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Gardening the Danube

Ground crew of 70 squadron B flight posing at their base with the ‘cucumbers’.


- mining the Europe’s second largest river in April 1944


Text: Peter Kaššák


With a length of 2,845 km, the Danube is the second-longest river in Europe after the Volga. On almost 2,415 km (from Kelheim to Sulina) the river is navigable for international cargo transport. On its way from the Black Forest (Germany) to the Black Sea (Romania and Ukraine), the Danube passes by or through ten riparian states, which makes it the most international river in the world.

The complex of oil refineries situated near Vienna was one of the biggest in Austria and due to its strategic position close to the River Danube guaranteed easy access for the importation of crude oil from Romania and elsewhere. Floridsdorf, Wiener Neustadt, Moosbierbaum, Lobau, Schwechat and Kagran became infamously known to crews of the American 15th United States Army Air Force. In 1944, approximately 88 Heavy Flak Batteries protected this complex, with 604 heavy flak and 840 light flak guns aimed at the American combat boxes of bombers. Operating at maximum efficiency, it threw into the air against US planes some 600 shells every three seconds.

But it was not only Austrian refineries that were using the Danube as a transport route. The Apollo oil refinery in Bratislava represented in 1944 an important oil-producing facility as did oil refineries in Hungary such as Szony, Pétfürdő, Almásfűzűtő, Pét and refineries in Budapest (Fanto, Shell, Koolaz and Hungary Petroleum Co.). Further downstream were the Kuçovë refinery, Doiceşti and the oil storage depot at Targoviste, Bulgaria, Brod refinery in Yugoslavia, and finally the well-known refinery and depots at Ploesti, in Romania.

The smooth functioning of the Danube transport system was crucial for Germany, so its disruption was highly desirable for the Allies. Two main options presented themselves to the allied planners in Italy. One involved the destruction of the oil refineries, port facilities and other infrastructure. The other required the interdiction of Danube river traffic by mining. Both options would be resorted to as the USAAF and RAF sought to cut Germany off from its much-needed Romanian oil.


During the first period during which the moon was full or near full, mining operations were planned on eight nights, but sorties flown on only three, weather conditions making accurate minelaying impossible on the rest. The first operation, on 8/9 April, was carried out as planned, but that on the following night, described in the 205 Group Operations Record Book as ‘Completion of Mining in Danube’ was cancelled, as was what would have again been a ‘Completion’ on 10/11 April. On 12/13 April, mining was successfully carried out, but a repeat the next night was cancelled. Success came again on 14/15 April, but yet another repeat, on 15/16 April, had to be cancelled. The cancellation of the early ‘Completion’ drops was unfortunate, in that it gave the German authorities time to begin planning counter-measures.

205 Group scheduled a major raid on the Tököl airfield, Budapest, on 8/9 April 1944, but this was cancelled late in the day, so the Group’s first mining operation was the only one undertaken that night. Two Wings operated, 231 Wing dispatching twenty Wellingtons from 37 and 70 Squadrons, and 240 Wing three Liberators of 178 Squadron, their designated ‘beds’ in the Danube lying between Bazias and Belgrade. Preparation for what was, for 205 Group, an entirely new operational experience was not without its difficulties, the Group Operations Record Book April summary stating:

‘Gardening’ operations commenced in April 1944, and the River Danube was mined with approximately 200 mines, Mark IV and V. Difficulty was experienced in obtaining the necessary slings, suspension bands, and bomb beams; and the necessary experienced electrical personnel specialized in the preparation of the mines. The electrical personnel were eventually flown from the Middle East the day prior to the operation.

It seems likely that the ‘electrical personnel’ came from squadrons in Egypt specializing in minelaying and anti-shipping operations, such as 38 Squadron, though the actual briefing was carried out by Royal Navy personnel.


