434 Squadron's crest (photo Mr Ralph Armour). 434 Squadron formed as part of RCAF 6 Group Bomber Command at Tholthorpe, Yorkshire, England on 13th June 1943. It's first operational flight was on 12th August 1943 flying Halifax MkV's (with the Rolls Royce Merlin engines) during May 1944 the Squadron switched to the Halifax MkIII (Radial Bristol Hercules engines). The last operational flight from Tholthorpe was on 11th December 1943, the Squadron moved to Croft, North Yorkshire, on the border with Durham on 12th December 1943. The Squadron later converted to Canadian built Avro Lancaster MkX & Xa's and flew them operationaly between December 1944 and September 1945. It was known as the "Bluenose" Squadron and had a Bluenose Schooner on the Squadron's Crest and was inturn adopted by the Rotary Club of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada and thereafter there were known as the Bluenosers, the nickname for Nova Scotians. The Squadron's Motto "in excelsis vincimus" means "We conquer in the heights". The propeller spinners on all of it's aircraft were painted blue.
The crew of Halifax LL178, they were all to be killed weeks after this photograph was taken, further details on this aircraft pictured and the reason they were flying it is given later. The aircraft pictured is Halifax LK945 not LL178.
Aircraft serial numbers for some aircraft listed on this page are not yet known and as a result only their Squadron Codes are confirmed from Edson Armour's Log Book. This list is taken from Edson Armour's logbook.
6th November 1943, flying Halifax "N" they undertook their first flight with 434 Squadron, a night time cross-country training flight
lasting six hours.
8th November 1943, they air-tested Halifax "U" which lasted 35 minutes.
10th November 1943, flying Halifax "N" they did a another night cross-country and homing flight lasting four hours.
18th November 1943. OPS MANNHEIM.
F/O Evans flew his first operation as a Dickie pilot to Squadron Leader Eric Hockey RCAF (J/4562) in Halifax LK990. The target was Mannheim, take off was 17.00hrs and return at 00.22hrs. The aircraft's Gee and compass both failed. The rest of the "Evans" crew did not fly this night. Hockey and crew failed to return from Ops on 28th January 1944, all were made PoWs.
19th November 1943, OPS. LEVERKUSEN. The very next night after Evans Dickie Op, the full crew flew their first Trip together. Flying Taking off at 16.44hrs in Halifax LK971 "Y", they bombed Cologne and the flight lasted six hours but were very lucky to return, a flak burst in the nose of the aircraft damaging it to some extent. F/O Armour's oxygen supply was severed by the blast and his life was apparently saved by P/O Jackson, who dropped the bombload and held Armour's mask and pipe together for the return part of the flight. They landed at Thorney Island on return at 22.40hrs. Crew: Evans, Armour, Jackson, Cotton, Hutt, (MUG)Sgt David Louis Silverman RAFVR (1701327), (RG)Sgt Joseph Jean Baptiste Laurier Leduc RCAF (R/188532) (so no Sleigher or Ballentine as air gunners). The following is a press report on the incident...
21st November 1943, following its repair, they flew Halifax "Y" back up to Tholthorpe from Thorney Island, in a flight lasting 1.5 hours.
22nd November 1943, OPS. BERLIN. Flying Halifax LK916 "P", the flight lasted 7 hours and 15 minutes,
they landed at Docking on return at 23.48hrs after take off at 16.36hrs. Crew: Evans, Armour, Cotton, Sleigher, Ballentine, Hutt, (BA) F/Sgt Reginald Gordon Luckett RAF (1337783) (so no Jackson as bomb aimer). No further details.
25th November 1943, they returned to Tholthorpe in Halifax "Z", in a flight lasting 1hr 20 mins. As this was a different
aircraft it suggests that more then one 434 Squadron aircraft had landed at Docking on return from Berlin.
26th November 1943, OPS. STUTTGART. Flying Halifax LK970 "N", taking off at 16.59hrs, the flight lasted 7.5 hours, they landed away from base, this time at Thorney Island again at 00.39hrs.
28th November 1943, they returned to Tholthorpe in Halifax "N" from Thorney Island in a flight lasting just short of 1.5hrs.
