Operational Flights by S/Ldr R.A. Swartz
Upon completion of training, a young Flying Officer Swartz was assigned to 405 Squadron of Number 8 Group, Bomber Command. His first operational tour began 27 October 1942, with a (not romantic at all) visit to Paris, France.
Mission
Number
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
Date
27 October 1942
20 December 1942
24 December 1942
29 December 1942
2 January 1943
3 January 1943
6 January 1943
20 January 1943
21 January 1943
27 January 1943
28 January 1943
15 February 1943
25 February 1943
2 March 1943
15 March 1943
18 March 1943
22 March 1943
24 March 1943
30 March 1943
18 April 1943
20 April 1943
24 April 1943
27 April 1943
8 May 1943
10 May 1943
10 May 1943
19 May 1943
22 May 1943
27 May 1943
28 May 1943
11 June
12 June
14 June
15 June
24 June
28 June 1944
2 July 1944
7 July 1944
10 July1944
12 July 1944
18 July 1944
8 August 1944
12 August 1944
14 August 1944
16 August 1944
18 August 1944
25 August 1944
26 August 1944
1 September 1944
5 September 1944
6 September 1944
8 September 1944
Target
Paris
Frankfurt
Berlin
Berlin
Berlin
Berlin
Stettin
Berlin
Magdeburg
Berlin
Berlin
Frankfurt-On-Oder
Augsburg
Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Frankfurt
Frankfurt
Berlin
Nurnberg
Tergnier
Lens
Karlsruhe
Friedichshafen
Haine Ste. Pierre
Ghent
Boulogne
Le Mans
Le Mans
Rennes
Dunkirk (Mardyck)
Tours
Amiens
Cambrai
Lens
Middlestraete
Metz
Oisement
Caen
Nucort
Paris
Cagny
Lucheux
Russelsheim
Quensay
Kiel
Bremen
Russelsheim
Kiel
La Pourchinte
Le Havre
Le Havre
Le Havre
Flying Time
( Hours.Minutes )
4.10
5.40
7.30
6.15
7.05
6.30
8.30
6.25
7.15
7.45
7.00
7.05
6.55
6.40
6.55
4.35
5.20
6.50
6.50
3.00
3.00
5.45
7.00
2.35
2.35
2.15
4.00
3.30
3.40
1.40
4.55
2.40
2.45
2.40
1.50
5.05
2.15
2.45
2.40
3.10
2.40
2.45
4.40
2.35
5.20
4.50
6.40
5.50
2.15
2.15
2.20
Cumulative
Flying Time
( Hours.Minutes )
4.10
9.50
17.20
23.35
30.40
37.10
45.40
52.05
59.20
67.05
74.05
81.10
88.05
94.45
101.40
106.15
111.35
118.25
125.15
128.15
131.15
137.00
144.00
146.35
149.10
151.25
155.25
158.55
162.35
164.15
169.10
171.50
174.35
177.15
179.05
184.10
186.25
189.10
191.50
195.00
197.40
200.25
205.05
207.40
213.00
217.50
224.30
230.20
232.35
234.50
237.10
Notes
Nickel Raid
Berlin Spoof
96 A/C lost1
Day Raid
Day Raid
Day Raid
Day Raid
Day Raid
Day Raid
Day Raid - PFF Master
Day Raid - Deputy Master
Day Raid - PFF Master
Day Raid - PFF Master
1 - The raid on Berlin on the night of 24/25 March 1943 saw the heaviest losses of the entire war for the RCAF, 96 aircraft with over 700 men were shot down on just one night.
First Operational Tour ends - Advanced training precedes the commencement of his second Operational Tour.
On 8 September 1944 (S./Ldr Swartz's 28th birthday, his Lancaster was shot down over the coast of occupied France. The entire crew, with the exception of the tail-gunner, evaded capture and returned to their home base at Gransden Lodge, Bedfordshire. This ended his second and final Operational tour.