Ten Wellingtons of 37 Squadron were detailed to mine the Danube, laying ‘cucumbers’ in a three-mile bed east of Belgrade, but one did not operate because of magneto failure. The other nine were airborne at Tortorella between 20:20 and 20:27 hours. Three crews, LN920 “C” of W/O J.C. Bailey (RAAF), MF139 “K” of Lt. M. Britz (SAAF) and ME872 of F/Sgt. H.C.M. Johnson (RAAF), were forced to abandon their tasks, F/Sgt. Johnson’s encountering severe electrical storms, while W/O. Bailey’s and Lt. Britz’s crews were unable to identify crucial pinpoints. All three brought their mines back. F/O. Pagram’s crew laid its mines six miles west of the prescribed bed. The rest, LP182 of F/Sgt. G.D.E. Adamson, HE518 of F/Lt. R.M. Cranchey, HZ814 of W/O. E.D. Upson (RAAF), JA522 of F/Sgt. J.C. Macallum (RAAF) and JA531 of F/Lt. C.H. Muggeridge, did so in the prescribed areas east of Belgrade between 22:27 and 23:21 hours from between 400 and 500 feet. F/Sgt. Johnson’s aircraft landed at Tortorella at 23:35, the remainder between 00:48 and 01:47. 

Ten Wellingtons of 70 Squadron were detailed to mine the Danube and took off from Tortorella between 20:20 and 20:41. In fairly good weather, though some cloud, nine crossed the Dinaric Alps and pinpointed the River Sava and Belgrade. LP130 “D” (F/Sgt. G.J. Custance) experienced engine overheating and rising oil temperatures that developed almost immediately after take off. The crew turned back and landed at Celone at 22:30, as instructed, with mines on board. Seven planes, LN640 “A” of F/Lt. H.C. Bownas, MF194 “F” of F/Sgt. D.C. Twigg (RAAF), LN985 “K” of F/O. C.O. Ellison (RAAF), HE694 “L” of F/Sgt. P.D. Nihill (RAAF), LN489 “O” of F/Sgt. R.P.F. Gelle (RAAF), LN870 “U” of F/Sgt. H. Pollard and LP126 “Z” of F/Sgt. A.S.R. Ross (RAAF) claimed to have planted their ‘cucumbers’ in the correct gardens, seeing parachutes and noting the splashes, but F/Lt. L.M. Mason and crew in LN851 “Y” slightly overshot and may have planted in a neighbouring garden. Mining was carried out between 22:29 and 23:10 from a height of 250 to 500 feet, crews planting sixteen 1600lb Mk.III and IV mines.

Four rear gunners strafed barges, Sgt. M.W. Maddick in LN640 firing 2000 rounds near Omoljica and Starčevo, Sgt. A. Roberts in LM870 1000 rounds at Ritopek, and Sgt. Graysmark, rear gunner in HE694, 1000 rounds at a fair-sized vessel near a neighbouring garden. The greatest success, however, was achieved by Sgt. E.R. Butcher in LN985, who opened fire on six barges being towed by a tug. The tug cast off its tow on being attacked, which appeared to cause some consternation on the barges. 

P/O. Gibson and crew failed to return. The remaining eight crews landed at Tortorella between 00:39 and 01:40. 

Vickers Wellington LN640 ‘A’ of 70 Squadron. In the background a B-17 of the 15th Air Force is landing.

 

Vickers Wellington B.Mk.X LP139 “B” of 70 Squadron ditched in the Danube after having the starboard engine set on fire by light flak while mining between Belgrade and Bazias. Two of those who died, navigator F/O. Jeffrey J.K. Burr and air gunner Sgt. Clifford J. Selby, were buried locally, but reinterred post-war in Belgrade War Cemetery, the former in grave 9.A.A4 and the latter in 9.A.B.5. But W. Operator F/Sgt. Frank Dadd, also interred locally at the time, at Pencevo, is buried in Cassino War Cemetery, grave XVII.C.22. It seems F/Sgt. Dadd was recovered from Pencevo by the American Military, who believed he was an USAAF pilot, and buried in the Naples US Military Cemetery. Later, however, the body was identified as that of F/Sgt. Dadd and in 1948 was handed over to the British authorities for re-burial.

The two survivors, pilot P/O. J.A. Gibson and air bomber F/O. W.R. Elvin, made contact with Chetnik irregulars , and forty days later were evacuated from Yugoslavia by C-47, returning to their squadron. Both went on to complete their tour of operations with 70 Squadron.

