Old Sweat said:
While Bomber Command aircaft dropped some bombs on the FMR during the Totalize Phase 1 bombing between 2300 and 2340 hours on 7 August 1944, this did not unduly hamper the operation.
11 Lancasters were lost:
ND460
7 Squadron
MG-W
Airborne 2208 7Aug44 from Oakington tasked to bomb enemy strong points. Crashed near Bolbec (Seine-Maritime), an industrial town on the le Havre to amiens road. All are buried in Bolbes Communal Cemetery, close to the graves of two english soldiers killed in May40. Both W/O McGrevy and w/O Aspey had flown with 149 Squadron and their awards were published 16May44. F/O Horsborough gained his DFM, Gazetted 12Mar43, while serving with 40 Squadron. F/O L.Kidd RAAF KIA W/O D.McGrevy DFM KIA P/O P.A.Ingrey MiD KIA P/O S.McNabney KIA W/O J.F.Forbes KIA F/S R.G.Law KIA F/O G.Horsborough DFM KIA W/O W.Aspey DFM KIA "
http://www.francecrashes39-45.net/page_fiche_av.php?id=1183
LL922
50 Squadron
VN-E
Airborne 2118 7Aug44 from Skellingthorpe to bomb an enemy strong point in the Normandy Battle Area. Crashed at la Frenaye in the Department of Seine-Maritime, 3 km ENE of Lillebonne. Those killed are buried in la Frenaye Churchyard. F/L Palandri KIA Sgt J.B.Firth Pow F/S R.J.Owen KIA F/L E.H.E.Hearn Evd Sgt A.D.Mellish KIA Sgt W.Johnson Evd F/S A.R.Meredith RCAF Evd Ssgt J.B.Firth was interned in Camp L7, PoW No.86332. "
http://www.francecrashes39-45.net/page_fiche_av.php?id=1175
LM292
103 Squadron
PM-?
Airborne 2118 7aug44 from Elsham wolds to attack a strong point at Fontenay-le-Marmion. Homebound when an engine took fire. Control soon became difficult and the Lancaster was partially abandoned, with the skipper and engineer remaining in position to hold the aircraft as steady as possible to allow the other five crew-men to bale out before crashing at Lenton, 7 miles SE of Grantham in Lincolnshire. Sgt Corless is commemorated on Panel 227 of the Runnymede memorial, F/O Brown is buried in Harrogate (Stonefall) Cemetery. F/O G.C.Brown RCAF KIA Sgt J.Corless KIA Sgt B.M.Sandberg RCAF F/O R.Robinson RCAF F/S S.Porter RCAF Sgt G.R.Vickery Sgt W.G.Hurley "
NN700
15 Squadron
LS-Q
Airborne 2147 7Aug44 to attack the German strong-point at Rocquecourt in the Normandy Battle area. Crashed in the English Channel. Six are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial, but F/O Leah is buried in Walsden (St Peter) Church at Todmorden, Yorkshire. At 37 Sgt Barkshire was well above he average age for Bomber command aircrew. F/L J.P.Ball KIA Sgt D.R.Ward KIA F/O E.Leah KIA F/O B.H.Wrenshall RCAF KIA F/O G.W.Bovett KIA Sgt A.L.Barkshire KIA Sgt G.Morrison KIA "
LM262
630 Squadron
LE-G
Airborne 2105 7Aug44 from East Kirkby to bomb an enemy strong point. Three of those killed are buried in St-Valery-en-Caux Cemetery, while Sgt Hewitt is buried in St-Desir War Cemetery. F/S Patterson came from Levuka on Fiji. F/S G.V.B.Patterson RNZAF KIA Sgt R.A.White PoW F/O A.A.Thomas RNZAF PoW Sgt L.B.Hewitt KIA Sgt T.H.East Evd Sgt E.N.Watson KIA Sgt D.wilkinson KIA F/O A.A.Thomas was interned in Camp L3, PoW No.8600. Sgt R.A.White in Camp L7, PoW No.645. "
http://www.francecrashes39-45.net/page_fiche_av.php?id=1468
KB755
419 Squadron 419
VR-F
