F/O Gerald Conroy, 429 sqn, Berlin raid - 24 Mar 44

Flying Officer gerald Conroy, y wife's uncle served with 429 and was shot down after the Berlin raid on 24 Mar 44

 

my wife's uncle, Flying Officer Gerald Conroy was with 429 sqn

was shot down after Berlin raid of 24 Mar 44

seeking all inflo including bomber routes from raf leeming on 24 mar 44, cheers from canada

 

Alex welcome to the forum

post any more info/photos you have on him I'm sure forum members will be able to assist.

 

Welcome on the forum Dale!

 

Hi Alex,
Will get back to you later with some info.
Cheers..........Alan.

 

Sadly F/O. Conroy was the only crew member to lose his life in this aircraft loss.....

24-25 March 1944

429 squadron
Halifax III LV914 AL-V
Op. Berlin

The aircraft took off from Leeming at 1859 hr. F/O. Conroy remained at the controls in order that his crew could bale out. he had only recently returned to operational flying following a successful evasion in the wake of the Dusseldorf raid on 11-12 June 1943*. By a quirk of fate, on that occasion he had been the sole survivor.

Crew

F/O. R F. Conroy RCAF +
F/L. G W. McIntyre RCAF pow
S/L. J W. Bell RCAF pow
Wo2. O D. Mcean RCAF pow
F/L. A P. Smith RCAF pow
Sgt. L C P. Spencer RCAF pow
Sgt. G. Wilton

'Bomber Command Losses' Vol.5 - W R. Chorley.

The Berlin raid of 24/25 March 1944

811 aircraft - 577 Lancasters, 216 Halifaxes, 18 Mosquitos - to Berlin. 72 aircraft - 44 Lancasters, 28 Halifaxes - lost, 8.9 per cent of the force.
This night became known in Bomber Command as 'the night of the strong winds'. A powerful wind from the north carried the bombers south at every stage of the flight. Not only was this wind not forecast accurately but it was so strong that the various methods available to warn crews of wind changes during the flight failed to detect the full strength of it. The bomber stream became very scattered, particularly on the homeward flight and radar-predicted flak batteries at many places were able to score successes. Part of the bomber force even strayed over the Ruhr defences on the return flight. It is believed that approximately 50 of the 72 aircraft lost were destroyed by flak; most of the remainder were victims of night fighters. Needless to say, the strong winds severely affected the marking with, unusually, markers being carried beyond the target and well out to the south-west of the city.
This was the last major RAF raid on Berlin during the war, although the city would be bombed many times by small forces of Mosquitos.


'The Bomber Command War Diaries' - Middlebrook/Everitt


..........................................................

*11-12 June 1943

429 squadron
Wellington X HE593 AL-
Op. Dusseldorf

The aircraft took off from East Moor at 2300 hrs. Out bound, and while climbing towards 19,000 feet, the wellington was shot down by a night-fighter.

Crew.

F/S. R F. Conroy RCAF. Evaded - Crossed into Spain with F/O. T W. Simpson RCAF J12681 (405 Squadron) - arrived UK 2/10/43
Sgt. G A. Leitch RCAF +
P/. G R. Densmore RCAF +
F/S. G A. Nelson RCAF +
Sgt. J. Burns RCAF +

'Bomber Command Losses' Vol.4 - W R. Chorley.
'RAF Evaders' - O. Clutton-Brock

Hope this is a help.

 

From Geoff's search engine.

Name:CONROY, ROBERT FITZGERALDInitials:R FNationality:CanadianRank:Flying Officer (Pilot)Regiment/Service:Royal Canadian Air ForceUnit Text:429 Sqdn.Date of Death:24/03/1944Service No:J/17939Additional information:Son of William D. Conroy and Bertha E. Conroy, of Middle Stewiacke, of Colchester Co., Nova Scotia, Canada.Casualty Type:Commonwealth War DeadGrave/Memorial Reference:4. Z. 1.Cemetery:BERLIN 1939-1945 WAR CEMETERY


Please let me know if you require a photo of this Gravestone and I will oblige.


Regards
Tom

 

Alex,
The main force crossed the Danish coast North of Sylt, then on to Wustrow over on the Baltic coast, then turning near Perenslau and approaching Berlin from the North East. Details from Bombers over Berlin (Cooper)

 

Bomber Command No 4 Group and No 6 Group (RCAF) both based on Yorkshire
airfields would use defined coastal crossings for which the discipline developed to match the requirements of the later bomber stream tactic.For Baltic and Berlin targets,the squadrons would use Flamborough Head or the Humber depending on their location.(RCAF airfields were in the north of Yorkshire) Other exits used, say for the raids on the Ruhr and further south in Germany such as Nuremburg,the crossings would be Cromer in Norfolk (slightly overflying the Wash) and Southwold in Suffolk.No1 and No 5 Groups based in Lincolnshire would use the Mablethorpe coastal crossing for Baltic and Berlin targets.(Berlin 650 miles away as the crow flies)

So the route for No 6 Group (RCAF) would be leaving by Flamborough Head, picking up the heading as outlined by Alan W and approaching the target over the Baltic.Some routes were taken over Denmark to avoid the intensity of the Kammhuber Line radar system night fighter defence "boxes" but by September 1942,the Kammhuber Line had been extended from the south of Paris to the northern tip of Denmark.

Using Denmark,to and fro, was not in the end the easy option for German night fighter defences had more than moderate successes and this is reflected by the many airmen who lie in Danish graveyards.However this route did give the option of an easy divert to Sweden if a operational emergency occurred on the outbound or homebound legs.

 

Just to confirm what Harry has posted. From the map, it looks as if Flamborough Head was used for forming up for the Main force and Pathfinders, after which, the PFF took a different route to target.

 

If you havent already done so please contact 429 'Bison' Squadron Association 429 (T) Squadron, 8 Wing Trenton, Box 1000, Stn Forces, Astra, ON, K0K 1B0: or Greg Kopchuk, 13216 - 116th Street, Edmonton, AB T5E 5H7 : gkopchuk AT yahoo.com
site http://www.airforce.forces.ca/8wing/squadrpn/429_e.cfm

 

Here are a couple of photographs of the Grave Headstone in Berlin CWGC on Heerstrasse.

I took them on my way to the RBL yesterday evening and the light was not the best.

The first is with flash and the second is without flash.

If you require a better quality photograph I can send one by email, in which case send me a Private Message (PM).

Regards
Tom

 

I realize this post is 10 years old but it came up when I was searching my Uncle Gerald's name. My father was his youngest brother, Donald Elwood Conroy