 

The Partisans

The Partisans were organized on the initiative of Tito following the Axis invasion of Yugoslavia in April 1941, and began an active guerrilla campaign against occupying forces after Germany invaded the Soviet Union in June. A large-scale uprising was launched in July, later joined by Draža Mihailović's Chetniks, which led to the creation of the short-lived Republic of Užice. More information: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chetniks

 

Air bomber Elwin reported upon return and report has been filled as follows:

“Whilst on a mining operation over the Danube, East of Belgrade at approximately 22:45 hours, aircraft while losing height to 200 feet over the river, was hit by a light gun believed situated on an Island near Pancevo. Fire broke out in the starboard engine, and the Captain decided to ditch. The two mines on board were immediately jettisoned (in the correct “bed”), and before the bomb doors could be closed, the aircraft hit the water in a shallow dive. It immediately filled with water and within a few minutes was completely submerged. There was no time to take up ditching stations, and only the captain P/O Gibson and Bomb-aimer F/O Elvin are known to have survived. They escaped through the pilot´s escape hatch, P/O Gibson suffering only slight facial abrasion, though F/O Elvin had dislocated one shoulder and sprained the other arm. It was extremely dark and by the time the two men came to the surface the aircraft had completely submerged. P/O Gibson found the dinghy floating, right side up, and managed to swim to it whilst F/O Elvin floated in his “Mae West”. After a struggle, they both succeeded in climbing aboard and then attempted to find the W/Op F/S Dadd whose cries they had heard after surfacing. By this time, however, they had floated a considerable way downstream and nothing could be heard or seen of the W/Op. Of the other two members of the crew, nothing was heard after the aircraft submerged, nor did the two survivors hear anything further whilst they were with the villagers in the district. They did hear rumors, however, that Germans were working to salvage the aircraft from its position in the center of the river.

As they had great difficulty in steering the dinghy, they blew whistles as they were still in the center of the river, and eventually were sighted by a man who came out in a punt and collected them and their dinghy. They tried to prevail on him to search for other members of the crew, but failed, and learnt later that he was unwilling to risk being seen by Germans from the left (i.e. North) bank.

They were taken to the nearest village where they rested for a time in the school room, being treated quite well by the villagers through conversation was extremely limited as they had no interpreter. Fortunately, the B/A thought it better to discover the local political sympathies before asking to be taken to Tito, for as they later discovered, these villagers on the south of Belgrade were overwhelmingly Chetnik supporters and bitter opponents on the partisans. About 1 am. A Chetnik N.C.O. entered, had them take off their clothing and don local garbs, and drove them by bullock cart to the Chetnik district leader in another village. This leader and his staff – one of whom spoke French with P/O Gibson – treated them very well, fed them, and introduced them to the local brew of plum juice.

The following morning, to avoid any possibility of detection, they were taken into the hills, where they met an American divinity student who told them he had been studying for the Orthodox Priesthood for some time. He acted as their interpreter for two days, during which time they were often questioned about Britain´s attitude towards the Chetnik and Partisans, the general complaint apparently being that supplies of arms and ammunition were no longer being dropped to the Chetniks. Later on, they found that the Chetniks, whilst well disposed to Britain, dared not openly resist the Germans for fear of reprisals on their villages, though they kept a sharp look-out and were always well informed of German movements. Above all, they seemed to hate and to fear the Partisans and took every opportunity of fighting against them. It is interesting to note that during the whole time they were in Yugoslavia, P/O Gibson and F/O Elvin saw only one German truck, as they kept away from main roads, using secondary roads whose surfaces were indescribably bad and were therefore avoid by the Germans.

With their interpreter, they travelled by bullock cart to a village some seven hours journey South West where F/O Elvin was attended by a local doctor who did not cure the dislocation – not put right until he reached the British party. All medical supplies seemed to be very limited. At this village they stayed two nights, living as usual in a local commandant´s house.

The following day the Major, who appeared during the evening of previous day, sent them with a strong escort to the boundary of his district, after which two bodyguards continued with them, continuing South-West and putting up at villages each evening, travelling often on foot though sometimes by cart or horseback. Everywhere they were well treated, until eventually they reached a British Mission H.Q. who passed details of their escape to the outside world.