1st December 1943, OPS. LEIPZIG, flying Halifax LL135 "R" they set out at 23.59hrs but turned back just over an hour into the flight with a failed port outer engine. The flight lasted 2 3/4 hours, landing at 02.43hrs. Crew: Evans, Armour, Cotton, Sleigher, Ballentine, Hutt, (BA) F/Sgt Reginald Gordon Luckett RAF (1337783). (again no Jackson as bomb aimer).
3rd December 1943, Halifax LL135 "R" appears to have had work done to it following the engine failure, they airtested it in a flight
lasting 35 minutes.
9th December 1943, again more work must have been done to Halifax "R", they again airtested it for just under an hour.
11th December 1943, The Squadron moved from Tholthorpe up to Croft, they flew Halifax "R" up which took twenty minutes.
22nd December 1943, Flying Halifax "R", they carried out a Bullseye exercise lasting just over 4.5 hours. Captain Prune flew with them as an Army Observer (Captain "Prune" may have been Armour's joke name for the Army observer rather than his correct name). A Bullseye was a simulated bombing raid on a British city to test out crews on avoiding night-fighters, searchlights and navigation.
28th December 1943, Height and air tested Halifax "O" in a flight lasting just short of two hours. The photograph at the top of this webpage shows the crew about to take-off for this airtest in Halifax LK945 WL-O "THE OLD STRAW HAT". It is not known who the man third from left is, he appears to be ground-crew, given his lack of flying attire and woollen gloves. LK945 was lost on the Leipzig raid on the 20th February 1944. Three killed, four PoW. A more detailed photograph of the nose art is below with LAC A Basaraba (R123086) of Wood Mountain, Saskastchewan chalking up trip number to three.
29th December 1943, OPS BERLIN. Flying Halifax LL134 "U", heavy flak reported over the target, take off being 16.48hrs, return at 00.35hrs some 7.5 hours later. 10/10th cloud cover over the target which was bombed through PFF marking. Armours Log Books has the comment "GOOD PRANG", suggesting their bombing was a result. Crew: Evans, Armour, Jackson, Cotton, Ballentine, Hutt, (MUG) Sgt J Fletcher. Armour's flying times now being 357 hours total, 192 hours of which being at night.
10th January 1944, flying Halifax "U", take off 12.00hrs for a bombing practice, the flight lasted fifty five minutes. Later in the day and in the same aircraft they undertook a cross-country night exercise, take off being 17.25hrs, duration being six hours twenty minutes.
14th January 1944, flying Halifax "R", take off 14.30hrs for a fighter affiliation exercise and air-to-air firing. Duration being 2.5 hours.
18th January 1944, again flying Halifax "R", they airtested it, take off being 11.55hrs and the test lasted an hour.
20th January 1944, OPS BERLIN, flying Halifax LK649 "X", turned back due to engine failure and being unable to climb the aircraft through icing. They took off at 16.25hrs and returned 3 1/4hrs later. Crew: Evans, Armour, Jackson, Cotton, Sleigher, Ballentine, Hutt.
21st January 1944, OPS MAGDEBURG. Flying Halifax LL134 "U", took off 20.05 hrs, scattered fires were reported.
They landed at Feltwell on return 6 hours 25 minutes later and on the same night (or next morning) returned to Croft within the hour. Crew: Evans, Armour, Jackson, Cotton, Sleigher, Ballentine, Hutt.
2nd February 1944, Flying Halifax "W", fighter affiliation, duration 1.5 hours.
5th February 1944, Airtest Halifax "C", fifty minutes duration.
7th February 1944, (Slightly unclear) They flew Halifax "R" from Topcliffe to "Base" suggesting this was a New "R" or it had landed there on a previous day with a different crew flying it. Duration 45 minutes.
8th February 1944, Halifax "R", night bombing exercise at Strensall Range, duration was just short of 2.5 hours.
11th February 1944, Halifax "Z", fighter affiliation, duration 35 minutes.
15th February 1944, OPS BERLIN. Flying Halifax LK682 "R" take off 17.22hrs, duration just short of seven hours,
Armours comments being "DAMN GOOD PRANG" suggesting a very result from their bombing, they landed at Bungay, Norfolk on their return having bombed through 10/10th cloud cover using PFF marking. Crew: Evans, Armour, Jackson, Cotton, Sleigher, Ballentine, Hutt.
