First night fighter appeared over the border between the Netherlands and Germany. A Ju 88 was spotted by Tail Gunner. He fired, missed and I went into evasive action, but was hit. Mid Upper Gunner was wounded. The night fighter hit the right wing outboard tank which caused a leak. Had to abort and return to England. This fighter continued his attack but I think he missed due to the evasive action.

Landed on fumes at an emergency air field near the coast. Lovely Louise will be repaired and we’ll return to 314 Squadron.

Signed,

     Howard Wharton

The night was all black and quiet until we were 25 miles North east of Essen. Tail Gunner Hartford spotted a Me 110 trying to sneak up on us from 6 low. With an accurate burst of fire, he damaged it seriously. We saw a fighter go down with an engine on fire and Corp Hartford claims it as KIA.

We reached Leipzig and a Do 217 was spotted at 7 level! Corp Hartford was really alert on this mission. He called “Bandit! 7 level!“”and fired and hit that bandit really hard too! We saw this one too go down on fire.

Then a single engined fighter attacked from 12 level. He must have seen our bomber against the fires and lights below. He disappeared as quickly as he had come.

We left Leipzig behind us and another Do 217 attacked 30 miles west of the city. Corporal Hartford spotted him at 6 low. I went into evasive action and his tracers went by Lovely Louise without doing any harm. I was flying evasive action to try to shake him off, but he fired suddenly from 7 level. The left wing was hit and Corp Hartford sent a hail of bullets in his direction. He missed and the Dornier fired again. His aim was off and he disappeared.

80 miles later a Ju 88 was spotted at 6 low. Corporal Hartford fired. This time he hit the Ju 88 and damaged it. It came around for a second attack. Must have had us on the radar. He was spotted at 5 level. Hartford called “Corkscrew starboard!“ The manoeuvre worked, but only after he had fired once again. He wounded both the mid upper gunner and tail gunner.

There was no more action on this mission.

Signed,

     Howard Wharton

On the route out when we neared the Dutch coast, a Me 110 sneaked up unspotted from underneath us and played his Jazz Music. He hit the left wing and bomb bay, but we took only superficial damage. He attacked again. He found us even though I was flying evasive action. This time he attacked from 7 low and fired his machine guns and cannons and scored nine hits on Lovely Louise. Tail Gunner William Hartford was killed and the heat was knocked out in the waist and nose. We couldn’t fire at this guy and he fired again before disappearing, after his rear gunner fired a burst. He hit the right wing and destroyed the aileron. He must have lost us on his radar.

Bomb Aimer Peter Reynolds moved to the heat in the Tail, but Mid Upper Gunner Thompson stayed at his station. Heat out in two compartments and the bomb release controls damaged and 300 miles to Berlin... It was a long way to go. I decided to go to 10000 feet and return to base.

Signed,

     Howard Wharton