Apparently a number of these Missions were being recalled at this time, and plans were discussed for leaving the country. The proposal to make their way across country was turned down, as the Chetniks would not allow them to pass into regions controlled by the Partisans, and indeed disapproved of their intention to leave the country and of Britain´s increasing support of Tito. The next alternative was escape by air. P/O Gibson was taken to a level patch of pasture on a hill top and asked whether he considered it practicable for use as a night landing ground for Lysander. He considered that it was, but as some hitch occurred in the pans for receiving Lysander co-operation, he eventually heard that three transport aircraft were to attempt the job. Gooseneck flares etc. were dropped to them, M.A.P.R.W. aircraft took photos of the landing ground, and Gibson was made officer in charge of night flying.

 

The party now consisted of 109 men, as several American airmen had bailed out nearby and joined the “mission”. After three nights work – most of it interesting and exciting as aircraft were taking off on a short improvised landing ground (filled to capacity) – the whole party was safely evacuated. P/O Gibson boarded the last transport together with the British C.O.”

 Personal photo of William R. Elwin taken in 1945 upon return from the war.

 Photo taken in Yugoslavia in 1944. From left to right are standing unknown chetnick, pilot Jacobsen (unidentified crew), William Elvin and another unknown chetnick.

 Photo of the 37 Squadron crew, in which flew W.R. Elwin – standing as second from right.

 

As a last Squadron airborne that night for Gardening mission was 178 Squadron. Three Liberator crews took off from Celone between 20:50 and 21:00 hours, detailed to mine the River Danube near what the geographically-challenged compiler of the squadron Operations Record Book said was Bucharest, but which was actually Belgrade. Between 23:28 and 23:39 hours, from a height of between 125 and 500 feet the three crews dropped 12 x 1000 lb. Mk.V mines as designated, the Liberators, on this first mining raid, carrying only four mines each, instead of the six that were carried thereafter.

On debriefing, W/Cdr. D.C. Smythe and his crew, flying in BZ947 “N”, described in detail the sequence they followed in this, the squadron’s first mining operation:

“23:15 hours – arrived at target area. Orbited to port and lost height to 2500 ft flying up river as far as the island of Cibulski [44°48N: 21°12E]. Turned to port again and flew back along Danube heading west losing height to 200 ft near island of Okilova [44°46N: 21°12E]. 23:28 hours, 180 ft – mining run on heading 210°. IAS [Indicated Air Speed] 170 mph. All mines dropped in one stick with three second spacing... All four parachutes seen to open and splashes observed as mines fell in Danube, making fountains of water.”

F/Lt. J.H.C. Lewis and his crew (plane BZ930 “S”) also dropped in one stick, but S/Ldr. R.A. Brown (in plane BZ929), making his first run at 23:32, found he could only drop two mines before the aircraft passed over land, and so turned to port and flew down river again in order to repeat the mining run, dropping his second pair of mines at 23:39. Interestingly, there seems to have been no hard and fast requirement as to the height at which the mines were dropped, or a prescribed speed, since while W/Cdr. Smythe dropped from 180 feet at 170 mph, S/Ldr. Brown chose to drop from 300 feet at 180 mph, and F/Lt. Lewis went lowest of all at 125 feet. Crews experienced slight machine gun or antiaircraft fire from barges and tugs north and west of Dubovic and Dubovska Ada islands and the crew of BZ930 decided to investigate after turning away from its mining run. Observing several small vessels, the crew attacked from 200 feet, the tail gunner fired about 1000 rounds, the mid upper gunner 400 rounds and the beam gunner 200 rounds. All observed the rounds ricocheting off the vessels. The crews landed at Celone between 01:20 and 02:00.

In the morning of 9 April 1944, river traffic on the Danube was paralyzed. Among the first victims was the 650 hp. passenger steamer Tulln of the D.D.S.G, which was sunk at kilometer marker 1150 at 07:45. Six of those on board died. D.D.S.G. also lost a tug on the 9th, but this was just the beginning. ‘Gardening’ was to badly affect this large transporting company in the next seven months. Another death was reported on tanker X of the Slovak company S.D.P., which was sunk at km 1128 along with a Serbian police boat.

