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F/L Howard A F Smith RAFVR and crew – 576 Sqn - RAF Elsham Wolds – 1944.
Failed to Return – 28/29th July 1944 – Lancaster III – PB128 – Op Stuttgart
Howard Smith and his crew were posted to 576 Squadron from 11 Base in May 1944. Smith flew his first operation as second pilot with the crew of F/L G A J Wood and crew to Aachen on the 27/28th May 1944 in ND903. He then flew his first operation with his own crew on the night of the 17/18th April 1944 to Aulnoye and successfully completed 22 operations being lost on his 23rd. Tour details below :-
02/06/1944 – Calais – LM122 – F/O HAF Smith
03/06/1944 – Wimereux – LM532 – F/O HAF Smith
05/06/1944 - St Martin-de-Varreville/Crisbeq – LM122 – F/O HAF Smith
06/06/1944 – Vire – LM122 – F/O HAF Smith
09/06/1944 – Flers – PB128 – F/O HAF Smith
12/06/1944 – Gelsenkirchen – PB128 – F/O HAF Smith
14/06/1944 - Le Havre – PB128 – F/O HAF Smith
16/06/1944 – Sterkrade – PB128 – F/O HAF Smith
17/06/1944 – Aulnoye – PB128 – F/O HAF Smith
22/06/1944 – Mimoyecques – PB128 – F/O HAF Smith
23/06/1944 – Saintes – PB128 – F/O HAF Smith
27/06/1944 - Chateau Benapre – PB128 – F/O HAF Smith
29/06/1944 – Domleger – PB128 – F/O HAF Smith
30/06/1944 - Oisemont Neuville Au Bois – PB128 – F/O HAF Smith
02/07/1944 – Domleger – PB128 – F/L HAF Smith
04/07/1944 – Orleans – PB128 - F/L HAF Smith
05/07/1944 – Dijon – PB128 – F/L HAF Smith
07/07/1944 – Caen – PB128 – F/L HAF Smith
18/07/1944 - Scholven Buer – PB128 – F/L HAF Smith
20/07/1944 – Wizernes – PB128 – F/L HAF Smith
23/07/1944 – Kiel – PB128 – F/L HAF Smith
24/07/1944 – Stuttgart – PB128 – F/L HAF Smith
28/07/1944 - Stuttgart - PB128 – F/L HAF Smith – FTR - Crashed in south west suburbs of Rheinstein, Germany.
All the crew were killed and rest at the Durnbach War Cemetery, Germany.
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F/L Howard Arthur Frederick Smith RAFVR - Pilot – 27 – 576 Sqn - Son of Arthur Seymour Smith and Gwendoline Smith; husband of Gwendoline Ruby Dorothy Smith of Corstorphine, Edinburgh – Durnbach War Cemetery, Germany
Sgt John Herbert Codd RAFVR – Flight Engineer – 35 – 576 Sqn - Son of Herbert Charles and Sophia Codd; husband of Annie Edith Codd of Hanwell, Middlesex - Durnbach War Cemetery, Germany
F/O Francis Hosier RAFVR – Air Bomber – 20 – 576 Sqn - Son of Joseph Danial Hosier and Eliza Hosier; husband of Phyllis Hosier of Wordsley, Stourbridge, Worcestershire - Durnbach War Cemetery, Germany.
Sgt Francis Norman Knapp RAFVR - Navigator – 20 – 576 Sqn - Son of Algernon Francis Cyril and May Florence Knapp of Enfield, Middlesex - Durnbach War Cemetery, Germany.
Sgt Victor Frederick Trumper RAFVR – Wireless Operator – 20 – 576 Sqn - Son of Henry Frederick and Emily Grace Trumper of Thornton Heath, Surrey - Durnbach War Cemetery, Germany.
Sgt Robin Hood RAFVR - Air Gunner – 22 – 576 Sqn - Son of Robert and Hamilton Hood, of Cricklewood, Middlesex - Son of John William and Marion Smith Johnson, of West Molesey, Surrey
Sgt Ronald Mortimer Johnson RAFVR – Air Gunner – 23 – 576 Sqn - Son of John William and Marion Smith Johnson of West Molesey, Surrey - Son of John William and Marion Smith Johnson, of West Molesey, Surrey
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28 July 44 – Stuttgart – Germany – Night. 17 aircraft detailed. 10/10ths cloud at base which persisted to the south coast and dispersed over the Channel. Thickened to 6 to 8/10ths over Continent. At target there was a thin layer of cloud which did not completely block out the markers.
PFF opened the attack with red TIs and backed up by greens. Green Wanganui flares with white stars were also dropped. Master Bomber instructed the force to bomb the greens. Bombing was widespread and glow of fires could be seem through the cloud layer.
Considerable fighter opposition was reported near the target and 4 aircraft had combats. Moderate heavy flak encountered in the target area.
F/L Smith, F/O Mann, F/O Archibald and P/O Brown RW and their crews failed to return.
( 494 aircraft. Another successful attack on this city. German fighters intercepted the stream over France and took a heavy toll of the attacking force. For a more detailed description of this operation see the item in the Articles and Misc Section of this website.)
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Lancaster PB128
This machine completed 24 ops being lost on its 25th. It was mostly flown by F/L Howard Smith and crew.
05/06/1944 - St Martin-de-Varreville/Crisbeq - Coastal gun batteries – PB128 – F/O GAJ Bain RCAF
09/06/1944 – Flers – Airfield – PB128 – F/O HAF Smith
12/06/1944 – Gelsenkirchen – Oil – PB128 – F/O HAF Smith
14/06/1944 - Le Havre - Naval forces – PB128 – F/O HAF Smith
16/06/1944 – Sterkrade – Oil – PB128 – F/O HAF Smith
17/06/1944 - Aulnoye - Railway yards – PB128 – F/O HAF Smith
22/06/1944 – Mimoyecques - V weapon – PB128 – F/O HAF Smith
23/06/1944 – Saintes - Railway yards – PB128 – F/O – HAF Smith
24/06/1944 – Flers - V weapon – PB128 – F/S HD Murray
27/06/1944 - Chateau Benapre - V weapon – PB128 – F/O HAF Smith
29/06/1944 – Domleger - V weapon – PB128 – F/O HAF Smith
30/06/1944 - Oisemont Neuville Au Bois - Army support – PB128 – F/O HAF Smith
02/07/1944 – Domleger - V weapon – PB128 – F/L HAF Smith
04/07/1944 – Orleans - Railway yards – PB128 – F/L HAF Smith
05/07/1944 – Dijon - Railway yards – PB128 – F/L HAF Smith
07/07/1944 – Caen - Army support – PB128 – F/L HAF Smith
12/07/1944 – Revigny - Railway yards – PB128 – FltO C Sawyer USAAF
14/07/1944 – Revigny - Railway yards – PB128 – W/O HD Murray
17/07/1944 – Sanneville - V weapon – PB128 – FltO C Sawyer USAAF
18/07/1944 - Scholven Buer – Oil – PB128 – F/L HAF Smith
20/07/1944 – Wizernes - V weapon – PB128 – F/L HAF Smith
23/07/1944 – Kiel – PB128 – F/L HAF Smith
24/07/1944 – Stuttgart – PB128 – F/L HAF Smith
25/07/1944 – Stuttgart – PB128 – P/O JB Bell
28/07/1944 - Stuttgart - PB128 – F/L HAF Smith – FTR - Crashed in south west suburbs of Rheinstein, Germany.
Compiled and written by David Fell
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