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

We had entered the Kammhuber Line when a fighter attacked from below. It surprised us. We didn't see what type it was. He played his Jazz Muisc. Turbulence threw his aim off and we saw the tracers fly by.

A 110 attacked ten minutes later from six low. He also sneaked up on us. Tail Gunner Lewis saw him fire and returned fire immediately. The Jerry fired again, but missed. I was flying evasive action to try to shake him off, but he had us on his radar screen and attacked from seven low, unspotted. He missed and was damaged by Corporal Lewis in the tail. The Me 110 was driven off.

The next fighter attacked over Ludwigshaven. A Ju 88 was spotted by my gunners at six high and they fired. Corporal Lewis reported hits on the Jerry but the pilot was an ace and scored six hits. Corporal Lewis was seriously wounded. Bomb Aimer Peter Reynolds was also wounded in this attack.

We got caught in a search light. A 109 attacked unspotted from nine level. He came around for successive attacks. First from 12 level and again from 10.30 level. That last attack he hit. He killed the radio and wounded Sergeant McDonald.

There were no fighters attacking again until we were over Belgium. A fighter fired from below and disappeared. It turned out to be a Me 110G-4. He attacked again from six low while I was in evasive action. He hit and scored seven hits. He killed my bomb aimer.

Signed,

     Howard Wharton

The first fighter attacking was a 109 over Berlin after the bomb run. It was spotted at 6 hi and shot down by the mid upper gunner. We left Berlin behind us and an 88 was spotted. Both gunners hit, but tail gunner Gibbons claims it a KIA.

10 minutes later we spotted a 217 at 5 level. Tail gunner Gibbons hit it and shot it down. Over the border of the Netherlands we spotted an 88 at 7 high. The gunners fired and seriously damaged it. Over the Netherlands an 88R sneaked up and played his Jazz Music. With seven hits he destroyed the raft, left aileron and damaged the left wing root.

Signed,

     Howard Wharton

75 miles NW Ludwigshaven a fighter, we believe it was a Ju88R sneaked up on us. He fired but the damage was only superficial.

Bomb run was on target.

When we left Ludwigshaven a Me 110 was spotted by Corporal Gibbons. An accurate burst sent the bandit down in flames.

No more action on this mission.

Signed,

     Howard Wharton

Over the border between the Netherlands and Germany a 219 sneaked up on us an fired from below. Corporal Gibbons fired, but missed. The 219 hit several times, but we took only superficial damage.

Bomb run was on target, 50%.

A Ju 88 attacked from 5 high 100 miles from Berlin. It was driven off by corporal Gibbons.

Signed,

     Howard Wharton

Lovely Louise took off again after two months of overhaul, this time the target is Berlin! Flight Sergeant Wharton and crew are eager to fight after their involuntary vacation.

*        *        *        *        *

Tail Gunner Gibbons spotted a 110 attacking us 20 miles NW of the Netherlands. He sent a hail storm of .303 against him. He aimed well and hit its port eninge which burst into flames and we saw the 110 dive away.

Tail Gunner Gibbons spotted another night fighter 125 miles from Berlin over Germany. He fired, but missed. I immediately went into evasive action, but the fighter still hit us several times: Right wing, right wing again, tail, tail, right wing and the tail. His strategy was to fire at the tail turret to knock it out, and he succeeded. Not only did he knock out the tail turret, but also the heat and oxygen. There was an oxygen fire and Tail Gunner Gibbons got busy trying to extinguish it as I went into a steep dive. The Ju 88 came after us, but did not hit us again. He was gone when I leveled out at 10000 feet. Corporal Gibbons extinguished the fire.

Although near the target I decided to abort due to our damage. I also did not want to be hit by falling bombs should I be at 10000 feet over Berlin.

On our route home search lights tried to find us and flak fired at us but we were not hit. No fighters found us either.

Signed,

     Howard Wharton

50 miles north of Brunswick a fighter surprised us. He damaged Louise only slightly.

Flak was light over Berlin and the wanganui was easily spotted. Corporal Green hit the target.

We had just left the Dutch coast behind us when another fighter came from below and surprised us. He missed us, but Tail Gunner Gibbons hit him. We believe it was a Ju 88.

Signed,

     Howard Wharton

Signed,

     Howard Wharton

Signed,

     Howard Wharton

Signed,

     Howard Wharton

Bombs were on target!

We reached England but made  an emergency landing at an airfield south of london.

Signed,

     Howard Wharton

Signed,

     Howard Wharton

Signed,

     Howard Wharton