 After three nights on which mining was planned, but abandoned, better weather meant that mining operations could be resumed on the 12th by the three squadrons involved in the first mining operation on 8/9 April. 205 Group’s major scheduled operation that night was an attack by sixty-five crews from the three Wellington wings on the Ferencváros Marshalling Yards at Budapest, but seventeen Wellingtons from 231 Wing and twelve Liberators from 240 Wing were detailed to mine between Backa Palanka and Futog, east of Novi Sad, while five 231 Wing Wellingtons mined further east, between Bazias and Belgrade.

Eleven Wellingtons of 37 Squadron took off from Tortorella between 22:30 and 22:40, seven detailed to lay mines in the Danube between Gardinovci, near Novi Sad, and Surnik, and four between Bazias and Belgrade, near Dubravica.

Seven crews, including crews of W/O. J.C. Bailey (RAAF) in Wellington LN920 “C”, F/Sgt. J. Calvert-Fisher in LN958, Lt. M. Britz (SAAF) in LN924, F/Sgt. H.C.M. Johnson (RAAF) in ME572, F/Lt. J.F. Fisher in MF196, Lt. D.R. Hjelm (SAAF) in LP182 and F/Sgt. J. Evans (RAAF) flying in LN799 successfully laid twelve 1000 lb. mines in the Danube in the area between Gardinovci and Surnik from a height of between 100 and 200 feet. HF477 (W/O. E.D. Upson (RAAF)) and ME875 (F/Lt. R.M. Cranchey) both had a mine hang up and on return, at 04:20, landed at Foggia Main, with its longer runway, with the mines on board.

The four crews detailed to mine between Bazias and Belgrade all did so successfully, laying their mines from a height of 300 to 500 feet.

Pilot P/O. D.C. Burcham (plane JA472) described his feelings as he undertook his first mining operation:

“It turned out to be one of the most exhilarating of trips. Having crossed the mountains at 10,000 feet, we then pinpointed our ‘garden’ and dived down to 2000 feet above the hazily moon-lit river, feeling rather vulnerable as we had no idea what was cooking-up along the dark river banks. In the event nothing happened and we were able to drop our two mines! (Macdonald pp. 15–16)

The Operations Record Book states that the rear gunner of JA531, Sgt. Blyth, fired 200 rounds at barges, but Maurice Lihou, who was captaining JA531, recalls, in It’s Dicey Flying Wimpeys Around Italian Skies, pp. 68–9, that the air bomber, Sgt. Antiel, also attacked the barges from the front turret:

“In the brilliant moonlight they found their vegetable patch (target area). Flying low along the Danube with the riverbanks rising on either side of them, they could clearly see motor traffic with dimmed headlight moving along; they must belong to an enemy convoy they concluded. They laid their deadly traps and continued flying low at 200 feet over the river. To Lee [Lihou] it was a tremendous thrill.

‘Lets see if we can find some barges to shoot up’, suggested Lee. ‘Want to go into the front turret, Len?’

‘OK. Skipper’. It wasn’t long before the first barges came into sight sitting low in the river, chugging along leaving a telltale wake of white foam behind them. They were much bigger than Lee had expected, he counted eight of them, four lots of two side by side.

‘Got them in your sights Len? Then go to it first. Are you ready at the back, Jock?’

Len needed no second bidding, the burst of machine gun fire filled the aircraft and as they flew on over the barges it was Jock’s turn in the rear gunner’s turret to have a go, he also let rip.

‘What about a second run chaps?’ asked Lee.

‘OK by us Skipper’.

They turned, flew alongside of the riverbank, turned again and flew on them from the rear. There seemed to be no one on board. They did a second run over them, both turrets in action. They flew on for a few more miles, but no more were sighted.

‘Better head for home now, Lee’, said Riggy.”

Nine crews landed at Tortorella between 03:11 and 04:20.

Rear Gunner of 37 Squadron. [Photo: E. Robertson]

 

