Squadron 78, Group 4

[JBissonnette]

I am looking for any photos and information on the following crew.

Squadron 78, Group 4, stationed at RAF Middleton St George between June 10, 1942 - July 26, 1942 and before that possibly at RAF Croft.
Halifax II W1184, departed 22:53 July 26, 1942 from RAF Middleton St George on a mission to Hamburg, failed to return from operation. Allegedly shot down over River Elbe in Germany.

-Sgt. Guy Andre Rene Bissonnette, Canadian, Air Gunner (particularly interested in this one). Received "Wings" in Canada April 1942 and shipped out shortly thereafter, so he may have started out at RAF Croft or possibly went directly to RAF Middleton St George.
-Charles Mitchener F/O
-Sgt. William Kenneth Daniel, WOp/AG
-Sgt. Lionel George Dowling, Air Gunner
-Sgt. David Horgan, WOp/AG
-Sgt. Ernest Arthur Tweedale, Flight Engineer
-Walter John, Observer

Thank you

[Temujin]

We’ll try and find you as much as we can. Some of the info may be a repeat of info you already have, but we’ll still post everything.

First a link to more info on him, and his crew mates

https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/202296/

Just to let you know, we have a resident expert on 78 Squadron, I’ve contacted him via this site and hopefully he can come on and give you a lot more information. His site name is 78SqnHistory

[Temujin]

https://caspir.warplane.com/pdoc/pn/600001540/

IMG_0439.jpeg (353.82 KiB) Viewed 15349 times

[Temujin]

IMG_0440.jpeg (424.45 KiB) Viewed 15335 times

IMG_0441.jpeg (241.73 KiB) Viewed 15335 times

[Temujin]

More records

These seem to indicate he went from 3 PRC to 78 Squadron, and one record mentions an “Air Battle”

Also, they tell us he arrived in England on the 12 May 1943, on Ship No. E.480. I have all the maritime convoy records so I might be able to find his name and the name of the ship he was on.

IMG_0442.jpeg (1.09 MiB) Viewed 15322 times

IMG_0443.jpeg (2.48 MiB) Viewed 15322 times

IMG_0444.jpeg (3.59 MiB) Viewed 15322 times

[Temujin]

Found his records on E.480, which was the SS Batory. Also I’ve included a photo of the Batory

IMG_0445.jpeg (1015.32 KiB) Viewed 15322 times

IMG_0446.jpeg (1.11 MiB) Viewed 15322 times

IMG_0447.jpeg (582.07 KiB) Viewed 15322 times

IMG_0448.jpeg (368.39 KiB) Viewed 15322 times

[Temujin]

IMG_0449.jpeg (40.13 KiB) Viewed 15322 times

IMG_0450.jpeg (324.46 KiB) Viewed 15322 times

IMG_0451.jpeg (216.48 KiB) Viewed 15322 times

[Temujin]

78 Squadron Operation Record books and Summary of Events (sorry, the summary is very hard to read)

IMG_0454.jpeg (498.28 KiB) Viewed 15312 times

IMG_0452.jpeg (793.65 KiB) Viewed 15312 times

[Temujin]

I check thru the Squadron records and I believe he only flew on 2 missions with 78 Squadron before his loss. I believe he arrived at the Squadron in Jun 1942.

Records below:

IMG_0457.jpeg (308.98 KiB) Viewed 15292 times

IMG_0456.jpeg (500.31 KiB) Viewed 15292 times

[78SqnHistory]

I have spoken to the original poster about her relative and this crew (via a different forum). For completeness the crew were lost of their third operation. They are believed to have fallen victim to Ofw. Hans Berschwinger of 4/NJG2 who claimed a Halifax bomber at 0204 hours over the sea, 20km north of WANGEROOGE. Marine Flak Ant 232, Battery Friedrich August also reported seeing an aircraft explode in mid air and the wreckage was burning on the sea with 6 parachutes nearby. There were no survivors and all are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.

The photos posted by Temujin are I believe from a collection now held by the IBCC at Lincoln. They are not of 78 Squadron aircraft but in fact are primarily of 76 Squadron where the photographer was part of 76 Squadron photographic section. Sadly I have not been able to find a photograph of this particular crew.

Kind regards

Daz