
MUG  Sgt J.F.F. McDonald RCAF
RG   Sgt K.A. Grant RCAF

NOTES:

Enemy strongpoint ½ mile SW of the Forêt de Montgeon

19 Sep 1944

ME801

UL-C2

Training

nk

nk

1h15

P1   Fg Off J. MacDonald
P2   
FE   Sgt J. Beeson
AB    J.M. Weir
NAV  Flt Sgt J. Fell
WOp  Sgt J. Thomson
MUG  Sgt J.F.F. McDonald RCAF
RG   Sgt K.A. Grant RCAF

NOTES:

20 Sep 1944

ME801

UL-C2

CALAIS (SANGATTE)

1500

1820

3h20

P1   Fg Off J. MacDonald
P2   
FE   Sgt J. Beeson
AB    J.M. Weir
NAV  Flt Sgt J. Fell
WOp  Sgt J. Thomson
MUG  Sgt J.F.F. McDonald RCAF
RG   Sgt K.A. Grant RCAF

NOTES:

Coastal guns & defences

23 Sep 1944

*

NEUSS

1830

2345

5h15

P1   Fg Off J. MacDonald
P2   
FE   Sgt J. Beeson
AB   Sgt J.M. Weir
NAV  Flt Sgt J. Fell
WOp  Sgt J. Thomson
MUG  Sgt J.F.F. McDonald RCAF
RG   Sgt K.A. Grant RCAF

NOTES:

Marshalling yards

25 Sep 1944

ME801

UL-C2

CALAIS

0720

1020

3h00

P1   Fg Off J. MacDonald
P2   
FE   Sgt J. Beeson
AB    J.M. Weir
NAV  Flt Sgt J. Fell
WOp  Sgt J. Thomson
MUG  Sgt J.F.F. McDonald RCAF
RG   Sgt K.A. Grant RCAF

NOTES:

Enemy troops and gun positions. Master Bomber instructed crews to RTB with bombs due cloud cover over target area Unable to bomb due to cloud cover - bombs brought back. ORB shows Pym as AB (but likely wrong) as Weir has this in his logbook

26 Sep 1944

ME801

UL-C2

CAP GRIS-NEZ

1055

1400

3h05

P1   Fg Off J. MacDonald
P2   
FE   Sgt J. Beeson
AB   Sgt J.M. Weir
NAV  Flt Sgt J. Fell
WOp  Sgt J. Thomson
MUG  Sgt J.F.F. McDonald RCAF
RG   Sgt K.A. Grant RCAF

NOTES:

6” Coastal Gun Battery

28 Sep 1944

ME801

UL-C2

Training

nk

nk

1h15

P1   Fg Off J. MacDonald
P2   
FE   Sgt J. Beeson
AB    J.M. Weir
NAV  Flt Sgt J. Fell
WOp  Sgt J. Thomson
MUG  Sgt J.F.F. McDonald RCAF
RG   Sgt K.A. Grant RCAF

NOTES:

Figet affiliation

05 Oct 1944

ME801

U2

SAARBRUCKEN

1815

0100

6h45

P1   Fg Off J. MacDonald
P2   
FE   Sgt J. Beeson
AB    J.M. Weir
NAV  Flt Sgt J. Fell
WOp  Sgt J. Thomson
MUG  Sgt J.F.F. McDonald RCAF
RG   Sgt K.A. Grant RCAF

NOTES:

Marshalling yards. Aircraft diverted on the return due to fog at base. Diverted Wratting Common Landed on 3 engines – aircraft left there for repair. Crew returned to base with Trent crew in LM227 on 6 Oct 44.

11 Oct 1944

PB635

UL-N2

FORT FREDERIK HENDRIK, BRESKENS

1520

1845

3h25

P1   Fg Off J. MacDonald
P2   
FE   Sgt J. Beeson
AB   Sgt J.M. Weir
NAV  Flt Sgt J. Fell
WOp  Sgt J. Thomson
MUG  Sgt J.F.F. McDonald RCAF
RG   Sgt K.A. Grant RCAF

NOTES:

Second Wave – Battle Order ‘B’ – 5 aircraft - Second aiming point.

12 Oct 1944

ME801

UL-C2

Training

nk

nk

1h00

P1   Fg Off J. MacDonald
P2   
FE   Sgt J. Beeson
AB    J.M. Weir
NAV  Flt Sgt J. Fell
WOp  Sgt J. Thomson
MUG  Sgt J.F.F. McDonald RCAF
RG   Sgt K.A. Grant RCAF

NOTES:

Hemswell and return

14 Oct 1944

ME801

UL-C2

DUISBERG

0645

0920

2h35

P1   Fg Off J. MacDonald
P2   
FE   Sgt J. Beeson
AB   Sgt J.M. Weir
NAV  Flt Sgt J. Fell
WOp  Sgt J. Thomson
MUG  Sgt J.F.F. McDonald RCAF
RG   Sgt K.A. Grant RCAF

NOTES:

Operation HURRICANE – 3 aircraft detailed to attack August Thyssen Steelworks (C2, G2, M2), rest detailed to attack 4 APs (mines and coke ovens) in the Hamborn area (19 a/c). Thyseen steelworks. Instructed to bomb visually. C2,G2,M2: 13x 1000lb, 4x500lb bombs

14 Oct 1944

ME801

UL-C2

DUISBERG

2230

0105

2h35

P1   Fg Off J. MacDonald
P2   
FE   Sgt J. Beeson
AB   Sgt J.M. Weir
NAV  Flt Sgt J. Fell
WOp  Sgt J. Thomson
MUG  Sgt J.F.F. McDonald RCAF
RG   Sgt K.A. Grant RCAF

NOTES:

Built up area to N of docks B2,K2,M2: 1x 4000lb, 2,732x 4lb incendiaries. Returned early - engine failure on take off. All other a/c: 12x 1000lb & 4x 500lb bombs.

15 Oct 1944

NE115

UL-B2

WILHELMSHAFEN

1720

2155

4h35

P1   Fg Off J. MacDonald
P2   
FE   Sgt J. Beeson
AB    J.M. Weir
NAV  Flt Sgt J. Fell
WOp  Sgt J. Thomson
MUG  Sgt J.F.F. McDonald RCAF
RG   Sgt K.A. Grant RCAF

NOTES:

Built-up Area and Submarine Industry.

02 Nov 1944

NE115

UL-B2

DUSSELDORF N

1600

FTR

uk

P1   Fg Off J.J. Mulrooney
P2   
FE   Sgt J. Beeson
AB   Fg Off C.W.P. Mortal RAAF
NAV  WO J.N. Casey RAAF
WOp  WO F.J.L. Paton RAAF
MUG  Flt Sgt C.R. Anthony
RG   Fg Off E. Parker

NOTES:

Target: Northern built-up area of the city. Load: 1x 4000lb ‘cookie’, 6x 1000lb, 6x 500lb bombs. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take-off and it failed to return to base. A report by a Missing Research and Enquiry team stated that the aircraft was hit by anti-aircraft fire and crashed. It exploded on impact at Langenfeld, approximately 15 kms southeast of Dusseldorf. Six of the crew members were killed and the captain Mulrooney was taken Prisoner of War. Flt Sgt Anthony is buried with five of his crewmetes at Rheinburg Cemetery, Plot 6 Grave 3.

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