Ten aircraft of 70 Squadron, LF640 “A” piloted by F/Sgt. G.B. Sinclair (RAAF), LN699 “C” with Lt. N.K. Weekes (SAAF), LP130 “D” with F/Sgt. G.J. Custance (RAAF), MF194 “F” with Sgt. D.H.R. McPherson (RAAF), LN985 “K” with F/Sgt. H. Pollard, HE694 “L” F/Sgt. K.E. Turley (RAAF), LN479 “O” with F/Sgt. R.P.F. Gelle (RAAF), NP135 “T” with F/Sgt. J.R. Turvey (RNZAF), LN870 “U” with F/Sgt. B.E. Marstin (RAAF), LP126 “Z” with F/Sgt. R.P. Case and LN851 “Y” manned by crew of F/Lt. K.G. Hubbard, were detailed to plant mines between Palanka and Stari Futag, west of Novi Sad. In addition, F/Sgt. Custance and crew, foiled on the earlier mining raid by engine problems, were detailed to plant in the ‘old’ bed east of Belgrade. All eleven crews took off from Tortorella between 22:40 and 22:54 and approached the target in good weather, admiring the snow-capped Dinaric Alps en route. Between 01:00 and 01:45 hours crews successfully planted a total of twenty 1000 lb. Mk.V and two 1600 lb. Mk.VI mines from 80 to 400 feet successfully.

Two crews, F/Sgt. Turvey’s and F/Sgt. Custance’s, encountered opposition south of Masbar, which, although slight, was sufficiently accurate to hole F/Sgt. Turvey’s aircraft in several places and damage the intercom. Nonetheless, he and his crew successfully completed their mining run.

 F/Sgt. B.E. Marstin RAAF, who captained LN870 on this raid.  [Photo: AWM]


Crews landed at Tortorella between 03:05 and 04:35. 

Detailed to mine the River Danube between Backa Palanka and Futog, west of Novi Sad, twelve Liberators of 178 Squadron took off from Celone between 23:59 and 00:31, each carrying six mines. Eleven crews located the designated beds and between 02:55 and 03:46 sixty-five 1000 lb. Mark V mines were laid successfully from a height of between 80 and 500 feet. The crew of Lt. W.J. Van der Merwe (SAAF) flying in BZ932 had one mine hang up. It was jettisoned safe over the Adriatic. Several crews reported difficulty in identifying the drop zone because of flooding, and F/Lt. D.A. Eardley and his crew in EV939 abandoned the operation after searching for the drop zone at 1500 feet for more than thirty minutes. Two of its six mines were jettisoned safe over the Adriatic.

Seven crews strafed barges, reporting hits, the .5 inch machine guns carried by the Liberators having much more penetrative power than the .303 inch machine guns of the Wellingtons. Several crews made prolonged strafing attacks, Lt. Van der Merwe’s crew, for instance, raking barges with machine gun fire for 12 minutes. The most spectacular results, however, were obtained by the crews of EV820 “R” (Lt. T.E. Knight (SAF)) and EV822 “V” (F/Lt. J.H.C. Lewis). In the latter Lt. Knight’s mid upper and beam gunners attacked and set fire to a 100 ft. long vessel, believed to be a tanker, which blew up. EV820’s gunners attacked another tanker, which also blew up, setting fire to a row of six ships, leaving the river covered in burning oil and the resulting explosions visible 85 miles away.

On the return flight over the Adriatic, Lt. N.E. Hayman’s crew (in EV962) spotted red very flares fired from the sea, which they reported at debriefing. Group Flying Control was advised and the outcome was the rescue the following morning of S/Ldr. C.F. Mervyn-Jones and his 40 Squadron crew, returning from an attack on the Ferencvaros Marshalling Yards, Budapest, which had ditched out of fuel after flak damage.

Other participating crews which were not mentioned due to nonproblematic flights were Lt. J.N. Hall (SAAF) in BZ928, Lt. G.C.E. Gibson (SAAF) in BZ929, Lt. J.G. Schuurman (SAAF) in BZ930 “S”, Lt. J.F. Young (SAAF) in BZ946 “L”, W/O. J. Strenach (RAAF) in BZ947 “N”, F/Lt. E.F.S. May in EV825 “D” and F/Sgt. A.L. Steele in EV841. All crews landed at Celone between 05:43 and 06:30. 

Newly planted ‘cucumbers’, as the mines were often called in the RAF slang, found their victims again. On the 13th, seven ships were sunk, including B.L. tanker 778, N.F.R’s Hotin and the M.F.T.R. tug Grof Szapary Gyula lost at km 1466. Aboard the tug ten people lost their lives.

 M.F.T.R. tug Grof Szapary Gyula lost on 13 April 1944 at km 1466.


