ND994

Lancaster Mk III

Change of Sqn Code based on Flight Record created

UL-F²

ORLEANS

Plt Off A.C. Blackie

Fleury-Les-Aubrais Marshalling Yards Load: 4 aircraft diverted – not yet identified Flew as second pilot with Blackie crew

AACHEN

Flt Lt B.A. Templeman-Rooke

Target: the marshalling yards at Aachen East and Rothe-Erde Load: 11x 1000lb and 4x 500lb bombs 'Second dickie' for Plt Off Hart

CALAIS

Plt Off D.R. Harkin

Coastal Railway Battery The attacks against gun batteries in the Pas de Calais was part of a plan to deceive the Germans that the forthcoming invasion was to be in this area, and not Normandy. Load: 11x 1000lb, 4x 500lb bombs Most aircraft could not bomb due to cloud cover and brought their bombs back

WIMEREUX (BOULOGNE)

Plt Off D.R. Harkin

Coastal railway gun battery The attack was part of the plan to deceive the Germans that the forthcoming invasion was to be in this area, and not Normandy. Load: 1x 4000lb ‘Cookie’, 16 or 15x 500lb bombs One other (probably C2 Hordal or R2 Wood) aircraft DNTO due engine trouble

ST MARTIN DE VARREVILLE & CRISBECQ

Plt Off D.R. Harkin

Coastal Batteries (2 targets) Load: Squadron aircraft were split between the two targets – not known fully which was which. Confirmation of target taken from logbook entries. Bombardment of the coastal batteries on the eve of the D-Day invasion of France. Target St Martin de Varreville

VIRE

Plt Off D.R. Harkin

2 Aiming Points: Viaduc de Martilly road/rail bridge (western AP) & marshalling yards Load: 18x 500lb bombs

FLERS

Plt Off D.R. Harkin

Luftwaffe FW-190 fighter airfield Load: 18x 500lb bombs

REVIGNY

Fg Off R.E. Linklater

Target: Marshalling yards. The Deputy Master Bomber instructed aircraft to return to base with bombs (‘Lysol’) as cloud was obscuring the target. SDF were marking the target. Load: 7x 1000lb, 4x500lb bombs. Diverted to Sandtoft due to weather at base.

REVIGNY

Fg Off R.E. Linklater

Target: Marshalling yards. The Master Bomber instructed aircraft to return to base with their bombs due to cloud cover over the target. (‘Sugar Plum’). Load: 7x 1000lb, 4x 500lb bombs.

REVIGNY

Fg Off R.E. Linklater

Target: Marshalling yards. The Master Bomber abandoned the operation due to low cloud and instructed aircraft to return to base with their bombs (‘Sugar Plum’). Load: 7x 1000lb, 4x 500lb bombs. ND994 took off from Elsham Wolds on the night of 14/15 July at 2116. Bad visibility in the target area made it very difficult for the Pathfinders to identify the target visually and, in view of this, the Master Bomber decided to abandon the raid just before the main force of bombers arrived. The bombers flew homewards without dropping their bombs, and at 0224 hours three short bursts of cannon fire from a night fighter were heard by Rene Demongeot, a young Maquisard who was hiding in the woods near Vitry-le-Crois. Roland Jeanovoine, standing outside his farmhouse also heard the cannon fire and saw a huge explosion overhead as NF994 was blown into two pieces. It is believed the Lancaster was downed by the Ju.88 of Luftwaffe ace Oblt. Ernst-Georg Drunkler from 1./NJG5 at 0217. He intercepted the bomber some 5km East of Celles-sur-Ource at 1300m (about 4,250ft). The tail section fell in a grass field near a small road at Loches-sur-Ource, the main part coming down in a corn field several hundred yards away, followed by two large explosions as its bombload detonated. Flight Sergeant McCollum was discovered in the tail section of the Lancaster. Surprisingly there were no signs of obvious external injury with the exception of a large bruise on his left cheek. It was stated that he was still alive for an hour after the crash by Dr Claude Poisson who had been called to the scene. The remains of the other six members of the crew were found in or in the vicinity of the main section of the wreckage. The local French inhabitants buried the crew in the churchyard at Loches-sur-Ource. It was a very moving ceremony attended by all villagers and local dignitaries.

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