18th February 1944, flying Halifax "R" from Bungay to Croft, duration was an hour.
19th February 1944, OPS LEIPZIG, flying Halifax LK682 "R", take off 23.33hrs, duration 7hrs 50 minutes, Armour's Comments being "TRICKY NAVIGATION, GUNNERS HIT FIGHTER". They again bombed through 10.10th cloud cover using markers. Crew: Evans, Armour, Jackson, Cotton, Sleigher, Ballentine, Hutt. Further details are known about this engagement. Flying Halifax LK682 WL-R were attacked by a single engine enemy aircraft at 01.45hrs over the Sea outbound. Evasive action was taken by Evans after the aircraft had attacked the first time. Sleigher and Ballentine both managed to fire bursts at the enemy which broke away and did not attack for a second time. Damage was sustained to their aircraft. The following is a press report on the incident, kindly provided by Mr Ralph Armour.
21st February 1944, Airtest Halifax "R", Armour's comments being "RECORD LANDING", duration twenty five minutes.
29th February 1944, Airtest Halifax "R", Armour's comments being "HUGH CURRY - C.P.". At present it is not clear who he was.
2nd March 1944, OPS MEULIN-LES-MUREAUX, flying Halifax LK682 "R" Took off at 00.30 hrs and returned 05.45hrs. They scored a direct hit on a factory from between 6,000 and 10,500 feet. Further comments being "Easy Trip". Take off was 00.36 hrs and return 05.49hrs. Crew: Evans, Armour, Jackson, Cotton, Sleigher, Ballentine, Hutt.
13th March 1944, OPS LE MANS, flying Halifax LK964 "N", take off 22.10hrs duration of flight was five hours fifteen minutes. "OPS COURTRAL" is crossed out in Armour's log book. They bombed on red TI markers and one large white fire was seen. Crew: Evans, Armour, Jackson, Cotton, Sleigher, Ballentine, Hutt.
15th March 1944, take off 10.35hrs, flying Halifax "X" they carried out an airtest lasting 45 minutes and later the same day....
15th March 1944, OPS AMIENS, flying Halifax LK964 "N" take off 18.35hrs, duration of flight being just short of five hours. 6-8/10th cloud cover reported, "Good Effort" is recorded. Crew: Evans, Armour, Jackson, Cotton, Sleigher, Ballentine, Hutt.
16th March 1944, OPS AMIENS, the next night flying Halifax "X" take off 19.30hrs, duration of flight lasted just over five hours. One large fire was seen through 7-8/10th cloud cover, a "Successful Effort" is recorded. Crew: Evans, Armour, Jackson, Cotton, Sleigher, Ballentine, Hutt. Squadron ORB gives this crew as flying Halifax LK178 (sic.LL178) "-R". ("X" may refer to the fact that LL178 had no squadron code painted to it?)
18th March 1944, OPS GARDENING, flying Halifax LL178 "-R", take off 18.40hrs, "CRASHED IN HILLS, KILLED". Comments of other pilots in the Squadron were "Nice Trip" and Routine Trip". The photograph below is a copy of Edson Armour's final page in his log book, showing the final operational flights the crew undertook as well as their last flight. Crew: Evans, Armour, Jackson, Cotton, Sleigher, Ballentine, Hutt, plus Thicke as second pilot.
The effort crews such as this were putting in at this stage of the War is shown by the amount of flying hours this crew did in half of March 1944 alone, over twenty one hours, most of which at night.
28th October 1943, Evans and crew arrive at Tholthorpe's resident 434 (Bluenose) Sqaudron and were assigned to "B" Flight. Their crew number was Number 56. They
arrived with another crew, that of Sgt Russell Henry Stanley RCAF (R/144014) (Crew 57). Both the Evans and Stanley crews had undertaken their 23 OTU and 1659 HCU training at the same time and they would have all known each other. WO2 Stanley and his crew were killed flying Ops with 434 Squadron on 28th January 1944 and his crew included Sgt Silverman and Sgt Leduc who had flown with David Evans on 19th November 1943 (see below).