 Originally, for the night 14/15 April 1944 the 205 Group scheduled a major attack on the Turnu Severin Marshalling Yards in Romania, but this was cancelled, and in its place modest-sized raids by the three Wellington wings were mounted against shipping and harbor installations at Piombino, San Stefano and Leghorn. One Wellington from 236 Wing was also detailed to carry out a leaflet drop (‘nickelling’) over Romania. It was therefore only the Liberators of 240 Wing that operated upon what was to be the final mining operation of the first full moon period, and easily the least successful.

178 Squadron RAF Liberator being armed with mines.


Between 22:00 and 00:01, 178 Squadron dispatched eleven crews to mine the Danube near Jiul, in Romania, with six of them detailed to drop leaflets over Romanian cities prior to mining. Two aircraft crashed shortly after take-off and of the remaining nine only one, EV959 “T” of F/Lt. D.A. Eardley, managed to locate the designated bed with any certainty. Of the rest, two (BZ932 “Y” of Lt. W.J. Van der Merwe and BZ946 “L” of Lt. J.F. Young, both SAAF) mined the Danube, though uncertain as to where, while W/O. Strenach’s crew (in BZ930 “S”) dropped their mines 15 miles south of Craiova in the river Jiul after they could not locate the Danube.  In all, thirty Mk. 5A mines were laid between 03:20 and 03:44 from a height of 50 to 200 feet. The other crews of Lt. H. Hosken (SAAF) in BZ947 “N”, F/Sgt. A.L. Steele in BZ929 and F/Sgt. W.A. Molyneux in EV822 “V were defeated by a combination of haze and a waning moon low in the sky, conditions worsening as the night progressed, with crews unable later to identify the Danube, despite having used it successfully as a pinpoint earlier, en route to nickelling. Two aircraft successfully dropped leaflets over Ploesti, and one each over Bucharest and Craiova.

 Returning crews all highlighted the difficult weather conditions and the efforts they had made to locate the designated drop zone. S/Ldr. R.A. Brown’s crew, flying in B-24 BZ928, for instance, reported:

“Tried to find Danube after dropping ‘nickels’ but unsuccessful. A town brightly lit up and all pinpoints coincided with Turnu Măgurele but Danube could not be located. Moon was giving poor illumination as it shone just above haze. Orbited to find Danube but still unsuccessful. Flew South and made astrosight which gave aircraft at 43°05’N: 22°47’E at 03:05 hours. This gave aircraft too far South of Danube to mine before 03:20 hours. Decided to abandon operation. Fifteen minutes later another astrofix confirmed the other one. 04:16 hours – two mines jettisoned from rear bay at position 42o04’N: 18o32’E from 9000 feet on heading 260°.”

W/O. Strenach and his crew had to contend not only with difficult weather, but also with enemy opposition:

“01:54 hours made a complete circuit of Ploesti – searchlight shot up and caught aircraft straight away. Light stayed on for approx. 30secs then moved off then another repeated. Master searchlight held aircraft, the others swinging towards aircraft’s course passing on to the master. Evasive action taken and searchlights lost. 02:20 hours en route back to Danube. A single radial-engined aircraft (unidentified) observed flying same way as ‘S’. ‘S’ turned to port. Height 4000 ft – fighter’s height 3000 ft. Unidentified aircraft then lost. After losing unidentified aircraft spent at least one hour searching for Danube. Aircraft flew at 300 ft following rivers to see if they flowed into the Danube but was unable to find it. 03:44 hours, 200 ft – mines dropped in Jiul River from Craiova which is fairly large. Unable to find Danube owing to evasive action, bad visibility, black night and haze.

Returning aircraft landed at Amendola between 05:50 and 06:40.”

 Being inspected by the pilot, Liberator EV962 “F” of 178 Squadron suffered minor repairable damage. This plane flew a ‘gardening’ operation on 14/15 April 1944.


