FEBRUARY 1944
1.2.44        No flying.  Ground training on the 31st January.  In the afternoon F/Sgt Laurie (Aus), who was the rear gunner killed on operations on the 28thJanuary against Berlin, was buried at Cambridge.  His captain,  P/O Van Raalte, together with other officers and aircrew attended the funeral.
2.2.44        Some flying training as scheduled.
3.2.44        Make and mend.  Training in air and on ground as detailed.  Eleven aircraft carried out night cross country and TI demonstration.  Owing to air raid warning some of the aircraft were diverted to other bases.        
4.2.44        Make and mend.  Flying and ground training carried out.  Very strong gale blowing.
5.2.44        Make and mend.  Flying and ground training carried out.  Weather fit.
6.2.44        Training as scheduled.  18 aircraft detailed for Bullseye exercise take-off approx 1700 hours.  This was cancelled due to bad weather conditions.
7.2.44        Stand down for all aircrews.
8.2.44        Day training as scheduled.  15 aircraft carried out night flying Bullseye exercise.
9.2.44        Lecture to aircrews and others by S/L Morris on "Photographic Interpretation of Bomb Damage."        
10.2.44        Ground training and some flying.  Weather not good.
11.2.44        F/Lt Pepper who was missing is now reported back in the United Kingdom.  Crew conference and sports organised in morning.  Lecture in afternoon by F/Lt Durnford on "Evasion and Escape".  6 aircraft carried out night flying cross country training.

12.2.44        Training during day.  21 aircraft detailed for Navigation Night Exercise.  Cancelled due to bad weather.
13.2.44        NFTs.  24 aircraft detailed for operations.  Briefing took place and crews were out at aircraft for early take-off.  Operations cancelled - bad weather forecast.
14.2.44        Some flying training.  Stand down from operations.  Rain.
15.2.44        Flying and ground training as detailed.  24 aircraft detailed for operations.  17 aircraft took off to attack targets in Berlin in 10/10ths cloud tops 5/6000 feet and visibility good over target.  Defences predicted H/F and L/F.  Searchlights ineffective owoing to cloud.  The marking was kept constant and well concentrated, in most cases TIs were lost in cloud.  No results were seen but a good glow reflected on clouds indicated a fairly good concentration and the glow was seen from 30 miles on route home.  P/O McLean and crew failed to return from this operation.  16 photos attempted.  The remaining 7 aircraft attacked Frankfurt-on-Oder about 50 miles away from Berlin.  Weather was 10/10ths cloud tops 5/8000 feet, visibility good.  Negligible H/F and L/F.  Searchlights ineffective, no fighter activity.  The target was well marked by TI green and a concentration of reds was maintained.  A good glow was seen when on route home, otherwise no results were seen owing to cloud.  7 photos attempted.  The raid on Berlin was considered very successful - over 1000 aircraft were employed on the night operations. 

16.2.44        21 aircraft detailed for operations.  Crews were briefed to attack two targets.  Operations were cancelled owing to bad weather.
17.2.44        21 aircraft again detailed, crews briefed.   Operations cancelled - bad weather.
18.2.44        21 aircraft detailed, crews briefed.  Operations cancelled - bad weather.  Message received from the AOC-in-C Bomber Command conveying appreciation and thanks to all concerned, concerning the high serviceability of aircraft fro the month of January.  Returns show, according to 8 Group monthly summary that 97 Squadron never had less than 7 aircraft per flight available for operations for the month.  Also that the Squadron won all honours for Radar serviceability on heavy bomber Squadrons and enhanced their already consistently good record.  Congratulations have been conveyed to all ground personnel concerned.  See the attached Squadron Detail Serial No 15.
19.2.44        20 aircraft attacked Leipzig returning to base about 0630 hours.  One aircraft returned early however, owing to the heating for the rear gunner being u/s.  The remainder attacked from 19/22,000 feet in fair visibility above 10/10ths cloud tops 5/6000 feet.  Defences, slight H/F.  Searchlights ineffective in thick cloud.  Fighters were active during whole trip in to target area and over target.  19 photos were attempted.  The attack opened at 0354 hours followed by reds at 0354.05 hours with Wanganui flares.  From thence the target was kept well marked with red TIs and Wanganui flares in good concentration until 0408 hours, when there appeared to be a gap in marking.  At 0411 hours a Wanganui flare dropped and was quickly backed up, a further concentration being achieved until the attack ceased.  Owing to cloud no results of bombing were seen and no glow of fires was seen owing to searchlight glow.  It is considered that the attack will prove to be generally good.  All aircraft returned safely to base.  On aircraft bursts a tyre in landing.  Reports show that a total of over 70 aircraft were lost on this raid, over 800 aircraft being detailed for the raid.
20/21.2.44        Crews resting today.  21 aircraft have again been detailed for operations with briefing for aircrews at 1700 hours.  21 aircraft took off to attack Stuttgart.  2 aircraft returned early due to technical failures.  The remaining 19 aircraft carried on to raid the target in 4-6/10ths cloud tops thin layer 15,000 feet, visibility good.  Defences moderate H/F barrage.  No searchlights.  Fighter activity seemed reduced.  18 photos attempted.  The attack opened early and all supporters were on time.  Red TIs were seen at 0356 hours with Wanganui flares and the first green at 0358 hours.  Marking from that time was fairly regular and the target was kept marked throughout the attack, a good concentration was maintained.  Bomb bursts were seen in town but some incendiaries were wide and overshot.  An explosion, orange in colour, was seen in NW part of town at 0404 hours. And large fires were seen embracing whole streets in NW part of town.  Smoke rose to over 15,000' and fires were seen by some crews of returning aircraft from 130 miles on route home.  Generally marking was good and the attack is considered to have been successful.  F/Lt R.S.Emerson and crew crashed on approaching to land on the runway - there were no survivors.  The aircraft had circled and been in touch with Control by R/T.  The captain stated that they were in difficulty, having collided over the target with another aircraft.  The aircraft was considerably damaged which no doubt was the cause of the aircraft diving into the ground some 300 yards short of the runway.  The aircraft was burnt and wreckage strewn about - seven bodies taken to SSQ Bourn.   

