2.30pm "Call It a Day" by Dodie Smith ((see 28th Sep for details))
Pages tagged:
Hot. NE wind, cloudy.
Chopped wood, Finished wheel-barrow & repaired trolley.
Steve sent me up 5 cigs.
Tried the parcel butter today 100%!!
With Steve pm. Kids learning to write their alphabet.
OBJECTIVE: Fly a series of staggered single-aircraft night raids to harass airbases at Canton and prevent JAAF pilots from flying night bombing missions against American airbases in China.
RESULTS: All nine B-25s drop their bombs on Tien Ho airbase and vicinity, but damage is unknown.
TIME OVER TARGET: ~6:52 to 10:15 p.m.
AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: Nine B-25s from the 491st Bomb Squadron (341st Medium Bomb Group)
AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW:
OBJECTIVE: Fly a series of staggered single-aircraft night raids to harass airbases at Canton and prevent JAAF pilots from flying night bombing missions against American airbases in China.
RESULTS: Four B-25s hit Tien Ho and five B-25s hit White Cloud. An estimated 50% of bombs fall within target zone, though damage is unknown.
TIME OVER TARGET: ~7:00 to 10:20 p.m.
AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: Nine B-25s from the 11th Bomb Squadron (341st Medium Bomb Group)
OBJECTIVE: Fly nocturnal sea sweep mission to detect and sink Japanese ships in the South China Sea.
RESULTS: No enemy ships are detected during the sea sweep. The aircraft commander, Lt. Bacalis, opts to bomb an unspecified area of Kowloon (the designated secondary target) on the return flight. Damage is unknown.
TIME OVER TARGET: Unknown, but likely early morning on September 30
AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: One B-24 from the 308th Heavy Bomb Group
AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: Lt. Bacalis and nine-man crew
Outdoor roll-call in rain
2.30pm "Call It a Day" by Dodie Smith ((see 28th Sep for details))
Humid, E wind, cloudy, showery.
Letter cards for the kids.
Last showing of “Call it a Day”.
2 matches issued.
Canteen No.2.
With Steve pm. They gave me more cigs. Pkts being sold for Y30.
OBJECTIVE: Fly a series of staggered single-aircraft night raids to harass airbases at Canton and prevent JAAF pilots from flying night bombing missions against American airbases in China.
OBJECTIVE: Fly nocturnal sea sweep mission to detect and sink Japanese ships in the South China Sea.
RESULTS: No enemy ships are detected during the sea sweep. The aircraft commander, Captain Armstrong, opts to bomb naval facilities on Kowloon waterfront. Damage is unknown, but some bombs apparently fall on the typhoon shelter.
TIME OVER TARGET: Unknown, but likely in the very early morning hours of October 01
AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: One B-24 from the 308th Heavy Bomb Group
AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: Captain Armstrong
OBJECTIVE: Fly a series of staggered single-aircraft night raids to harass airbases at Canton and prevent JAAF pilots from flying night bombing missions against American airbases in China.
RESULTS: Nine B-25 crews are briefed for the mission, but poor weather conditions over the target forces the cancellation of the mission. However, two aircraft that are already airborne proceed with the mission and bomb the town of Wuchow, the alternate target for the mission, when they are unable to locate the Canton airbases. Damage is unknown.
OBJECTIVE: Bomb Tien Ho airbase in Canton and disrupt JAAF air operations in the Pearl River delta region
RESULTS: Bad weather and darkness hamper the mission, and only nine B-24s bomb Tien Ho airbase. Five B-24s bomb alternate targets, including White Cloud airbase, the town of Samshui, and two auxiliary airfields on the coast. Damage to all targets is unknown. Fifteen B-24s jettison their bomb loads or return their bombs to base.
TIME OVER TARGET: ~9:01 to 9:52 p.m.
John Charter surveys recent events in camp:
Another month has come. September did not see the end of the war in Europe as most of us thought it might....
Today we were all given our first vitamin capsule. I cautiously bit mine and tasted a most terrible flavour of concentarted fishiness! So I hastily swallowed the rest. We are to have one capsule each, every other day, and this will suply us with the necessary amount of vitamins A, B1, B and C....
On Thursday 21st we were notified that we could release another parcel making 3 in all. I had to get a few parcels from other blocks to make up my aggregate which was even then slightly different from the last regime in as much that the children under 4 years didn't get another parcel or they benefit from supplies of klin milk, Pallum, Homogenous Vegetables and orange juice. This issue we easily made and all are more or less pleased, tho' in a camp like this it is impossible to please everyone, some of course are perpetual and impossible grumblers.
((Following text not dated:))
Woman's body disembowelled. Hungry dogs.
Another month has come. September did not see the end of the war in Europe as most of us thought it might; but a great deal has happened during that month. The campaign in France developed at lightening speed and now our allied forces in the East and West fronts are practically on the German frontiers; in fact we are into NW German territory. Now the German armies seem to have finished retreating and they are evidently going to make their final stand.
Cooler, E wind, cloudy.
Very poor rations. Issue of vitamin tablets commenced.
Tiffin coffee with Mrs. Brown. ((MW Brown?))
Altered wheelbarrow for C. Jones.
No lorry, no news, no smokes.
With Steve pm.
Full moon.
Dutch complain re woodchopping in quiet hour.
((Not sure who C Jones refers to.))
OBJECTIVE: Fly a series of staggered single-aircraft night raids to harass Tien Ho airbase at Canton and prevent JAAF pilots from flying night bombing missions against American airbases in China.
RESULTS: Due to weather conditions, no B-25s hit Tien Ho airbase. Instead, they strike alternate targets that include the town of Wuchow (six aircraft), river traffic (one aircraft), and White Cloud airbase (two aircraft). The bombing ignites large fires in Wuchow.
TIME OVER TARGET: ~6:40 to 8:30 p.m.
OBJECTIVE: Fly a series of staggered single-aircraft night raids to harass airbases at Canton and prevent JAAF pilots from flying night bombing missions against American airbases in China.
RESULTS: Six B-25s bomb White Cloud airbase and three B-25s bomb Tien Ho airbase. One B-25 returns its bombs to base after it encounters a thunderstorm over the target and is unable to complete its bomb run. Damage to targets is unknown.
TIME OVER TARGET: ~6:35 to 9:20 p.m.
Sandbach / Brown
R.C.A.M.C. Multevit capsules issued one every other day
S.S – Heath