Airborne 2122 7Aug44 from Middleton St.George to attack an enemy strong-point in tactical support of the Normandy Bridgehead. Crashed at auberville-la-renauly (Seine-Maritime) apx. 10 km S of Fecamp. all are buried in the churchyard at Auberville-la-Renault. F/O B.D.Walker AFM RCAF KIA Sgt B.Jones KIA WO2 J.C.Durrant RCAF KIA F/O P.W.Merrick RCAF KIA WO1 J.A.R.Schryer RCAF KIA Sgt W.Longmore KIA F/L M.G.Wilson RCAF KIA "
http://www.francecrashes39-45.net/page_fiche_av.php?id=630
LM641
106 Squadron
ZN-D
Airborne 2130 7Aug44 from Metheringham to bomb an enemy strongpoint in tactical support of the Normandy Battle area. Crashed at Quetteville (Calvados), 23 km NNE of Lisieux. The two killed are buried in Quetteville Communal Cemetery. F/O G.O.Rabone RNZAF Evd Sgt K.Buck PoW F/O A.A.Dilworth RCAF Evd F/O S.R.Bjarnason RCAF Evd F/O J.Taylor RNZAF KIA F/S J.W.MacNicol RCAF Evd Sgt F.G.Ralph KIA Sgt K.Buck was interned in Camp L3. PoW No.70446. "
http://www.francecrashes39-45.net/page_fiche_av.php?id=1024
ND817
582 Squadron
60-S
Airborne 2211 7Aug44 from Little Staughton to bomb a strong point in the Normandy Battle Area. Came down at St-Vigor-d'Ymonville (Seine-Maritime) on the N bank of the Seine and roughly 12 km E of le Havre. Those killed are buried in the local churchyard at St- Vigor-d'Ymonville. F/O Blaydon had previously served with No.9 Sqdn, his DFM having been Gazetted 11Aug42. He had survived being shot down and Interned and escaping two years previously. See R1244 S/L R.Wareing PoW W/O J.Tourans Evd F/L A.F.Hill Evd F/L R.V.King RAAF PoW W/O E.J.Hawker KIA F/O R.W.Blaydon DFM KIA F/S R.G.Campbell KIA W/O W.Gaughran KIA F/L R.V.King was interned in Camp L1, PoW No.5466 with S/L R.Wareing. No PoW No. "
http://www.francecrashes39-45.net/page_fiche_av.php?id=1167
HK567
75 Squadron 75
AA-C
Airborne 2202 7Jul44 to bomb a strong point in the F_ret de Lucheux in the Normandy Battle area in support of the ground troops. Crashed in the target area. Both dead Air Gunners, 19 years of age, are buried in St-Valery-en-Caux Cemetery. F/O G.A.Brunton Evd Sgt K.B.Board Evd F/O J.S.Wilkinson RNZAF Evd F/O B.C.Baker RNZAF PoW F/O J.McG Elliotte RNZAF Evd Sgt T.J.Hall KIA Sgt E.J.Hayler KIA F/O B.C.Baker initially evaded but was captured at Pont l'Eveque 18Aug44 and interned in Camps 12A/L1. PoW No.86437. "
http://www.francecrashes39-45.net/page_fiche_av.php?id=1466
LM111
90 Squadron
WP-G
Airborne 2135 7Aug44 from Tuddenham to bomb a strong point in the Normandy Battle Zone. Hit by Flak and crashed at Clarbec (Calvados), 13 Km NNW of Lisieux. F/L French is buried in the churchyard at Clarbec. F/L L.A.French KIA Sgt W.J.Henderson Evd F/O G.L.Smith Evd F/O D.Reid RCAF PoW Sgt D.B.Cassell PoW F/S H.M.Kiddie RCAF Evd. Sgt C.Gold Evd. Sgt D.B.Cassell was interned in Camp L7. PoW No.86320. F/O D.Reid in Camp L1, PoW No.85894. "
http://www.francecrashes39-45.net/page_fiche_av.php?id=1467
LM164
90 Squadron
WP-V
Airborne 2155 7Aug44 from Tuddenham to bomb an enemy strong-point in the Normandy Battle Zone. Lost without trace. All are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. F/O A.C.Brooks KIA Sgt J.C.Wiggin KIA Sgt H.P.Tomlinson KIA F/O F.C.Riley KIA F/S E.J.Ryan RAAF KIA Sgt J.T.Barber KIA Sgt T.D.S.Cairns KIA
Old Sweat said:
On 14 August 1944 811 aircraft were despatched against seven targets, all within 2000 yards of friendly forces.