22.2.44        Crews resting during morning.  21 aircraft detailed and briefed for operations and cancelled just before take-off due to bad weather reports.
23.2.44        Flying and ground training carried out - stand down for op crews in afternoon.
24.2.44        Flying training etc carried out as per schedule.  In the morning the funeral took place at Cambridge Cemetery at 1100 hours, of those killed in the crash.  The following were buried :- F/L R.S.Emerson, P/O I.Worth (Aus) Nav, P/O J.A.Bartholomew A/B, W/O R.Dickie W/Op (Can), F/Sgt G.W.Wood A/G, F/Sgt J.Newell F/E.  Relatives of those living in this country attended.  The Flight Commander, Adjutant and 20 officers and NCO aircrew were also in attendance.  F/Sgt W.Duncan A/G was conveyed to be buried at his home town in Ireland.
21 Lancasters have been detailed to attack Schweinfurt in two waves, take off being approx 1900 hours and 2100 hours.  10 aircraft attacked in the first wave in clear sky, visibility good.  Defences moderate H/F barrage bursting 22,000'.  Searchlights numerous.  Fighters very active from French coast to Stuttgart where many flares were seen.  9 photos attempted.  At 2258 hours red TIs and green TIs were seen during the first few minutes the target was well covered with markers, flares being kept constantly marked throughout the attack.  The town and river were identified by most crews.  Incendiaries were well scattered over the town and fires commenced in the NE and appeared to draw back until most of the town was covered.  Smoke was in two columns and obliterated the fires when crews were 80 miles away on route home.  F/O D.R.Smith and crew failed to return.  In the 2nd wave, 9 aircraft attacked Schweinfurt.  1 aircraft was withdrawn and one aircraft returned early, W/T and R/T u/s.  The attack was made in clear sky and good visibility.  Defences moderate H/F barrage - fighter activity considerably reduced and negligible.  Fires were seen on approach to target from 150 miles away.  Green TIs were seen first at 0103 hours and red TIs at 0115 hours.  Many incendiaries carpeted the area and the glow made it difficult to see individual TIs go down.  An orange explosion was reported at 0108 hours and another at 0109.30 NE of the town.  Generally concentration was good and fires could be seen by returning aircraft from 120-150 miles on route  home.  All these aircraft returned safely to base.  9 photos attempted.   

25.2.44        21 aircraft have again been detailed for operations, crews have been briefed to attack in two waves.  1st wave - 1 aircraft returned early  S/I u/s.  The remaining 12 aircraft attacked Augsburg in clear sky and good visibility from 10,500 - 19,000 feet.  Defences slight to moderate H/F.  Many searchlights ineffective around target.  Fighters negligible although flares were plentiful directly after attack.  The first green TI was seen at 22.38 hours and immediately afterwards others followed there being a good concentration of TI greens and TI reds in the first two minutes.  Marking was good and maintained throughout the attack and bomb bursts and incendiaries were seen in the area of markers.  Some bombing was seen in the north corner of the town and most was generally to be seen in the built up area.  The attack was generally considered to be good.
2nd wave - 1 aircraft was withdrawn - technical failures - 1 aircraft returned early due to electrical failure, the remaining 6 aircraft attacked Augsburg from 14,500/19,500' in clear sky and good visibility.  Defences were mod/slight H/F bursting high.  Searchlights ineffective but numerous.  Fighter activity negligible.  6 photos attempted.  Fires resulting from the earlier attack were seen to be burning when first aircraft arrived.  TI greens were seen and quickly backed up by the VBUs and the target was kept well marked.  Main force aircraft arrived early and bombed before time.  The main force of the attack appeared to be a little to NE.  A good fire appeared to be burning covering a large area in center of town and some scattered to north from earlier attack.  18 Lancasters attacked and returned safely to base.

This attack on Augsburg is the first by night since the famous daylight attack on the factory on the 17th April 1942 by 97 Squadron led by S/L Sherwood DFC who is now a prisoner of war.  The American Air Force attacked the same targets in daylight yesterday in large force.

26.2.44        Stand down from operations.

27.2.44        Stand down from operations.
28.2.44        Training carried out as scheduled.  21 Lancasters have been detailed for operations, also one night cross country.  All this was cancelled later in the evening after briefing.  Weather stormy and some snow.

29.2.44        Flying and ground training carried out.

Operational Flying hours for February 1944 - 653.20 hours
Total non-operational hours - 424.10
Total bomb load dropped - 47.34 tons
Sorties carried out during month - 105
Total number of sorties since 28.2.41 - 2639.

Battle of Berlin - November 1943-March 1944