Two aircraft of the 178 Squadron were lost that night. Consolidated Liberator B.Mk.VI EV825 “D” took off normally but crashed shortly afterwards, one kilometer east of San Marco. The cause was never established. All crewmembers, including pilot Lt. Harold E. Rogan (SAAF), navigator Sgt. Denis A. Bennett, Air Bomber Sgt. Bernard E. Hart, Wireless Operator Sgt. John C.W. Martin, Flight Engineer Sgt. George H. Evans, Air Gunner Sgt. James Atkinson and Air Gunner Sgt. John B. Baskerville were killed and are buried in Bari War Cemetery, Lt. Rogan in grave XV.C.7, Sgt. Bennett in XV.B.38, Sgt. Hart in XV.C.38, Sgt. Martin in XV.C.6, Sgt. Evans in XV.C.13, Sgt. Atkinson in X.C.33 and Sgt. Baskerville in XV.B.39. 

Consolidated Liberator B. Mk.VI EV820 “R” took off at approximately at 23:50 hours and was last seen climbing away from the runway. About two hours later navigator Sgt. J. Patterson, arrived at the aerodrome on foot. It appears that almost immediately after take-off the aircraft lost height and crashed, killing three men including pilot Lt. Keith Shaw (SAAF), Air Bomber P/O. Michael Wishak (RCAF) and Flight Engineer Sgt. Raymond H. Birch. Patterson, who was badly cut about the head, was knocked out, and when he came to consciousness, he found he was lying on the ground alongside the aircraft.

After doing what he could for the other injured members of the crew he saw the aerodrome Beacon flashing about 2 miles away and started to walk towards it. On his arrival, the ambulance with Medical Officer and crash tender left immediately for the scene of the crash. It was found that three members of the crew had been killed. The aircraft did not catch fire and it crashed in open country, which accounted for the crash not having been discovered earlier.

Beside navigator, survivors of the crash were Wireless Operator Sgt. R.C. Pain, Air Gunner Sgt. H.F. Pollington, and Air Gunner Sgt. E. Gollings.

The dead are buried in Bari War Cemetery, Lt. Shaw in grave XV.C.8, P/O. Wishak (who is listed in the 178 Squadron ORB as Warrant Officer, the unit not having then been advised of his commissioning) in grave XV.C.2, and Sgt. Birch in grave XV.C.9.

Pilot Officer Michael Wishak was born in Czechoslovakia in 1921. His parents moved to Canada, where in August 1941 Michael joined the RCAF. On 17 March 1944 he was assigned to 178 Squadron.

 Crew of B-24 EV820 “R”. Upper row right Sgt. Pollington, in the middle row left Sgt. Patterson and right Sgt. Pain. Below them are sitting left 2nd Lt. Shaw and right W/O Wishak. It is a cut off from bigger phot, and the upper left airman was not a member of the crew. [credit: Wishak family via P. Vančata].


The newly laid mines made the Danube even more dangerous, since previously laid mines had yet not been swept and the list of victims was growing every day. Among the victims of the newly laid mines were the M.F.T.R. passenger steamer Erszebet Kiralyne lost on 15 April, the motor barge Ressel lost on the 30th and the S.O.R. tug Vojvoda Putnik lost on 2 May.

 The 1000 h.p. motor barge D.D.S.G. Ressel, which was lost on 30 April 1944 at km 1552,0.

 M.F.T.R. passenger steamer Erszebet Kiralyne.


The first mining in April apparently caught the enemy unprepared, as minesweeping equipment was totally inadequate. Traffic came to a halt over the greater part of the river, and, although the enemy succeeded in developing its counter measures within a few weeks, subsequent mining in May and June again increased the problem. It appears that the enemy experienced little difficulty in his actual sweeping operations, as the mines in use were not of a complicated or particularly modern type, but the intensification of mining after mid-July made it impossible for the available sweepers to meet the strain imposed upon them.

There can be no doubt as to the outstanding success of 205 Group ‘Gardening’ operations. Overall, between April and August 1944, the volume of traffic on the Danube was reduced by some 60 to 70 per cent. The enemy was forced to deploy, along a considerable length of the river, great quantities of anti-aircraft equipment, including balloons and guns as well as trained crews to man them. Skilled minesweeping crews, both naval and air, were diverted to the Danube at a time when their services could ill-be spared elsewhere. Finally–and most important of all, considerable aid was given to the Russian Forces in their westward drive, when the transport of German reinforcements to the Eastern Front suffered long delays.

(a slightly modified and enriched excerpt of a text from book: “Gardening by Moonlight” from Peter Kaššák and David Gunby, available at lulu.com)


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