" 805 aircraft - 411 Lancasters, 352 Halifaxes, 42 Mosquitos - to attack 7 German troop positions facing the 3rd Canadian Division, which was advancing on Falaise. 2 Lancasters lost.
A careful plan was prepared with Oboe and visual marking, and with a Master Bomber and a deputy at each of the 7 targets. Most of the bombing was accurate and effective but, about half-way through the raids, some aircraft started to bomb a large quarry in which parts of the 12th Canadian Field Regiment were positioned. This mistake may have been caused by the yellow identification flares which were ignited by the Canadians. It was unfortunate that the target indicators being used by the Pathfinders were also yellow. Bomber Command crews claimed that the Canadians used the yellow flares before any bombs fell in the quarry; the history of the Canadian units says the bombs fell first. The Master Bombers tried hard to stop further crews bombing in the wrong area but approximately 70 aircraft bombed the quarry and other nearby Allied positions over a 70-minute period. The Canadians took shelter in their slit trenches and most emerged unscathed though shaken, but 13 men were killed and 53 were injured and a large number of vehicles and guns were hit. This was believed to have been the first occasion on which Bomber Command aircraft had hit friendly troops during the Battle of Normandy.
The Canadian artillery regiment was machine-gunned by RAF Spitfires and USAAF Mustangs the following day! "
Details of the Canadian side of the bombing come from Into Action with the 12th Field by Captain TJ Bell (published privately in Canada} and from the personal reminiscences of former Lance-Corporal George R Carter of the 12th Canadian Field Regiment. George Carter's brother, Flying Officer Roy E Carter of No 431 Squadron, was a Bomber Command navigator whose Halifax had been shot down over Holland on the Sterkrade raid of 16/17 June 1944. Roy Carter baled out successfully but, while he was being hidden by Dutch civilians in a house at Tilburg, he was discovered by Germans on 8 July and shot, together with a Pathfinder pilot and an Australian airman. The bloodstained Dutch flag which covered the bodies after their death was brought to England in 1983 and placed in the No 83 Squadron Memorial Chapel in Coningsby parish church.
2 Lancasters were lost:
ND613
103 Squadron
PM-R
Airborne 1318 14Aug44 from Elsham Wolds to bomb a strong point in the Normandy Battle Area. Cause of loss not established. Crashed in the target area. Those killed are buried in Banneville la Campagne War cemetery. F/L J.P.D.Bartleet KIA Sgt C.Barnes KIA Sgt D.S.Armstrong KIA F/S D.MacTaggart PoW Sgt F.L.James KIA Sgt K.Chiles KIA Sgt W.K.Jones KIA F/S D.MacTaggart was interned in Camp L7, PoW No.789. "
DV278
300 Squadron
BH-A
Airborne 1331 14Aug44 from Faldingworth to attack an AP at Falaise where german armour was falling back towards the Seine. Hit by Flak and crashed at Pont d'Ouilly (Calvados), a small village roughly 15 km WSW of Falaise. all are buried in the Polish Cemetery at Grainville Langannerie. F/L L.Rebinsk PAF KIA Sgt S.Bujnowski PAF KIA F/S Z.Migaszewski PAF KIA F/L H.Trawinski PAF KIA Sgt F.Wojtulewicz PAF KIA P/O S.Czabanski PAF KIA Sgt S.Grabowski PAF KIA "
http://www.aerosteles.net/fiche.php?code=pontdouilly-lancpolonais&lang=en