Joey Jacobson's War by Peter J. Usher

Author:Peter J. Usher [Usher, Peter J.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Wilfrid Laurier University Press
Published: 2018-02-15T05:00:00+00:00

Nineteen

Confidence Affirmed

Joe returned from crew leave brimming with confidence, ready for another crack at German industry.

Back to the station & home again with old pals … flying talk & tension – Jim Erly killed whilst away.1 (JJD 26 August 1941)

Went for a delightful bike ride with Roger & Dave – we rode to Horncastle – had a few beers, rode back in the dark, singing and watching the searchlights … Jack, Roger & I have decided we want commissions when we finish our 200 hrs – the three of us planned the same things – I wonder which of us will live to see our plans realized.

(JJD 27 August 1941)

Jack, of Scots origin from Toronto, Roger, a French-Canadian from Trois Pistoles, Quebec, and Joe, a Jew from Westmount, might have been an unlikely threesome in civilian life back home: a Canadian fable of sorts. On operations in the same squadron in England, they shared a natural bond of citizenship and danger.

Spent the day sleeping & getting briefed for our trip to Duisberg – it should be hot – and heavy … funny how you put everything in order before a trip over Germany – feel in another world whilst flying – then think nothing of it … (JJD 28 August 1941)

It is hard to believe but I am sitting quietly in Mrs. Lettice’s kitchen with Roger enjoying a quiet supper. Last night we had a shaky do & just about had it – can’t understand how or why they did not hit us – vitally – yet when we reeled back we talked & joked about our adventures like I always do about all events of all kinds. (JJD 29 August 1941)

The operation on Duisberg’s railway yards, from which one of the squadron’s crews failed to return, had indeed proved hot and heavy.

We really had our problems this trip. We made a landfall over Borum & the Zuider Sea – from there to the target was one mass & maze of incendiaries. We were picked up in earnest on the Rhine just west of the city & they held us for fifteen minutes. Once the searchlights caught us the aak aak started to pot at us & were we ever pounded. They were so close they hit our wings with bits of shell and there was a steady crunching & booming as the gunfire got closer & closer. We turned and dived and dropped from 12,000' to 2,000' before escaping – only to be picked up again and fired at from the low levels. I honestly thought that we were done for. It was uncanny with the dozens of searchlights from all angles holding you in their vice whilst the accurate guns came in for the kill. We dropped our bombs over the city. We escaped uninjured and without damage for some unknown reason – fate played a hand – we were lucky even then we had to fly straight back over Jerry Land thru searchlights – fighter patrols & aak.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.